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“It wasn’t an accident,” Vic growls out. I take in the look on his face.
Sadness. Anger.
It’s all there in the creasing of his forehead, the tension around his eyes, and the downturn of his mouth. It does nothing to calm me. I can’t take any more waiting. I need to know what’s going on before I lose it. “Someone tell me where Niko and my father are!” I snap. Callan gives me the saddest look. It’s the same look on my father’s face the day my mother died.
No…
Vic continues to hold my hand. “Emmie,” he breathes and my eyes close as fear rolls through me. “They were gunned down in Athens.”
“No.” I shake my head. “No.” I try to push away my panic, but it feels like I’m drowning.“No!”I scream, tears streaming down my face. I gasp because I can’t seem to get enough air. “No!” My body begins to quake, unable to fight off the mixture of fear and pain that I’m assaulted with. “You’re lying! Stop lying to me! I demand you call Niko and tell him this isn’t funny. You make him bring my father home and stop this!”
“Emmie, honey—”
“No, Vic,” I deny him, shaking my head back and forth. “It can’t be true,” I deny. “It can’t be.” He tries to take me into his arms, but I shove at him, trying to get away. “You’re lying!” I growl, batting his hands away. Pain is ripping me apart. I’m choking on my sobs as tears begin to rain down and my world ends. “Please take it back, Vic. Please,” I beg, wheezing and trying desperately to find hope where there is none.
“I can’t Emmie. It’s bad, honey. You need to be strong. Your dad would want you to be strong.”
“Would? Nooo…” I whimper. The word is drawn out and pulled from my soul so violently that it has to scar my throat as it is ripped from me. “He’s gone, sweetheart.”
I beat on his chest, landing heavy thuds on his body and he just sits there taking it. Finally, he pulls me into his lap, holding me close as the sobs wrack through me.
“Please no, Vic. Please. Take it back, please.” I can’t tell if I’m whispering the words or shouting them. I just know that each word feels heavy on my tongue and tastes bitter. There’s no hope in me. There’s nothing but agony.
This can’t be happening. It just can’t.
Vic tightens his hold around my shoulders and the heavy weight does something. It shifts the pain until I can no longer bear it. I scream until I just don’t have the strength to keep doing it. My face wet with tears, my nose is starting to run, and I claw at his jacket as I bury my head into his chest.
I finally find the courage to lift my head. Vic’s face is blurry through my tears and my voice is hoarse. “Niko,” I whisper. “Is Niko alive?”
Silence.It’s deafening as I wait for the answer, but no one speaks. I look over at Callan.
“Callan, is Niko alive?” My words are a mixture of a question and a demand. I feel like my heart stalls as I wait to hear his answer.
Callan falters and looks down at the floor before bringing his gaze back to mine. I swipe at my tears, trying to prepare myself for another assault.
“Niko is in a coma, but he’s stable.” My breath hitches as my entire body begins to shudder.
Coma.
“Will he be okay?” I squeak the words barely detectible—even by me.
“We don’t know yet, Emilia. He was shot twice in the back. Niko…” He stops and clears his throat when his voice cracks. I can hear the pain he feels, but I’m too lost in my own to care. “Niko tried to shield your father when the shots rang out. He took two bullets in his back, but it was too late.”
“Oh, God…” I groan, giving into the tears once again. Vic’s large hands move up and down my back as I continue to bawl.
“Breathe, Emmie. Breathe.”
I hear him, but I shake my head.How am I supposed to take another breath when my father will never be able to do the same?
“I’m sorry, Emilia. I know this is hard, but we need you to be strong right now. Niko needs you to be strong,” Callan urges.
“When? When did this happen?” I choke out.
Callan grimaces. I couldn’t have asked a hard question, but it takes him a long time to answer me, as if my pain can get any worse. “Last Friday.”
“That’s why my father and Niko haven’t called,” I choke on a sob. “Why are you just now telling me?” I seethe. How could my father be gone for so long without me knowing—without feeling something?I don’t understand.What kind of daughter does that make me?
“We left messages on all the numbers we have, except the one at your house. We asked your aunt to tell you to call Niko. We tried to trace your cell, but it didn’t stay on long enough until yesterday.”
