AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I look around for Bianca but can’t see her anywhere. “Where is my wife?”
Danelli steps forward. “Mrs. Agosti was covered in blood. She wanted to shower and change. I think she was also a little…”
“Hysterical?”
“Yeah.” My second scrunches his face. “It’s been a long time for me, but I’m sure everyone here remembers their first kill.”
A brief silence falls among those in the room, and I’m instantly transported back to that day my father made me kill my first at the age of thirteen. It was indeed long ago, but the effect of it is still with me today.
I don’t want that darkness for Bianca. She’s supposed to be my source of light.
Then the silence is broken by the doctor, who gently coughs.
“Yes?” I bark out.
“I’ll give you an injection now for the pain, Mr. Agosti.”
“No.”
“But—”
“I said no. I need a clear head. Can you guarantee that”—I point to the syringe in his hand—“will leave my head clear?”
“I, well, no, it won’t. It will put you to sleep, most likely.”
“Then no. I am not going to drift off to sleep while myfucking daughter is missing!”
The doctor backs away quickly. “Sorry, sir. I’ll just…”
He scurries over to pack up his equipment. I take a deep breath, which I instantly regret, only just managing to hold in the groan. Pain relief may be enticing, especially with the agony in my side every time I breathe or adjust my position. But the pain will pass. And every minute wasted is time that could be spent locating Emilia.
“I will at least leave these here for you. Youwillneed them to sleep, Mr. Agosti,” he murmurs, and places a pack of pain pills on the mantel above the fireplace. “I will return tomorrow to check the wound and change the dressing. Any sign of redness or if you develop a fever, you must call me back immediately. Do you understand?”
“I do. I will be fine.”
“You will have a scar,” he says drily.
“I don’t care about that.”
I care that my daughter is missing, and I care that my wife isn’t here by my side. Not for my sake, but for hers. I know Bianca. She’ll be drowning in a vat of guilt right now. She has no need to feel that way because she didn’t fire the killing shot. I did.
But that won’t change the fact that she’ll be wrestling with what she’s done.
The fact is, Bianca showed incredible bravery tonight. If she hadn’t shot Emilia’s nanny when she did, the simple fact is I would not have survived.
My wife saved my life. In return, I will offer her my strength so she can get through this nightmare and come out the other side without fragmenting into a million tiny pieces. Or sinking into the darkness that took me so many years ago.
“Fetch Bianca here, now.”
Someone rushes out to do my bidding, and while I wait for her to be brought to me, I turn to face my second, who has been standing at attention near the fireplace, waiting for the doctor to finish.
“Talk to me, Danelli. What do you have?”
“There were twenty-five men, in addition to the nanny. It looks like the men came in by river and were only meant to be there as backup if the nanny didn’t succeed in handing over your…” He clears his throat, then finishes, “Your daughter to whoever was waiting on the boat. When some of my team saw the boat leaving the dock, they rushed down there, and this band of men provided a distraction. In the confusion, the boat got away. I’m sorry, Boss.”
Sorry. He’ssorry? My mouth presses together so tightly I fear I may crack my jaw. “Which direction did it head?”
“Downriver. Toward the wharf.”
