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If they want to associate with him, then they can taste my wrath too.

Louis and another one of my men from that day’s security detail barely survive. I visit Louis only when he’s conscious and in recovery. The moment he sees me in the doorway of his hospital room, his eyes water and he wipes at his face with a meaty hand.

“Boss,” he says in a strained voice. “We tried our best. Lovato’s guys showed up out of nowhere. I threw Mrs. Falynn to the ground. It was the only way to get her out of the way. The bullets were flying everywhere. We tried to return fire, but they got the jump on us.”

I hold up my hand to silence him. “I’ve heard all the details. Falynn told me you used your body as a shield for her. You’re the reason she wasn’t shot at all.”

“But the baby…” Louis trails off. More tears wet the bigcazzo’seyes.

He’s the largest guy on my main crew by a mile, though simultaneously the softest.

I inhale a deep breath and stick my hands in my pants pockets. “The baby didn’t make it.”

“It’s my fault,” he says. “I pushed her down. I had her out that afternoon—I should’ve been more alert.”

Rationally, it makes no sense to blame him, but grief and loss aren’t rational experiences. As I stand and listen to Louis lament his failures, I can’t find it in me to stop him. Fucked up or not, a real part of me agrees with every word he speaks; hedidshove Falynn to the ground. Hedidfail to identify a real and fatal security threat. He’s supposed to guard her with his life, and he was inadequate protecting her.

I can’t allow inadequacy anywhere near my wife and future children.

“The doctor says you’ll be making a full recovery,” I say, interrupting him. “You may take time off if you feel you need more.”

“Boss, I’d rather jump right back into work. You’re going to need as many hands on deck if we’re going full-scale with Lovato Senior. I’ve been thinking about the estate and ways we can tighten up security for Mrs. Falynn even more—”

“You’re being reassigned, Louis. I’ve decided to send you to Jersey to work under Bonucci. He can use your help establishing more control in that region.”

Louis’s watery eyes open wider, practically bulging. “You’re reassigning me? I’m no longer going to be Mrs. Falynn’s bodyguard? But…but who’s gonna protect her?”

“I’ve chosen a few others to come in and take over that position. She will have around-the-clock protection from some of my men who are better able to fulfill the job tasks.”

The hurt spills onto his face. He tries swallowing it down, but it’s clear as day. I’ve hurt his feelings by essentially telling him he’s not good enough to protect Falynn.

But it’s the truth.

No more screw-ups.

Louis and I have gotten too close. He and Falynn have gotten too close. It’s blurred lines, making it so I went soft on him. If he had been less preoccupied with befriending my wife than he was protecting her, this tragedy could’ve been avoided.

I leave Louis hurt and dejected in his hospital room, knowing the friendship we’ve established over recent years probably won’t be the same.

When you’re King, sometimes you have to make difficult decisions. Sending Louis away is one of those.

I head home. Even while I’ve been out, I’ve had Carlotta and the rest of our staff updating me every few minutes on Falynn’s condition. She’s devastated. Since being released from the hospital, she’s barely gotten out of bed or eaten a bite of food. Her cries echo through our massive home.

The knot in my chest clenches tighter as I stand outside our bedroom and listen. I can’t bear to be near her when she’s like this.

Not because I don’t care. Because I care too much. Yet I’m ineffectual. I’m useless to take away the pain. As powerful as I am, I’m powerless now.

I rub my reddened, burning eyes and shut out the remorse. I bury it as deep as it’ll go, where it joins the other hidden pain that’s haunted me for years. Decades, even. Pain like losing Ma and never getting a chance to feel it. I don’t get those kind of luxuries—I’m a King. Kings don’t cry. We don’t grieve. Werule.

I will make this better somehow. I will fix this.

It will never happen again.

Never again.

“Honey,” I say when I enter our bedroom. The room’s dark, though it’s barely the middle of the day. Carlotta told me Falynn’s insisted on drawing the curtains and keeping the sunlight out. I approach the side of the bed and lower myself next to where she lies. My hand gently touches her shoulder as I lean in and press a kiss to her cheek. “How about we have dinner on the terrace tonight? The weather’s nice out. Not too breezy or cold. It’s going to be a full moon. You like looking at those.”

She gives a half shrug. “That’s okay. I don’t feel good.”

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