Page 17 of Assassin's Obsession

"You want me to dog sit?" Boomer asks. "I don't want no charity. I make my own way."

"Good. I'm not a charitable guy."

Derian coughs. "Got that right."

I'm not offended. It's the truth.

I pay my men well, but it's not generosity. They put their lives on the line to earn it. Just like I do.

Before Candi, there was no one I wanted to do nice things for. I'm loyal to Severu, but that's not the same. He doesn't need me to take care of him.

The only person I want to look after is Candi. I do the same for her mom and sister because they are part of her. "We'll share custody of the dog, but you'll have to live on my estate for that. You might as well work for me too. Mars has to be acclimated to being with a family. I want him in special training sessions daily."

"You got a family? Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't seem the type."

I turn down a darkened side street without using my blinker. "Nothing to be offended by. My family don't live with me yet. I'm moving my woman, her mom and her sister into my place in a couple of months."

Everything has to be ready for them.

"You don't know me from Adam. How are you going to trust me to train Mars right?"

"You fuck up and I'll kill you."

"The boss don't kill easy," Derian pipes up.

Again, truth.

"I figured as much with him having Hangman's job and all, but it still feels like a lot to take on faith and he doesn't strike me as a fool."

"Don't worry. The boss knowsavan ou monte bwa, gade si ou ka desann li."

Boomer frowns. "That's not Italian."

"Nah, it's one of my mamma's sayings. She's the smart one in the family."

"What does it mean?"

"Death knows he needs to know the details before committing to something. He'll have you investigated by our people. If something comes back hinky, he won't give you the chance to fuck up."

"Only thing hinky about my past is what my government had me do in the name of patriotism. Killing is one thing. Killing innocents is another." Boomer's voice is heavy with regret.

I shrug. "Innocence is in the eye of the beholder."

My don's enemies are guilty because they are his enemies. Doesn't matter if they've ever done anything deserving of death. If they are a risk to Severu and his family? They're charged and guilty in my book.

"You ever done any gardening?" I ask Boomer, thinking I can kill two birds with one stone.

Get someone to take care of the dog and put in a small vegetable garden for Candi.

I've got a service for maintaining the property, but this is different. She keeps a container garden on their tiny stoop. It's not much and she's told her little sister she wishes she had a garden plot, but the waitlist for a community plot nearby is too long.

Yes, I'm listening in on her conversations with her sister before they go to sleep at night. How else am I supposed to get to know my family?

"Where would I garden in the city?" Boomer asks.

"I bought a house for me and my family on Long Island. Need someone to put in a vegetable garden." I still remember nonna's and how she liked to spend time in it.

She went out there to cool off after she and nonno had words. Candi's going to need that kind of place too.

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