Faces turn to us as I walk in. So many faces. And so many bodies, laid out on the floor in lines.
When I see the group standing in a row, I break into a run. My heart starts to pound.
No. Not another one.
“Is he—,”
Tony catches me. “Not dead. Just sleeping. He was shot in the shoulder, and Marco gave him a shot.”
Vincent’s eyes are closed, but I watch, waiting for the rise and fall of his chest to confirm before I turn to Tony. “Frankie?”
Slowly, he shakes his head. “I checked everywhere. Even the… the dungeons. She’s not here.”
“She could be with her parents,” I reason.
His nod is tight. “I’m going to check there now. Unless you need me.”
Tony looks to me for approval, and it takes me a second to realize. “No. Go. Find her.”
Marco finds me next. My uncle carefully wraps me in his arms. I can’t help the stiffness in my body, and his brows knit as he releases me. “You’re unhurt?”
Slowly, I nod. My heart hurts as I take him in. “Thank you, Marco. For coming.”
His eyes skate over the brand on my chest. Widen, and then burn. “He’s dead.”
Not a question.
Tired. I’m so tired. “Yes.”
I stay for another hour. Marco and a group of his men leave to go down to the dungeon and arrange for the women there to be transported somewhere safe.
Stefano slips back into the room, his eyes landing on me. The three men around me stiffen as he strides up, pulling me into his arms. I bury my face in his chest, breathing him in.
I’m too drained to pretend that we’re anything other than what we are. “Iliana?”
“Unhurt.” He kisses my hair. “I need to find somewhere safe for her.”
“Iliana is your mother?” At Dante’s question, Stefano stiffens. He nods, slowly. “She’s… not well.”
Dante’s eyes linger on me, on Stefano’s arms around me. “She can come with us. I’m assuming you will be, Asante?”
“Yes.” My response is immediate, and Stefan’s mouth closes with a snap.
Then I frown. “Where are we going?”
“We need to get out of town for a few days. Rest. Recuperate.” He hesitates. “Luc will meet us there. With… Alessia.”
My chest squeezes. But there’s something else there, too. Something that feels a lot like terror. My pulse races. “I see.”
As Stefano pulls back, I link my fingers together. Grip them. Dom glances down, his jaw tightening.
I hide them in my bloodied dress.
I cannot fall apart. Not now, not when I have them back.
When I’m free.
Gio steps forward with something in his hands. “I brought something with me. In case you needed them.”
