by Piper Stone
He cradled his bandaged hand against his chest, obviously nervous as hell, his hand shaking as he reached for his coffee. “I’m sorry to bother you, Mr. King, but I thought you’d want to know this.”
“What have you found out about Mr. Vendez?” I scanned the window outside the shop, my thoughts drifting to Emily. I didn’t necessarily trust that she wouldn’t make an attempt to either contact someone or flee. I had to place my faith in Nick’s abilities.
“Look,” he said as he leaned over. “I don’t know if Enrique Vendez is a real person.” He took a look around our table, making certain no one was listening in.
“Meaning what?” Dimitri asked.
“Meaning that there hasn’t been a single person who’s seen him. Not one. That’s not normal.”
“Granted, his secrecy is troubling,” I said in passing, uncertain why I wasted my time coming there. At least I’d been able to find the man Emily was working for by using a contact within the police department that I did trust. Franklin Dublin had no record and seemed to live a quiet life, although he was devoid of any family. I’d assigned two other soldiers to keep tabs on him. He and I would have a discussion at a later time. “Is that why you called me?”
“No. I heard something, and I don’t know if it’s true.” Ricardo was sweating like the pig he was.
I gave him a hard stare, shaking my head. “Tell me.”
“There’s word on the street that there’s a hit planned for you.”
Exhaling, I was about ready to lose my patience. “That’s old news, Ricardo. You have to give me more.”
“Not just you. Some girl. The witness. I don’t know who she is. I swear to God.”
The information Joseph had learned had been correct. “Still old news.”
He narrowed his eyes, obviously confused. “The hit is planned for today, Mr. King. Somebody is hunting you.”
The words didn’t take long to settle in.
No. No. Fuck, no!
As I jumped out of the chair, I knew there was no time to take the SUV, the bridal shop only a few blocks away. As I began running, Dimitri trailing behind me, all I could think about was saving her life.
The woman who’d nearly destroyed mine.
The woman who’d defied me at every turn.
And the woman I couldn’t live without.
Chapter 16
Emily
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”
As I whispered the words, I turned from side to side, still shocked that every dress Sheila had selected was magical, creating a stunning image of a fairy princess. The thought was ridiculous, but I couldn’t keep from feeling elated.
“You look truly beautiful, Emily,” Sheila said as she stood behind me, still fluffing out the satin train.
While I wasn’t certain I would say beautiful, I did feel special in some odd kind of way. When she moved onto the platform, placing a veil on top of my head, she clapped her hands.
“Amazing. You’re truly going to make a gorgeous bride.”
Bride.
The word was both chilling and exciting. I had no understanding of what I would face once I exchanged vows, but I knew that it would forever change my life.
“This is the one,” I said in such a quiet voice that I wasn’t certain she heard me.
“I knew you’d choose this one. And no alterations needed.” Very carefully she removed the veil, no longer able to look me in the eyes. She unhooked the two dozen buttons, giving me a maternal smile.
Sighing, I smoothed my hands down the front of the dress, marveling in the number of sequins. After taking another last look, I carefully moved down the platform, heading for the dressing room, stopping just short of going past the set of doors. “How did you know?”
“What do you mean?”
“How did you know I’d select this dress?”
She took her time arranging the veil on the mannequin’s head, slowly turning in my direction. “Because Mr. King knew you’d love this one.”
All I could do was laugh softly as I walked back into the changing room, carefully easing the dress over my shoulders. I still had no idea what to think or how to feel. Cristiano was surprising in so many ways. Could I ever care for him in the way a wife was supposed to adore the man she was married to? I couldn’t be certain.
When I’d finished, I carefully placed the dress on the hanger, brushing my hand down the front one last time before walking back into the room, drinking in the atmosphere. As I handed it to Sheila, I felt a sudden pang in my heart. This just wasn’t the way it was supposed to be.
“Thank you for a lovely afternoon.”
“You’re welcome, dear. I’ll have this ready for pickup tomorrow for you.”
I moved out of the room, almost regretting that I had to leave. Nick was still in the same location that I’d seen him, only his expression was hard to read. On the phone, he shifted his gaze in my direction.
“Understood,” he said in a gruff voice. “Come. We need to leave now.”
“What’s wrong?”
He grabbed my arm, his fingers with a firm hold, dragging me toward the entrance, his phone in his hand. “We’ve been compromised.” When he spoke into the phone, his tone was full of urgency. “There’s a shooter. Stay hidden but cover my back.” He ended the call, shoving his phone into his pocket and taking a deep breath.
“What the hell does that mean? A shooter?”
Nick pushed me against the wall of the store at the entrance, pulling his weapon into his hands. “Do not budge from this spot. Do you understand me, Emily?”
The use of my name meant that whatever danger we were in was real. I couldn’t stop shaking, my pulse skipping. “No. I won’t.”
He hunkered down after opening the door, moving just outside, his gun firmly planted in both hands as he scanned the area. When he grabbed me by the arm, I almost froze, my heart racing.
“Stay low and hold onto my jacket.” His words were terse, riddled with concern.
