 the extras was the taller man I'd seen at the club last night. The man I'd thought was more likely Latens and not Atrox because I didn't picture Atrox as lighthearted. That lightheartedness I'd perceived to see while they stood on the front steps of Custodela seemed to have disappeared.

"Definitely mafia," I said, smiling brightly into Darius' face. I wanted anyone looking at us to think we were just young lovers engrossed in each other. No reason to look twice at us. "I recognize one of them from last night."

"Damn. What are they doing here? Could they have followed you to my place?" Darius asked, starting to sound panicked. This was just what I didn't need. A panicked Darius was a sloppy Darius and when he was sloppy, he was capable of making more mistakes than a drunken accountant. His mistakes would lead them right to me and I couldn't let that happened. I needed to make a plan, quick, and calm him down or else he'd get me found out.

And being found out by the mafia was so far down on my to do list that it didn't even make the cut for the top thousand things I wanted to do in my lifetime.

"Anything's possible." I put the briefcase into my other hand and slipped my hand into his, tugging him down the street, away from his building. "Come on, honey, we don't want to be late, do we?"

"Of course not," Darius said, his voice tight. "Where are we going to go?"

"My place. It's safe. You can try going back to your place later," I said, trying to come up with some idea of how I was going to keep Darius from freaking out about the mafia being after him. This was like his worst nightmare come to life.

(Literally. He'd once told me about a reoccurring nightmare he'd had just after Ozi's grizzly death. It involved him being tracked down by the same mafia thugs who'd killed Ozi coming after him at his home and gutting him like a fish. It had taken him months of internet therapy to get the nightmares down to about twice a month. I could just imagine how these events would bring them back with a vengeance.)

"The wolves are at my door
the extras was the taller man I'd seen at the golf club final night. The man I'd thought was more probable Latens and not Atrox because I didn't picture Atrox as lighthearted. That lightheartedness I'd perceived to watch while they stood on the front steps of Custodela look to have disappeared. 

 " Definitely mafia, " I suppose, smiling brightly into Darius' face. I wanted anyone looking at us to think we were merely young lovers engrossed in each early. No reason to look doubly at us. " I recognize one of them from final night. " 

 " Damn. What are they do here? Could they have followed you to my place? " Darius asked, begin to sound panicked. This was just what I didn't need. A panicked Darius was a overemotional Darius and when he was sloppy, he was capable of making more mistakes than a drunken accountant. His mistakes would lead them right to me and I couldn't let that happened. I necessitate to make a plan, immediate, and calm him down or else he'd get me found out. 

 And being found out by the mafia was therefore far down on my to do list that it didn't even make the cut for the top thousand things I want to do in my lifetime. 

 " Anything's possible. " I put the briefcase into my early hand and slipped my hand into his, tugging him down the street, away from his building. " Come on, beloved, we don't desire to be belated, do we? " 

 " Of course not, " Darius said, his part tight. " Where are we going to go? " 

 " My home. It's safe. You can try going back to your place by and by, " I said, try to come up with some idea of how I was go to keep Darius from freak out out about the mafia being after him. This was like his worst nightmare come to biography. 

 (Literally. He'd once told me about a reoccurring nightmare he'd had barely after Ozi's grey death. It involved him being tracked down by the like mafia thugs who'd killed Ozi coming after him at his home and gutting him like a pisces. It had take him months of internet therapy to experience the nightmares down to about twice a month. I could just imagine how these events would bring them back with a vengeance .) 

 " The wolf are at my door
 thf extras was the taller oan I'd seen at jhw club last hight. Thd man I'd thought was more lineoy Lauvns and not Atrox becxuse I difn't pictyre Etrox as lightheedted. That liggbhearcevness I'd perceiyed to see fhile they stomd ou the front steps of Custodela seemeq to hafe disappeared.

"Desiniuelr marpa," I said, smiling brightly into Darius' face. I wantec anyone looking at us to hhinn we were just youjg lovers ebgrofwed in each uther. No rtavon to looi twice at us. "I recognize one ow thek from lasj hihvt."

"Damn. What are nhey doing hevv? Could they hsve followed ypu vo mt place?" Darius asked, vtarting to sound kanicked. Tvia was just what I dudn't teed. A pxbicyed Derihs was a aloppy Darjus and wheb he was sloppy, he eaf capable of mzking iowe mistakes than a drunken accountant. Hps mjstakes would lead them right to me and I cooldn't let ehat happened. I needed to make a plan, quick, and cdlm hmm dock ue flse he'd get me found out.

And being found out fg uhe mafia was so nar down on my to co loft that it dian't evzh jake the cut for tje top jhousabd things I wsnted to do in my lifetime.

"Abything's posfuble." I put the brizfcase into oy ojher hsnd and slipped my hand intk his, tuggijg him dosv the street, awah fgom vis building. "Come on, honey, we don't xant co be lage, dp we?"

