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18LuciaSalvatore made call after call as he drove us to the hospital, first to his uncle, then to Marco who tailed us, then to Dominic. Dominic didn’t pick up his call. He also arranged for security to be added to the hospital, for which I was grateful.
I tried Isabella twice but never got hold of her. With traffic, by the time we got to the hospital, it was well over an hour later. Salvatore’s phone rang once more just as he parked the car. He checked the display, and I glimpsed the name. It was his father.
“I have to take this.”
I nodded, opening my door and setting my crutches outside. What a time to sprain my ankle!
“Marco,” Salvatore called out once Marco had parked his car. “Take Lucia upstairs, and stay with her until I get there.”
Marco nodded and took my arm, helping me out of the car.
“I got it,” I snapped, hating feeling helpless. I glanced at Salvatore, who walked away with the phone to his ear. Marco followed me into the hospital. At reception, I found out where they’d taken Luke. I went as quickly as I could to the trauma unit and found Isabella holding Effie’s hand, her face one of frustration and worry, her eyes weary and red.
“Izzy.”
She turned, a look of relief quickly replaced by surprise at my state.
“It’s nothing, just a sprain. I fell while running.”
She got up, and we hugged.
“Aunt Lucia, are you hurt too?” Effie asked.
“I’ll be okay. It’s just a sprain, kiddo.” I gave her a hug then turned to Izzy, who was watching Marco talk to two other men I just noticed.
“Salvatore?” she asked, gesturing toward them.
I nodded. “He wanted security for Luke and for us.
She snorted. “He’s probably the one who put Luke in here!”
“Wait. No, he was with me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so naive, Lucia. All he has to do is give the word!”
“Mama?”
Izzy wiped away a tear and looked down at her daughter.
“Let’s calm down.” I touched my sister’s shoulder, and she sighed.
“Sorry, honey. It’s fine,” she told Effie. “Everything’s going to be fine.”
“Uncle Luke is hurt,” she said to me.
“I know. Hey, I saw a vending machine just around the corner.” I dug into my purse and found my wallet, took out some dollar bills, and handed them to her. “Go get us some chocolate bars, okay?”
She looked at her mom, who nodded.
“Marco, will you keep an eye on her?” I asked.
“Of course.”
Wow, this was a different Marco than the inflexible man I’d met thus far.
“Here, some sodas too.” I handed Effie more money to keep her busy. She went with Marco. “Let’s sit down. Tell me what happened,” I said to Isabella once Effie was out of earshot.
“He was at the stupid bowling alley,” she started, taking a crumpled-up tissue out of her purse and wiping her dripping eyes. “He always goes there in the mornings, so the bastards knew where to find him. He’d just gone to get a cup of coffee, and two guys came in and opened fire.”
“Jesus.”
“The owner who was working the bar took a bullet in his arm. He’ll be okay.”
“Anyone else hurt?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Any idea who?”
She shook her head. “They wore ski masks.”
“I guess they would. Why do you think it was Salvatore’s men?” I asked.
She shook her head with a flat look in her eyes. “Who else but someone from the Benedetti family.” She turned her attention to digging for something in her purse.
“Dominic is part of that family,” I said, watching her.
She glanced up, her lips narrow, her face tight.
“He was at your house the other night.”
She stood. “This isn’t the time, Lucia.”
“What was he doing there?” I asked, following her, the crutches an irritating nuisance.
She kept her back to me, shaking her head, watching Effie push buttons on the vending machine.
“Izzy, what’s going on?”
She faced me finally. “A big fucking mess, that’s what.”
“Are you having an affair with Dominic Benedetti?”
Izzy threw her arms up into the air. “There you go again, another affair. First it was Luke, now it’s Dominic? Excuse me, sis, but I’m not going to justify that with an answer.”
“Ms. DeMarco?” a doctor called out, rounding the corner.
“Yes?” Isabella went to him, and I followed, hobbling behind her.
“Your cousin’s injuries are very serious. We’re operating now, but it will be several hours. I can’t speak to the outcome just yet.”
“He can’t die,” she started, her eyes watering, her voice desperate. “You can’t let him die.”
The doctor looked to be immune to her emotion. Probably so used to doling out bad news, it just didn’t faze him anymore.
“Mommy, I got you a Snickers bar,” Effie started, coming back toward us with the candy bars, Marco behind her carrying cans of soda, looking as much out of place following her as possible. It would have been comical if we weren’t standing in a hospital waiting room with Luke in critical condition a few doors down.
