But alive.
There.
“Fuck!” Milo said, going in for one of those one-armed hugs with lots of shoulder slaps. “What the fuck?”
“Dom?” another voice called, making all of us turn to find Remo awake and standing but frozen in place in the living room.
“Remo,” Dom said, giving the other man a nod.
Then Remo was closing the distance, grabbing Dom in a quick bear hug.
“Where thefuckhave you been?” he asked.
“What the fuck happened to her?” Dom asked when his gaze finally landed on me. “Who was it? Where is he?”
His hands curled into fists, looking ready to turn right around and head back out to bash some heads together.
“Long story,” Remo said.
I swear he looked suddenly five years younger.
“What happened to you?” Remo asked.
“Long story too. I need a shower. And food. And a drink. Then maybe we can talk about it.”
Milo went to grab some clothes for his cousin to change into while Remo melted into one of the dining chairs, his hand draped over his eyes.
“You okay?” I asked, sitting down next to him.
“Think I’m supposed to be asking you that.”
“I have plenty of people worried about me.”
Huh.
That was a new development.
I went from being basically alone in the world to having several men (maybe even a dozen, if we were counting Remo’s guys) concerned about my well-being.
“I think maybe you don’t let many people worry about you. So here is me officially filing my concern paperwork.”
Remo shot me a smile. “Milo’s got himself a good one,” he said. “I’m alright, babe. I can handle the normal shit. And as much as I don’t like to admit it, someone getting beaten isnormal shit. But a missing member of a more established branch of the Family, that was a lot.”
“Because of the pressure from the top?” I had no idea how the mob worked, but there seemed to be a hierarchy.
“Eh, Luca is a good boss. He knows how shit goes sometimes. But…”
“But you’re trying to make a name for yourself here and don’t want people always thinking about that one time you lost someone.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, nodding. “I know he got back on his own, but if he hadn’t managed that, know the only way we would have found him would have been because of you. I won’t forget that. What?” he asked when a weird, high-pitched giggle escaped me. A slow, almost boyish smile spread across his face at the sound. It should have softened his devilish features, but it only made him look more darkly charming.
“That just sounded… very mob-like,” I said. “The family owes you a favor,” I said in a mock deep voice that had a chuckle escaping him.
“Those meds treating you good, huh?” he asked, green eyes warm.
“They’re helping.”
“They’re gonna pay. Know that.”
