I follow after him.
Uncle Eivor is going to rip me a new one after this.
13
Carmine
My leg feels like hell as I walk into the hospital through a back entrance. It’s a hospital on the city outskirts. Well-funded thanks to all of the crime families showing up with incidents we need kept quiet, so it only takes a minute or two before I’m taken into a back room to get a blood transfusion.
I’m wheeled back, actually, against my will. I feel weak and ridiculous being wheeled back, but in reality, I can barely walk, so what else were they supposed to do?
I don’t let Soren come with me, much to his dismay. I smirk to myself as I think about him sitting outside in the hallway, grumbling to himself.
It’s the least he deserves for fucking me over. I can’t believe he lied to me.
Actually, I can. Maybe that’s the problem. I knew the entire time that I shouldn’t really trust him or his family, but I kept doing it anyway. I should’ve said no to their offer for more guards. I should’ve said no to his offer of watching my back.
Now that I know it’s the Fiorellis I need to be watching my back from, I’m honestly not sure what to do.
That’s a lie. I know what I should do. I should get rid of all of them, including Soren. Make sure they don’t have access to my family whatsoever.
Doing that will make it clear that I know what they’re up to, though, and my family isn’t ready for a full-blown fight. Not with them. They’re different than the Carvels; the Fiorellis can stand on their own. It’s why I’d even been willing to be on an equal level with them in the first place.
Too bad they’re too greedy for that.
“Sir, are you alright?” the nurse asks me after putting in the IV line. I’ve just been sitting in the bed in silence, not reacting whatsoever.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I insist. “Are you done yet?”
He eyes me. “Yes, this will take a couple hours. I’ll get you something to drink and eat. You need to get your strength back. Would you like a doctor to take a look at your leg?”
“It’s already been taken care of,” I reply in a cold and emotionless tone. I don’t even look at the nurse, just forward at the little TV in the room that’s playing the news at a low volume.
“Alright, Sir,” he says nervously. He knows who I am, clearly, even if we haven’t exchanged names.
“Don’t worry about me,” I mumble. “Your job is safe. Just do it.”
He exhales slowly. “Thank you.” Then he starts to walk out of the room.
“Wait,” I say and look at him.
He pauses. No, more like flinches to a stop. “Yes, Sir?”
“What is happening with the two other men that came here about an hour ago?” I ask. “The guards.”
He’ll know who I mean, and if he doesn’t, someone will.
He blinks at me. “Oh. The other gunshot victim?” he asks, and looks to the side anxiously. “Well, unfortunately, Sir, he didn’t make it.”
I swallow the bile in my throat. That one had been one of ours. Tango. I didn’t know his real name, or at least his birth name, he’d always gone by Tango for the three years he had been with us.
Now, because of Soren, he was dead.
“Thank you.” That’s all I say before the nurse leaves for real this time.
No, maybe it’s not all on Soren.
I had gone to that poker game with the intention of seeking revenge. Revenge on a man who was already dead. Revenge against his family.
