Page 168 of The Best of Us

“Although, you did turn down my offer to sleep next to me last night, so I won’t get my hopes up.” She pouted.

I brought my mouth to her ear. “You know I can’t sleep in a bed next to you and not lose myeffingmind.” Colin’s new version of the F-word was growing on me.

“Are you two whispering about us?” Gwen asked, laughing.

“Juliette’s birthday is Saturday. I was thinking of taking her to Scotland for it. Do you need to head back to Switzerland, or can you hang around and join us?” My acting skills sucked, but I managed to pull that off with a straight face.

“I can take a few days off, sure.” Gwen looked to Easton, playing along. “If Carter or anyone needs me, I’m always just a hack or two away.”

Easton abruptly moved away from her on the couch, his eyes darting briefly above my head, and I looked behind me to see why.

Ah, Wyatt’s back.

“All set?” I stood as Carter and Sebastian followed Wyatt in, setting my hand at the base of my spine. Standing quickly had set off the nerves in my back to fire up again. Nothing like getting shot, even in a plated vest, to aggravate your back. Better than it landing in my flesh, though.

Wyatt wasted no time third-wheeling himself between Easton and Gwen on the couch. That man was even more overprotective than me.

But hell, we had a lot in common. Wyatt hadn’t known he had a daughter until she was even older than Colin was now. Like me, he knew what it was like to miss out on his child’s life, to be robbed of all that time. I didn’t wish that even on my worst enemies. Well, okay, maybe on one or two of them.

“Aurora has been handled. League-style, of course.” Sebastian coughed into a closed fist, and I didn’t want to ask what that even meant. Not in front of Juliette, at least. “It was agreed at our League meeting last night that Carmello will be stepping down. Emilia will handle things in Italy until she can find a suitable replacement.”

“And the Rizzos?” I asked as Juliette stood beside me now, gently moving my hand aside to massage my back.

“We covered our arses with Italian Intelligence. We also managed to smoke out an insider the Rizzos had with AISE and take him down as well.” Sebastian casually fixed his tie beneath his suit jacket. “Not that he’d have anyone to report to with every last member of the Rizzo crime family dying on Monday.”

My father had already apologized to me for not ending the Rizzos years ago, but he didn’t owe me one. I knew he’d only been doing his best to protect my mother.

Giuseppe, on the other hand, was nervous about lying to us about the Rizzos.

My father had said he’d already sent two rooms’ worth of apology fruit baskets and flowers. My dad told him I’d forgive him as long as he held true to his word in letting me speak to Zach Bauer’s dad.

Not even dying made me forget about the piece of shit who’d made the woman I loved get on her knees and grovel after his son hit a girl. Nah, fuck that.

“I think it’s safe to say all loose ends have been tied.” Carter stepped forward. “I’ve already requested my team at Falcon Falls to pick up Dylan Kelly in the Caymans and clean up the rest of Jamie’s operation in New York. By the time you get home, it’ll be handled.”

Shit, I could get used to having this kind of help, even if it came from Carter. “Thank you. And, uh, thank you for having my six out there on Monday.”

“Glad you didn’t die. Well, glad you came back, I should say.” Carter checked his watch. “I need to catch a flight home now that business is done here.” He peered at Gwen and Easton. “You sticking around?”

“You’re all more than welcome to stay in Dublin as long as you’d like,” Sebastian offered. I’d only need to take him up on that offer until Friday, but I appreciated it.

“We’re going to stick around. Right, Easton?” Gwen asked him, prompting an impressive side-eye from Wyatt.

Wyatt stood. “I have to get back to my team in the States.” He faced Easton. “Do me a favor and keep my daughter out of trouble while you’re here. She has a habit of stepping right into it wherever she goes.”

Gwen laughed and rose, tugging her father’s arm. “And you somehow always manage to be there just when I need you to save the day.”

“Yeah, well, I won’t always be around. I guess one day you’ll need to find someone else to watch your six when I’m, well, you know . . .”

“Are you getting emotional on me in front of everyone, really?” She smirked and pulled Wyatt in for a hug.

“On that note, I’ll be going.” Carter strode across the room and surprised me by offering his hand. “Something tells me I’ll be seeing you again.”

Same.I returned his firm grip with one of my own, then thanked him again before he said his goodbyes to Juliette and the others and left as swiftly as he’d arrived.

After Wyatt departed, Sebastian opened his palms. “How about dinner over at my place tonight? My wife would love to have you all.” He rested a hand on Easton’s shoulder and leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially as he requested, “Just do me a favor and maybe don’t mention how many people I killed back in Italy, okay?”

Chapter57

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