Page 65 of Dragonfly

I am her husband. It’s my job.

And I’ll do it happily.

At that point, the ache in my cock was becoming more annoying than anything, so I pat Oliver on the shoulder, gave him the okay to head down to the Coyote Den to get his first leaf on my order, and went the hell home.

I can’t fuck Savannah. Not yet. But that doesn’t mean I can’t share a meal with my wife, proud that she trusts me enough that she’ll finally eat off her plate before seeing me do the same—or taste-testing her food—and, if I’m lucky, hold her close while I sleep.

But then, when I ease my way up the spiral stairs to the second floor, inwardly cursing myself for not thinking to put in an elevator during construction all those years ago, I hear laughter coming from the television room and head in that direction.

I move carefully but purposefully so that, except for Vin, no one in this room would have any idea I’ve just gone through surgery.

Because Vin is in here. His big body thrown in one chair, his face twisted in an ‘oh shit’ expression as I eyeball him as he sings along to ‘Grease Lightning’ from the old 70s movie, Grease.

He finishes the line, cutting himself off before he can say ‘pussy wagon’, before sinking back in his seat. “What can I say? They suckered me in, boss.”

He’s not the only one watching the musical on my big screen television. On the large couch, Savannah is curled up on one side, a bowl of popcorn in her lap. And if I wonder why it’s the popcorn she’s holding and not her cat, that’s because Genevieve is sitting cross-legged on the next cushion, snuggling with Orion.

My sister snorts. “Boss, schmoss, Vinnie. In this house, Damien’s my brother, your cousin, and Savannah’s husband, and Orion’s bitch.” She leans over, running her fingers through the cat’s scruff. “Isn’t that right, Orion? And don’t knock musicals, Damien.”

Clearing my throat, I say, “I didn’t know Vin could sing that well. That’s all.”

The heights of Vin’s cheeks burn red. “Ah, jeez, Dame. Really?”

“Really.”

Genevieve gestures at a young John Travolta as he bounces around the car on the screen. “Come on. You didn’t miss much.”

Savannah tosses a handful of popcorn into the air, catching maybe… one kernel?

It’s fucking adorable.

“Gen said we can watch ‘Grease 2’ when we’re done,” my wife tells me. “I’ve never heard of it, but supposedly it’s about bowling and there’s a song called?—”

Geneveieve looks dead at me, a smug expression on her face. “‘Reproduction’. It’s hysterical.”

My head shoots toward Vin. His shoulders go tight, but he gives a tiny shake of his head.

So he didn’t tell my sister about my surgery. But does she know? Or is this somehow one hell of a coincidence?

It doesn’t matter. Because you know what else? My sister’s right. And I don’t just mean how, as soon as I find room on the couch to sit down right next to Savannah, Orion leaves Gen’s lap to bump against my thigh as though he can sense my nuts can’t handle his weight right now… Genevieve was right about all of that.

I’m here with my sister. My cousin. My wife. My adopted cat. And, if everything works out the way it’s supposed to, one day I might have a kid of my own to watch a movie with…

I’ve spent so many years building my Family.

But this?

This is my family—and I will do anything… kill anyone… to keep it.

TWENTY-TWO

SILENZIO

SAVANNAH

Ilook around the basement.

“Okay,” I say out loud after a moment. “If I knew about this, I wouldn’t have been surprised by how jacked you were under your suit.”

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