He grunted from the other end. “No doubt. It took me six calls to get you on the phone.”

I gripped the phone tighter for a slight second. “So you heard?”

“Yeah, I heard. Everyone in the family has heard. Cole’s back?”

“Yes, he’s back.”

“Are you going to him?”

“I already did.”

“And?”

“And nothing. He says I’m out.”

“Fuck, Carter. You saved his life five years ago, and now he’s back. I know you. Yeah, he might say you’re out, but we both know you’re coming back in.”

“Gene,” I started.

“Don’t argue with me.”

“I’m staying out.”

He snorted again.

“It’s not me anymore.”

“I know.” His voice quieted. “For her, I hope you stay out, but I know you, Carter. At the first sign of trouble, you’ll be coming in. Listen to me. This is why I’m calling you. Stay. Out.”

“I am out.”

“I mean it, Carter. Stay out. Do it for the woman you love.”

“That’s the plan.” But even as I said those words, I gripped my glass so tightly that the side cracked. I was out. I had bought my way out for Emma. Everything was about Emma now, but…

“I know you loved him like a brother, but you love that woman more,” Gene said. “Just remember those words and you’ll be fine.”

“Gene.” He was right. Emma was everything.

“What?”

“It was the Bartels.”

He cursed on the other end, sighing into the phone. “We’ve had a year of peace. That’s one more year of peace than any other time. You gave that to us, Carter. Remember that and remember my words. I know you love him, but you love her more. She’s the reason for you to stay out.”

“I know.”

“Okay. I’ll let you get back to that woman now. Tell her hello for me.”

I laughed into the phone. “You and I both know you give her the creeps. She always makes sure she’s not around when you come for dinner.”

He barked out a laugh, a real one. “I know, but that’s good. Your woman has good instincts. Keep telling herself to trust her gut. She’s a strong one.”

“I know.” And I did.

Sitting behind my desk, I looked up to the ceiling as if I could see through the floors to where she lay. She was above me, sleeping. She was at peace. She would remain at peace. I’d promised her brother, AJ, that when we were kids, and I had kept my promise all these years.

Gene said his good-bye and hung up, but he’d gotten one thing wrong.

I didn’t want back in, but with Cole back, since the Bartel family had attacked him, I would have to wait and see. I was attached to the Mauricio family, even if I was in business with both families. But if they touched Emma, all bets were off.

A week later I was at the gun range with Theresa and Amanda. Noah was there too, as he was technically our teacher, but after he and Theresa got into a spat for the third time, she banished him to an observation box above us, behind bulletproof glass. He could watch and listen, but if we didn’t hit the speaker switch from our end, we couldn’t hear him. Theresa made sure all our speaker switches were turned off.

As Theresa gave the instructions, Amanda and I shared a grin. We’d been learning how to shoot for a couple of months now. It had been Theresa’s idea, and these sessions had started to replace our wine nights. It had also been her idea to have Noah be our instructor. Carter was the better shot, but Theresa still liked to keep her distance from him. He still made her uneasy.

Amanda had asked her about it one night at their apartment when I’d gone to the bathroom. I stopped in the hallway when I’d overheard Theresa explain, “It’s not that I don’t like him. It’s just…he’s a killer, Amanda. He’s dangerous. I know he loves her, and I know if anyone is going to protect her, it will be him, but…” She’d sighed. “I don’t know. He’s known as the Cold Killer. It’s hard to get past that, even though I know Emma loves him so much.”

Amanda had asked, “Are you worried for her?”

“No.” She’d hesitated. “I mean…maybe. I’m not worried for her from him, but because of him. He’s with the mafia.”

“She said he’s out.”

“Yeah, well, is anyone really out?”

Amanda had replied, “She wasn’t in trouble before because of him. Emma and I did that all on our own.”

“I know. I really do, and I feel bad, but I’m just on edge with the guy. He’s deadly. Can’t you see it in his eyes?” Theresa got up for the kitchen. “I need a refill. You?”

I had melted backward, back into the bathroom. When she’d crossed the hallway, the bathroom door was shut.

Glancing over at her now, I remembered how her smiles had seemed more forced that night, her laughter a little louder, and the secretive looks she’d sent Amanda’s way. They were roommates. They were going to talk about me. That was obvious, but I’d been hurt, though I knew I shouldn’t have been.

Theresa worried about me. I tried to keep telling myself it was as simple as that, but a slight wedge had found its way between us. Amanda and I were fine. We were still family, always would be. Really we were all still our little family, but there was a small distance between Theresa and myself now. I don’t think she ever felt it from her end, but it was there. And I knew Amanda had noticed. I often saw a question in her eyes as she watched Theresa and me together. I felt her concern and understood it, but nothing was going to change. I still loved Theresa. I would remain close with them. The unit wasn’t going to disburse. But since no one had brought it up when I wasn’t in the bathroom, we didn’t talk about it.