“It doesn’t officially, but it does give you a little boost with the guys.”
“Well then I’m so glad I could be of help.”
They stepped into the elevator that would take them downstairs to the garage where their car was parked. Joseph’s arms closed around her. “You know I’ve been thinking?”
“About what?”
“About us having another baby.”
Ava raised a brow. “Another baby?”
“Why are you looking so surprised? Of course I want another baby. I need an heir.”
“You have an heir. Our daughter.”
“Don’t get snippy with me. You know what I mean. An heir to my business. When have you ever heard of a girl running the mob?”
“All the time when you guys end up in the penitentiary,” Ava snapped.
“A broad never runs the mob. She may be the face to throw off suspicion with the feds but she’s not running it. You can believe that.”
The elevator doors opened.
“Then maybe it’s time you changed things. After all Maia is your daughter and mine. There is no telling what she can do.”
“It’s not going to happen, Ava. I need a son. End of story.”
Ava exited the elevator at a brisk pace. Sometimes Joseph could be such an asshole. A son. A man determined the sex of a baby. Not a woman. He was talking to the wrong person. She wasn’t one to keep listening to a bunch of macho bull.
“Come on, Ava. Don’t be like that. You know I didn’t mean anything by it.”
She ignored her husband’s voice and stomped through the garage as much as her four-inch heels would allow. Their Rolls was coming into sight and then Ava heard a sound that she’d never heard up close. Gunshots.
“Ava, get down!”
She fell to the ground and covered her head. Her heart had never beat so fast. The shots came in rapid fire. Goosebumps broke out on her skin. Her teeth gnashed together.
“Please God. Don’t let me die. Don’t let me leave my baby.”
Casings fell all around her, but through some miracle she remained safe. Finally, the gunfire stopped. The sound of footsteps running away echoed in the garage.
“Joseph? Joseph?”
No answer. Ava slowly rose to her knees and looked to the left and the right of her. She didn’t see anyone. Taking a chance she stood up and turned around. She nearly bit her tongue in two.
“Joseph. Joseph.”
She ran across the garage to her husband. He lay on the concrete floor. Blood soaked his shirt. Blood was everywhere and Joseph was not moving. She fell down next to him and took his hand in hers. It was cold. His eyes were shut. Ava pressed a hand to his neck. A pulse was there, but only faintly. She shook him. “Joseph. Joseph. Damn it. Open your eyes and look at me.”
Her husband’s eyes fluttered open. “Ava,” he whispered.
“I’m right here. I’m right here. Let me get my phone from the car.”
“No. Stay with me. Please.”
“Joseph, I have to call an ambulance. I’m not going to watch you die.”
Slowly she eased his hand out of her grasp and reached inside his pants pocket for the car keys. As soon as her fingers closed over them, she was up and running towards the car. She unlocked the Rolls before she even reached it. When her hand closed over the handle, she opened the car and reached inside the center console. She found her husband’s phone and dialed 911.
“911. What’s your emergency?”
“I’m on the first floor of the parking garage in front of La Madrid. My husband has been shot. He’s bleeding. Please hurry.”
Ava disconnected the call and ran back to her husband’s side. Joseph’s eyes were closing.
“Don’t you dare close your eyes. You hear me, Joseph?”
“I’m tired, Ava. I’m so tired.”
She pressed her hands against his bloody chest in an effort to stop the bleeding. “I don’t care how tired you are. Maia and I need you. Stay with me.”
“I…love you.”
“I love you too. Now stay with me.”
Joseph tried to smile at her, but the smile quickly became a grimace. He started to cough. Pink spittle flew from his lips. His coughing became even more frequent. Even harder. And then it stopped. Joseph was still. She shook him.
“Joseph? Joseph?”
Her bloody hands touched his neck. No pulse. He was gone.
“No. No. No.”
Her lips trembled and she cried, holding her husband’s bloody body to her own. And that was how the paramedics found her fifteen minutes later.
Fifteen minutes too late. Her child had lost her father because the ambulance was late. Her world had been turned upside down because of being late. She wouldn’t let that happen again. As the flow of traffic started to increase, Ava increased her speed and weaved her way through the vehicles on the road. She couldn’t be late. Maia’s future was at stake and she wasn’t going to let her daughter lose it because she didn’t make it to the hearing on time. Lateness had cost her family enough already.
Chapter Nineteen
“Now no matter what he or his attorney says, show no emotion. Remain calm,” Melissa said.
Ava nodded, acknowledging her attorney’s words. They were sitting outside the judge’s chambers waiting for him to call them inside. Five minutes had elapsed and so far there was no sign of Dominic or his attorney.
“Perhaps we’ll get lucky and neither of them will show,” Ava said.
Melissa shook her head. “I doubt it. I heard Lombardi himself will be representing Dominic. Apparently this is high profile enough for one of the partners to actually do a little work.”
Ava gave Melissa a look.
“Don’t worry. He has no grounds for this suit and we’re going to prove that.”
Ava looked down at her watch. Five minutes until their hearing. The elevator next to them dinged and the door opened. A raven-haired man with a thick mustache clutched a briefcase and exited the elevator. Less than a foot behind him was Dominic. Ava’s stomach turned to knots and a bitter taste filled her mouth. The traitor had arrived. Fresh anger rose up in her. Dominic was dressed in a black suit. A crisp white shirt accented his attire. He looked like the son of a mob boss and suddenly she hated him for it.
“Melissa, nice to see you.”
Ava’s attorney rose. “I can’t say the same about you, Mike.” She extended her hand.
“Pity to hear that. I was hoping we might have a drink afterwards.”
“Not in this life,” Melissa said, taking her hand back.