Page 79 of Possession

“Do people show up unannounced often?” I ask.

“We cook and clean. We have nothing else to do with the business.” June glances at Miranda and back to me. “I’ll call the guards.”

The bell chimes again, and it’s not lost on me how deep and creepy they are. As many visitors as we’ve had since I got here, this is the first time I’ve heard the doorbell.

“It’s okay. I’ll get it. The guards wouldn’t let them through if it weren’t okay, right?”

June wipes her hands on a towel as she thinks it over. “I guess that’s true.”

“I’ll be right back,” I mutter as the bell chimes again.

Holy shit, they’re impatient. If I had access to the security system, I could look to see who was standing on the other side. I need to ask Boz about that. He did say this was my house too.

When I unlock and open the big heavy door, it’s all I can do to even my expression and straighten my spine.

“Well, look who was allowed to answer the door by herself. Not sure I’ve ever seen anything like it at Damian’s house.”

Nic Decker.

Of course he decides to stop by when Boz is gone and Spencer is off.

I grip the handle and fight the urge to slam the door in his face. I have a feeling that wouldn’t be good for the strained family relations I’ve experienced since I’ve been here. “What can I do for you?”

Nic ignores me and takes a step forward. I couldn’t slam the door if I wanted to. He moves inside and looks around before turning to glare down at me.

He’s nothing like his dead cousin. The man is fit, though not quite as tall as my husband. He would even be considered handsome by those who don’t know him.

But to me, he’s ugly in the worst way.

Nic’s ugly has nothing to do with the way he looks. As far as I’ve seen, the young Decker is just like his father and nothing like his mother—that poor woman. I haven’t stopped thinking about her since our dinner when her husband manhandled her out of the house.

It’s not like I’m married to a saint. Boz might run the legitimate side of the business for the Marino family, but he’s still knee deep in moving drugs. But I didn’t hold back the other day when I told him he was a good one.

I feel it. I might not have a college degree or a career or even a solid part time job at the moment, but I do have my intuition. And when it comes to things like this, I’ve never been wrong.

Take me to a bar, and I’ll not only point out every sleaze bucket in the place, but I can also pick the trustworthy one you want to walk you to your car at the end of the night.

It’s a gift.

But no one needs super powers to see that Nic Decker is an asshole. He shines that beacon for all to see.

He crosses his arms and drags his eyes up and down my body. The hair on my arms stands straight, but I don’t budge. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing how uncomfortable I am.

Nic finally looks from me and scans the house. “Where’s Boz?”

“In his office.” My lie is crisp and clean, and I’m mighty proud of my quick thinking.

His wicked stare jumps back to me. “Bullshit. The boys at the gate said he’s been gone for hours.”

Shit.

The boys at the gate are not on my side.

I cross my arms, but add a hitched foot for effect. “Do you have an appointment with my husband?”

“Fuck no. This was Damian’s house. Boz is an intruder. He’s not a Marino and neither are you. I don’t need an appointment to show up here. I’m family, and no matter how many changes Boz thinks he can make, I can be here whenever I want.”

I pull in a big breath. It’s everything I can do not to run to the kitchen to hide out with June and Miranda or jump headfirst into geometry with Rocco. I’d take anything at the moment other than standing here talking to Nic.

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