Nick’s hair is long now and mine’s cropped ultra-short. We were just starting to feel safe after three and a half months in the same place. Nick feels tense behind me and I put my hand on his knee to soothe him. Officially we’ve been dead for close to eighteen months, but I’ve never felt more alive than since Nick told me he’d moved heaven and earth to be with me.

This is the fifth time we’ve been moved around with no notice because someone took a recognizable picture of us, and although we’re both sick and tired of running, we know this is our only chance to stay together. We’re on the floor of an unmarked utility van without windows, and our only comfort is the mattress they considerately threw on the floor before depositing us on top of it. It’s hot and sticky, although it’s the early hours of the morning instead of midday, and the sweat is making my chafed skin burn. I’m still buttoning my shirt when the door of the van is thrown shut and we’re shrouded in darkness.

Together they bring down the Family and against all odds, are enrolled into the Witness Protection Program together. Nick is even deeper undercover than him, and for the same outfit.

Nick seduced Matt into switching jobs to work for the second in command of the Family and Matt is let in on a secret. Nick Castro stands out since he’s heavily tattooed and likes wearing ostentatious jewelry. One night he is picked up off the street by a man who moves in the higher ranks of the Family. A little back story: Matt is an ex-Marine turned deep undercover FBI agent, who has been living with a New York mafia family for six years.

Trust by Zahra Owens