“Where’s the bullet?”
“Safe. Locked up, in case we ever need it.”
She nods. “Won’t the police be angry you left the scene? And what happened to Milt? He ran away?”
“If things go as planned, I’ll never have to admit to being there. As for Schager, he didn’t make it.”
Her teeth catch her lip, and she looks away. “Did he shoot you in self-defense?”
“No. It was a role reversal. I came after him with lawyers and feds. He came after me with a gun, dressed in black with a ski mask on. I guess he thought hitting me tonight would look like retaliation from the Palermos. It was a good plan. And he almost got lucky. I was really drunk when I came down to the garage.”
“But you’re here, and he’s dead.”
“Well, Schager and I are of the same mind about a lot of things. I figured a Palermo guy could decide to strike out, so I was watching close. I’ve had a lot of practice looking for people who are gunning for me. It’s been my life for a long time.” Silence sits for a moment. “If I was a better man, I’d move you somewhere safe and never even visit. Keep my kid a secret and send you money no one could trace.” Putting my right arm behind my head, I watch her. “Want me to work on being a better man where you’re concerned?”
“You mean do I want you to find me somewhere far away to live?”
I nod.
“Could I convince you to come with us?”
I sigh. My old man’s words come back. “When you find your wife, never lie to her. She’ll know and it’ll ruin things. If you pick the right woman, she’ll be better than a priest when something’s dying to get out.”
Keeping my promise to myself, I tell her the truth. “A quiet life isn’t in the cards for me, Laurel. Trouble finds me, always, and it’s not in me to walk away. Probably never was. Even when it destroys me.” Watching her face, which looks more interested than disappointed, I add, “Had to do something young, to save someone I love. It tore me apart inside. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it. I broke down and confessed my sin to a priest. Looking back, I’m pretty sure he’d been in the communion wine pretty deep that night.” I laugh softly. “So here I am, this kid, crying over a mortal sin and also ashamed of myself for breaking down. And he says, ‘Sometimes God sends archangels down from heaven; others times he stations them on Earth. Maybe you’re your family’s avenging angel. How else could you have done what you did? You’re only thirteen.’ Then he gave me a penance that took me a year to finish.”
She smiles. “Considering your life, you must be doing penance year-round these days.”
I chuckle. “You’d think, but I’m a man who loves his loopholes. I decided as an avenging angel I’m exempt.” I smirk, and her brows go up. “I know the angel stuff is bullshit, but at the time, I needed to believe it. It got me through.” Rubbing my forehead, I think back. “One night the weather was nice, and Kath and I went out on the roof and had a drink. We were kids and both so tired. I told her what Father said and without hesitation she says, ‘Of course that’s true. Because I prayed to God to help me because I knew I couldn’t save myself. So the almighty whispered in your ear and made you do it for me. If you don’t believe it, answer me this. How could you be so good with a gun when you were little unless you were meant to do what you did?’”
Smirking, I watch Laurel’s face closely for any reaction. She just watches me back.
“Two good, trustworthy people said the same thing, so I started believing it was my job to rid the world of evil men. There are ones who think no one can stop them, and then something forces them to cross my path.” I rest my left hand on my chest. “And as for where I live, Coins works because C’s here and he’s my keeper.” I wink at her. “Twice he’s saved me from making a rash judgment that would’ve been devastating down the road.”
“Connor McCann is every bit as wrathful and rash as you.”
“No. C’s not rash. Didn’t you see how he kept his head tonight with a gun pointed at him?”
“I saw you do the exact same thing when Enzo Palermo had a gun to your head.”
“Exactly. Who do you think I learned it from?”
She rests a hand on my stomach and nods. “So that’s it then. A church wedding at St. Mary’s.”
“St. Mary’s isn’t for eighteen months. The courthouse is for that. St. Mary’s is till death do us part.”
“Oh. Understood. The courthouse is fine.”
“So is St. Mary’s.” I draw in a slow breath. “You’re the one thing I want just for myself, Laurelyn. That’s selfish, but…”
“You’re not selfish, Scott. The number of people you take care of and watch over is ridiculous.” She smiles and tilts her head. “At first I thought I was supposed to take care of you. But I’m not sure you’d enjoy that.”
“Depends what you mean by taking care of me. Bossing me around, no. I’m the head of the family.”
“Well then, I guess, add me to the list of people you take care of,” she teases.
I’m looking for more from her so I keep going. “Added you a long time ago. Almost a decade.”
Her brows rise.
