I stroke her head, soothing her. “There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
 
 “What about Michael? He’s dead, isn’t he?”
 
 “Yes.”
 
 “Will there be blowback on you?”
 
 I love her for caring about me. “Don’t worry about it.”
 
 We’ll make it go away, and if we can’t, someone within the syndicate will come forward and confess.
 
 I will never see the inside of a prison cell. My parents would never allow it.
 
 “Will you stay with me?”
 
 “I’m not going anywhere, ever.”
 
 And I truly mean that because Elena is my wife. Not just in name but in every way that matters.