“I got nothing, so I asked Milo to check. He has more resources than we do.”
Angelo’s lip curls at the idea of dealing with this Milo dude again, but I don’t care. We need answers.
Kane and Angelo continue discussing various theories about who’s behind the attack and why. I stop listening, preferring to focus on Luka. A doctor shows up and talks about how Luka’s vitals are strong and he's very lucky that his organs haven't suffered any long-term damage from ingesting high amounts of opiates and ketamine.
Time passes.
Fina leaves, promising me she’ll be back later. Kane disappears too, saying he has more work to do finding the person or people responsible.
Angelo goes nowhere, although he spends a lot of time on his phone in between staring at me and trying to persuade me to eat something.
I try, but the sandwich he gives me tastes like garbage, and I’m physically unable to swallow more than a couple of bites.
Daylight fades while the machines continue bleeping.
The hard plastic chair I’m sitting on nearly cripples me, but I refuse to leave Luka. What if the assailant comes here? Sure, I’d be useless at protecting Luka, but the fear of what might happen keeps me glued to his bedside.
Angelo tries several times to make me take a walk with him, to stretch my legs, but I ignore him. Eventually he gives up, and despite my feeble protests, he scoops me up and settles me in his lap while I continue holding Luka’s hand in the hope he might feel my touch.
I must have drifted off because when I wake, I’m lying on the small sofa on the opposite side of the room with a blanket over my legs. Angelo is missing. I lift my head, wondering where he’s gone and what woke me, and then I hear it.
A faint groan.
“Luka?” The blanket gets tangled around my legs as I try to move, and I tumble to the floor. Just as I scramble to my feet, Angelo walks in carrying two cups of coffee. He spots me on the floor and panics.
“What on earth…?”
“Luka’s waking up!”
I reach the bed just as Luka’s eyes finally open. His hand stretches toward mine, and I take it before bursting into tears.
24
Angelo
We have nothing. Nothing concrete anyway. Staff saw two women walking Luka from the bar. He was clearly very drunk from the way he staggered in the grainy images Milo pulled from the bar’s CCTV. Unfortunately, Milo has yet to identify who these women are. He says he’s working on it, but it could take time.
Time I don’t have.
I sip my scotch and stare at the images on my laptop screen.
This feels personal. First someone went after my wife. Not once, but twice. And now they’ve targeted Luka.
It has to be someone who knows us reasonably well. Luka is my half brother, but it’s not common knowledge. Dad kept the news quiet when Luka first appeared. He didn’t want people to know he’d sired a bastard,in his words.
Luka rarely shows up at the same events as us, and when he is there, he steers clear of Fina and me.
Nothing is going according to plan. I’m not sure Chiara will ever forgive me, even though I’m trying my best to show her I’m not a monster. The day Dad told me she was to be my bride,I rejoiced. Not in front of him, obviously, but because I’d long coveted her.
But then she ran away from me. Refused to accept the marriage.
Part of me admired her for that. It proved she was a woman I could respect rather than a meek wife who would never stand up to me. Only she’s way more stubborn than I ever expected. And worse, my best friend and half brother are in love with her.
Kane walks into my office, yawning and rubbing his bloodshot eyes. Not that I care. I’m still pissed at him about the charity gala. The bastard loves to fuck with me, and fucking my wife while I made small talk was beyond the pale.
I note the crimson spatter on his cheek and raise one eyebrow.
“Anything useful?” He shakes his head.
