AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Boss?”
“Where are you?” I ask.
“Downstairs. I crashed on the couch in case something happened in the night.”
“Good man,” I hum. “Do me a favor and bring those pills Sawbones gave me.”
Nico hangs up the phone and his footsteps sound as he comes up the stairs.
I have to make a note to raise his pay. He saved my life with that cover fire and getting me back to the house. I never would have made it alone.
Nico tosses the pills onto the bed and I fumble with them to get one out for Mia, handing it to her.
She takes it dry and then goes into the bathroom, shutting the door.
I look over at Nico and he looks back at me. I know that he knows what I’m thinking. I know he knows that I want to get Vincenzoyesterday.
“Not today,capo,” he says quietly. “You need to stay with her.”
I nod. “I know. I’ll wait a few days. Keep an ear out, will you? I don’t want him skipping town.”
Nico nods and quietly leaves the room. I struggle to sit up, my shoulder on fire. I dry swallow just one of the pills myself, wishing I had asked Nico for a glass of water.
Mia, bless her, brings one from the bathroom and I gulp it down hungrily. She doesn’t even blink, going to refill the glass. I drink half of that, too. Blood loss sure takes a lot out of a man.
Mia had done so wonderfully last night. She hadn’t panicked when I’d been shot, just did what she needed to do.
“Thank you,” I tell her, and Mia tilts her head, frowning.
“For what?”
“For taking care of me last night.”
She scoffs. “Of course. You’d do the same for me.”
It turns out that I would. When I’d heard that she’d been taken, my heart had leapt into my throat and stayed there until I saw her face again, bruised though it might be. I know that should worry me, but I’m still floating on whiskey and painkillers and adrenaline.
I’ll think about all those difficult things later, after I’ve taken care of that yellow-bellied fuck Vincenzo.
Going after a young girl, not even eighteen. It’s a wonder that Luca didn’t kill him back then. I’ve already decided to call Luca, tell him what I know. I hate to work together with the old man, but at the same time, I need to find who did this to Mia and I need to get rid of him so that nothing like this ever happens again.
“I need to call my father,” Mia says, as if reading my mind. “I’m going out onto the balcony. Call if you need me.”
I nod, but I don’t plan on calling her unless I absolutely have to. She’s already seen me at my worst, seen me weak and nearly sobbing in pain.
I don’t want anyone to see me like that, especially not the woman I married, even if it is just a marriage of convenience. Wiseguys are strong, especially made men, Caputos, and I had to take that on after my father died, whether I was ready or not.
I suppose now I’ve been tested.
I still want Luca Lorenzo dead for what he did to my father, but if I can use his influence to get Vincenzo Gallo and wrap my hands around his neck, I’ll suck it up and do it.
I struggle to my feet and make my way to the bathroom, looking at myself in the mirror. I look much paler than my usual olive tone and blood’s blossoming on the front of the bandage. I turn around to look at the back, but there’s no blood there. That’s a good sign.
I know Jimmy will be by today or tomorrow to check up on me, and it doesn’t seem like I’ve popped a stitch, so I turn on the shower and get in, making sure to keep the stream away from the wound. The bandage will get wet, but Mia can help me put another one on.
I sigh as the hot water hits my skin. It feels amazing because I’m sore all over from my muscles tensing with the pain of last night’s ordeal.
The shower is quick because I can’t stand for too long without swaying – those pills that Jimmy gave me sure pack a punch – and I crawl back into bed after drying off, not bothering to get dressed.
