41. Marco

Chapter 41

Marco

I could stay here, right here, for the rest of my life. It's not a question of getting bored, being satisfied, wanting more; it's only a matter of physical needs.

"My arm's asleep," Laura whispers in my ear.

I grin and adjust so she can sit up. She stretches and her hair falls down to her back as I watch. Her lips make a little pout, and she lets out a long, sighing breath every time she does this, and I can't get enough of it.

There are other details I notice: the way she sleeps on her left side, the way she switches hands when she brushes her teeth, the way she puts on her shoes and talks to them as she ties the laces like they're her little friends.

These are the details I missed through the cameras. In person, she's so much more.

"You know, I haven't gotten a visit from Jackal in a while." She smiles at me and leans down to kiss my chest. "Something wrong with him?"

"Not at all. Just needed a break." I catch her hair and pull her down into a kiss. Her bed's big and comfortable, and I could stay in it forever.

"You know, I like having two boyfriends." She looks at me with a shy smile. It's strange, seeing her like that, but Laura's so much more than she lets people see. "You don't get jealous, do you?"

"I can share you with Jackal, but nobody else."

"I thought so." She slips out of my grasp and gets out of bed. I smile up at the ceiling, and I know I'll have to get up in a minute too, but I wish she'd just come back and we could forget about the world outside.

It's been three days since the attack. One of those days was spent in suspense, worried for Laura, until she showed up at my doorstep. I thought she was there to run away: instead, she invited me back to the oasis. Part of me was worried I'd get shot the second I stepped foot on Bianco territory. Instead, she ushered me into her house without so much as introducing me to anyone else, and we've been enjoying each other ever since.

I left my mask back at home, unfortunately, but there will be time for Jackal soon.

Laura takes a shower. I put on clothes and head downstairs. Her coffee machine is pretty basic, but it does the job. I carry my mug down into her basement and walk around, looking at her tools and her half-finished works, and smile at the camera perched on top of her workbench. That's my eye up there. I can't guess how many hours I spent staring through it.

"Impressive, right?"

I look up and back toward the stairs. On instinct, I reach for Laura's chisel, thinking I'll need to defend myself, but my hand falls away.

Simon Bianco's watching me. He's alone and unarmed, at least as far as I can tell.

I would've killed to get in a position like this. Just me and him, the leader of my enemies, with nobody around to stop me from killing him. It takes a lot of willpower not to do anything stupid. I have to remind myself that this isn't Don Bianco; this is Laura's brother.

"She's talented," I say finally. "I didn't hear you come down."

"Reinforced stairs. Hides the sound." He drifts over and runs his hand down a partially finished jackal ear. "I couldn't figure out why she was into these until I saw your mask at the opening. Then it made sense."

"Does she know you're in here?"

He nods. "She let me in. I told her I wanted to talk to you alone first."

I watch him warily, not sure where this is going. "Never thought I'd be having a civil conversation with you."

He smirks and looks at me, head tilted. "I never really thought about you at all, but here we are." His smile fades away. "Laura loves you."

"I know she does." I stare at him, struggling to keep myself in check. I don't like his arrogance, and I hate the power he holds over my relationship with his sister. I'm rethinking that whole murder thing.

"And how do you feel?"

"I love her too. Very much."

"Good." He nods to himself as if that's what he had been hoping for. "I'm going to be honest here. If you hadn't tipped Angelo off about the attack on the gallery opening, this conversation would never happen. I never would've let a Santoro on our turf, not for any reason."

"If it weren't for your sister, I'd be busy trying to bring you down. Funny how life goes sometimes."

Simon lets out a short laugh. "I get the message."

"It was a good idea, by the way. The body-doubles thing."

His expression darkens as he looks away. "That was Angelo again. I didn't like it. I hate the idea of letting my men die for me, but it worked out. We killed an important enemy and a dozen of his men."

A strange shiver runs down my spine. Adam . Poor fucking Adam. Did he deserve what happened to him? Should I feel guilty for selling him out to his enemies? If Laura hadn't been in the room, I would've been happy to let him murder every Bianco available. But I couldn't risk it. I had to tell Angelo, I had to warn him. Adam wouldn't listen when I asked him to stand down.

Guilt seethes in me. I think I'll always feel it. If I could go back, I'd make the same decision a thousand times over—because I made it for her. But I'll always feel like I betrayed him, and I'll have to find a way to live with that.

"All I care about is your sister. I didn't do it for you."

"I know that. Which is actually better. I wouldn't respect you if you sold out your associates for any other reason."

"Who else was with him?" I think of Valentina in her mask. I think of Ronan, Dusan, and Julien. I haven't heard from any of them since the attack, but I also haven't tried to reach them.

