Page 450 of Lodestar

Heaving a sigh, I sat opposite him and realized I was white. “You trying to psych me out? You always play white.”

He beamed a loaded grin at me. “I changed since we last met, Star.”

“Apparently. Since when did you work for the mafia?”

“Since Aurora Valentini took me in off the streets.”

“Off thestreets?” I blinked at him. “Does Cin know?”

He pursed his lips. “No. I don’t want her to know either. I don’t take charity.”

“So you’ll take charity from the Sicilian mafia but not from a friend?”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Is this how you want this meeting to go?”

“No.” I gritted my teeth. “What’s going on, Chadwick?”

“I got myself a job. One I don’t hate. Seems like you did too if you’re friendly with the Irish. Or is that emerald on your finger not an engagement ring?”

“It is an engagement ring,” I stated proudly. “And nobodyhiresme. I choose who I work with.”

“Not everyone is as lucky as you.”

“Lucky? You think we don’t all have unpleasant histories?” I sneered at him. “I ended up in a fucking trafficker’s nest, and you landed on the streets when there were people who’d have your back stateside if you’d just have asked.

"The government might not support us, but we make our own friends, don’t we?”

He cut his gaze to the ground. “I was in a bad place, Star.”

“So? That’s what friends are for. You had our backs in the sandbox; we’d have had yours at home.”

“Not everyone’s like you. Maybe I forgot that. It’d been some time since we last caught up. And when I said I was in a bad place, I meant it. Got off my meds and shit.”

“You’re back on them?”

“I am.”

Relief filtered through me. “Good. That’s what I like to hear.” I picked up a pawn and studied the piece—it was the same we’d used back when we’d been in Baghdad together. “It’s good to see you, Chadwick.”

“You always did ride people’s asses when you liked them,” he teased.

“Exactly. That’s how you know we’re friends.”

“Good to see you too, Star.”

I didn’t bother demurring: “What are you doing with the Sicilians?”

“Like I told you, Aurora took me in and she realized what I can do?—”

“She tookyouin?”

“There’s no funny business. Hunter De Laurentiis is her husband.”

“I know. But why you? In particular, I mean? When you said she realized what you can do, does she know what you’ve done?”

“Does she know what I did for Uncle Sam? Sure. Does she know what I did off the books? No. That’s why it’s calledoff the books.”

“You didn’t tell her?”

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