Page 81 of Enforcer's Obsession

“You want me to drop you home?” I said to Enzo at the end of a very long day.

We had tracked our target’s movement, and had a good idea of where the other two would pop up.

Our work for the day was done.

“Yeah,” he said.

I glanced at him, studying him.

“Why the fuck are you so nervous?” I asked.

“I’m not nervous. I’m just sick of sitting in this fucking car with you,” he said.

I looked at him again, leaned against the window.

“What secrets are you keeping, Enzo?”

“What, are you going to accuse me of betraying you?”

“Fuck no. You have the smarts but not the ambition. No, this is personal. You haven’t asked me to go to a club with you or any of your other usual shit,” I said.

“Because I know you have your not-woman waiting at home,” he said.

I laughed. “Like that shit would make a difference to you,” I said.

My playboy cousin actually looked offended, then waved me off.

“Fuck you, Nico. I’ll see you way too fucking early in the morning,” he said.

He got out of the car, and I laughed, knowing he would tell me what was up when he was ready.

And then, feeling far too eager, I made my way back to my place.

I parked, went inside, but instead of a cold, quiet, lifeless house greeting me, I was met with something altogether different.

All the lights were on, a quirk I hadn’t had the heart to tease Hope about.

I heard an occasional bark from Champ, along with some news podcast droning in the background.

I also smelled something delicious.

It wasn’t what I intended, but I couldn’t help thinking back to before, those years I liked to ignore. I’d come home from wherever, my mother and father, brother and sisters being noisy, boisterous.

Being a family.

I froze at the top of the stairs leading out of the garage, trying to soak in the feeling.

Knowing I didn’t deserve it and never would.

No, I didn’t deserve happiness—didn’t deserve Hope, but I had it, and her—at least for now.

I would enjoy it.

Besides, when had thing like “deserve” ever stood between me and what I wanted?

Never.

Not once.

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