“No. We won’t until we need to. Those three.” I shake my head.
“Good luck, Boss. I’ll call with updates.”
Damian leaves and I turn off the overhead lights, leaving just my desk lamp on. It’s dark, but the light is plenty. I pour a scotch and recline in my chair, closing my eyes. Highjacked shipments, human trafficking in our territory, drugs being smuggled through our territory. Things are getting out of hand. Gio isn’t happy. I’m not happy. Damian will put a mark out there letting them know we know, and it won’t be tolerated.
I finish my drink and look up. My lips twitch. I can’t stop the chuckle. I wonder which one of them came up with this?
On the ceiling in glow-in-the-dark yellow paint is a bat signal. It’s perfectly positioned so it looks as if it’s coming from my desk lamp.
Clever.
17
LINC
“Where the fuck have you been lately?” I ask Ben when he walks into the kitchen.
Kadi holds out her hand. “Swear jar.”
I give her a twenty. She looks at me.
“I’m going to swear a lot in the next hour or so,” I warn.
She holds her hand out again.
I lift a brow.
“You’ll need more than that for as often as you use the F word.”
I nod. “You’re right, kid. Here.” I hand her another twenty.
She pockets the cash. “That should hold you for a couple hours.”
“You’re such a little shit,” I tease, poking a finger in her side gently, making her giggle at the tickle.
“Better than being a big one… like you,” she taunts. I tickle her again. Her giggles make Ethan smile. Hell, they make me smile. The kid is great. I fell for her the first time we talked. She’s way too adult-like for someone her age.
“We had to deal with some grown-up things,” Ben replies.
Nicole’s face remains impassive as she brings Maria and Antonio to the kitchen table. It’s late for lunch, but it seems like it’s been a long day for the family.
“You okay?” Ethan asks.
Nicole nods. “Parental rights termination hearing.”
“Oh,” I reply. “How’d that go?” I look at the kids and wonder how much they should hear.
Maria perks up. “Good. Ben’s going to be our dad and Nicole’s going to be our mom.”
Antonio nods enthusiastically as he takes a bit of his banana.
“That’s so exciting!” Ethan tells them. He’s so great with kids. Maybe one day.
“Will you all be living here… or moving to your own place?” I ask.
Ben looks around. “We voted. We’ll be here for a few more years.”
Kadi claps. “Can we play?” she asks Nicole, looking at Antonio and Maria.
