Page 102 of Dirty Hearts

“Anytime. I guess we’re similar in some sort of way. So, if I can help, let me know.”

“I wonder if it would always be like this?”

“I don’t think it’s the case of it being always like this, but when there’s trouble, it’s big. My father was a mafia boss, and for seventeen years, I knew nothing about the business. He kept my mother and me out of the picture. My mom, of course, knew what my father did for a living and mostly, they made it work. I’m certain there would have been things happening behind the scene, but it’s unpredictable. I can’t sugarcoat that. Even now, for me, I have to accept that while Luc may not be involved anymore, trouble will sometimes come knocking on our door.”

“Like me.” I chuckled and pressed my lips together.

“No.” The corners of her lips arched. “Not like you. I mean like whatever’s going on. So, hey, I’m not completely out of the woods, but I knew I wouldn’t be. It’s not okay, but I deal with whatever I have to. But that’s life in general.”

Talking helped.

The tension that had taken up residence in my forehead seemed to loosen. However, I was still there on square one.

Talking led me right back to where I’d been. With that question on my mind.

What do I want?

Claudius was right. His motives were completely correct and equal to that of someone who was showing their love for me.

Me being here was protection. Him out there sorting out whatever it was to sort out was protection too. Then what if he did sort it all out and left me? Then I’d have a somewhat normal life. Time would pass. Another seven years. Another ten maybe, and maybe time would lessen the sting of love.

It didn’t before though. In ten years, I’d loved exactly one person. One man.

He said loving him would get me killed.

Being without him, though, felt like the same thing.

So, what did I choose?

* * *

Claudius

* * *

“This is fucking torture,” Dante muttered under his breath.

I agreed, but I didn’t say anything. We’d gotten to Four Peaks Quarry over an hour ago so we could be ready for six. It was six thirty now. That meeting should have taken place half an hour ago.

I just hoped our visit wasn’t for nothing.

I hated stakeouts, and the worst kind of stakeouts were the types when you had too much shit on your mind.

Gio had the audacity to nudge me in my shoulder. I whirled around to face him, snarling.

“What the hell’s wrong with you?”

“You thought we were the rats.” He glared at me.

I could tell he’d had it on his mind. Dante too.

“I don’t want to talk about that.” I frowned and looked away, focusing back on the damn area we were watching. The cabins below us surrounded a lake. In the winter, it would freeze over and have that Christmas card vibe with people ice skating and playing in the snow.

“We go way back, Claudius,” Gio continued. “It was us three before Alex and Jude joined. We were boys before you labelled us The Four.”

I looked back to him and Dante. Dante was on that same old bike he’d had customized a million times. It was one similar to mine.

Gio was more old school and loved something more versatile. Harley’s were definitely him, no modern enhancements. Just old school. They were both as crazy as I was and on any given day we could talk about motorcycles for that whole day. But, I could do the same with Jude and Alex too.