“Dumb? No way in hell.” Cruz grins at me, all psychotic. “You tricked him, and somehow managed to get his gun and shoot the fucker for ever thinking he could take you.”
Asher kisses my cheek, pulling me in closer to him. “Cunning, resilient, resourceful, and fucking so damn beautiful, definitely.” His lips meet mine, and he holds me so close I let my body crumple into his. I have no fight left now that they’re here. Like he knows it, he cradles me in his strong arms, holding me close and so tight.
I suck in breaths, trying to get my racing heart under control, fresh pain radiating through me as I remember what Leone showed me last night. They don’t even know the worst part yet. “They forged my signature,” I whisper. “Made it look like I married him two days ago.”
Asher’s face contorts in anger, pain settling in his eyes that kills me all over again. “Over my dead body,” he growls and even Jagger’s body tenses more.
“Over his.” Cruz chuckles darkly. “They underestimated you, baby, but we didn’t.” He pulls me closely, kissing my forehead, his hands trailing over my skin almost absentmindedly. “Is Ricky on his way with Alex?” he mutters to Jagger as he brushes my hair over my shoulder as he inspects me.
“Yeah, they won’t be long,” Jagger replies. “Mal has a clean-up crew on route to deal with this as well.” He motions to the body.
Cruz’s hands trail down my arms delicately. “Good, I don’t like the look of this.” He shows the others my wrists, and I snatch them away, not wanting any more drama. I’m alive, and that’s all that matters.
“If that fucker weren’t already dead,” Asher hisses, looking me over with fresh eyes. “Where else are you hurt?”
I shrug. “Ash, he drugged me. I was passed out most of the night. I have no clue…” I can’t say the words out loud. Three sets of dark eyes bore into mine—pain, anger, fear in them that I can’t handle. “I’m fine,” I mutter, trying to brush it off. Who would be, but I can’t stand the sadness it causes them.
A commotion comes from the main room, and Doctor Ricky runs toward us, bag in hand. “Shit, Daisy, are you okay?” His eyes run down the length of my body then back up to my face. I know what he’s seeing—no shoes and a torn party dress. I must look a fright. Not the same girl he chatted to at the party just last night.
“I’m fine, Ricky, I just want to go home and sleep for the next week.”
“She’s not.” Cruz holds out one of my hands to show him the deep lacerations on my wrists. I avert my eyes, but the crimson stains glaring back at me make it impossible to ignore. I suck ina breath, knowing I need to keep it together. There will be a time to fall apart later, but this is far from over.
He looks over the dead man behind me then takes my wrists in his hands gently and leads me over to a chair in the main room. His kind eyes meet mine, so much sympathy in them I feel sick. “You need medical help, Daisy.” He looks over his shoulder to the other boys. “I want to get her down to the clinic as soon as possible.”
“I don’t think so,” I mutter back. The pain in my body is the least of my concerns right now. “Really, Ricky, I just want to go home.” There is also no way I want him doing a full assessment of me. I can’t handle the truth, and I know he sees it in my eyes when he glances back at me.
He takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. “I can help you with anything you need, Daisy. I’ll get you patched up now, and then we can see about the rest. But I need you to know if you ever need me or anyone on my team, I’m just a call away.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, trying not to cry when he’s being so kind to me.
“Any word on callout from authorities? We have a clean-up crew on the way, and it would be good to know how long we have,” Jagger asks the man standing in the doorway watching us. I noticed him when Ricky first ran in but almost forgot he was there.
He moves closer to all of us, his hands casually in his pockets as he assesses the room. He’s dressed well for this early hour of the morning, in suit pants and a button-up shirt, with the first few buttons of the collar undone. “This room is soundproof. My guess is that’s why he was holding you here overnight. I pulled a few strings and bought us some time with the authorities.” His dark eyes rake over me with a coolness that gives me goosebumps, and I know exactly who he is without been told. Alex. “What I want to know is why was I called down here?”
I glance up at him, trying to find words to answer his question, but it’s hard when Ricky is fussing with some disinfectant on my wounded wrists. I wince and pull away, raising my chin to meet Alex’s scrutiny. He’s a man with great power, I can tell by the way he conducts himself, and right now I know how vulnerable I look. This is not how I wanted to meet him. But I’m also not going to back down with my plan. I know what I want, and he’s the key to it. “I need your help.”
Alex moves toward us. He’s intimidating as hell, and even though Ricky is in between us, I shrink back instinctively, not wanting him too close to me when I’m feeling so damn weak.
Asher wraps an arm around my shoulders protectively, and I’m grateful. I have no idea how he knew I needed him. But he’s here. I feel them all here with me. At my side, ready to face off with Alex if it comes to it.
Alex raises a brow as his eyes run over my face. “Let me guess, you’re the girl I have to thank for my casino being the scene of a biker war last night? Another mess I need to clean up this morning.”
“You want someone to blame, you’re looking at him.” I motion to the dead man bleeding out in front of us.
That pulls a grin from him. My guess is Alex is about as sadistic as Cruz. Am I really about to ask him for help? I must have hit my head again.
“Don’t be a cruel cunt, Alex, you know Daisy’s predicament,” Jagger growls in his direction. “She’s clearly in a state. Don’t play games.”
“I want to hear the girl do the talking, not you fuckers. You had that grimy lowlife thug call me.” He motions to Leone. “Something tells me you knew what you were doing, getting me involved.”
I look at Asher, and he nods for me to go on. I tilt my head a little higher, trying to match Alex’s fuck-off energy. “I… Irecently found out that a thirty percent share of Moretti Media Italy has been left to me by my late husband. As you would be aware, since you now own the American subsidiary, it’s quite valuable, and now I have some asshole claiming to be married to me so he can take what’s mine.” I point to Leone. “He ambushed us at Malachi’s engagement party and caused that scene. I know we don’t know each other, but something tells me you’re a fair man. If not, one who likes to do good business, and I think we both know Leone Russo would be terrible for your business and mine and Sloane’s. Lucky for you, I took care of him already.” The thought of that makes my head swim and insides turn to liquid, but I shove those uncomfortable feelings away and try to act strong, even if I don’t feel like it.
He tilts his head, a slow smile crossing his lips like he’s impressed. “I’m aware of your little situation. I was under the impression Jagger had it handled.”
I meet his dark gaze. “Jagger forgot to ask for the most important person’s opinion on what was to happen with my share.” I can feel Jagger stiffen beside me, but I don’t care. It’s the truth. “And apparently, my family had other ideas, thinking they could trade me off to the highest bidder with that as the prize.”
He huffs out a laugh and looks in Jagger’s direction. “I like this one.”
