The Vault Collection [Volume One]

by A. D. Justice

  “D-Damon, you’re shot!” Jillian at last could speak again.

  “I know, doll. But are you?”

  She shook her head violently from side to side. “I’m not hurt, but you’re bleeding. You’re shot, Damon! We have to get you to the hospital. Immediately!”

  Sirens rang out, growing closer to our location, and I was in no shape to deal with the police at that moment. Besides, I knew Benny would get in touch with Uncle Leo, and he would take care of it.

  “Calm down, doll. We’re going right now,” I reassured her.

  Benny helped us to the car, and I slid into the back seat with extra care. Every movement hurt worse than the last. Each breath felt harder to inhale because of the intensity of the pain. My only consolation was I knew it wasn’t a mortal wound, though that didn’t make the bitch hurt any less. Had the bullet hit my brachial artery, I would’ve already known. Or passed out from blood loss.

  Back at the emergency room Jillian and I visited the day we met, Dr. Falco waited for us in the ambulance bay to give us immediate access without questions from prying eyes.

  “Fuck, Damon. It’s only lunchtime. How the hell did this happen?” He helped me into an exam room and turned to Jillian and Benny. “Wait out here for a few. I’ll let you know when you can come in.”

  Jillian nodded while Benny turned his back to the wall and stood guard outside my door. I gave her a reassuring smile to try to alleviate some of the worry etched on her beautiful face. “I’m okay, doll. Doc here will have me patched up in no time.”

  As the door closed, I saw her wipe the tears from her eyes, and that simple act hit me harder in the chest than the bullet had. Her worry for me was real. Her affection for me was genuine. In the chaos surrounding my family, those two facts were the only truths I was certain of beyond a shadow of a doubt.

  Once I made it up on the table, he cut my shirt off to avoid moving my arm too much. “Jesus, Damon. Did you not even try to duck?”

  I winced and sucked air through my clenched teeth while he poked and prodded around on my chest. “No. I was shielding Jillian.”

  He stopped and stared at me for a heartbeat, surprised and shocked speechless. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  “Don’t make a big deal out of it. Just sew me up and send me home.”

  He shook his head. “Afraid I can’t do that. The bullet is in your chest, and it needs to come out. Plus, it took part of your shirt with it, so the chance of infection is high. We have to see where that bullet is and get it out, then pump IV antibiotics through you for a couple of days.”

  “You’re keeping me overnight?” I couldn’t believe my ears.

  “Absolutely. At least a couple of nights, in fact, after surgery. You think I want Uncle Vin mad at me over this? You’re crazy as hell. I’ll go check on an open operating room and have the nurses get you prepped. Do you want your friend to come in for a few minutes?”

  “Yeah, send her in here with me. She’s scared to death.”

  A minute later, Jillian walked in, pensive and red-eyed. “Come here,” I commanded softly. She rushed to my uninjured side and dropped down into the chair beside my bed, her face resting on my bicep. With my arm bent, I threaded my fingers through her hair and held her to me.

  “Dr. Falco said he’s taking you to surgery,” she said with a quivering voice.

  “Don’t worry about me, doll. I’ll be fine. He’s a great doctor. He’s patched me up more times than I can count. I’ll be out of here in no time.”

  She looked up, her gaze steeped in concern. “Why did you do that?”

  “Do what?” No way was she asking what I thought she was asking.

  “Put yourself in harm’s way for me.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “Don’t ever do that again.”

  I chuckled, unable to withhold it after her demand. “Jillian. Remember when I said you’re mine? That includes taking care of you—in whatever way you need me. I certainly wouldn’t let someone shoot you.”

  “We need to talk about that, Damon. That’s the second time someone has shot at me. I think it’s time—”

  “Mr. Marchetti?” the nurse asked from the doorway. “Dr. Falco has scheduled an OR for you. We’ve been instructed to get you prepped for surgery stat.” She moved her eyes to Jillian. “You can go on up to the OR waiting room on the second floor now, and we’ll update you when we get started.”