This time I followed instructions, trying to keep my footing as he stayed in front of me, crowding the buildings, still keeping the weapon as inconspicuous as possible. I could hear his ragged breathing, could tell by how tense his body was that he was prepared for an attack. As he rounded the corner, the sound of sirens blasted off in the distance, taking his attention away from the immediate area.
“Fuck,” he growled, moving quickly until we were at the end of a building, an alley separating us from the SUV only yards ahead. He darted his head into the shadows, huffing the entire time.
“Who’s after us?”
“Quiet. Just hold on.”
The second he took a giant step forward, a loud bang occurred. Within two seconds, he yanked me against his chest, tumbling to the ground.
Pop! Pop!
The gunfire came from behind us.
An angry cry coming from in front.
As I twisted my head, I was shocked seeing the sight of Cristiano racing toward us.
“Go. Go. Go,” Nick barked as he yanked me onto my feet, pummeling us forward, wrapping his body around mine. We were almost to the SUV. Almost.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Gunfire seemed to come from everywhere.
I was almost dragged to the ground, Nick’s heavy body pitching backward.
“No!” I yelled, fighting to stay on my feet, the horror of what was happening creating a fog around the periphery of my vision. I crawled forward, fighting to catch my breath, trying to get to Cristiano. I managed to rise to my feet, my mind a blur, the adrenaline rush forcing me forward.
“No! Get down. Get down!” Cristiano’s guttural sound reverberated in the space around me.
Pop! Pop!
Within seconds, he lunged toward me, tossing his body over mine before getting off several shots. I wrenched my head, able to catch a sight of the gunman as his body was pitched backward, falling then scrambling to his feet. He lumbered away, obviously shot. My God, Cristiano
had saved my life. I heard thumping footsteps, Dimitri’s voice as he shot past us, chasing whoever had been responsible for ambushing us.
“Boss,” Nick struggled, struggling to move into a sitting position.
I noticed the key fob in his hand. The chirp, chirp as the vehicle was unlocked had the same effect as the gunshots.
Terror raced through me, the horror of what had just occurred sending a series of chills down my spine.
“We’re getting the fuck out of here,” Cristiano roared, pulling me to my feet and instantly opening the rear door. While his actions were forceful as he placed me into the SUV, he offered a reassuring smile. “Everything is going to be all right.”
The door was slammed and I reacted, banging my hands against the window, watching as the man I was supposed to marry yanked Nick to his feet, hurrying him around to the other side.
When he was tossed beside me, Nick let off a ragged growl. “Fuck. Fuck!”
Everything happened so fast. I watched as if in slow motion as Cristiano yanked open the driver’s door, jumping inside and immediately starting the engine. He jerked from the curb, rolling toward the last sight of Dimitri.
“Goddamn it!” Cristiano yelled, slamming his hand on the steering wheel.
“You can’t leave him,” I yelped, shifting toward Nick. A pool of blood had already seeped through his shirt and he was gasping for air. “Oh, my God.” This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.
I ripped his shirt, eyeing the wound. He’d been shot in the back, the bullet likely going clean through. The bleeding was excessive.
I heard the screech of tires, the passenger door opening and Dimitri yelling in Russian.
Cristiano jammed on the accelerator, the SUV lurching forward.
For the second time in two days, I closed my eyes.
Then I prayed.
Hero.
I wasn’t certain the word was appropriate, but Cristiano had been elevated to that level. If he hadn’t draped his body over mine, I would likely have been killed. The thought reeled in my mind as the scene played out over and over again.
When an announcement sounded over the intercom, I cringed. Code Blue.
Cristiano snarled, walking closer to the corridor, his hands on his hips.
“It’s okay,” Dimitri said as he flanked Cristiano’s side.
Several medical professionals rushed by, pushing a crash cart. I couldn’t help but remember the instance from my past when my mother’s heart had failed, the efforts for resuscitation taking almost three full minutes. I swayed in the chair, the cold chill remaining from before.
“Okay? How the fuck could this have happened?” he spewed. “And where the hell is Mario?”
“He’s handling the cleanup,” Dimitri said, sighing. “Come on. You need to sit down.”
“Fuck that,” Cristiano roared. “What about Mr. Dublin. Did he move at all?”
My boss? Another cold shiver trickled down my spine. Was Franklin really involved with this? I was sick to my stomach.
Dimitri shook his head. “No. He went out to lunch then purchased a few groceries. From what I was told, he didn’t even make or receive a phone call.”
“Fuck,” Cristiano hissed. “This is getting out of hand.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Dimitri answered. “I’m calling in every fucking favor out there.”
Cristiano nodded. “Good. I want his whereabouts by tomorrow. I don’t give a shit what we have to do. The man is going down.”
I tried to blank out what they were saying, but the surroundings did nothing but fuel the increasing nausea.
Hospitals.
I hated them, my mother spending two months lying in a hospital bed before succumbing to her illness. She’d been my entire world, a woman who’d taken on every challenge of being a single parent, fighting hard to make something of our life. When she’d died, I’d felt lost for a long time. I would never forget the stench of antiseptic or the beeping sounds made by the ventilator she’d been placed on during her last days.
