Page 2 of Blood & Heartache

Luca intercepted her movement, grabbing her wrist as he came up behind her. “Lay one hand on the head of the Caprioni Family, and no one will find your body to give you a funeral,” he warned in a low, deadly tone.

“She can’t be the head of the family. She’s a woman.” Flora scoffed.

Bitter laughter burst out of me at the blatant proof that she didn’t give one fuck about what happened outside her world. “Before he died, Daddy made me the underboss to the Caprioni Family and sole heir to all that came with it. I’m the queen now, bitch, and you better get on your knees and beg before I change my generous offer.”

Flora blanched at my words, full understanding crossing her face. “No, please don’t take away my right to use the last name. Astin, darling, there’s no need to be so drastic.”

“Why the fuck shouldn’t I cut you off? What have you done for this family or its name? Are you afraid that now you don’t have the protection, people you owe those gambling debts to are going to start coming after you? How much do you owe now? A million… two million?” I challenged the rage I’d felt when Jace told me about her problem sparking up again. “No, I think this is exactly what needs to happen. Besides, I made it official and sent word through the entire Family that you, dearest stepmonster, are no longer part of it.”

My gaze flicked to Boykov, my faithful bodyguard I nicknamed Wreck-It Ralph for how massive he was. He approached with two other men who took Flora in hand and removed her from the tent, not bothering to provide her with an umbrella. It seems they were taking the no-more-protection part of this rather literally, and I approved. Now I was left with the priest, my lieutenants, Boykov, and the polished black casket that held my father.

Stepping up to the casket, I placed a hand on the smooth surface, closing my eyes as I was tortured with the image of his face as he choked on his own blood. I could feel his hands that were holding on to me loosen and fall away as he died.

“Let them love you, Astin. I picked them for you.” His last words echoed through my mind.

It had been the most important thing he wanted to say to me other than he loved me and something about a journal. Daddy was determined to butt into my life in any way he could until the end. I knew it was important to him I wasn’t alone and that I had people watching my back. He’d made that clear more than once, and while he’d hurt me with the surprise family after sending me away, I didn’t have the heart to stay mad at him. I was a daddy’s girl to the core, and now here I was at his funeral, laying him to rest just as we got the chance to be together.

I envied Casimira’s ability to grieve this loss so openly. That wasn’t something I’d have the luxury of. Instead of having the time to mourn the loss of the man I loved most in my life, I had to prepare for battle. This act was a declaration of war, and this queen was bloodthirsty on her best days. I had a feeling we’d be seeing my alter sooner rather than later.

Opening my eyes, I leaned down and pressed a kiss to where his head would be. A single tear fell to land on the surface before I stood and faced the priest. “You’ll remain and ensure they place the steel lid before filling in the hole.”

Father Kendall gulped and nodded. “Of course, Mistress Caprioni. The cemetery and I are aware of your concerns about grave robbers. Is that why you didn’t want him in the family mausoleum?”

“No, it’s because they didn’t allow my mother to be placed there, and I know he will want to be with her. The mausoleum is for Bosses only. Their faithful wives and daughters are left to be buried in the surrounding area. My mother and father have been separated for too long. They deserve to be together in death like they couldn’t in life. Plus, it will leave room for Casimira to be on his other side when she passes,” I explained, then headed out of the tent but paused. “Father, if ‌my wishes in this have been ignored, there isn’t a god in Heaven or on Earth that will protect you from my wrath.”

Not bothering to see how my threat landed, I headed forward, and Braxton fell in step beside me with a large black umbrella. Gunner arrived on my other side, resting a hand lightly on my elbow to ensure if my cane slipped in the mud of the sodden grass, I wouldn’t fall. I’d thought all those movies had been dramatic, showing every funeral happening on a rainy day, but clearly, it seemed even the universe was mourning the loss of a great man like my father.

Boykov was already standing at the limo under his own umbrella to open the door for me. We’d switched out the standard limo for one that was an SUV, so it was easier for me to get in and out of. Gunner hoisted me onto the seat so I could maneuver myself the rest of the way. Right now, it was easier to wear pants, so I didn’t have to worry about the bandages getting bunched up with my skirts as I slid across the leather seats. I’d even had to give up wearing my beloved high heels for now, but as the doctor told me, I was lucky to have a fully functional leg to begin with.

“How’s your pain? Do you need another dose?” Braxton asked once he was in the limo. “You wouldn’t take one earlier, and I can see the pain in your eyes.”

“They make me sleepy.” I sighed. “There’s too much to do. I can’t be napping the day away.”

“Mistress, please,” Braxton begged as he held out a water bottle and a small round pill.

He was right. The bone-deep ache in my leg was pulsing through my body and only getting worse. While I’d had no problems indulging in some recreational drugs every so often, I wasn’t willing to risk getting hooked on a narcotic.

“How about half?” I countered. “If that’s not enough in an hour or so, then I’ll take the other half.”

Braxton searched my face with his warm, dark brown eyes. The normal playfulness that danced in them had been missing since the last limo we’d been in. I suppose having your hands covered in the blood of a woman you were supposed to protect could do that to a guy. While there might be something more on his end that hit deeper than that, I wasn’t ready to acknowledge it. The panic he’d tried to hide as the nurses took me out of Jace’s arms lingered with me.

I’d been rushed into the ER, where they’d started bombarding me with questions.

“Can you tell us your name?”

“There’s a lot of blood. Can you tell us what happened? Where are you hurt?”

“What’s your name? Do you have any allergies to medication?”

“Is there someone we need to call?”

Everyone worked in a chaotic flurry of a well-oiled machine. Everyone knew what they needed to do and got to it. I tried to answer what I could, but my brain wasn’t functioning clearly. Then Ryker stepped in and took over in the way only he knew how.

“I’m her medical power of attorney, and this is Astin Caprioni. That means there is no question about what measures to take to help her. Nothing is off the table or too expensive. We were attacked in a restaurant. As far as I know, she’s only been shot in the leg, but we haven’t checked her over. Her father was killed. She dragged him out of the firefight, which is how she got covered in blood,” Ryker explained. “She has no allergies to medication, latex, or shellfish but hasn’t ever been put on heavy narcotics, so I don’t know how she’ll react to those.”

It was odd how my brain slowed and seemed to hyperfocus on what Ryker was saying. It was almost as if all the other sounds in the room were gone, and his voice remained. How had he known all that? Since when was he made my medical power of attorney? Didn’t I need to sign something for that?

“Okay, I need you and the others to step out of the room so we can do our job,” a man instructed, his tone authoritative.