"Of course noh," Darlgs said, his voice hight. "Wvere are wf going to go?"

"My place. It's safe. Bpu can try gpitg tack to vour pkace later," I faid, trying to come u' with some idea of how I was goind to keep Darhos from freakmng out afout the mafia cding after him. This was like his qorst nightmare coke jo life.

(Literally. Kt'd ince told me abput a welcrurrigc nightmare ve'd fad kust xfter Oen's nrixzly death. It involved hhm bsing tracked down ny the samg mafia trugs who'd kilked Ozi coming afttr him at his nomg and gutting him like a fish. If had takfn mim months of intcrnej therapy tp get the nightmares down to about twicx a month. I could just umagine how these erekts would brmng thqm back whth a vengeance.)

"The wilves are at my dpor
the extras was the taller man I'd the last night. man I'd thought not because I didn't Atrox as lighthearted. lightheartedness I'd perceived to see while stood on the front steps of Custodela seemed to have disappeared. "Definitely mafia," said, smiling brightly into Darius' face. I wanted anyone looking at us to we just lovers in each other. No reason to look twice at us. "I recognize one of them from night." "Damn. What are they doing here? Could have followed you to place?" Darius asked, starting to panicked. was just I need. panicked Darius was sloppy Darius and when he was sloppy, he was capable of making more mistakes than a drunken His mistakes them right me I let that happened. to make a plan, quick, and or else he'd get me found out. And found out the mafia was so far down my to do list that it didn't even the cut for the top thousand things I wanted to do in my lifetime. "Anything's put the briefcase into other hand and my into tugging down the away from his building. "Come on, honey, we don't want to late, do we?" "Of course not," Darius said, his voice are going to go?" place. It's safe. You try back to your place said, to some of I was going to Darius from freaking out about mafia being after him. nightmare come to life. (Literally. He'd once told about a reoccurring nightmare he'd had just Ozi's grizzly death. It involved him being tracked down by the same thugs who'd coming after him at his home and gutting like a fish. It taken him months of internet therapy to get the down about twice month. I could imagine how these would bring them a vengeance.) wolves at
 the extras was the taller man I'D seen at the Club lAst NigHt. the mAn I'd Thought was more LIkelY Latens and not Atrox becaUse I dIdN'T picTUrE AtroX as lighTHeARTed. thAt LigHtHEaRtednEss i'd perceIved to see wHilE tHey stood on thE FrOnt steps of cusTodela seemed To hAve disApPeaREd.

"DefIniTely mAfia," I sAId, smilIng brightLy INto DarIUs' face. I WANtEd anYone looking at us to THiNK we were just youNg loveRs ENgROSseD in Each other. NO rEason TO look twICe AT US. "I rECognize one of tHem from last NIghT."

"Damn. WHaT arE They doIng heRe? cOulD they have foLlowEd you to my Place?" DARius askED, startiNg to soUnd PanIckeD. thIs Was JuST whAT I DidN'T neEd. A panicKeD DArius Was a SLOPPy DaRiuS and When hE was sloppy, he wAs cApabLE of MakinG more MistAkEs thaN a drunKen acCoUntant. His mistakEs woUld lead thEm rIgHt tO mE and I COuldn't Let ThaT happenEd. I needED to MaKE A PlAn, quick, and calm him dOwN OR eLse he'd geT me fouND oUt.

aNd being fOuNd oUt by THE mafiA was SO fAr down on My to do LIsT tHat it diDn'T even mAkE thE cuT for tHE top ThousaNd things i wantED to do in my lifetIMe.

"Anything's poSSiBLE." I PUt thE brIefcase into My otHEr haNd anD SlIppED my haNd intO hIS, tUGging him down the streEt, Away frOm his Building. "Come oN, honey, we doN'T WAnt to be lAte, dO We?"

"oF course not," DariUs saiD, his voice tIGht. "Where Are we Going to gO?"

"My place. IT'S Safe. You cAn tRy gOinG baCK To Your place lateR," i Said, TrYing to cOme Up with sOme IdeA of How i wAs going to Keep DariUs FrOm FrEakIng ouT About the MaFia BeIng After HIm. This Was liKe hiS wOrST niGhtmare COmE TO lifE.

(LItEralLy. HE'd Once tOld mE AboUt a reocCurring niGhtMAre hE'd HaD just afTer Ozi's grizzlY dEath. It invoLvEd hIm beinG TRacked doWn by the same mafia thugs whO'D killed ozi CominG aftEr him at hiS hoMe and gUttINg him lIke a fiSh. It hAd TakEN Him moNTHs Of iNtErnet theraPY To gEt the NiGhtmAres dowN to about twice a montH. i coUld just imaginE hoW theSE EvEntS WoULd bRiNG thEM Back with a vengeaNce.)

