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Epilogue
Maceo
“When will you be home?” Josephine asks longingly over the phone.
I smile, loving how my fiancée misses me something fierce. Every time we stop for food or gas, I call or text just to feel closer to her. “We just got to Los Angeles, Pixie. This shouldn’t take me too long. Just meeting with some people. We should be on the road home within a couple hours, and I’ll have you back in my arms by tomorrow evening.”
“You promise?”
“I promise, Pixie.”
Josephine busted my balls all weekend about getting my guest list done. Considering she needs it to figure out how many invitations to order, I knew I couldn’t put off this trip any longer. I didn’t want to leave after Esteban sent her those flowers, but our sources say he’s not in the states.
“Tell me, baby, how’s everything going at headquarters?”
She giggles and it makes me smile more. “I’m still not used to you calling it anything other than a clubhouse.”
I laugh, understanding. “We sound like a legit business if we refer to our home as a headquarters.”
“Punk and Reaper are escorting me everywhere. Most of your crew is working the mission over in Florida,” Josephine says.
“Good. I’m glad they’re following my orders. How is Hades?”
I hear a bark in the background and Josephine laughs. “You’re on speaker, and he heard you asking about him.”
I chuckle, knowing Hades is waiting for me to address him. “How’s my big boy?”
Hades barks and pants.
“You better be taking good care of yourmamáand make sure to cuddle with her at night till I’m back home. Can you do that for me, big boy?”
He woofs three times, saying ‘yes, I can.’
Josephine sighs.
I hear her anxiety through the phone. “Talk to me, Pixie.”
“Lorenzo had another flower arrangement delivered today. I had Opal give them to the senior center this time. I’m running out of places to donate them. I wanted to call and ask him to stop since it wasn’t Tony’s fault, but Chase said to avoid any communication with Lorenzo because it may encourage him,” she says with a tremor. “But he keeps sending things. That’s something for every day since—since the incident.”
Josephine still has a hard time talking about Jacob outside of therapy, and she refers to the attack as ‘the incident.’ Lorenzo has been showering Josephine with flowers and gifts every day, claiming it’s his way of saying he’s sorry for what happened to her while she was under the care of one of his men.
What Lorenzo doesn’t realize is that his presents are reminders of what Jacob did to her. They disrupt her progress. Josephine has grown uncomfortable with his attention, and she came up with the idea to donate all his gifts to places in need. I’m pleased she feels no need to keep the things he gives her—it definitely keeps me from flying off the rails.
Lorenzo has been bugging the shit out of me about continuing supervision of my pixie, but he’s getting too attached for my liking. I’m no longer willing to have him anywhere near Josephine, which is all the more reason I want to get this over with, and head back home to my future bride where I can watch her myself.
“I’ll have a talk with him when I get back.”Yeah, I’ll talk to him, with my fists.
She’s silent for a few moments. “Do you think he’s forming an unhealthy attachment, like…like…”
Like Jacob.She doesn’t need to finish the sentence. I know it’s too painful for her to even mention his name, unless she’s with me or her counselor.
“I’ll handle him, baby. I’m not going to let him or anyone else make you feel uncomfortable.”
She sniffles and starts to cry, making my heart raw with emotion.
“Baby, baby, shh. It’s okay. I’ll be home soon, and take care of it.”
“I just miss you,” she sobs.
