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"I know he will," I say, my voice leaving no room for argument.
Teddy scratches the back of his neck. "Okay, well, you know best."
I nod my head in agreement. "Are we safe here? Where can we go? It was really odd to me that there was no one there to witness the fight. No one there to follow us out," I admit to Teddy.
"We're working on figuring that out right now," Teddy says. "In the meantime, you can return to the mansion if you want."
"Is that really safe?" I ask him.
"I'll send guys with you to stand guard. It's the safest place we've got, actually. Designed to be super easy to defend."
"Okay," I acquiesce. Teddy trusts me with the medical knowledge; I need to trust him with everything in his world. "When can we go?"
"There's a new car out back, waiting for you already," Teddy says. "I'll drive. Help you guys get settled there."
"Thanks," I say to him.
I stand there in the hallway as I watch Teddy and the other guys load a still passed out Constantino into the backseat of the Suburban. I climb into the back, still cradling a sleeping Evan. As the car pulls away from the restaurant and the night lights flash by, I finally allow myself to rest, my eyes closing and sleep claiming me.
Chapter Forty-Six
I blink my eyes open and stare at the ceiling above me. It's not clouds or fire, so apparently I'm alive. I manage to crane my neck right and then left to get a better sense of my surroundings. I'm in my bed. This isn't where I expected to crash land after everything went to hell.
My body's one big bruise, throbbing in places I didn't know could hurt. Days? Dates? They're lost in the fog that's smothering my brain. Pieces start slotting together—Evelyn, Evan, their faces twisted in fear; the warehouse's fight with Declan. The rest is just shadows and static.
"Should lie back," growls a voice from the shadows, as if reading my mind. Rebellion flares hot and instant—I jackknife up, ignoring the protest of every muscle screaming, 'no further'.
"Easy," Primo murmurs, his silhouette detaching from the corner and moving towards me. He's different, almost at peace. Maybe shedding the family crown did him some good. He sits on the edge of my bed, close but not crowding. "Hey."
"Hey," I croak back, taking him in. His eyes are softer, less of the old fire. Could be he's found something worth changing for. I try to straighten up more, push past the pain. Can't have him see me weak.
"Got yourself quite the shiner there," Primo says, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. He tips his head toward my reflection in the mirror across the room. I look like I've gone ten rounds with a freight train. Not pretty.
"Declan's handiwork," I say, voice gravelly. It sounds like I've swallowed sandpaper.
"Nah, you've always had an ugly mug," he jokes. It's weird to be sitting here with my brother, taking jabs at one another.
I sink back against the pillows, the energy required for bravado ebbing away.
Primo's gaze holds mine and I can tell he's about to start a difficult conversation.
"About Charlie..." His voice trails off. "I found out why you did it. Should've told me sooner, could've stopped all this bloodshed."
"Wouldn't have mattered." I scoff, bitterness coating my words. "Back then, you were too damn stubborn to listen to anyone."
"Probably right." He exhales, a sound heavy with regret. "I'm sorry, Constantino."
"Apology accepted," I mutter. I'm not good at this apology shit. As far as I'm concerned we're brothers, bound by blood and turmoil, and if we don't cling to each other, we'll both drown in this family curse.
A creak of the door, and Teddy waltzes in, blonde hair tousled, blue eyes glinting with mirth. "Why so serious? How about you two hug it out?"
Rolling our eyes in unison, Primo and I share a grimace. Teddy never could read a room, but his heart's in the right place—even if his head's up in the clouds.
I'm about to tell Teddy enough, but my words die in my throat as my brother, Giovanni, walks in behind Teddy.
"You look like hell," he says, but there's a small light in his eyes, one he tries to hide by adjusting his glasses.
Teddy puts his arm around Giovanni, much to our brother's discontent. "Come on over here, Prim-Prim," he says to Primo.
