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Chapter 9:

The sleeping arrangement had been uncomfortable. Gordon's house wasn't very big, so they had had to adapt to the little space they had. Victor and Jim had had to share a room, although Jim preferred to have another roommate, he had chosen Wendell or Carmine, much to Victor's annoyance. But it was unsuccessful, Victor and Jim had to fake a marriage and to do so they had to meet and spend time together. Jim didn't really dislike Victor, just his profession, but he wasn't the first psychopath he'd gotten into a relationship with, so it wouldn't be strange if they were dating. Jim still wanted to know how he got into this mess, because this didn't happen to other cops in this city, at least not that he knew of. He and Victor would have to share the bed, there was no way he would let one of his guests sleep on the floor and he wouldn't either because it was his house and he liked to sleep on the mattress of his bed.

Carmine, Mario and Lee took the bedroom that used to be of his father, Carmine had preferred it when Jim offered him his room. Jim knew that that room brought back memories for Carmine, he wouldn't be the one to bring the man back to reality if he wanted to remember his father so much. Sleeping with Victor was…strange, in a nice way. It hadn't been awkward waking up cuddling. He found the hitman funny and attractive, but his logic had always gotten in the way every time he had imagined himself in a relationship with him. He had read somewhere that there was something worrying about accepting relationships that could kill you, but he liked danger and after Barbara and Lee, he couldn't imagine himself in a normal relationship, he had discovered that he was attracted to adrenaline, the dangerous. Victor fit well with his expectations for a relationship, although the idea of the relationship itself was what terrified him. After Barbara and Lee, he couldn't imagine being in a relationship again, having discovered the comfort of being single, the freedom he had again, not having anyone to make decisions and practically doing what he wanted. He did not want any relationship to take away the independence that he had regained, for that reason, he did not want to meet Victor, because he knew that he was his ideal, someone with whom he could be on par, despite his professions.

-Hey, Jim!-said Victor. Jim thought Victor was blushing a little. "It's been a good night, don't you think?"

-Very good.-Jim agreed.-I haven't rested like this in a while.

Victor smiled and Jim stared into his eyes. He didn't even care if others saw them together. He had decided a long time ago to be as he was, without worrying about others. The doorbell rang three times. Jim had to be the one to open it, because everyone was in the rear, armed, in case there was a shootout and they had to find a new hiding place. But there was no one outside. Just a lifeless body, with a pig's head and a note. It was Carmine who was the first to collapse, crying, assisted by the Zsasz family. Mario, trembling, approached the corpse and removed the pig's head, murmuring insistently: "Please, don't let it be her." Jim didn't know what was happening, but he tried to stop Mario from touching anything, since it was a crime scene. It was fruitless. Mario collapsed the next moment, discovering that this was the corpse of his sister. Jim was the one who grabbed him and put him back inside the house. He had taken the note quickly. Whoever was behind all this, he was still free and if his intuition was correct, now he himself would be watching them.

He read the note aloud; he would attend to the Falcone family later. First he wanted to see who he was dealing with.

"I've been watching you, Gordon. Sofia Falcone hired me to kill you, but you're too pure and loyal, something the city needs, so I've decided I won't kill you anymore, instead I killed her. I think I'm In love with you, you are admirable, beautiful, purity itself. From today I declare myself your most fervent admirer, your most loyal servant. I will be your shadow in the darkness, I will watch your back.

Sincerely, Professor Pyg"

Great, another lunatic obsessed with him. Jim was starting to lose patience. How did this guy know where he lived? How long had he been watching him? He had called Oswald yesterday, when he was in the bathroom, so that no one could intercept his call. Had he had something to do with all this? "Well, on the positive side," Jim whispered to Victor. "We're not going to have to pretend anything anymore, so you can all go home, since then you'll be safe and comfortable, which is also important."

-We won't be able to leave now, boy.-said Ivan.-Someone has killed a Falcone and this has to be avenged, besides, if we leave, they will come for us and for you too because you have welcomed us, you have gotten involved.

-Can't you be like normal families? -Jim asked. -Have you heard of the Santini in Central City? They don't make deals with police, in fact they keep their businesses hidden so that the police can't track them.

"Now is not the time for that, boy," said Svetlana. "There is a man who is suffering from the murder of his daughter. He needs calm and comfort, so that he can pull himself together soon and plan revenge. Isn't that right, Carmine? Manners are being lost, they no longer even send flowers to the victim's family, these new generations are losing manners and ruining the good name of the business."

Jim started making the lime tree. He was worried about the Falcones, but he didn't feel sorry for Sofia's death in the least, he would never admit it, but whoever he was responsible for, he had done them all a favor and saved them a lot of trouble. Sofia had been the cause of all this. She would comfort Carmine and Mario, and stop them from leaving without making sure they wouldn't try to do something crazy. As she passed by Victor, he surreptitiously touched his hand, hoping that he would understand his gesture of consolation. He hoped Victor would understand that he was there for him.