Page 85 of Prince of Carnage

"Speed has nothing to do with it." Constantino's voice is rough but amused. "You're just getting old, Teddy."

"Old?" Teddy straightens, mock offense in his tone. "And have you been crying? Who even are you?"

"Piss off," Constantino grumbles, but there's no heat in it. Teddy chuckles and walks out of the room, giving us some space.

Evan, oblivious to the tension, tugs at our hands. "Are you okay?" He looks up at us with those big eyes that seem to see right through you.

"Better than okay," I assure him, squeezing his hand gently. "We were just talking about which room will be yours. We’re moving into the mansion together. All of us. As a family."

His face lights up like fireworks, hope and excitement dancing in his eyes. "Really? Can we go pick it out now?"

"Lead the way, champ," Constantino says with a softness reserved just for Evan.

I turn to smile at Constantino as we walk out of the room. He leans on me heavily for support, but for the first time, he doesn't seem embarrassed about it.

As we stop at the first room, Constantino turns to me and whispers in my ear. "This right here," he says, squeezing my hand and gesturing to the little boy jumping up and down on the mattress. "I vow to you, you and him are always first. This is what matters. This is what's real. And I'll fight with everything I have to keep it."

He kisses me softly on the cheek before making his way over to Evan. As I watch him sit on the bed and let the little boy climb all over him, tears well in my eyes.

Our love story might not be conventional, and it certainly wasn't without its fair share of pain and carnage, but it's ours. And I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Epilogue

The boat cuts through the Boston Harbor, its engine a low purr against the slap of waves. I lean on the rail, my eyes on Evelyn. She's silhouetted against the setting sun, the horizon bleeding colors she puts to shame. The sun should hide its damn face; next to her, it's like a streetlamp flickering out. I never figured myself for a sap, but there she is, making poets out of sinners.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I say, but hell, I'm not looking at the water or the sky.

She turns, her smile softening the edges the world has sharpened in me. "The sunset or the fact that you're getting all mushy these days?" Her voice dances over the hum of the harbor, and I can't help but laugh.

"Guess I'm a lost cause," I admit, shrugging. But she's changed things, made life about more than power plays and body counts.

I still run the family with an iron fist, because that's what keeps us safe, keeps food on the table, and Evan in school.Kid's a trooper, adjusting super well to all of the changes after everything he's been through. I remember telling Evelyn, "I'll bloody up every hand in this city before I let him become a ward of the state." But she just took the sting out of my words with a look, and did one better—she gave him her name, a home, a chance.

"School's working out for him, then?" she asks, leaning into my side.

"Like a charm. You did good, little rabbit. We did good."

"Still feels surreal," she confesses, and I feel the tremor of her hand as she tucks a stray blond lock behind her ear. "Sometimes I catch myself wondering how I got here, with you, with Evan..."

"Life's weird like that," I muse, watching the light play in her blue eyes. "One day you're in the trenches, the next you're on a boat with the most gorgeous woman in the world, thinking maybe there's something to this whole... domestic bliss crap."

"Domestic bliss? You?" Her laughter rings out, clear and true, and it's music to my ears. "Who are you and what have you done with the ruthless crime lord I know?"

"Kept him around for the tough stuff. But for you, for our kid, I'm whatever you need me to be." I mean it too. For them, I'd tear down the sky if it dared rain on their parade.

"Promise me something?" Evelyn's gaze holds mine, serious now.

"Anything."

"Never lose that fire," she says, "but don't let it burn everything down. Not everything needs to be a fight."

"Hey," I say, pulling her close, feeling the warmth of her against the chill of the sea breeze. "If I can tame the Irish without losing a drop of blood, I think I can handle being a little less... fiery."

"Let's hope so," Evelyn smirks, her forehead resting against mine. "Because I'm rather fond of this new side of you." Andwhen she kisses me, it's like all the shadows I've been living in finally understand what it means to see the light.

Evelyn breaks the kiss and reaches down, fingering the little silver chain on my wrist where the thick leather band used to be. That emblem of my hidden frailty, now surrendered to the depths of my bedroom drawer. I look down at the ink on my arm, the once-cursed mark of my condition, now a badge of honor.

"Looks like the leather band is gone for good, huh?" she observes with a soft smile, her blue eyes reflecting the last light of day.

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