“Yes. The Gallo family kidnapped my nephew and me half a year ago. They were trying to get to my brother who was the Commissioner then,” she said. Zan knew all about the kidnapping, and even if he couldn’t let on that he did. It was what helped him to land his job for the new Commissioner. The department decided that they needed to do more recon on the Gallo family, worried that they were getting too dangerous. If they kept coming after the Commissioner and his or her family, they needed to be ready. He was hired to go undercover and report back to the department about what was going on. He just never imagined that Isabella Gallo would go after Jules Leone again. She was an easy target though and getting Lucky’s brother involved in the Gallo family, to ensure that he didn’t fuck things up again wasn’t a bad idea. In fact, it was brilliant, and he should have seen it coming, but he didn’t. If he had, he would have warned her to go somewhere safe until he could come up with a good plan to keep her out of the Gallo’s hands—again.

“And if you remember correctly, I was the one who got you and Michael out of there and kept you safe,” Lucky reminded.

“Right, and now, you’re back to make amends to Isabella for your fuck up,” she growled. Jesus, Zan really liked this woman.

“That’s not what’s going on here, honey,” Lucky shouted back.

“I told you that I’m not your honey,” she spat. It was like watching a ping pong match with the way that the two of them went at it.

“You two fight like an old married couple,” Zan cut in, trying to change the topic. They both shot him a look in the rearview mirror, and he shrugged. “Sorry, just trying to keep you both from killing each other.”

“I don’t need you to come to my rescue,” Jules insisted. “I can handle myself.” He was pretty sure that she could handle herself, but he was even more sure that Lucky wanted to do all the handling when it came to Jules. The sexual tension between the two was off the charts.

“She’s right,” Lucky chimed in. “Stay out of this, Zan.”

“I’d love to, but we have orders to bring her back to Isabella, and you’re telling me that the plan has changed while holding a gun at my back. So, I think that I’m in this and that we should table the arguing for later, when we’ve figured our shit out,” Zan insisted.

“I can help with that,” Jules said. “Take me back to my office, drop me off, and we can forget that any of this happened.” She was lying, and Zan knew it. She’d be calling the police as soon as they pulled away and he couldn’t risk blowing his cover. Not without knowing if he could trust Lucky or not.

“That won’t work,” Lucky said. “Isabella will just send someone else to finish the job and kill both of us in the process.”

“He’s right,” Zan said. “We’ll be dead by nightfall if we let you go, Jules. I’m sorry, but that’s not an option for us.”

“Okay, well then, what is an option for the two of you?” Jules asked.

“You have to understand, honey,” Lucky begged. Jules shot him a hateful look and Zan almost wanted to laugh. He would have too if he didn’t feel bad for Lucky. The guy was really caught up in a bad situation. “Sorry,” he breathed. “They have my little brother, Jules. Cola is the only family that I have left.”

“I remember you telling me that,” she said. “I’m sorry that the Gallos have him, but what does that have to do with me?”

“Isabella still wants her pound of flesh. She knows that I’m the one who got you and Michael out of that safehouse,” Lucky said.

“I thought that Isabella was in prison,” she said. “My brother put her away.”

“Right, and she’s still calling the shots from her cell,” Zan said. “She’s more in charge of the family now than she was when she was free. Her sons are all buffoons who don’t know their ass from a hole in the ground.”

“That’s a very accurate description,” Jules agreed. “I heard that they were practically killing each other off trying to gain control of the head of household position.”

“They have been fighting and causing unnecessary wars. That’s why so many members have turned to Isabella to restore peace. She has and most of the Gallos will follow her through hell and back, if she asked,” Lucky said. “She made sure that Cola became a part of the family and I never wanted that for him. I went to the penitentiary to talk to her, and she told me that if I want my brother’s freedom all I have to do is bring you in.”

“So that she can have her pound of flesh,” she guessed.

“Exactly,” Lucky grumbled.

“She said that if we bring you in, she’ll release Cola from his commitment to the family,” Zan added.

“And now, I can’t go through with it,” Lucky said. “I can’t let you bring her into headquarters. They’ll kill her and Cola. You and I both know that, Zan. I won’t let that happen.”

“I agree,” Zan said. He sat in the front driver’s seat, silently going over whether or not he should give them the truth. It would mean blowing his cover, but it might also get Lucky’s gun out of his back. “I think that I can help you, Lucky,” Zan offered.

“How?” Jules asked.

“I’m not who either of you think I am,” Zan said. “I’ve been working undercover for the Commissioner’s office for months now.”

“What the fuck?” Jules shouted.

“You cuss like a sailor,” Zan said. “I like it. I need you to know that I had no idea that you were the target until it was too late to report back to your boss. I would have never let this happen if I had more time. We just got the assignment this morning before heading out to intercept you.”

“You’re a nark?” Lucky asked.