Page 42 of Toxic Devotion
“I’masking.”
He scowled at Neil and hissed, “Just like she asked you?”
Neil’s meticulously crafted walls started to crack, a pained expression spreading across his face. Regret. Shame. Guilt.
It was too late for all of that.
“Marco,” Neil said, stepping closer.
He raised a hand and said, “You get any closer and Iwillkill you.”
Neil came to a halt, and it was as if the emotions showing on his face doubled.
“I’ll help Cade. As long as you get the fuck out of my house.”
Neil hesitated for a moment before giving him a curt nod and turned on his heels.
The second Neil disappeared from sight, he collapsed into his chair, a frustrated shout leaving him. He hated that man as much as he loved him, but seeing him after all this time? Fuck. He wished he hated him more than he did. More than he could. It wasn’t right that he still wanted to kiss him or touch him. Not after what Neil did. After what he didn’t do.
“Gray?”
He snapped his head up, heart racing until his gaze landed on Dante standing in the doorway, a confused look on his little face.
“Did you lose your teddy?” he asked as he stood and made his way toward Dante.
Dante shook his head and that’s when Marco noticed that he was holding the teddy in one hand.
“Gray gone?” Dante asked, looking up at Marco with big eyes.
He came to a sharp halt, his throat closing up. He put a hand over his mouth, eyes squeezing shut while his pulse got so fast and loud he could feel it in his ears.
Fuck.
Fucking Neil and his goddamned hold on his heart.
Chapter Fifteen
Neil
CADE’S UNDERCOVER work hadn’t gone to plan. He’d been inserted into the path of Slay, a member of the Destroyers motorcycle club. Marco had kept them from getting a foothold years ago, but he’s slacked on everything since Alicia’s death, though if anyone was to blame, it was him.
Cade had pulled the plug on the op to keep his partner safe. Brent had been forced to transfer from homicide to vice. Slay didn’t seem too happy about losing Cade but at least he seemed content with Cade not having a partner. His other operative was still firmly planted in the Destroyers’ inner circle, and he kept working to uncover their connection with Hughes. He was getting closer, but he was also taking stupid risks. Neil couldn’t blame him. Seeing that many people circling in and out of the Destroyers’ hands? It was unbearable.
With every person Mike saved, he risked exposing himself, but he knew the man would say that it was worth the risk. Aidan had changed something in Mike. It was a change he feared would get Mike killed and as stoic and emotionless as he pretended to be, he didn’t want to see Mike hurt. Or Aidan for that matter.
He stepped out of his car and looked up at the house he’d once called home. For once, he walked through the front door. He headed toward the voices he could hear in Marco’s office. He recognized Marco and Rome’s voices as they argued. Theywere standing in front of the desk, Rome’s hands gesturing as he spoke, his voice lowering with each word.
“It’s a bad idea,” Rome said.
“I don’t care,” Marco said, chin lifting.
They turned toward Neil at the same time, Rome giving him quite an unpleasant look while he found Marco’s expression unreadable.
“I wanted to thank you,” he said to Marco. “I know this didn’t go the way we hoped.”
The plan had been for Cade to get the evidence needed for them to shut down the Destroyers for good so that Marco could swoop in and take back the territory they’d occupied. The more territory Marco had in Baltimore, the safer he would be. That, and removing anything and anyone Hughes had his claws in, was his sole motivation.
Marco stared at him, his expression unreadable which was unusual because he’d always been able to read the man like an open book. Things had changed, though.Theyhad changed. Marco had grown cold and distant while he had given up.