Without another word, Rocco, Vincenzo, and I were rushing toward the drain. Lev stayed behind and was doing something to the Russian’s body with a knife—marking it? My pulse raced in my ear when I remembered the shots fired into the drain. I didn’t think Brando would have taken Mia out of the boat until he knew it was secure. But my blood ran cold when a car screeched to the curb and a white-faced Scarlett flew out before her sons could stop her.
“Where are they?” she said, the panic in her voice obvious. “Get them out!”
“Brando!” I shouted.
My heart had been about to pound out of my chest, but when he didn’t answer, it came to a halt and went weak.
“Brando!” Scarlett screamed. “Brando! Mia!” She was yanking on the opening, rattling the iron, and together we pulled it back. We had to stop her from flying into the darkness. The stairs that led down were slick with moisture.
Brando’s head came up out of the darkness. He had Mia in his arms.
“Brando—” Scarlett went to touch his shoulder.
“I’ll do,” he said.
He’d been shot. It was hard to tell, but it seemed like he might have turned his back when the bullets started to protect Mia.
Mia.
My eyes fell to her. It seemed like she was asleep in Brando’s arms. Her arms were tucked against his chest, her fingers still gripping his shirt, and her feet…still bleeding. I wondered if the drug made her blood thin before it made it too thick. I had no clue what it was capable of.
I fell to my knees in front of her. It felt like the amber was bleeding out of my eyes, though no tears fell.
Scarlett let out a sob and tried to grab her from her father’s arms.
“The pain,” Brando said, his voice ruff, his eyes as crazed as mine. “After the water hit her feet, she passed out. Her pulse—it’s fast. I keep checking.”
“Because she is in pain,” Vincenzo said, looking behind him. “Where is Evelina with the car?”
I couldn’t take my eyes off her, but I knew my sister had arrived when I heard tires squealing. Mia disappeared from my view when Brando started for the car. Getting to my feet in record time, I stopped him before he got in.
I held out my arms for her. I needed her close. Or I was going to die.
Scarlett placed a hand on Brando’s arm, and it was the only thing that stopped him from killing me. I didn’t have to feel like Mia or Scarlett to know it. I’d never forget the look on his face. I was ripping his heart from his chest. Mine was in his arms.
Another second. Scarlett squeezed a little harder. He handed Mia to me.
The tightness in my throat threatened to choke me, but I ducked under and got in the car. A doctor sat in the passenger seat. She turned around and looked at me with wide eyes for a second before they found Mia in my arms.
“You’ve been shot,” she said. “Apply pressure!”
I did. “My—Mia. She’s unconscious.”
The woman eyed her up and down. “Has she been shot?”
“No,” I said, about to go into detail about what had happened, but I was stalled.
Brando slid in next to me, taking care to keep Mia’s feet from touching anything. Scarlett slid in on the other side. My sister wasted no time pressing on the gas. All our heads hit the seat when she took off.
Mia moaned, rubbing her head against my chest. I held her tighter, kissing her head. She felt feverish.
“You,” Dr. Dubois pointed at Brando. “Apply pressure to your wound!”
He growled when he did. Scarlett’s hands fluttered, not knowing who to touch.
Headlights shone in the rearview mirror. Two cars following.
“Matteo and Mariano, and Rocco and Vincenzo,” Evelina said. “They ditched the drivers, don’t worry.”
