AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I take a seat next to her and rub her back. “Castor promises nothing like this will ever happen again, and that he’s doing everything he can for Marco. No expenses spared.”
Mom nods. “He’s a protector, hun. A good man. Always looked out for your brother.”
I bow my head, thinking back to the story of the Colombians, imagining their comradery. Sometimes I feel like a bitch for getting in between them.
My vision gets blurry from tears again. What else can I do but rest my head on Mom’s shoulder and hope for the best.
Next thing I know, an hour goes by, and I’m face down on Mom’s bed.
Bzzt. Bzzt.
I reach for my phone and pull it up to my face.
Castor: Head outside with Randy and Mrs. C. Sent Ace to pick you up. Good news.
Good news? I spring up, slip on my shoes, and rush to gather them. “I think he’s out of surgery. C’mon!”
Mom and Randy scramble to keep up behind me as I head outside to find Ace waiting there.
“Hey, hun.” He hugs me.
“Do you know anything?” I’m pretty much hyperventilating at this point.
“Just to go get you. We’ll find out together in a few minutes.” He waddles over to the back door and opens it for Mom and Randy. “Hi, Missus C. Hello, sir. Sorry that we’re meeting on such a grim occasion, but hopefully there’s good news at the warehouse.”
We gather in the car, and once we’re all inside, I ask the question, “What the hell was that, exactly?”
He blows up his cheeks uncomfortably. “Hun, I don’t know if we should be talking about that right now. Let the big man fill you in.”
I pinch him.
“Whoa, whoa!”
My eyes say fire. “They shot up my mom’s house, during Sunday dinner for shit’s sake.”
“Mm.” Ace glances at me and groans. “Mph. I know. Makes my blood boil.”
“I heard something about the Rigianos? Yesterday is a blur. Who almost killed my brother, Ace?”
Ace shakes his head. “You got it right, hun. We don’t know for sure if they were lone guns or for hire, but we’re working on it.”
“You better!” I pinch him again, half delirious and half giddy that my brother might be okay.
A short time later, we roll up to a metal-gated garage opening for our admission. We’re surrounded by two other warehouses that I’m assuming Castor owns, since mob dealings are probably done here. Of course Marco wouldn’t be at a normal hospital. I don’t know why I was even imagining it.
Ace is a total gentleman. He rushes out of his side of the SUV to help my mom out, then Randy. Maybe it’s because I’m an emotional wreck right now, but seeing that nearly moves me to tears.
“C’mon, this way.” He guides us to a heavy-looking door that he codes open, and when I step inside, my breath hitches. A beautiful mahogany waiting room is there to greet us – long countertop, felt chairs, magazines, and all. And beyond the double-doors I glimpse a state-of-the-art medical facility.
“I alerted Castor. He’ll be right—oh, there he is.”
When he pushes through the double-doors in his bloodied polo, pulling down a surgical mask, my legs nearly buckle. Seeing him with sunken, black-rimmed eyes makes me realize how much he cares. He hasn’t slept a wink either.
Me, Mom, Randy, and Ace await him eagerly.
He takes a breath. “First off, Marco is going to pull through.”
“Oh thank God.” Mom almost falls forward with a hand on her heart, but Randy catches her.
