Page 105 of The Pretender

I cough, nearly choking on my coffee cake while Balt rubs my back.

“God, Brogan, you’re so crass.”

“You love me anyway.”

“I do.”

Balt hands me some water. “A movie night sounds good.”

“Yay.”

“We should get some work done,” I say after composing myself.

“I have some campaign ideas, and I already talked to one of my friends about designing some graphics for us. Want to go over those?”

For just a second, I take in everything that’s happened today. What a dramatic turn of events. I’m pretty sure if we can get through this, we can make it through anything, and it helps to have my family by my side.

“Yeah, let’s go over your ideas.”

THIRTY-ONE

balthazar

Deo’s phonebuzzing on the nightstand startles both of us awake. Deo grabs it, looking at the screen through narrowed eyes, then presses the answer button.

“Hello?” He sits up, rubbing his eyes and nodding. “Okay. For sure?” He glances at me, but his expression is hard to read in the dim room. “Thank you. I don’t know what else to say.”

I hear a muffled voice as I also sit up.

“Yes, I think so too. See you later.” Deo ends the call. “It’s done. Lou and Tony pulled it off. Vin even came to the scene in person when his detective friend called him. Lou said Vin took the watch and actually looked upset about it. The detective gave him the envelope addressed to him and they took the body away. Fluke street violence. Lou told Nonna that Vin was pissed off that you decided to stay in a shitty part of town instead of at your own place. He thinks they were waiting for you to show up there.”

“I’m sure they were.” It takes a minute for me to absorb everything Deo just told me. “Vin thinks I’m dead?”

“He sure does.”

A sense of lightness spreads through me. It’s over. It’s finally fucking over. My eyes well with unexpected tears, and I simplyfall forward into Deo’s waiting arms, crying softly into his shoulder. He holds me tight, pressing kisses to the side of my head as he rubs my back. I can’t remember the last time I shed actual tears, but it feels damn good to let them out.

“You’re safe now, Balt. Your sister is safe.”

I nod, sitting back and wiping my face with my hands. “It’s a huge weight off my shoulders.”

“Of course. Maybe someday you’ll see all of this as a good thing. I mean, the rumor is what made you take a chance and got you out of it.”

“I already see it as good. If it hadn’t happened I wouldn’t have met you and found this incredible love and a life worth existing for. For too many years, I’ve been numb inside, going through life just wanting to feel something. Anything. I finally have that, and it was worth everything it took to get here.”

Deo’s smile lights up his whole face. “I’m so happy for you. I’m proud of you and I respect what you did to keep us and Lorelei safe. I’m glad you told me so I could help. Well, so Nonna could help.”

“I’m glad I told you too. I wasn’t sure if I should, but the idea of leaving you and making you think it was for any other reason didn’t sit well. I couldn’t hurt you like that. Little did I know telling you would lead to my rescue.”

“I’m just glad we caught up to you before you got on that plane.”

“That makes two of us.”

“What do you say we take a hot shower together, trade blow jobs, then have some coffee before we get back to business?”

“I think that sounds perfect.”

While Deo is out on the grounds with his dad and uncle, I take the opportunity to get online and place the order that’s been bouncing around in my brain for weeks. I’ve picked out the most beautiful pieces for my man, and I can’t wait to see him in them all.