  Jillian nodded, wiped her tears, and leaned over to kiss me before she left. She lingered beside me for just a moment, the words she wanted to say on the tip of her tongue. But I knew the moment she swallowed them down, and she dropped her eyes to the floor as she left my room.

  After I had blood drawn and X-rays taken, they wheeled me up to the operating room, and it was lights-out. I heard the nurse call the waiting room and ask for someone with the Marchetti family as I was going under anesthesia. My first thought wasn’t of my mom or dad answering the phone…it was of Jillian.

  Murmuring voices pulled me from a deep sleep, though my eyelids felt too heavy to open. I turned my head slightly in the direction of the voices, straining to understand the words. Then I heard her voice and felt her hand cover mine.

  “Damon? You’re out of surgery, and everything went fine. Your parents and Benny are here.”

  The soft skin of her fingers stroked my hand. She was close, I could feel her presence, but opening my eyes still took effort. I finally got one opened to glance around the room. All I could make out were dark figures around my bed, so I nodded and turned my hand to close my fingers around hers.

  “Dr. Falco said you were lucky. The bullet was close to your brachial artery. Just an inch difference, and you would’ve bled to death before we got to the hospital.” She stopped talking, inhaled deeply, and continued to update me on the injury. “You have to stay for a couple of days at least, mainly because he’s concerned about an infection.”

  “I’m not staying in the hospital for two days,” I mumbled.

  “Yes, you are, or you will answer to me, Damon Marchetti.” The stern tone of my mother’s voice left no doubt my stay had already been discussed and decided. Usually, when my parents ganged up on me, I had little recourse.

  “Hi, Mama,” I replied sleepily.

  “You heard your mother, son. End of discussion.”

  “Yes, sir.” There was no point in arguing. Besides, I couldn’t wake up enough to make an effective argument.

  Jillian giggled beside me. She obviously had a part to play in the decision and had already learned how to use my parents to her advantage. That sort of made me proud of her spunk and pleased with how much she clearly cared about me. Not many women from my past would have taken the initiative she showed.

  I turned my face toward her and slowly opened my eyes. Her beautiful green eyes stared back at me—still full of concern, but also a lot of love. She hadn’t said the words, but I could tell. I could always tell.

  “They won’t always be around to protect you from me, you know?” My pathetic threat was betrayed by the smile on my face.

  “That’s where you’re wrong,” my mom replied, prompting Jillian to laugh out loud and shrug her shoulders.

  “Mama Lina has spoken. Guess you have to listen to her.” Jillian smiled broadly, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

  Mama and Dad hung around until I was awake enough to have a full conversation. Benny had already briefed Dad, so we avoided talking too much about the details of the shooting. I knew Dad would check into the reasons behind it more. The Sanfratello family knew an attack on the Boss’s son was a declaration of war, and our retaliation would be swift and devastating. What wasn’t known was if I was collateral damage in an attempt on Jillian…or if they used her to lure me to a place where they could ambush me.

  Either way, I knew I had a long lecture from my father waiting for the first moment we were alone.

  Chapter Ten

  Jillian

  I stayed with Damon at the hospital. Even though I seldom missed work, I didn’t
think twice about going back in. The visual of his blood-soaked shirt wouldn’t leave my mind. The terror of not knowing if I’d lose him on the way to the hospital was still fresh in my heart. I couldn’t imagine not being beside him when he came out of surgery. Then when his parents left, I was apprehensive about leaving him alone.

  “You can’t be comfortable in that chair,” he mumbled. His medication had kicked in, and he was feeling no pain.

  “I’m not leaving you, Damon.”

  “If you’re not going to sleep in your bed, you could at least sleep in mine.” He opened one eye and arched his eyebrow at me. With care, he slid over in the twin-sized hospital bed and left a sliver of empty space for me.

  I eagerly curled up beside him, my head resting on his good shoulder and my arm draped across his stomach. “You’re sure I’m not hurting you?”

  “Not at all. Go to sleep. We’ve had a long day.”

