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I was so exhausted, it took effort not to let my frustration show. “If Jamie shows, I’ll figure it out.”
Brenna tugged on my chain, searching for a way to take it off. “Let’s at least get you unchained so they won’t see you like this.” She took the gun from my lap and moved behind me. “This will probably wake the baby,” she warned before a shot rang out.
The baby startled and began crying. I immediately brought him to my chest and began to soothe him. I felt the three of them staring at me after I calmed him back to sleep.
Nicoli, who held a schooled expression, asked, “Whose baby is that?”
I pulled the chain away from my waist and tossed it to the side. “No one’s. Not anymore.”
Nicoli’s eyes shifted toward the kitchen. Whether he put two and two together or not, he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he moved closer and held a hand out to me.
I handed him back his flask. He took it with a small smile and put it back in his pocket before holding out his hand again. I slid my hand into his and tried to brace for the pain as he pulled me to my feet. I was able to keep myself from crying out, but I grimaced. The room began to tilt the moment I was up. I staggered. Both Nicoli and Brenna caught me. With my free hand, I grabbed onto Brenna tightly and closed my eyes for a moment as I waited for the room to stop spinning.
“The back of your shirt is wet with blood,” Nicoli said.
My eyes snapped open to a room that was a lot less sideways. “Don’t worry about it,” I said as I took a step.
Brenna took that step with me, then another. “Maura,” she said with a hint of unease.
I kept walking. “I’m fine, Brenna.”
She didn’t argue and let me use her arm as I walked.
You can do this, Maura.I just had to step over the lackey and then it was a handful of steps to the door. I lifted a weak leg to step over the Aryan and my legs gave out on me. Brenna caught me with an arm around my lower back and threw my free arm over her shoulder.
“I’d be more worried about the De Lucas seeing you like this than our family,” she grumbled as she helped me step over the body.
I let out a weak laugh and glanced at Dario, who was watching us. “What was the first thing you saw when you walked in?”
His eyes narrowed, clearly confused by the question. “The bodies.”
“And what did you think when you finally saw me?” I asked him.
“I was impressed,” he answered honestly.
“What did you think when you saw me after taking in the scene?” I asked Brenna.
“Not going to lie, Maura. You look like hell. I stopped thinking about the bodies when I saw you,” she answered.
“Worry or fear paired with love can sometimes make us do stupid things,” I said as we walked through the apartment door, into a hall that was long and even more disgusting than the apartment. Debris and trash littered the floor. Graffiti decorated the stained walls in between more doors that led to other apartments.
“Jameson is a prime example of that,” she mumbled as she steered me in the direction of the exit all the way at the end of the hall.
“Where the fuck are we?” I asked.
“Probably the most run-down apartment building in the shittiest part of the city,” Dario said as he and Nicoli walked behind us. “Mostly junkies and prostitutes live here.”
As we approached the exit door, it opened. Jamie walked inside, gun in hand.
We locked eyes and my heart began to race.
Fuck.
CHAPTERSIX
Idropped my arm from Brenna’s shoulder and made myself stand straighter. Jamie stepped farther inside, his gaze traveling over me from head to toe, taking in every visible injury. His hand lifted toward me.
“It’s done.”
