“Oh my god!” Matias sits forward when we come to the intersection where a car accident occurred. It’s the G-Wagon.
Police, firefighters, and paramedics surround the Mercedes. I slam on the brakes, throw the SUV in park and fly out of the vehicle.
Victor is on a gurney, oxygen mask over his mouth and blood smearing his face.
“Sir, I’m sorry. You can’t—”
“He’s fine. That’s Carmine Milazzo, and this is one of his men.” Officer Gabriel DiMartino tells the paramedic. “Carmine, I wish I could say it’s good to see you but circumstance say otherwise.”
“Can I talk to him? What happened?”
“We don’t know. Traffic cameras are out. Traffic was rerouted. It looks like a hit-and-run, but I feel like this wasn’t an accident. Not when it comes to you. And no, you can’t talk to him. He’s alive but unconscious. You can talk to him at the hospital.”
“Was there a woman? Was she hurt? She’s my wife. She was with Victor.”
“No, there wasn’t a woman. You’re sure someone was with him?” DiMartino’s hand grabs his radio on his shoulder.
“I’m positive. They left the house together.”
“There was no one else in the car, but there are signs of foul play. There’s blood in the back.”
“Blood. There was blood,” I repeat, running my hands through my hair in panic. “I need my wife. I need my fucking wife!”
“What does she look like? Calm down. Breathe. Focus.”
“Don’t tell me to fucking focus.” I get in his face, debating if I want to put a bullet between his eyes. “You have no idea what this means. I will kill everyone in this city, including you, until I get her back.”
“Do not make threats, Carmine. I can arrest you right now.”
“Good luck with that.”
“Carmine! She’s close. Look.” Matias brings the tablet over, and I wipe my eyes clear of the tears.
I turn my attention to the tablet. The green dot is close to us. She could have climbed out of the car to try to flag down help. She’s on campus, just like Gianni said.
“Matias, you climb into the ambulance with Victor, so he isn’t alone. Ivar, you’re with me.” Without saying another word, I run to the car. Ivar is already in the passenger seat, and without another word, I step on the gas.
DiMartino jumps out of the way and heads to his cop car to follow me, but I don’t stop. Nothing will make me fucking stop. I listen to the beeps of the tablet. The quicker they become, the closer I know we are.
“It should be right up here. On the right,” Ivar points.
Sirens ring behind me, and DiMartino is on my ass.
“Get rid of him, Ivar.” I don’t want my plans derailed.
“Yes, sir.” Ivar rolls down the window and aims his gun out the window.
“Don’t kill him,” I warn. I won’t admit it, but I like DiMartino. He is an honorable man with strong values, but he understands my position in the city and doesn’t try to step on my toes.
Ivar fires the gunshot, ringing out. I check my side mirror and watch a tire blow. The car fishtails before jumping over the curb and slamming against a tree.
He’ll be fine.
As I take another turn, DiMartino disappears. An SUV appears up ahead, and I slow down. The college isn’t too busy due to exams, and I’m thankful. The fewer witnesses, the better. It would mean more people I need to kill. More bodies to dispose of.
II jump out of the car and hit the ground running, gun in hand. Ivar falls into step beside me.
“Where is she?” I yell at Ivar, looking around frantically.
“She’s here. She’s right here, boss. The tablet says she’s here.”
I spring to the SUV parked behind and look inside.
Empty.
“Well, she isn’t fucking here! Fuck!” I shout, slamming the butt of my gun against the window. The glass cracks. I keep surveying the area, searching for anything to tell me she’s okay, her voice, her cry, fucking anything.
I’m desperate.
“I don’t understand. It says she’s right here, Mr. Milazzo.”
I look behind Ivar and notice two black metal doors in the ground. A cellar. I sprint ahead and swing open the door, taking two steps at a time through the dark.
A man I have never seen before comes into view, and he is holding a needle. Without question, without hesitation, I lift my gun and pull the trigger, not giving him a chance to say a fucking word. His head snaps back, and he falls to the floor.
Dead.
I hurry down the steps and load my clip into the man for good measure until his face is unrecognizable. Blood is everywhere, and a whimper comes from my left.
That’s when I see Delilah.
She’s tied to a chair, her sweater cut, and blood dripping down the middle of her chest. I grab the knife from the table and cut her bindings. When she’s free, she falls forward, and I catch her, holding her head against my shoulder.
