“I’m in here!” I scream, suddenly needing to get out so bad it hurts my stomach. I start kicking and rocking, making the whole car lurch on its suspension. “In here! Help me! Help me, please!” I scream and scream so loud it hurts my throat, and I’m thinking it’s just like last time, nobody can hear me?—
Light suddenly blinds me. It’s so bright I groan in pain. Then hands are grabbing me, and I’m pulled up and out and into the fresh air, and it’s Luca. He’s hugging me against him and kissing me. “I got you, I got you,” he says over and over, holding me tight. “I got you, baby, you’re safe, you’re safe.”
I cry hard and cling to him as relief crashes down around me.
“I thought… I was going… to die in there,” I manage to gasp. I pull back and stare into my husband’s face.
“You’re okay, baby. You’re okay now.”
“Luca, what happened, who were those men, is everyone safe, where’s Elisa?—”
I’m babbling from panic, but he manages to calm me down. We walk together back to the house, and I stare at splashes of blood on the sidewalks. There are bodies lying in a neat line in the lot near the tent. I count eight of them before Luca takes me inside and closes the door.
“Fiorella!” Elisa comes running over and slams into me like a hurricane. I gasp in shock and joy, hugging her back so hard I feel like I might break her, but damn it, I can’t help myself. I’m so relieved I could throw up. “You’re okay! We’ve been so worried.”
“I was in the trunk,” I say, crying all over again, because why not? I’m an emotional wreck at this point and can’t stop myself. “Luca found me.”
“Oh, god, I’m so sorry. That must’ve been awful.” Elisa’s hug tightens. She knows better than anyone how I feel about tight spaces. “But I’m happy you did it. It was crazy. They came out ofnowhere, and Luca’s men started fighting back, and I had to hide down in the basement with Raf?—”
“Go easy,” Luca says sternly, cutting her off. “Give her some time first.”
I shake him off. “What happened? No, don’t give me that look. I want to know.”
He hesitates but reluctantly steers me into the kitchen, where he sits me down. “Your uncle,” he says, glancing at Elisa. “I think they followed you back. They might’ve been following you the whole time you were out.”
I stare at him in horror. “Are you serious?”
“It’s not your fault,” Elisa says quickly.
“They could’ve run me off the road.” I look at Luca in horror. “They could’ve ambushed me at a stop sign.”
“But they didn’t,” he says, taking my hands. He kisses my fingers lightly. “They followed you back here and attacked instead. My men were ready, and it wasn’t easy, but we fought them off. You’re safe, Fio.”
“I know. I know. I just—” I close my eyes and anger fills me. “I’m so stupid.”
“Stop it.”
“No, really, I mean it. I knew how dangerous things have been lately, and I still went out.”
“You wanted to drive your car. I didn’t tell you to stay home. If anything, the blame is on me.” He kisses me lightly, but I shake my head.
“Don’t try to make me feel better. We both know it’s on me.” I grab his arm, squeezing it tightly. Elisa watches, looking concerned. “We have to end this war, Luca. The longer it goes on, the more likely it is that this baby gets hurt. We have to end it.”
He nods slowly, face hardening. “You’re right.”
“We’ll meet with Capos tomorrow. We’ll turn this around.”
“I have other ideas too. I promise—” He leans in to kiss me again. “I promise, I’ll take care of you.”
Elisa clears her throat. “Hate to interrupt a super touching moment and all, but—” She gestures toward where Raf’s nurse is waiting near the basement steps, an enormous smile on her face.
“I have news,” she says and gestures with a thumb over her shoulder. “The patient woke up.”
Chapter 35
Luca
Raf looks like absolute shit.
