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Mark pounds a fist on the bar as he makes his way to the exit. “Maybe Sal knew the whole damn time and lied to me. Fucking secret keeping asshole.” My body tenses at what’s about to happen. I know him too well.

Like the Kool Aid Man busting through a wall, the door to Lucille’s office comes off the hinges. Mark turns quickly, gun out, and now it’s his turn to be slack jawed.

Sal roars, and although I’ve heard him angry, I’ve never seen him in full mafia mode. And at the end of the day, his good heart, his brilliant head, and perfect soul were born to a life in the mob. I’ve never called it that before. But here he is, my Don.

He’s trembling from his anger. “What the fuck are you saying?” His voice almost shakes the glasses off the table like a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

“Not dead.” Is all Mark can say. And our circle of people who know he’s alive expands to seven. But Lou might be dead so it’s still likely six.

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

SAL

I toss a chair out of my way and get in this man’s face. “I have been fucking jerking off in secret for seven goddamned months. Holding my dick in my hand, hoping to come. Fucking cooped up like a caged motherfucking rat. And you tell me that not only is he hunting her, but that this cocksucking, piece of human shit stain doesn’t share my goddamned DNA. That’s he’s a fucking love child of a crack whore and my piece of shit but connected, dead brother-in-law. And my sister is what? Fucking afraid of Enzo?”

I stop away myself from getting too close to him. I’m balling my hands into fists. “Why the fuck wouldn’t she tell me that shit? Fuck! I would have burned it all down a hell of a lot sooner. Mary and all the saints hold me before I beat you down.”

“Do nothing.” Mark has his hands up, and they’ve all backed away from me. They know I need to be the bull right now.

“You want me to bottle it all up and sit on my fucking hands like a pussy bitch waiting to take it up the ass without lube? That’s what you want of me, you stain? If anyone comes for her…” I point at Poppy, “…I will rip the world apart.”

Mark doesn’t back down. Good, I’ve got no more nice in me today. He says, “I’m pretty fucking good at my job. I’m the top tier clearance in covert operations with a specialty among you pieces of shit but your fake death. Fuck me, that’s good. Holy shit, brother. There wasn’t a hair out of place. Because I fucking looked.”

There’s a tense moment between me and this fucking man who I know would take a bullet for Poppy. And possibly me. I’d do it for him. Then he cracks a smile. “Your burned body was a work of art, my friend.” I huff out a half laugh.

I put my arms out wide. “I learned from the fucking best. Did you think I wasn’t paying attention to the shit you pulled at my side? Or Mel’s fucking wizardry.”

“So when I told you that I’d put you in witness protection years ago and you said you’d take care of it when the time comes, you meant this fucking pull a rabbit out of my ass magic trick?”

“I told you. No witness protection. When it’s time for me to be gone, I’ll be gone.”

“You fucker. You giant pain in my ass. Jesus. You know I missed you.”

I open my arms again and he walks into them. I hug him like he’s a brother because that’s what he’s become. We slap each other on the back hard.

“You were the hardest to keep this shit from beside that one.” I point at my love.

She pops a hip at me, and I want to take her back to the office and let her grind down on me again.

“That one? That’s how you refer to me now?”

Mark laughs, “I see becoming undead for the Mrs. has its ups and downs.”

“If you think for one second you’re going to talk in code or leave me out of anything, you’re sorely mistaken. I can be crafty and---”

I raise my eyebrow to my wife, “Quiet? Can you be quiet?”

“If that’s what you think you need, you watch how quiet I can be,” she says like she’s a kid trying to prove her parents wrong.

I roll my eyes and Mark laughs. “I like this. I like her giving you shit. Keeps you human. You know you can’t kill him. Not while Enzo is still useful.”

Mark says it, but he doesn’t realize that he’s no longer in charge. He has no hold over me. I don’t have to do shit for him. I’m dead. I square my shoulders and let my face take on a murderous pallor. Mark cracks his knuckles like it’s a showdown. I shake my head slowly and he stares. We’re going to have to let this one go.

I attempt to lighten the mood. “Always business, this narc. Can’t we just bask in the glow of my heartbeat before you start issuing orders on who I can and can’t kill?”

Mark’s eyes flick to Poppy as if she’s the one who can bring me back to the brink. I see her, and I know she’s just as done with this fucking life and us being trapped in it. We get out now. We get out today. Poppy grabs my Glock, hands it to me, and amps all this shit right back up. I’m going to drown that good girl in orgasms.