“Let’s go, Lucia,” Salvatore said after giving Marco some orders.
“Call me if you hear anything. Come on, Effie.”
Effie and I followed Salvatore to the elevator and out to his car. Once we settled Effie and my crutches in the backseat, we climbed in. I spoke with Effie as we drove to her house, which was about half an hour from the hospital. Although she tried to hide her unease, it was evident she was anxious and unsure. Salvatore said only a few words, preoccupied. Maybe grateful for Effie’s presence, since that meant I couldn’t question him.
Once we got to the house, I saw two cars parked along the curb with two men inside each one. Salvatore pulled up in the driveway, and we all climbed out, me last, since I had to figure out how to use the damned crutches, and putting weight on my foot made me wince every time. Effie held my crutches while I climbed out and watched me while Salvatore walked over to the men sitting in the cars by the curb and, I assumed, gave them instructions before returning to us.
“Ready?” he asked, closing the door behind me.
Effie nodded and walked ahead to the front door.
“What meeting are you going to?” I asked, not sure if I liked him going to any meeting after Luke had just been shot.
“Luke’s shooting is just one of the incidents. Two of our businesses have been attacked as well.”
“What businesses?” I knew they had several shops, and I didn’t want to know what those shops fronted for.
“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “What matters is that what I feared would happen in time, whatLukewas working on, is here now.”
“Luke? But—”
“He’s in the hospital, I know.”
“Is it Dominic?”
His face changed, and he looked just beyond me. “I’m not sure, Lucia.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“That the time for war, it’s dawning.”
Salvatore’s phone rang, and he reached into his pocket to get it. “I’ll call you right back,” he said and disconnected the call. “Let’s get you inside and settled. I’d rather have you at home, but this will have to do for now.”
We headed for the door. Salvatore slid the key into the lock and opened it. Effie went directly into the kitchen, leaving us alone for the time being.
“You’ll be safe here. I’m leaving four men outside. They won’t let anyone in.”
“Or out, I’m guessing.” He turned to me and took my face in his hands.
“Correct.”
He looked at me for a long moment.
“This is one I really, really need to trust you on, Lucia. I don’t have time to go looking for you, and I can’t keep you safe if you disappear.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good, because if you do, I’ll take my belt to your ass again, and this time, it’ll be a month before you can sit down.”
“I said I’m not,” I snapped, not wanting that memory.
He nodded then kissed my mouth, his hands still on either cheek.
After walking him out, I glanced once more at the cars parked out front. One man sat inside each one. I wasn’t sure where the others had gone. Probably around the house. I didn’t care as long as they didn’t come inside. I closed the door and went to the kitchen to find Effie had taken out flour and a big bag of M&M’s, but even she wasn’t snacking on them.
“I can’t reach the other stuff,” she said, her tone somber. “M&M cookies are Uncle Luke’s favorites. Mommy has the recipe on her iPad.”
I smiled and squatted down to her level, rubbing her arms. “The doctors are going to do everything they can to make sure he’s okay, understand?”
