Vitali licked my cheek and I almost threw up. “I want to know where it is.”
Luca took a step forward, then froze as Vitali raised the knife to my throat again. “Put your guns down or I’ll cut her throat.”
Vitali was stupid when he thought Luca would do that, but then I watched in horror as Luca dropped his guns on the floor.
“Your wife tastes delicious. I wonder if she tastes this delicious everywhere.” He turned me around so I was facing him. His foul breath hit my face. From the corner of my eye, I could see Luca watching me, but I wished he’d look away. I didn’t want him to see this. Vitali’s lips came closer. I was sure I’d throw up.
I tried to lean back but he laughed nastily and gripped my hip but I barely noticed, because my shifting had made the switchblade dig into my butt. As Vitali trailed his tongue over my chin, I slipped my hand into my back pocket, pulled the knife out, released the blade and rammed it into his thigh.
He cried out, stumbling back and then all hell broke loose. Luca practically flew through the room and pulled me against him as he sliced Vitali’s throat open from one ear to the other. The man’s head tilted back, blood spurting out, then he toppled over. Bullets tore through the air, and there was screaming. The ground was slippery with blood and only Luca’s firm grasp on my arm kept me upright. He must have dropped the knife at some point because he was shooting bullet after bullet out of a sleek black gun with a silencer. I picked up a gun lying in a pool of blood. It was slippery in my hand but its weight felt good. Suddenly Romero was there too. My eyes tried to find Gianna but she was gone from her spot on the floor.
Luca shot another enemy and reached down for the gun of the dead guy as his own was out of bullets, when one of the Russian mobsters to our right pointed his gun at Luca. I cried out in warning and at the same time stumbled forward and aimed my gun at the guy and fired. I didn’t even think about it. I’d sworn to myself I wouldn’t watch anyone I loved die tonight even if meant I had to die first.
The bullet hit my shoulder and my world exploded with pain. My shot hit the guy in the head and he dropped to the ground dead. Luca ripped me to the side, but my vision turned black.
When I came to my senses again, Luca was cradling me in his arms. It was silent around us except for someone’s whimpers. It took me a moment to realize they were my own and then the pain sliced through me and I wished I’d stayed unconscious but I needed to know if everyone was alright. “You okay?” I croaked.
Luca trembled against me. “Yes,” he gritted out. “But you aren’t.” He was pressing down on my shoulder. That probably explained the pain. The back and front of my shirt were slick with a warm liquid.
“What about Gianna, Lily and Fabi?” I whispered even as darkness wanted to claim me again.
“Fine,” Gianna called from somewhere. She sounded far away, or maybe that was my imagination. Luca slid his hands under me and stood. I cried out in pain, tears leaking out of my eyes. The lobby was crowded with our men.
“I’ll take you to the hospital,” Luca said.
“Luca,” Matteo said in warning. “Let the Doc handle it. He’s been taking care of our business for years.”
“No,” Luca snarled. “Aria needs proper care. She’s lost too much blood.” I could see a few of Luca’s men glancing our way before pretending they were busy again. He was their Capo. He couldn’t show weakness, not even for me.
“I can do a blood transfusion,” came a deep, soothing voice. The Doc. He was over sixty with snow-white hair and a kind face.
Luca’s grip on me tightened. I clutched at his arm. “It’s okay, Luca. Let him take care of me. I don’t want you to take me to a hospital. It’s too dangerous.”
Luca’s eyes showed hesitation, then slowly he nodded. “Follow me!” He carried me toward the staircase but I lost consciousness again.
***
I woke in a soft bed, feeling battered and foggy. My eyes peeled open. Gianna lay beside me, sleeping. It was light outside, so several hours must have passed. There was a huge bruise on her forehead, but I supposed I looked worse. We were alone and disappointment filled me. I tried to sit up and was rewarded with a fierce throbbing in my shoulder. Glancing down, I found my upper arm and shoulder wrapped with bandages.
Gianna stirred, then she gave me a relieved smile. “You’re awake.”
“Yeah,” I whispered. My mouth felt as if it was filled with cotton.
“Luca has been guarding your bed almost all night, but Matteo forced him to come out and help him with the Russian mobsters they caught.”
“They caught some?”
“Yeah, they’re trying to extract information from them.”
My lips twisted, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for them. “How are you?”
“Better than you,” Gianna said, then she closed her eyes. “I’m sorry I lashed out at you yesterday.
I would have hated myself forever if that had been the last thing I said to you.”
I shook my head. “It’s okay.”
She hopped off the bed. “I better tell Luca you’re awake, or he’ll rip my head off.”
She disappeared and a couple of minutes later, Luca stepped in. He stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable as he let his gaze wander over me. Then he stepped up to the bed and pressed a kiss against my forehead. “Do you need morphine?”
My shoulder felt like it was on fire. “Yeah.”
Luca turned toward the nightstand and picked up a syringe. He took my arm and slid the needle into the crook of my arm. When he was done, he threw the syringe into the trash but didn’t let go of my hand. I linked our fingers. “Did we lose someone?”
“A few. Cesare and a couple soldiers,” he said, then he paused. “And Umberto.”
“I know. I saw him get shot.” My stomach churned violently. It still felt surreal. I’d have to write Umberto’s wife a letter, but I needed a clear head for that.
“What did that guy Vitali mean when he said you had something that belonged to him?”
Luca’s lips thinned. “We intercepted one of their drug deliveries. But that’s not important now.”
“What is important then?”
“That I almost lost you. That I saw you get shot,” Luca said in an odd voice, but his expression gave nothing away. “You are lucky the bullet only hit your shoulder. The Doc says it’ll heal completely and you will be able to use your arm like before.”
I tried a smile, but the morphine was making me sluggish. I blinked, trying to stay awake. Luca leaned down. “Don’t do that ever again.”
“What?” I breathed.
“Taking a bullet for me.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Taking a shower was a struggle. I had to cover my bandages with a waterproof cap, which was a major hassle, but the feel of the warm water washing away the blood and sweat was worth it. Gianna, Lily and Fabi had left less than one hour ago. Father had insisted they leave. Not that they were much safer in Chicago. The Bratva was closing in on the Outfit as well. At least, I’d had them with me a
day longer than planned. They’d kept me entertained as I lay in bed while Luca had to take care of everything. As Capo he couldn’t abandon his soldiers. He needed to show them he had a plan of action.
I was already feeling so much better. Maybe that was the lingering effect of the painkillers I’d taken two hours ago. I stepped out of the shower and awkwardly put on my panties. I could move both of my arms, but the Doc had said I should use my left arm as little as possible. Putting on the nightgown proved more difficult. I’d managed to slip one strap over my injured shoulder when I stepped back into the bedroom where I found Luca sitting on the bed. He got up immediately.
“Done with business?” I asked.
He nodded. He came toward me and slid the second strap into place, then he led me toward the bed and made me sit down. We hadn’t been able to talk alone since our first conversation and then I’d been high on morphine.