The experience was much the same, although I hadn’t gone into Nick’s room. I wasn’t family. I wasn’t anyone important, yet I remained in the waiting room as Cristiano paced back and forth, his anger boiling over. He was so quiet, saying little more than a few words after the horrific incident. I’d seen the look in his eyes, one so dark and bleak that I knew he was planning some kind of retaliation.
I dared not ask questions, not yet. He was far too lost in his own demons to be able to answer. Dimitri had been on the phone for a solid hour, half the time speaking in his native language. Both men were enraged. I’d felt even more terrified when four additional soldiers had shown up, each one of them stoic as they paraded the perimeter, obviously protecting a member of the King family.
I leaned forward, cradling my head in my hands, the bloodstains from Nick’s injury remaining, the sounds of the gunshots ringing in my ears. It had all happened so fast. I’d caught a split second of the gunman, the dark hoodie he wore covering the majority of his face. I couldn’t think clearly or process what had happened, my entire body continuing to shake.
When I sensed Cristiano’s presence and when I felt his hands brushing over my shoulders, a single whimper escaped my mouth.
“Are you certain you’re all right?” he asked in an entirely different tone than before.
“Um hm.”
“Look at me, little flower. I need to know that you’re all right. I promise you that nothing is going to happen to you. You’re safe.”
Safe. There was no such thing as safety around him. When I didn’t respond immediately, he gently lifted my chin with a single finger. His face was so close to mine, his eyes full of concern.
“I’m fine, Cristiano. You should worry about Nick. It’s his life you need to be concerned with.”
“I do worry about him. He did what he was supposed to do.”
His answer pissed me off, but I didn’t have the energy to challenge him. I glared at the nurse’s station, still remembering how I’d yelled at the nursing staff after my mother’s death. I’d been so young, so terrified of being alone. “That’s horrible all on its own.”
“He’s going to be all right, Emily.”
“How do you know that? Can you read minds?”
He smoothed stray strands of hair over my ear, stroking me in a tender manner. “Trust me. Can you do that?”
“I don’t know, Cristiano. Everything is so horrible.”
“Nothing like that is going to occur again.”
If only I could believe him.
“Cristiano. Jesus Christ.”
The different voice drew my attention. Two men were storming closer. There was no doubt they were relatives. I stiffened, shifting back in my chair, wanting nothing more than to hide.
“Vincenzo. Michael. You didn’t have to come,” Cristiano said as he approached them.
They had to be brothers. The resemblance was uncanny.
“Like hell we didn’t. What the fuck is going on?”
“Slow down, Michael,” the one named Vincenzo answered.
“Slow down? Our family is under siege and you want me to slow the fuck down?” Michael retorted. “Did you get the shooter?”
“He was definitely wounded,” Dimitri said.
“But not killed? What the fuck is wrong with you, Russian?” Michael snapped. “Did you see who the fuck he was?”
“That’s enough,” Cristiano demanded. “I caught a glimpse of the asshole’s face. Never seen him, but I can guarantee you that he’s gone somewhere to lick his wounds.”
“I’ll make certain the streets are swept,” Vincenzo stated.
“Good. Dimitri, follow through with Ricardo. I want to know names of the people who spouted off about the attempt.” Cristiano gave me a single glance, a smile curling on his mouth.
Then he pulled the group further into the waiting room. Thank God there wasn’t anyone else besides the damn mafia in close proximity. I resisted
laughing from the thought. The few people had almost raced away the moment we walked in.
“We need to get a handle on who the fuck is doing this,” Cristiano said quietly. “However, the fact the location was discovered means we have a leak in our organization.”
I could see Vincenzo’s eyes opening wide. “Who the fuck do you think?”
“I have an idea and I need you both to determine whether I’m right.” Cristiano darted a glance in my direction before pulling them further away from me. He obviously didn’t want me to hear any additional information.
Of course Cristiano couldn’t trust me. My guess was he still thought I was working with Mr. Vendez. A few seconds later, I heard footsteps moving closer and froze. When I lifted my head, the sight of all three men staring at me was ominous, the looks on the brothers’ faces telling.
Finally, the brothers turned away. There wasn’t going to be any introductions, no niceties of family members. I was the woman who’d betrayed their brother. That was all I’d ever be.
As Michael walked away, pulling his phone from his pocket, I could tell that Cristiano was ready to explode.
Thank God, the doctor strode down the hallway, pulling his surgical cap off his head.
I finally stood, my legs shaking.
“Mr. King. I’m Dr. Trebold.”
“How is Nick?” Cristiano asked.
“He survived the surgery. Fortunately, the bullet went clean through. One more inch and the bullet would have hit a major artery. He would have bled to death before you got to the hospital,” the doctor stated. “We’re going to need to keep him for a couple of days, but he will fully recover.”
Both Cristiano and Vincenzo breathed a sigh of relief. In truth, so did I.
“That’s good to hear. Can I see him?” Cristiano asked.
“Look, he needs his rest. Why don’t you wait until tomorrow?”