Me, I’m just trying to figure out fast what’s going on. “Then how—”
“Gus dropped it at reception,” Frank grumbles. “I knew Luca was being all paranoid, what with the guards and shit, so when Gus texted that he wanted to see me I told him there was no way. He said he’d leave something for me at the desk instead, and then—later I sent Hudson to pick ’em up and bring ’em in.”
I march over to the door and fling it open. “Hudson!” I bark. He’s back in his usual place on the seats outside, Aidan next to him in the middle of a one-sided conversation. Hudson leaps up like a well-trained cadet.
“Yessir?”
“Get in here.” I slam the door after him, ignoring Aidan’s wide-eyed curiosity. “Did you go and pick up a bunch of beer from the desk and bring it in here under Frank’s orders?”
Frank is beet red by now, enraged and glowering. Hudson gives him a nervous glance.
“I don’t know why you guys are making such a big deal out of this,” Frank snarls.
“Don’t look at him,” I tell Hudson. “Look at me. Did you take something in here for Frank?”
Hudson gulps a few times. “Yeah,” he says at last. “Beer and some chocolates.”
“Aw, for fuck’ssake, Finch, leave him alone,” Frank snaps.
“What in the hell made you think that was a good idea?” I ask Hudson. My voice sounds calm to my own ears, but the way Hudson is trembling suggests the expression on my face is less so.
“Frank told meyoudropped them off,” he whispers.
I wheel round to give Frank an incredulous glare, but he won’t look at me. “You risked your fucking life forbeer?”
“The hell are you talking about, risking my life? Why the fuck would anyone wanna takemeout? I’m nothing. Not even Underboss,” Frank grumbles in a low voice. He reaches over with his good arm to grab the box of chocolates from his nightstand. He knows he’s done something wrong. He just doesn’t knowhowwrong. He sets the blue chocolate box on the tray over his laps and fumbles with them. “Here, have a—”
Marco and I have the same thought at the same time, and lunge for the box as Frank pulls the lid off, but we’re too late.
The world ignites in a flash as I’m blown back from the bed, ears ringing.
And then everything goes dark.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Finch
The next time I open my eyes, I'm looking at a white ceiling, flat on my back in bed. There are quiet beeps and the horrible smell of disinfectant, and it wasn'tthatlong ago that I was in the exact same position, so I know where I am.
I try to reach out with my hand, but it’s all bandaged up like a mummy. Luca’s face swims into view.
“I fucking hate hospitals,” I rasp.
He doesn't smile.
“What happened?” But it's coming back to me in patches, and then I realize what Luca’s face might mean. “Luca? What happened to Brother Frank?”
“He is still in surgery. Hudson, too.”
“Marco?” I whisper.
Luca shakes his head slowly. “I'm sorry, baby bird. He was too quick, threw himself right on the damn bomb. But he saved you and Frank. We’re going to take care of his family. Set them up for life.”
“But…we’rehis family. He loves me like his kid brother,” I say, like it means anything at all in the face of unflinching, unforgiving Death.
I sink back into unconsciousness before I hear Luca’s reply.
* * *
