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He nods, and I walk past him.

“Hey,” he says.

I look back.

“I love you.”

I smile and blow him a small kiss, then I descend the stairs.

* * *

Trick

C and I get Mangia’s body out the window and clean the blood quickly using bleach wipes from under the sink. We bag them and toss them out the window. The job we do wouldn’t stand up against forensics, but we shouldn’t need it to.

“I gotta get back out there,” I say. “You’ll sweep the house to make sure Enzo hasn’t got anyone else hidden in a closet, C? With the guys I brought inside, you’ve got five counting you. Enough?”

“More than. Go.”

I climb out a bedroom window and haul myself up onto the roof. C closes the window behind me.

Using my scope I check out the landscape. Three hired guns are down, plus Mangia. I got two of them and ‘Vil got the other. They got through the holes in our perimeter guys, which means our guys need more training. That’ll be a top priority after this.

In the distance there are two more inbound and one outbound. Outbound means a big man came to inspect C Crue carnage but finding none has decided to retreat.

We need to clean up the mess, but we’re not losing the big fish who I’m figuring is Enzo. I whistle. Anvil doesn’t signal, so I know he doesn’t hear it.

I hang from the corner of the roof and drop to the wet ground. I divide the guys as I move forward, sending some behind me to get the bodies loaded on a boat we’ve grabbed and others to wait for me to drop the rest. Another ten feet, and I drop behind cars for cover. Two shots in quick succession take down the incoming hit men.

I cross to Anvil’s location, but he’s gone. Raising the scope, I tag the fleeing fish, but not ‘Vil. Sprinting between houses, I make an arc to intercept the guy before he can reach the road where I’m betting there’s a waiting car.

Running was how I managed my recovery, but it’s been a while since I’ve run flat out for half a mile. I reach the road with my hands shaking and need a second to recover. Taking a knee, I look for my shot, but then ‘Vil steps out from behind a house and grabs the guy.

I jog over, still catching my breath. He’s got Enzo in chokehold. Scanning the surrounding area, I move in. The three of us are alone for the moment. When I’m close enough, I hear ‘Vil.

“I warned you when she reached out last year.” Then Anvil says something in Italian. The only word I recognize is bastard, but I get the gist. Rachel tried to befriend her brothers, and they reminded her she’s a bastard who married an enemy bastard during a blood feud. They think that makes her unfit company for legitimate Palermos. In private, Enzo’s big on name-calling. We hear he’s even used the word whore, which is ironic considering his father was in the midst of bartering Rachel’s virginity to the Leones when ‘Vil interrupted the proceedings.

Palermo’s eyes are wide as he tries to claw Anvil’s arm off, but he’s got zero chance of out-muscling ‘Vil. Enzo dangles, his feet off the ground, until he loses consciousness. Then ‘Vil grabs his skull in his massive mitts and jerks. I don’t hear the snap of Enzo’s neck over the storm, but I see it well enough.

Anvil drops the body and looks at me, running a hand over his head to sweep the excess rain from his hair.

Looking from the body to Anvil, I raise my brows. “You know that old playground proverb, ‘sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me’?”

“Yeah.”

“Just checking.”

Anvil’s mouth forms a grim smile for a moment, then he shrugs and hauls Enzo’s body up.

Chapter 18

Laurel

On the drive back to Coynston the next day, Trick stops at a Boston emergency department. I’ve already assured him everything is okay, but when he parks I only sigh, knowing better than to argue. We’ll probably wait hours to be seen and I already have an appointment in two days with my own doctor, but it’s not good enough for him. He wants a doctor to tell him the baby is okay immediately. I’m curious how his patience is going to hold up in a crowded ER waiting room.

But while I’m getting registered, people hustle around us like they’ve been expecting us. Within twenty minutes I’ve had an exam and I’m getting an ultrasound. Trick leans against the wall, but his eyes never leave the machine’s screen as the doctor slides the probe over my belly.

“Everything looks great. Heartrate’s perfect.” She prints a picture and starts to give it to me, but I point to Trick. She turns and smiles at him, holding it out.