Page 89 of Mob Princess

“Stay here until you’re discharged. As soon as you’re well enough, we go back to the city.”

I nod, and Shane knows that’s his cue to leave. When the door clicks closed, Lina speaks before I can.

“Can I come with you?”

“I was going to ask if you would.”

“Eventually, I’ll have to go back to Boston because I have stuff in storage. But for now, I have no reason to stay at Jesse’s. I’d rather be near you.”

“Seamus owns a moving company. Whenever you’re ready, he can take care of your belongings going wherever you want.” To our place.

She appears hesitant. I think I’ve guessed why.

“I didn’t just mean a flight back to New York. Lina, I want you to stay with me. Partly for your safety, but mostly because I want all the time with you I can get. The doctor said I’ll be convalescing for a couple weeks. I already work from home most days. I make my schedule. If you want space of your own, my place is enormous enough. If you decide you want to go somewhere else, I’ll make sure everything is taken care of.”

We’re sorta talking about moving in together. An indefinite houseguest. This will certainly tell us if we can live compatibly.

“Thank you, Daddy.” She climbs back into bed and snuggles next to me.

“I love hearing you call me that. As soon as they discharge me tomorrow or the day after, we can go to Jesse’s. You can hang out for a while or just get your stuff. When you’re ready to go, we’ll fly back to the city. One or two of the guys might join Dillan.”

“I won’t keep everyone waiting because I want to shoot the shit with Jesse. I don’t want you up and around that much. Seamus or Cormac can take me to get my stuff at a reasonable hour. As soon as you’re discharged, we fly to New York. Your mom is probably in agony, waiting to see you. You need to see your parents, then we can sort out everything else.”

“Did you talk to your mom while I was out?”

“No. I haven’t said anything to her. If my grandfather knows any of this, he hasn’t told her because she hasn’t called. Once we’re out of Massachusetts, I’ll call and tell her most of what’s going on.”

“All right. We have another fifteen minutes before a nurse is likely to come back. Then we should be able to catch a couple more hours of sleep. Are you comfy?”

“Way more than you are.”

“I just clicked the pain med button, and you’re beside me. I’m very comfy.”

I close my eyes, and the comfort flees. That premonition is back.

I got a smudged bill of health—in my line of work, it’s considered clean—and we’re back in NYC. The doctor discharged me just before noon. I passed all the tests, but they kept me for another night. Cormac and Shane took Lina to Jesse’s to get her suitcases. I asked Finn to run a background check on her friend. I admitted it before I did it. It didn’t thrill Lina, but she understands. I don’t know Jesse. I know nothing about him or their friendship. For anyone I’m not familiar with, to me, they’re an automatic threat to Lina until they aren’t. I’m not a pessimist. I’m a realist.

We stopped in Boston, and Seamus stayed with Dillan. They’re watching Colt and another guy—Blake O’Malley—their accountant—because this is undoubtedly not over. It could be a coincidence we were shot hours apart. It likely isn’t. They’ll stay for a few more days. We all know there’s a possibility the others will need to go back. I’m thirty-one, and my mom grounded me from going out to play. For her sake, my dad’s, and Lina’s, I didn’t argue. I don’t want to be more of a liability than an asset to the others.

On the flight from Boston to NYC, Lina stepped into the private cabin on the plane to call her mom. She was pensive when she came out. I didn’t do more than raise my eyebrows. She told me it went okay, but she knew her mom would have plenty to say when she wasn’t around my family or me. She was upfront with her mom about being in a new relationship with me and that she was staying at my place until I said it was safe enough for her to go anywhere else.

When she said that, I kept my expression as neutral as I could. I don’t want her to go anywhere else. But it’s far too soon to decide. At least for her. Hours in a hospital bed gave me plenty of time to think. In my world, that many hours of inactivity is rare. Having that much time to let my mind wander was a luxury I really don’t remember having since I was a kid. I’m used to deciding in seconds and minutes not hours and days. I’m used to decisions that can’t be undone once made. I worked through things slowly. I still came to the same conclusion, but it doesn’t feel impetuous.

“Sean?”

“I’m in the kitchen.”

We went straight to my parents when we landed. We had dinner there, and I was certain I was stuffed. Apparently, I’m not. Or I’m a Hobbit. I need second dinner.

“Would you like something?” I hold up half of my sandwich as she joins me.

Her hair’s wet from a shower I wish we’d taken together. But I had some work emails to sort through instead. Fucking adulting’s getting in the way of my sex life.

She’s careful when she wraps her arms around me not to touch my incision while she rests her chin against my back. I haven’t admitted it, but the hospital grade pain meds kept me from feeling much. I could even put pressure on it when I was in bed. Now, I feel every breath shoot through me like a searing fireplace poker. I glance at the microwave clock. Thank God. I can take another dose.

“I’m fine. Your mom must have given me five pounds of food, and I ate all of it.”

“Good. You’re going to need all that energy.” I turn in her arms, spinning her until she’s backed against the counter.

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