Page 76 of Toxic Devotion

“Serrano,” Joker said, grasping Marco’s hand to shake it. “Glad you decided to come.”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

“I hate to say it, but you’re always welcome,” Joker said.

Confusion made him hesitate for a second too long to ask what he meant because Gabe was dragging Joker away before he could say a word.

“What he meant is that Rome is family now, thanks to Juno’s less-than-ideal taste in men,” Bones said with a teasing gleam inhis eyes. “You’re both more than welcome here. As you probably know, we don’t discriminate and we’re also good at keeping secrets.”

“Excuse me?”

He tensed harder than a bow string. He wasn’t sure what he liked less; Bones calling Rome family or Bones suggesting he knew his secrets.

Juno’s snort had him snapping his gaze toward him. The man was completely relaxed, a smile on his lips.

“Babe. You’re surrounded by people with great gaydars. Trust me, they know. Besides, we,” he said, motioning between him and Bones, “have seen you with your man. You’d have to be blind not to notice.”

They’d seen him with his man, had they? They knew nothing.

A hand on his shoulder had him tensing harder until he realized it was Rome’s. The man was trying to show him some support and while he appreciated it, he would’ve preferred his secrets had remained secret.

Juno smiled warmly at him. “No one here cares, and, as Bones said, we’re good at keeping secrets. Obviously. You and King may have some issues, but you were willing to put your life on the line for one of us, so trust me, you’re good enough in his book to be called a friend.”

He felt himself relax a bit at that. Not too much though. He could never truly relax. Not unless he was with Neil.

“I would like that. Friend. I don’t have too many of those.”

A wide smile spread on Juno’s lips and there was a gleam in his eyes as he said, “Lucky I fell in love with Rome, huh?”

“I doubt luck had anything to do with it.”

Juno laughed and Marco caught Rome looking at the man with that something special in his eyes. Love. Adoration. Devotion. It almost hurt to see. Not because he didn’t want that for Rome. He liked Juno. Even if Rome would kill him to save hisman. He wasn’t too fond of knowing that, but he understood. He would do that for Neil. He may have wanted the man dead for a while but there was a reason he hadn’t done it. He’d been left with an Alicia-sized hole in his heart and while he’d pushed Neil away, hard, a part of him had known that he wouldn’t survive if anything happened to the man he loved. He’d never loved anyone as deeply as he loved Neil. It had truly felt like the man had dug out Marco’s heart and taken it with him back when he’d sent the man away.

Despite the Kings’ good mood and the easy flow of booze, he didn’t stay long. Dante was at home with the nanny and a whole lot of security, but he still didn’t feel like he could relax away from him. Not after everything that had just gone down. He believed and trusted Neil when he said the cartel wasn’t coming after him, but they weren’t the only people who wanted to take down Marco Serrano.

He drove home and parked in the garage but didn’t head into the house. He headed toward the backyard and the path that wound around the property. The house was surrounded by mature trees, the closest neighbor about a mile away. He needed a moment to himself. He needed to think about this newfriendshipas Juno had called it. With Rome being ‘family’ to the Kings and Juno being, well, his best friend’s partner, it seemed he’d gotten a whole lot more allies.

He knew he and King had their differences, but he had a feeling they were a lot more alike than King would like to admit.

He came to a halt, staring into the woods. He’d seen movement and while he should be worried, his heart let him know exactly who was there. His heart was a bastard, but it was never wrong.

He started walking and he didn’t bother looking up when he heard footsteps behind him. He felt the man at his side and was too proud to turn his head and acknowledge him first. Neildidn’t seem to mind the silence though. He should’ve expected as much.

When it had annoyed him long enough, he stopped walking and glared at Neil, noticing instantly that he was wearing a suit he’d had made for him years ago, and cursed his treacherous heart when it skipped a beat. He remembered that suit in particular because it had been made specifically to match the exact shade of Neil’s gray eyes.

“I thought you had somewhere to be,” he said with a bite to his tone.

He didn’t word it as a question. He wanted it to sting like the man’s absence had stung his poor heart. He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take, and he knew he’d started it, he’d pushed Neil away and then drawn him back in only to hold him at a distance for years.

“I did,” Neil said.

“Then why are you here?”

Neil stepped closer, one corner of his mouth quirking up.

“It’s gonna take at least six months to get everything in order,” Neil said, eyes alight with something that confused Marco.

“To get what in order?” he asked hesitantly.