Page 35 of The Mafia’s Fiancee

“Jimmy?” I hollered.

She cringed, elbowing me. “Way to give away our location,” she whispered.

“Fuck it. If anyone’s here, I’d rather get it over with.” I spun in the huge central foyer.

Double staircases led to the second floor, and in the middle of this open area, I felt too exposed and vulnerable. Keeping my back her his, I pivoted in time with her.

“Jim—”

A low groan sounded from the left, cutting off my holler.

We ran that way. It sounded like a moan of pain, and my instinct to help kicked in.

I pushed open the door to what looked like an abandoned library. Jimmy lay slumped on the floor.

“Oh, fuck,” she whispered it, likely alarmed by the blood pooling around him.

“Jimmy?” I hurried with her, dropping to my knees.

“You can’t be yelling for me like that here,” he scolded. His voice was gritty but quiet. One eye was swollen shut, but the other was slitted open to see him crouched over him. “Marlo will hear.”

“He’s alive?” I asked as I scanned my uncle’s beaten body.

“Here.” She pressed the end of Jimmy’s shirt to the huge gash on his side.

He flinched a bit, realizing I wasn’t alone, glancing at Emma. “Oh. You brought her with you.”

I narrowed my eyes at my uncle’s testy comment. Then I furrowed my brow at her gesturing at me.

“Give me your shirt. I need to stem this bleeding.” She set the gun down to use both hands for helping Jimmy. Her supposed enemy.

I lowered my gun but thought twice.

“They’re gone,” Jimmy said.

I remained skeptical, but I set the gun down and removed my t-shirt.

Emma ripped it into two pieces, pointing at me to hold it on Jimmy’s arm.

“Who?” she asked.

“Your men,” Jimmy replied. “Or they will be your men.”

She cringed and shook her head. “The only man I’ll call mine is this one right here.”

“Oh. You’re ready to defy your father and your fiancé—”

“Antonio wasn’t her fiancé yet,” I argued. “And now I am.”

“What the—” Jimmy coughed and tried to sit up. “Are you fucking insane?”

Emma held up her hand to show him the ring.

“Shit. You are that insane.”

I scoffed. “I told you I wasn’t giving her up.”

Jimmy swore, stunned about this development.