Micah did know that. There were non-monetary consequences to closing communication with drug cartels and other dangerous organizations, after all. And in all likelihood, Damon had inherited whatever shady dealings he had going on with the dregs of society. It wasn’t really his fault. And Damon wasn’t wrong when he said addicts would find a way to get their hands on their meth and heroin with or without whatever dealers Damon had working for him. At least he made sure his supply wasn’t laced with anything dangerous – well, not anything more dangerous than the drugs already were, anyway.

…And was Micah really trying to justify Damon’s actions? What the hell was wrong with him?

Micah obviously wasn’t doing a very good job covering up his mixed emotions, because Damon must have seen a crack in his armor when he said: “One event.”

Micah frowned. “What?”

“Just keep up your end of our deal for one event, and I’ll pay you through the end of December.”

Micah opened his mouth to protest, but Damon steamrolled right over him.

“I would prefer you use the money to find a safer place to live, and maybe buy yourself something pretty, but if you really think the money’s dirty, you can donate it to charity for all I care. Just one event – one outing. And if you still want to withdraw from our arrangement after that, I won’t pursue-… it.”

Micah’s brain really must have been fried from the awful week he’d had so far because he could have sworn Damon was about to say “you” at the end of that spiel, but that the man changed it to “it” at the last second instead. Micah was too tired to contemplate what that could mean, so he remained silent.

“Micah, please.”

Fuck, it was like that polite, little word coming from this bossy, domineering man’s mouth was his kryptonite. Micah let out a half-despairing/half-frustrated sigh, fighting the urge to pull at his own hair. “What kind of event?” he hedged.

“Just a small gathering,” Damon assured, “a family dinner to ease you into things. My sisters and I try to get together every weekend that we’re all in town.” So the whole criminous family would be there. Great. “But if we’re going to do that, we’ll have to continue with tonight’s original plan… you know, getting to know each other.”

“You mean there are hidden layers to your personality beyond secret mafia boss?” Micah sassed. He’d been avoiding using the actual word “mafia” until now, and he had to say, he was impressed by Damon’s lack of reaction to it. Though Micah stiffened when the man once again reached for him, taking him by the wrists and flipping his hands palm-side up so that he could rub his thumbs soothingly over Micah’s pulse points.