But not today, no worry about that today, because it was all his today and he felt great. Laughed aloud.

“Top o’ da world, Ma!”

Guy coming the other way gave him a strange look but Jack glared at him, daring him to say something, anything, to say one single goddamn word. Guy looked away.

Smart. Nobody gives me looks in my city.

Felt a growing pressure in his groin as he turned into Sutton Square. Something flitted through his head, a thought about looking out for a car, a car with two men, but it was a slippery thought and avoided his grasp every time he reached for it.

Who cared about cars anyway. All he cared about now was getting to Gia. Gia-Gia-Gia. Oh, this was going to be good, so very-very good. Do it in the kitchen, do it in the living room, and maybe even in bed. Dodo-do. All day, and all afternoon until Vicky came home. Then he’d take them both out on the town, his town, and show them a great time, the best time of their lives, the kind of time only he could show them.

Knocked on the door. Couldn’t wait to see the joy beaming from Gia’s face when she pulled it open and saw him, joy that would quickly turn to lust. And then he heard a child’s voice, Vicky’s, shouting on the far side of the door…

“Mom! It’s Jack! Jack’s here!”

And suddenly a cloud moved over his sun and sucked all the heat from his body.

Vicky was home. Gia wouldn’t… she’d never… not with Vicky around.

“Jack!” Gia said, her smile bright as she opened the door. “What a surprise!”

“Yeah,” he said through his teeth. Tried to force a smile but couldn’t, just couldn’t. Could do just about anything in this city of his, but right now he couldn’t smile. Stepped through the door. “Some surprise.”

“Hi, Jack!” Vicky said, looking up at him with a big happy stupid grin.

Ignored her and turned to Gia. “What’s she doing home?”

“She’s got a sore throat and a cough.” Gia’s smile was gone and she was looking at him strangely.

“Doesn’t look sick.”

“Yeah, I got a bad cough,” Vicky said. “Wanna hear it?” She started hacking.

Jack wanted to belt her—one backhand swipe to knock her into the next room. She was ruining everything. Maybe he ought to just grab Gia right here and do it in the foyer, right in front of Vicky. Be a good lesson for her.

“Is something wrong, Jack?” Gia said, concern growing in her eyes as she stared at him.

“Wrong?” he said, feeling fury building like a thunderhead in his skull. “Yeah, there’s plenty wrong. First off, you coddle this kid too much—”

“Jack!”

“Don’t interrupt me!” he said, his voice rising. “I hate to be interrupted.”

“Jack, what on earth’s wrong with you?”

There, she’d done it again. Interrupted him. She’d never learn, would she. Only one way to handle someone like that.