  Sometime during the night, the nurse made her rounds and began to chastise me for being in the bed with Damon. But with one word from him, she silenced her objections and went about her business. Her subsequent rounds were frequent but without incident. When the morning shift began, the new nurse didn’t say a word about my place. I’d never mentioned that first hospital visit or how the cop had warned me about Damon and his men. While the officer didn’t come out and say it, and Damon had never confirmed it, I had a good idea why his family commanded respect. Even in the hospital.

  But I couldn’t shake the feeling I was the intended target this time and he’d taken the bullet for me. I’d started to tell him in the emergency room, but the nurse interrupted us. Then by the time his parents left, he was too tired and needed his rest. I’d decided to tell him about the embezzlement I uncovered as soon as possible that morning. At least then he’d know what we were up against.

  When his breakfast was brought in, I helped him sit up in the bed and arranged his food and drinks. “Do I need to feed you?”

  The sensual look he gave me sent chills up and down my spine. Even shot, bandaged, and in a hospital bed, that man was deadly sexy. “We’ll feed each other when I get out of here. For this, I think I can manage.”

  “Damon, there’s something—”

  “Good morning.” Vincenzo’s booming voice filled the room, followed by Uncle Leo’s echoing greeting. “Jillian, sweetheart, I’m sorry to be so rude, but Leo and I need to speak with Damon privately. Would you mind stepping outside?”

  “Dad.”

  “No, it’s fine, Damon.” I leaned over and kissed him. “I need to go to my apartment and shower. I’ll be back in a couple of hours to stay with you again. If you need more time than that, just let me know.”

  “Thank you, cara.” Vincenzo took my hand and kissed the back of it. “And thank you for staying with him last night. You don’t know how much you relieved his mother.”

  “It’s my pleasure.”

  “Is Benny here?” Damon asked.

  “Right here, boss.” Benny stepped into the doorway. “I’ll make sure she gets there safely.”

  Damon nodded, but his eyes lingered on Benny’s for a couple of seconds longer, conveying a hidden message. Benny nodded once, signaling his understanding, then we walked away together. I desperately wanted to question him about Damon and the rest of the family, but I knew better. Benny was loyal and would think my questions were too intrusive. If Damon wanted me to know something, he’d tell me himself.

  When we arrived at my building, Benny escorted me up to my apartment and checked all the rooms. “I’m sorry I can’t stay here with you. Joe is busy with an assignment, so Vincenzo and Leo don’t have a driver. Call me when you’re ready to go back to the hospital, and I’ll swing by to pick you up. Do not call a cab.” He handed me a business card with his number on it.

  “Thank you, Benny. It’ll be at least a couple of hours or so before I call you. I need to check in with work.”

  “Do not go to the office. In fact, don’t go anywhere without me. Stay inside until I call and tell you I’m at the front door. We can’t be too careful now.”

  “Okay.” So many questions flew through my mind, but they’d have to be addressed to Damon. And I had plenty of topics to speak with him about, too.

  I made sure the door was locked when Benny left, then headed straight for my bedroom. After a hot shower, I tied my wet hair up in a towel and called my manager, Ronnie, at the corporate office in Louisiana. I explained I needed a few days off for an emergency, without giving the details. His motto had always been family came first, and I didn’t correct his assumption that the emergency was with my mother. Ronnie promised to call Blaine Financial and explain I’d be out the rest of the week.

  After I’d finished drying my hair and getting dressed, I grabbed a suitcase and started packing a few things so I could stay with Damon. A knock on my door surprised me since the front desk hadn’t called about a visitor. I moved silently toward the door and rose on my toes to look through the peephole.

  What could Lorenzo want?

  My cryptic emergency message must have alarmed him, but still, an unexpected drop-in at my apartment was hardly appropriate. I slowly opened the door and purposely gave him a quizzical look. “Lorenzo. What can I do for you?”