I can’t help it. Tears break free. I stare at the ceiling, hoping the harsh lights will dry the water building in my eyes. I do not cry.
She sobs against me, tugging at my suit. “You’re here. You came. You found me,” she cries so hard I can barely understand her words.
I squeeze her tighter. I’m so afraid if I let go, she’ll vanish. “I’ll always come for you. I’ll always find you. Just like I said I would.” I lean back and cup her face, trying to wipe away the tear streaks on her cheeks. “I’ll always come for you.”
I look her over, checking her injuries, and I growl when I see her gorgeous flesh cut. It will leave a scar just like mine. She’s too beautiful for something like that. I press my hand against her chest, then shuck off my suit, wrapping it around her shoulders. “You’re okay. You’ll be okay. I have you, Sweetling.”
“Romano. Romano hired him. I just want to go home. I want to go home, Carmine. Take me home,” she rambles into my shoulder.
“We are. I’m going to call a doctor to look you over, okay? You’re all right.” I swing her into my arms, and she places her head against my chest.
“You found me.”
“I placed a tracker in your engagement ring. I stole it off your finger while you were sleeping, and Matias did it.”
She chuckles, but it’s full of emotion. “I’m so happy that you’re so psycho when it comes to me. Place a tracker on me any day.”
I kiss her temple as I climb up the steps. “You’re getting one embedded in your damn skin after this. I’m not kidding.”
“Whatever you want,” she slurs with sleep. “He injected me with something that makes me weak.” Her big, gorgeous eyes look at me, her wet lashes blinking. “I don’t know if it’s bad for the baby. The baby, Carmine.”
I almost fumble up the steps and stare down at her, stopping for a moment. Her eyes hood, and I shake her, then knock on the metal doors. “Delilah, what did you say? What did you say? Tell me again. What about the baby?”
The doors open, and the sun beams in.
“I can take her, sir,” Ivar says.
“Not a chance in hell. Open the back door for me.”
“Put the girl down, Carmine. You’re coming with me to the station.” DiMartino has his gun raised and pointed directly at me.
“I’m not putting my pregnant wife down for anything. You’ll have to fucking shoot me if you want that to happen, but let me make myself perfectly clear, if you want a career, you’ll step aside or never have a job again. You know I hold that kind of power.”
DiMartino debates for a second before lowering his weapon. “Do I need to call an ambulance?”
“No, I’m taking her home and bringing a doctor to her.” I climb into the backseat of the SUV and settle her in my lap. Ivar shuts the door. The thud wakes her.
“Hey, Sweetling. Hey.” I smile at her.
“You’re here. You came,” she mumbles, repeating what she said earlier. “The baby! Carmine—’ She grips my forearm. “The baby.”
I can’t help but smile and lay my head across her stomach. “You’re pregnant?”
“I wanted to surprise you. I wanted to make it a big deal because I know the baby is all you want, but I’m afraid whatever he injected me with did something. What if it did something? I want this baby with you.” She begins to cry and shakes her head. “I don’t want anything to happen to our baby.”
I pull her closer, and she wraps her limbs around me. “I don’t either. Oh my, God, my Sweetling. You’ve given me everything. I love you. I love you so much.”
She sniffles and leans away. “You love me?”
“So much, Sweetling. So much. And if anything happens to our baby, I promise I will kill Romano at your feet and let you bury his bones.”
“His bones don’t deserve to be buried if anything happens to our baby.” She intertwines our hands and places them across her stomach; then, her cheek falls on my shoulder. “I love you too. Please, just make the pain go away. It hurts. I hurt everywhere.”
“I will. I’ll always make all your pain go away. Always. Just rest. We will be home soon,” I say, gently.
She’s pregnant.
And someone dared to take my family from me. There isn’t a soul in site who is safe.
I’ll kill. I’ll burn. I’ll tear it apart.
No one fucks with my family and gets away with it.
And she’s right; Romano’s bones don’t deserve to be buried. We’ll keep them as trophies.
They will stand as a reminder of everything I’ve ever fought for, and she will be right here in my arms.
“I have you,” I whisper into her ear as she sleeps soundly. “I will always have you.” I cradle my wife as calm anger swoops over me, a demon landing on my shoulder and telling me I know what I need to do to make my wife and child safe.
And if my attempt kills me, a part of me will live on through Delilah.
