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Cold blinked at the direct dedication, all the Gentlemen exploding into laughter and cheering for their leader as the band joined in for the song.

“I need a gangster,” Jimmy purred the opening words of the song, sultry and passionate. The words spoke of the need for a gangster, for a man who could love him better than anyone else. It would be a love that could survive anything, through thick and thin, and there was simply no one else who could satisfy him.

Pressing a hand to his forehead and glancing at Jules and Rowena, Cold actually looked embarrassed. Jules was cheering, and Rowena was up on her feet, whistling as Jimmy held a note and Dario banged away on the piano. Valdemar hollered too, and Thirdsies pounded the table doing his own drums as Jimmy went on.

Jimmy sang all of the words seductively, snatching at his bow tie and then pulling it loose as he sang. Sliding his hands down his body, he smiled suggestively as he emphasized all the colorful sexual innuendo of the song.

Cold’s eyes never left his, whatever awkwardness he felt over such a tongue-in-cheek choice consumed by an obvious hunger.

By the time Jimmy began belting the final chorus, losing himself to the words and singing directly from his soul, the Gentlemen were on their feet. Cold remained seated, but he had leaned forward across the table, entranced.

Jimmy held the final note to deafening applause, grinning as he saw Cold rise to his feet to clap for him. He was smiling so warmly, prouder than Jimmy had ever seen him. Jimmy blew him kisses and took a bow. He stepped back behind the curtains as the applause surged, exhaling sharply. Glancing down at the little wire in his pocket, he hoped it hadn’t been disturbed during his performance.

Dario came over to shake his hand, cheering, “Hell of a show, man!”

“Hey, you too! Thanks so much!” Jimmy clapped Dario on the back, making sure to avoid his injured shoulder. “I’ll see you in a bit. I’m gonna take a breather.”

Heading back to his dressing room as Cold had asked him to do, he plopped down at the vanity with a big smile. He could almost forget that his lover’s enemies were here or that there were cops crawling around somewhere outside.

While he’d been singing, it was just him and Cold.

It had been so beautiful.

Reality wasn’t as nice.

Jimmy heard a knock at the door and called out politely, “Come in!”

“You were magnificent,” Cold praised as he walked in with a giant bouquet of red roses in his arms.

“Oh my God,” Jimmy gushed, standing to intercept the flowers. He took them graciously and kissed Cold with a big smile.

Holding his neck, Cold deepened the kiss for a long moment. “Absolutely spectacular. Singing ‘Gangsta’ to a gangster? Cute pick.”

“Thank you.” Jimmy laughed, momentarily forgetting all about the world outside this room. He held the flowers close and was lost in Cold’s passionate embrace. He almost didn’t notice the door opening again, blinking when he heard an unfamiliar clicking sound.

Pulling back from Cold, Jimmy gasped when he saw Rufus Corman standing there with a gun pointed right at them. The sound had been the hammer pulling back, Corman leering at them both.

“How did he get a gun in here?” Jimmy hissed, clinging to Cold in fear. “I saw everyone being searched!”

“I have my ways. Now, I’ll be taking that ring, thank you,” Corman said sternly as he smiled wide.

Cold was eerily calm, facing Corman and pushing Jimmy behind him. “You mean the ring you took from Rafaello Luchesi after you killed him?”

“That would be the one.” Corman snorted. “Always were clever, Cold. I’ve been looking for my little trophy for quite some time, and I’d like to finally have it back, please.”

Jimmy’s eyes widened at the confession as pieces began to fall into place, and he pushed his way in front of Cold as he shouted, “You! It was you! You killed my mother!”

Cold jerked him back but Corman’s aim was now focused on Jimmy.

“All she had to do was give me the ring,” Corman snarled, his lip curling in annoyance, “but then she just wouldn’t stop fuckin’ screaming.”

Jimmy thought he might throw up, and his vision turned hazy as the panic set in. He fought it with all of his strength, determined to keep pushing. He knew Augustus was listening in, as well as whoever else had that extra receiver. “You killed the Don and then my mother? But why? Why kill her? She didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Oh yes, she did,” Corman hissed. “She recognized the ring when I brought it to the jewelry shop to get it resized. She knew it was Don Luchesi’s. Apparently, she was the one who did the engraving, isn’t that fun? She threatened to call the cops, so I left.”

“But you went back,” Jimmy said slowly, more of the pieces clicking together. “You’re the one who broke in, looking for the ring.” That had to be the one missing item from the night of the robbery, it had to be, but it was long gone when Corman went looking for it. “Mom knew you’d come back for it, so she took it home.”

“Good thing her address was on file at the store. Too easy to find her. Shame about your daddy and the cops showing up. Didn’t have a chance to get the ring… or you.”