Page 94 of Maceo

“Nigga, did you count that shit?” Smoke asked.

Titan shrugged. “I have an eidetic memory. I don’t forget shit, right, Mia?”

She glared at him. “Bite me.”

He laughed. “Anyway, there’s something else.” He stood and walked over to the computer. “May I?”

Jaeda was hesitant to move because sis never let anybody touch her computer.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I just wanna show you something.”

She slowly stepped to the side and let him have the floor. He clicked away on the computer for a few moments before itswitched to a live camera feed. Everybody sat up in their seats, while Maddie smiled with pride.

“How did you get that in there?” Jaeda asked.

Titan smirked. “While the goons were out today, I took the liberty of installing cameras in the house. Let’s just say I have my own personal Jaeda on the other side that helps me with the tech stuff. I think you would like him, actually. He’s single.”

Jaeda scoffed. “I don’t need your help. Thank you very much.”

He raised his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just saying. I have him watching the cameras, too, just in case you miss something. Anyway, my job is done. I have a flight to catch tonight, so I’m out. Ms. Maddie, as always, it was good to see you. Mia… eh.”

He walked out of the room, but not before Mia hurled her shoe at the back of his head. “Fuck you, Titan DeLuca! Mom, I can’t believe you had him follow us last night.”

Ms. Maddie shrugged. “You’ll live.”

Smoke’s brows furrowed. “I don’t know if I like him.”

“Maddie, what does he do again?” Maceo asked.

“Be the bane of my existence,” Mia replied.

Ms. Maddie rolled her eyes. “Titan’s mom is my good friend. He’s young and a little reckless, but he’s smart as hell and just as smooth in the field. He and Mia were trained together. There has always been some imaginary competition between them.”

Mia shook her head. “Oh, please. There’s no competition. He thinks he’s better than me. If I’d joined my grandfather’s organization, there would be no Titan DeLuca to speak of. Keep him away from me, Ma. I swear to God, I will put a bullet between his eyes.”

“Cut this shit out,” Mr. Dillinger snapped, waving a hand. “Look, I don’t care what kind of hatred you have toward the manat the moment. He came through in a major way. We’re a step closer to ending this shit and moving the fuck on.”

I raised my hand. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

My father-in-law shook his head. “Baby girl, no offense, but I don’t wanna have to give your daddy this work again because I allowed you to do the same shit my son did. He may not tell you no, but I will.Hell no, you can’t help. You can keep your pretty self safe by staying put and out of the way. You shouldn’t even be here right now, but because this involves you, I allowed it.”

“Can I just make it clear that Maceo didn’t force me into anything. This isn’t entirely his fault, and I don’t like that so many of y’all are putting all the blame on him. I was a willing participant?—”

“Let me make something very clear toyou, Sharina,” Mr. Dillinger said, cutting me off. “I know you love my son. You’ve made thatabundantlyclear. But this ain’t a game you want to play, baby girl. You might like to play with guns, but everybody sitting among you at this table is a stone-cold killer.Youare not. I sleep well at night knowing I put a muthafucka on his back.Youwill not. We’re built for this shit. Born and bred for it.Youwere not. Let us handle this. I promise, I’ll return your husband to you.”

I gasped at the sound of that. He didn’t elaborate, and nobody else seemed to catch on to the fact that he meant exactly what he said by calling Maceo my husband.

“Are we clear?” he asked.

I nodded slowly. “Crystal.”

“Good. I trust this won’t become a thing. You gotta be around for my future grandbabies.”

He winked at me before he drew the group’s attention back to the projector screen to watch the live feed. I settled back in my seat as everyone talked amongst the group. Maceo threw an armaround my shoulder and pulled me into his side where he kissed my temple.

“Thank you,” he said in a low tone. “I appreciate what you tried to do, but I can take the heat from this.”

---