“It doesn’t look like it’s hit any major arteries,” Carlo said, practiced fingers moving around the wound. “I’m going to pull it. Take a breath. One-”
He pulls it on one and a spurt of blood lands on the windshield.“Stronzo!Youasshole!What happened to three?” I put a hand over the thick wad of gauze he’s shoving under my shirt.
“You always brace for it on ‘two,’ so I had to mix it up a bit,” Carlo says unrepentantly.
Gritting my teeth against the pain, I hold the gauze as he rapidly bandages around it, trying to get the steri-strips to hold. “This has to be cleaned and stitched,” he warns, “I know we’re about to be in the middle of a firefight, but if you move this arm much, you might bleed out. Do you understand?”
“Yes, of course,” I said impatiently.
My headset crackles and Davide again.“We have company. There are three cars that are following the same route. One of them is right behind us.”
“We’ll get them off your tail,” I said, pulling out my gun.
“Boss?” Carlo asks, “You’re right-handed, want to let me take the shot?”
What I want is to punch this smug fuck in the face, but he’s right. “Yeah, take the shot, you asshole.”
He knows better than to say a word, so he rotates his shoulder and sets his aim as Gianni slams his foot down on the gas pedal.
Chapter Thirty-One
In which there are drones, sword fights, and the effective use of German endearments.
Cora…
Screaming and kicking, I try to get the door open. I am not going back with these lunatics, not with Dario so close. He wasright there.
“Let me the fuck out!” I shouted, kicking at the door, at Hilda, at Lina as they try to control me. “Open this fucking door! Dario is not going to let you live if you don’t let me go!”
Something soft wraps around my throat and then tightens instantly. Choking, I buck up and down trying to loosen it, but Lina twists the material tighter.
“Now, nowLiebste,”Hilda’s voice is meant to be soothing but makes me thrash harder. “You’re just upset, you will feel better when you calm down. Now, do I have to drug you again or will you behave?”
If she drugs me, I’ll never get away.
“I’ll be calm,” it’s gritted out between clenched teeth, trying to hold back the tsunami of hate I want to scream at them. “Get your fucking scarf off my neck.”
Lina spitefully tightens the fabric another twist before releasing it, leaving me to slump against the seat, panting. Hilda has a very large gun on her lap, the barrel pointing at me. “That’s my good girl,” she says fondly.
Turning, I try to look behind us, but the random traffic isn’t telling me anything. “Dario isn’t going to give up,” I said, “put me out on the side of the road, it’ll give you time to get the hell off the island. You have a huge chunk of the money. Be happy. Go.”
Hilda laughs as if I’d just told the cutest little joke. “No, darling. You belong with us. You belongtous. Now be a good girl, no more talking.”
Looking at Lina, I can tell she did not anticipate this part of the plan. “Mother, what do you mean, she belongs with us? This isn’t the plan.”
Another one of those lightning-fast slaps from Hilda goes across her daughter’s face, making the left side swell immediately.
She must have been pulling her punches when she hit me.
Lina takes the blow silently, and I wonder how many of those she’s had to endure in her lifetime.
Hilda’s phone buzzes, and she frowns at it irritably. “Yes? Which one? Do you see any wreckage? No, don’t go back, we keep going. If you see anyone in pursuit, remove them.”
“We lost a car?” Lina asks, and her mother shushes her.
“You must get us back to the house within ten minutes,” Hilda speaks to the driver.
“Yes ma’am,” he says, and his blank expression tells me he’s not going to be much help.