  “I’m sorry to intrude. Ronnie called and said you were dealing with an emergency, but there is something urgent I need to speak to you about. It’ll only take a few minutes, but I’m afraid it really can’t wait.”

  “All right. Come in and have a seat.” I stepped aside and extended my arm toward the couch.

  I sat opposite of him on the love seat and waited for him to explain the urgent issue that couldn’t wait until Monday. The one I knew I couldn’t work on without my laptop from the office anyway.

  “I’ll get right to the point. I know what you found, Jillian.”

  I remained silent, not knowing if he was part of the embezzling scheme or if he’d been monitoring it himself.

  “I really wish you hadn’t stumbled across it. And I wish you hadn’t been so damn determined to figure it out. We buried it so deeply in the transactions, it’s amazing anyone short of an FBI forensic accountant found it.”

  He eyed me suspiciously, waiting for confirmation that would never come. I wasn’t part of the FBI, but I had every intention of reporting the crime to them to handle. My suspicions of him being the one behind the recent events were at an all-time high, and I wasn’t about to give anything away. I’d never been very good at lying, but I was sure as hell going to lie my way out of this situation.

  “Are you an FBI agent, Jillian? Do you work for the government? Were you sent to my company to find evidence to use against me?”

  “Of course not. Your company hired me to do a job. That’s all I’m doing—my job. I’ve rotated through several departments in Blaine Financial without a hitch. I’m simply working the accounts I was assigned.”

  “I’m afraid I’ll need more…reassurance…than just taking your word for it.”

  “What do you mean?” A cold chill ran up my spine, and a sick feeling sank low in my belly. The sneer that crossed his face was pure evil.

  “If you’re not with the FBI or some other government agency, I can only assume you work for the Marchetti family.”

  “This is ridiculous, Lorenzo. I work for Morgan and Bartholomew Consulting. In Louisiana. I’m only here for a short time on assignment. How could I possibly work for the Marchetti family? Do I look like a construction worker to you?”

  A surprised expression took the place of the sneer before turning into a smile. “Do you really not know who you’re fucking? This is priceless. Sweetheart, your boyfriend is a capo in the Marchetti mafia. His father is the Boss. When he’s finished with you, you’ll be somewhere at the bottom of the Hudson, fodder for the fish.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  I held my head high and the indignation in my voice was strong, but my insides were quivering with fear. Suspecting Damon was part of the mob was very
different from having it verified. Discovering he was the Boss’s son, and high up in the hierarchy of a mafia family, was disturbing. Hearing Lorenzo callously describe my fate with such pleasure covering his face was terrifying.

  “You should. He’s a dangerous man, and I know dangerous men very well.” His pointed look hit its intended target in my chest when my breath seized. “Here’s what you’re going to do. First, you’re going to give me all the information you’ve uncovered.”

  “I don’t have it here. It’s in the office.”

  He smiled, but it was condescending and didn’t reach his eyes. “Jillian, I know you copied data on to a flash drive. You’ll hand that over to me.”

  “I told you it’s not here. It’s in the office with the rest of my things. I didn’t make it back yesterday to pick up my briefcase.”

  He nodded, accepting my excuse for the moment. “To prove you’re not working for the Marchettis, you’re going to kill Damon in his sleep.”

  “What?” I started shaking my head before the word came out. “No. I won’t kill him. I won’t do it.”

  “You will, or we’ll kill her.” He held up his phone and showed a picture of my mother. She was sitting on her front porch in her wheelchair. Her home health care nurse was beside her in the rocking chair. “I have a couple of men down in Abita Springs right now. Great beer down there, I hear. They’re waiting for the word from me.”

  My tearful response was immediate. I just shook my head from side to side. None of this terrible mess could really be happening to me.

  “Come now, Jillian. Don’t get so upset. Your mom will be fine as long as you do exactly what I tell you.”

  “I’m not a murderer. I can’t do it, Lorenzo.”

  “You can, and you will, or you’ll be responsible for your mother’s death. She doesn’t seem to be in good health as it is. I imagine she’d have a hard time fighting back, no?”