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“That ain’t gon’ stop them from trying to cause dissension in the ranks, though.”

“The beauty of that is, they can’t make anything stick. No one knows about the plan but you and me. Did you vet the coroner?”

“Yeah. He’s in debt to the Torrisi family, so doing us this favor will leave him square with Severo. You think you can convince him to wipe the slate clean without telling him why?”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. With everything going on, I don’t expect him to ask too many questions.”

“Say less. I’ll handle the coroner, you deal with Severo, and the last thing on the agenda is figuring out how the fuck to get everyone together.”

“I’ve got that covered,” Cassius said, looking toward his front door. “My mama is so happy to have her baby boy home that it shouldn’t be hard to convince her to put together a welcome-back bash.”

Mars laughed so hard that he gripped his stomach. “You? Letting Jules throw a party to celebrate you? Yeah, this I have to see with my own eyes.”

Cassius flipped him off. “Enjoy it for the hour that we’ll be there, because we have shit to do.”

“You know, if Aella had agreed to marry you, then this could’ve been an engagement party instead of a welcome—” Mars trailed off.

Jules chose to rejoin them just in time to save Mars’ life.

“You boys hungry? I’m thinking about grabbing some lunch.”

“Whatever you want is cool,” Cassius said, pushing Mars’ shoulder. “But I need to run something past you real quick, Ma. You in the mood to put a little party together?”

Jules raised an eyebrow. “A party?”

“Just a little something to let everyone know I’m home,” he said cryptically, knowing she would catch his meaning.

Nodding, Jules rubbed her arms. “How soon?”

“A couple of weeks.”

“I got you, baby.”

“Appreciate it, Mama,” Cassius said, his eyes darting to Mars, nonverbally communicating that their plan was officially in motion.

“So, you’re back for good?” Zelina inquired, trailing her fingers down Cassius’ chest as she straddled his lap. After he, Mars, his mother, surprisingly his father, and the movers finished unloading everything and getting it inside the house, he’d let Zelina know it was cool to come over and had given her a code to get onto the property. What was supposed to be just a night of two friends catching up turned into him blowing her back out on his couch at least twice before he was spent.

“I’m back, for now,” he murmured, resting his head on the back of the couch.

“You say that with a lot of conviction,” Zelina replied. “But your eyes tell an entirely different story.”

“I’ll be around for a while. But I have a life and a business back home, Z. Whiskey Creek ain’t where it’s at for me.”

Scooting forward, she grabbed his face with her hands and lifted his head, forcing him to look at her.

“You’ve been running away from this life for as long as I can remember, Cassius,” she murmured. “Have you ever considered that it might be time for you to accept that this is the life you’re meant to live? Here, in Whiskey Creek with the people who love you.”

Zelina had very limited knowledge about anything pertaining to Cassius’ business life. He was sure he’d heard the rumors that the Farina family had mafia connections, just like anyone else, but he’d never discussed his family or their business with her.

The most she knew was that his relationship with his father was complicated, and that he spent most of their school years talking about how he couldn’t wait to grow up and leave.

“Not at all,” he replied swiftly. “There’s nothing in Whiskey Creek for me, Z.”

“Ouch,” she replied, climbing off his lap.

Cassius felt a twinge of guilt. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“You did,” Zelina countered. “You just didn’t mean to admit it to my face.”