Page 150 of With Us

Oh no.

“They were such a loving family, and that only increased when the husband was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. Neither of them could work, but they needed the income and insurance. Their daughter left her freshman year of college and came home to work the store from open to close. Just like her folks, she did it with a smile on her face because she loved them.” She shook her head and wiped at her tears, anger clouding her eyes. “Everyone knew about what they were going through. They knew it was just the daughter running things. Theo stopped accepting money from them, but kept their store under his protection. When Marc went to check on their store as part of his rounds, he caught a robbery in progress. Theyknew. They knew her parents were sick, and they preyed on this young girl.”

Expecting her to burst into tears, I almost thought she was delirious, or drunk, when she grinned.

“He saved her. Shot three of the four fuckers before they even knew he was there. One got a round off, catching Marc in the thigh before he blasted his head away. Had it hit even half an inch to the side, he’d have been fine. Unfortunately, it nicked the femoral artery. He died, but he did it a hero. He saved that girl, and many others before her.”

She glowed with so much love and pride as she spoke about him. I looked down at their wedding picture again, seeing the love Marc clearly had for his new bride.

“When did he tell you what he did?” I asked, wondering if he’d waited until they were married.

“I always knew.”

My focused returned to her, my brows raised. “You did?”

“You know about the fights?”

“Yeah, Theo mentioned them briefly.”

“I used to be a fight girl. You know, the ones in the bikinis or skimpy clothes who walked with the sign telling the round number? I’d also flirt with guys to get them to bet more because I’d get a cut of whatever I brought in.”

My already raised brows must have shot into my hairline.

Julie was quiet with a suburban-mom style. It was cute, filled with lots of capris, cuffed skinny jeans, and flattering tops. But I couldn’t picture her in skimpy anything.

She nodded, her smile mischievous. “Yup. I made good money, too. And the fights were amazing. Do you ever watch boxing or MMA?” At my head shake, she leaned forward. “Have Theo take you to a fight. It’s savage and primal and so exciting. You’ll end up going at it in the car.”

I laughed even as I blushed, my mind wandering to Theo and I against the SUV.

Her smile faded. “I’m not trying to make light of what Theo does. What they all do. They may toe the line of morality, but their feet are firmly planted on the illegal side.”

Picking at the label on the vodka bottle, I nodded. “I gathered that when he told me some stuff.”

“You were worried about why you weren’t freaking out. I went in knowing who Marc was. What he did. He broke a man’s arm the first time he saw me.”

“What?”

She smiled fondly at the memory. “I was working one of the fights and he came with Theo and Luc. I have no clue what made me look in his direction, but I did and our eyes met. And then some dickhole grabbed my ass. Marc was through the crowd within seconds, and broke the guy’s arm. Just snapped it like a chicken bone. So while this broken armed asshole is rolling around at our feet, luckily puking in the other direction, Marc says, ‘You’re done here. Let’s go home.’ I’d thought it was just a line, but he was hot, so I was willing to go along for the night. We got married a couple months later.”

“That’s insane. And romantic. And sexy.”

“Yup. He was a hell of a fighter, too. I’d go watch him spar just so I could pull him into the locker room after.” She gave her head a little shake. “Anyway, my point is, I knew who he was, but I loved him. Not in spite of it, but because of it. If you’re okay with who Theo is, don’t throw it away because of some misplaced notion of what you’re ‘supposed’to think or feel. Sometimes it takes some bad to set things right.”

“But he lied,” I reminded her… and myself. “About what he does and who he is.”

“Would you have given him the chance had you known? I knew about Marc because I was in their world, if only just the tips of my,” she looked down at her chest, “toes. But you weren’t. And he couldn’t just spill his guts to you the first time he met you. If I had to guess, by the time he trusted he could tell you, he didn’t want to risk losing you.”

“That’s what he said.”

“Exactly. Would you have even wanted him to tell you then? Would it have meant as much?”

“What do you mean?”

“If he didn’t trust you, it wouldn’t matter how much you begged. By sharing this information with you, he’s put his life into your hands. You could go to the cops. Go to other crews. Whoever.”

I reared my head back. “I’dneverdo that.”

“Exactly. And he knows that. He trusts you with his life, and the life of those under him.”

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