Page 82 of Disgrace

“Again, wh—”

John’s question was cut off by the sight of a black sedan with tinted windows slowing down in front of the drive leading up to Leonard’s home. He saw the driver’s side front and rear windows roll down a few inches, and gun metal glinted in the light.

“Shit,” John hissed.

He grabbed his father, and took them both to the ground with enough force that he was worried he might have broken something.

Bullets rained down.

Relentless.

Violent.

Deafening.

John kept his father covered.

Fucking Calabrese.

More people were going to have to die for this.

Shame.

• • •

John scrubbed a hand down his face in frustration as more people flooded into the hospital room. Jordyn snapped at anyone who came too close to her husband while the nurse gave Lucian his first small dose of morphine.

Getting two ribs broken could be painful, after all.

“Give me the run down,” Dante said, moving in beside his brother’s bed.

Sweet Jesus.

If there was anyone’s glare who could rival the Devil’s, it was John’s mother. Even his uncle couldn’t help himself but take a quick step back when Jordyn leveled it on him. John held his chuckle back, but barely.

“Jordyn, it’s—”

“Not fine, Lucian!”

John’s father passed his two brothers a look, and gestured one finger toward the door. “And take my son with you when you go. Let Ma through when she gets here.”

Italian men and their mothers …

It could not be a joke when it was the truth.

Dante waved a hand, and John followed behind him and his other uncle. Giovanni looked John up and down, and nodded to himself.

“What?” John asked once the door was closed behind them. “That look—what the fuck was that for?”

Dante cocked a brow, but said nothing.

Gio shook his head, and glanced away. “Nothing. I was thinking, at least one of you made it out unscathed, I guess.”

“I’m the one that broke his ribs,” John pointed out. “I took him to the ground too—”

“You did fine,” Dante interjected firm and fast. “You did right.”

John quieted at that, and nodded. “Where’s Andino?”