"Nobody, aside from the Jankowski soldiers." His eyes narrow and he studies me. "Should there have been someone else?"

I cross my arms. "Doesn't matter."

Silence lingers between us. I can tell he doesn't like that answer. But fuck him. I don't owe the Biancos anything else.

Simon must decide it isn't worth pushing me over and turns away. He looks at the stairs. "I'm here to offer you a deal."

"What's that?"

"Neutrality."

I follow his gaze, and a part of me thinks I can see Laura's shadow cast on the wall at the bottom of the steps. "How's that supposed to work?"

"You are not going to be a member of my Famiglia. But I also can't have you opposing us, not if you're with my sister. In order to keep everyone happy, I'm offering you neutrality. You can remain in the city, date Laura, and work for various factions. But you may not do work that goes against my interests."

I study Simon, and I can see Bianco power in everything he's saying. This man truly believes that he can control everything I do simply because that's his birthright. I despise him, and everything he stands for, but I love Laura just as much, and those two feelings war deep inside my body.

"Neutrality," I say quietly. "It's not a bad idea. But do you expect me to check with you first before taking work? How exactly do you plan on enforcing this deal?"

He waves a hand in the air. "Use your discretion."

"That's a lot of trust from the Don of the Biancos."

"Yeah, well, I love my fucking sister, and I want her to be happy." He makes a disgusted face. "Somehow, you give her that."

"I have to talk it over with her first."

"Fine. I don't care."

"And I won't live here."

"That's probably for the best."

"Which means you'll have to let Laura make her own decisions from now on."

He stares at me, cool and angry. "That's not your place."

"Actually, it is." I move toward him. "No more trying to micromanage her. No more controlling bullshit. She does what she wants, and you have no say in it anymore."

His jaw works. "I was looking out for her. My sister?—"

"Your sister is smart. She can handle herself."

He rolls his eyes and starts walking to the steps. "Don't worry, Marco. I wasn't going to get between the two of you again. I learned my fucking lesson already."

He reaches the steps, and I speak up before he's gone. I'm not sure when I'll see him again. I hope it's never.

"I'm going to marry her." He pauses and looks back, but he doesn't seem surprised. "I'm not asking for your blessing. I'm just stating a fact."

"You better marry her," he says, and unless I knew better, I might think he's fighting back a smile. "You'd be stupid not to."

Then he's gone. I watch him go, processing that discussion. I don't love the way it went—his insistence on neutrality, his arrogance and condescension—but he's going to leave us alone. Which means she's free to make her own decisions.

I head upstairs. I find her in the kitchen, leaning back against the counter, a big mug cradled in both hands. I remember I left mine on the workbench but decide to get it later. Instead, I walk over to her, lean in, and kiss her gently.

"Did you and Simon get along?" she asks.

"Nobody's dead. I'd say that's as good as it's getting."

"Perfect." She looks at me through her lashes. I swear, she seems five years younger, and a thousand times lighter. "Well?"

"Well, what?" I take the mug from her hands and lean into her. She puts her hands on my hips as I lean onto the counter, pinning her there.

"Did you take his offer?"

"Neutrality," I say, rolling the word around my mouth. "You think that'll work?"

"I think it's Simon's way of saving face."

"I told him to fuck off."

She rolls her eyes. "No, you didn't."

"I know." I lean in and kiss her. "There's only one problem."

"What's that?"

"I live in a condo." My eyebrows raise. "Your sculptures won't fit."

She bursts out laughing and throws herself at me. We kiss hard in the kitchen, and her clothes come off before long. It's like we can't help it. All my relief explodes out on her, and I'm licking her nipples, biting her lip, fucking her against the island, until we're both lying spent on the couch.

"A house," she says, damp with sweat, slightly pink from exertion, and more beautiful than ever.

"What?"

"I'll buy a house. I'm rich now, you know."

"I'm rich too. We'll buy it together." I kiss her neck. "I love you, Laura. You know that?"

"I figured it out." She's beaming as she kisses me back. "I love you too though."

"How long before your family starts meddling in our life? A few days? A few weeks?"

She snorts and shakes her head. "I'm honestly surprised Elena isn't here right now asking a thousand questions."

"It's okay, you know. I mean, I'm happy you're close with them. I'm not going to stand between you and the people you care about."

"Even though you want to kill them all?"

"Well." I raise my eyebrows and shrug. "Maybe just Simon."

She laughs and we stay like that on the couch together. Possibilities spread out around us. Potential futures, potential joy. I want to experience it all—but mostly I want to experience her.

Yeah, I could stay right here forever.

Actually, I could stay wherever she is, for as long as she's there.