Page 30 of Darkness and Duress

I shrugged, playing it cool even as my heart did some stupid fucking skippy thing. “He was drunk.”

“Henny… you've been halfway in love with him since we were ten. Quit the shit. Take the win. Get your man. When you get married and have babies and shit, we’ll be brothers for real.” Luca shoved me as the doors of the elevator opened, sending me staggering inside as I laughed.

“Did you really just say babies? We are talking about the same Marco, right? If ever there was a man who wouldn't want kids, it's him.” I rolled my eyes at the very thought of it.

“You weren't around when Selene was a baby. I mean, I was real young but as we got older… God, he was like a fucking mother hen carrying her around all the time. Bitch, she refused to start walking until she was three ‘cause he was always carrying her so much.”

“Huh.” I shrugged and turned my eyes to the numbers on the display as we rode the car to the garage. The last thing I needed to be thinking about was any sort of future with Marco, especially one that involved things like marriage and family and, God forbid, kids. Those were dangerous and potentially damaging thoughts when I was lucky if I got a begrudging hug from the traumatized man with violent tendencies.

“You're all fucked in the head.” I glanced toward Luca with a grin.

“Yup. So are you, though. It's why we love each other.” He grabbed my head and smacked a loud kiss against my cheek. “Now let's go fuck some shit up. I been itching to throw hands for fucking weeks.”

“I swear to God, if Nico comes after me, it's your funeral.” I pulled out my phone and keys as we sauntered through the garage toward my car. The one that I called mine but had apparently ceded to Marco.

“Yeah, yeah. Ain't gonna get hurt.”

“Famous last words,” I goaded, swinging into the seat and pressing the call button on Jericho’s name. It rang twice before his groggy voice came over the line.

“What?”

“I'm gonna text you an address. Meet us there at nine. Bring the crew.”

“Henny, fuck. It's barely seven.”

“I know. Hurry up, Princess.” I hung up and started the car with a grin. It was good to have Luca along for one last day of jobs. For old times sake, I cranked the stereo as the Bluetooth connected and started playing one of our old hype songs. He whooped and smacked the dashboard with a chaotic beat as I chirped the wheels at the entrance to the garage before peeling out in front of a taxi. Yeah, I needed this. This shit was simple. Fuck around, get money, and have fun. This shit I could handle.

Adrenaline was pumping and I was flying high as we pulled up to the final stop of the day. And what a great day it had been. We’d smacked around a few stubborn thugs, busted more than a few registers open, and made one guy piss himself with Jer’s dog. I couldn't wait to get home and tell Marco.

Home? What the fuck? Since when did I think of Marco’s place as home? I'd been there all of three times and two of those involved caretaking for drunks—first me and then Marco. Fuck, I needed to get my head in line before I said something dumb out loud. I physically shook my head and squeezed the steering wheel tighter as I turned the car onto a narrower side street.

“Yeah, fuck this place.”

“Huh?” I glanced toward Luca with an arched eyebrow.

“This is where I got shanked by Moretti’s men.” Luca lifted his hips with a thrust and pulled the gun from the waistband at his lower back. “Still haven't gotten them back for that.”

A chill settled in my stomach as Luca checked the chamber of his weapon and tucked it against his abs before readjusting his shirt.

“You told your Pops this was the spot, right?” I double-parked the car and examined the front. It was plain and unassuming, just like every other hotspot we’d hit that day.

“Yep. I'm ready to roll. Jer’s here.” He jerked his chin toward the rearview mirror with a grin. “Let's go fuck up some assholes.”

“Hold on,” I cautioned, tapping the brakes a few times to signal Jericho. We needed to be smart about this one, knowing how hot it was in the past. Hell, we’d been smart about every location, but I was suddenly anxious for so many more reasons. “I think you should sit this one out.”

“Nah, fuck that! I ain't fucking waiting in the car—”

“Do you want Nico to have to see you in a hospital bed again?!” My temper flared as I whipped around in my seat to glare at my best friend. He wasn't a stupid man, but fuck if his impulsive nature didn't make him act like one, sometimes. “We might need a fast break. Stay in the car, and be ready to go. Not a suggestion, Luca. Dead ass, I refuse to be the one to tell Nico what happened if shit goes sideways and you know how you are. The second something pops off in there, you'll be the first to dive in.”

“You know what, fuck you for that. Fuck you for dragging him into this.”

“Sorry to break it to you, but he's already in it. Those arehisfather’s men and they already tried to kill you both more times than I want to remember.”

“Fuck you.” Luca huffed and slammed his back against the seat like a pissy little kid, arms folded over his chest and everything.

“Yeah, been there, done that. Went with the other brother.” I winked and reached for the door handle. “Seriously, just watch our backs, bro.”

Despite his irritation, he snickered and cracked a smile. “You're a sick fuck.”

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