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“Cazzo!”
My whole body’s over Vittoria’s, covering her, while my men spring into action. Leo’s on a fucking table. Frantic over the loss of my mother, he doesn’t care about the spray of bullets, doesn’t even fucking flinch when he’s struck.
I look next to see if my sisters are secured, my instincts honed. Gunshots from the east, armored car. Guards outside responded on cue; it had bulletproof glass, but one threw himself bodily to block it. Rosa… Rosa’s sprawled under the weight of Mario’s arm, her cheek to the floor. Mario’s eyes meet mine across the room. I jerk my chin at him.
“Marialena?”
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Tavi mutters. I look to where he is. Marialena, feet spread apart, with a fucking Ruger in hand. Where’d she get that piece?
“Get her the fuck down,” I growl to Orlando, who’s closest to her, but he doesn’t respond.
“Jesus.” Tavi’s eyes widen in fear. His voice chokes out, “He’s hit, Rome.”
My blood runs cold as Orlando slumps to the floor.
Santo. Where’s Santo?
Our guards got the assailants. The floor of the Great Hall’s littered with blood and broken glass, fragments of mugs and scattered pastries. I check on Vittoria.
“You alright?”
She nods shakily. My heartbeat slows, but only for a second.
We don’t have Santo, and Orlando’s shot.
I get to my feet to survey the damage and call out instructions.
“Tavi, call the doctor. Leo, secure the hostages. Mario, find Santo.” I kneel beside Orlando and grab his wrist, my heartbeat hammering until I find a steady pulse. Can’t tell where he’s hit, looks like more than one place. I whip off my T-shirt and wrap it around his arm, trying to slow the heavy bleeding.
“Stay with me, Orlando.” Blood will run like a fucking river for this. I don’t know who it is, but we’ll know the answer in minutes, and why they came. I’ve got a list of enemies a mile long. My father might be deranged, a fucking lunatic, but he wouldn’t do this, I know he wouldn’t.
But he’d cause a diversion, and my mother’s gone.
And that’s when it hits me. She isn’t here. She didn’t get shot because she isn’t here.
And my father wasn’t here the first time we were attacked.
Footsteps pound outside the Great Hall. Doctor Cho, an older man near retirement, and his assistant Lewellyn run in, bags in hand. He falls to his knees beside Orlando and takes his pulse.
“Low pulse, lost lots of blood.” The doctor frowns. “We’ll have to get him to a hospital. We don’t have what we need here, sir.”
I nod. “I don’t fucking care what you have to do, you save his life.”
Doctor Cho only nods. “You know I’ll do everything I can, Mr. Rossi.”
“Rome!” Marialena stands in the doorway, her gun still in hand.
“And you,” I begin, shaking my head. “When the fuck did you learn to shoot? Who gave you permission to fucking carry?”
She bites her lip but doesn’t respond. I stifle a growl. I feel as if I’ve lost control of fucking everything, but if I don’t keep my temper, I’m as bad as my father. He ruled with iron fists and rage. I’ll rule better than that.
Mario stands, holding his phone to his ear. Rosa’s with Marialena by Orlando’s side. Marialena kneels beside him and places her hand on his head.
“He’ll be okay,” Doctor Cho says. “He will, I promise.”
She angrily swipes at her tears. Rosa’s eyes are dry, her lips pressed together. She’s seen this and worse, and isn’t one to cry when the shit hits the fan.
Leo enters the Great Hall with a blood-soaked fabric napkin held to his shoulder. “Goddamn motherfucking Castellanos, would’ve bet my nuts on it,” he says, gritting his teeth through the pain.
“You got ‘em?”
“You bet your fuckin’ dick I got ‘em.”
“Dungeon?”
Leo rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “No, I took ‘em to a fuckin’ tea party first.”
“You better watch your goddamn mouth,” I say on a growl. “The only reason I don’t knock you on your ass is because you’re already hurt.” I shove him anyway. “Consider yourself warned, brother.”
He stumbles a little and winces when he hits his arm, but there’s pride in his tone when he says, “Jesus, you’ll make a good fuckin’ boss.”
My phone rings. Mario. I didn’t even realize he had left the room. “Yeah?”
“Got Mama, brother. You’re not gonna believe this, but I’ll fill you in later.”
“Good.” At this point, there’s nothing I won’t believe. “I’m sending the girls to you. Keep her and them secured in the war room.” My mind’s racing with all the pieces of the puzzle that connect, with all that has to happen next, when Leo smacks my arm, hard. Jesus, I’m gonna beat his ass.
“Mama’s secured,” I tell him. His eyes light up in relief. He’s loved her like a sister even when my father hated her. He nods.