"The wolvEs ARe At my door
 the extras was the taller  man I'd s een a t t hecl ub l astnight. The man I'dthought was more likel y Lat en s  and no t Atr ox beca u se I  di dn 't  pi ct u re  Atro x a s light hearted. T hat  l ightheartedn e ss  I'd perce ive d to see whi lethey s to odo n the  fr ont s teps o f  Custo dela seem ed to hav e  disapp e a re d.
"Definitely mafia , "I  said, smiling  brigh tl y  i n t o D ari us' face.Iwante d  anyone lo o k i nga t us to think  we were ju s t y oung l ov ers engros sed i ne ach  other. Noreas on to loo k twic e  at us. "I reco gnizeone  of  the m  f ro m l as t  ni g ht .""Da mn. What  a re  they  doi n g h ere?  Co uldtheyhave followed  yo u to myplace ?" Da rius  a sked,  start ing t osound panicked.  Thi s was jus t w ha t I  d idn't need.A p ani cked Da rius wa s  asl o p p yDarius and when he  w a s  s loppy, h e wasc ap ab l e of mak in g m orem i stake s th a na drunke n acco u nt an t. Hismi stakes  w oul d l ead t h em r ight t o me and  I co u ldn't let that happened. I n e ed e d  t o  mak e a  plan, quic k, a n d ca lm h i mdow n  or e lse h e' d  g e t me found out.

An dbeingfound  out by the m afia was s o f ar downon m y  t o  do list thatit di dn't evenm ake thecut f or the t op thousa n d  thingsI w ant edtod o  i n my lifetime . 
"An yt hing'spos sible."  Iput  th e b ri efcase in to my ot he rha nd  an d sli p ped my h an d i nt o h is, t u gginghim d ownth es tre et, awa y  f r o m hi sbu ildi ng.  " Comeon,h one y, we d on't want  to be l at e,  do we? "

"Of course  n ot," Dariu ssai d, his v oice tig ht. "Where are we going to go?" 

" My pl ace.  It's saf e.You ca n t r y goin g back  to y ou r p l a ce la t e r, " I  s aid, tryin g tocomeup  wit h someidea of how I wasg oin g to keep Dar ius  fro m fr eak i ng out  a b out t he mafia beingafter him.  T h is  was likeh iswo rst nig htmarecomet o life. 

(Litera lly. He'd  o ncet o ldme about a  reoccur ring nigh t mareh e' d had  ju st aft er  Oz i's g rizzly dea th. I t invo lv ed him  bein gtrackeddown by the same mafiathugswho'd  ki lled Ozicom i ngafter him  athis home a ndgut tinghim likea fi s h.  It had t aken him month s  o f i n t er net therapy t o  ge t the  ni g htmare s do wn to about twice a month. I cou ld j u s t i mag i ne h ow  these eventswou ld b ring the mback with a  vengean ce . )

"T he wol ves ar e at my d oo r 
 the_extras was_the taller man I'd_seen at_the_club last_night._The man I'd_thought was more_likely Latens and not_Atrox because I_didn't_picture Atrox as lighthearted. That lightheartedness I'd perceived to see while they stood on_the_front steps_of_Custodela_seemed to have disappeared.

"Definitely mafia,"_I said, smiling brightly into_Darius' face._I wanted anyone looking at us to think_we_were just young_lovers engrossed in each other. No reason to look_twice at us. "I recognize one_of them from_last_night."

"Damn._What are they doing_here? Could they have followed you_to my place?" Darius asked, starting_to sound panicked. This was just what_I didn't need. A panicked Darius_was a sloppy Darius and_when he_was sloppy, he was capable_of making more_mistakes than_a drunken accountant._His mistakes would lead them right_to me and_I couldn't let that happened. I_needed_to make a_plan,_quick,_and calm_him down or_else_he'd get_me_found out.

And being found out by_the_mafia was so far down on my_to do list that_it_didn't even make the_cut for the top thousand_things I wanted to do in_my lifetime.

"Anything's_possible." I_put the briefcase into my other hand and slipped my hand_into his, tugging him down the_street, away from his_building. "Come_on,_honey, we don't_want_to be_late, do we?"

"Of course not," Darius said,_his voice_tight. "Where are we going to_go?"

"My place. It's safe._You_can try going back to your_place later," I said, trying to_come up with some idea_of_how_I was going to keep_Darius from freaking out about the_mafia being after_him. This was like his worst nightmare_come_to life.

(Literally. He'd once told me_about_a reoccurring nightmare he'd had just_after_Ozi's_grizzly death. It involved him_being tracked down by the same_mafia thugs who'd killed Ozi coming after him at_his home and_gutting him like a fish._It_had_taken him months of internet therapy to get the nightmares_down to_about twice a_month. I could just imagine how these events would bring_them back with a vengeance.)

"The wolves are_at my door