“I need to reset it now,” the doctor says, pulling out a syringe. “I’ll give her a heavy sedative. It will knock her out for the flight, but this needs to go back in place before the swelling gets worse.”
“Do it,” I order.
I hold Katarina’s uninjured hand while the doctor maneuvers the joint. Even unconscious, she whimpers, her body jerking as the bone snaps back into the socket.
I flinch, feeling the snap as if it were mine.
“Wrap it,” I command and turn away, not wanting to see her in pain.
“We need to move. We’re sitting ducks here.” Julian says, staring out the window.
“Get the jet ready and give her one of the fake passports we have. We leave tonight.” I tell Gio, and he nods.
“Jet?!” Julian asks in confusion.
“I’m taking her to Sicily. If I’m right, and this is the mafia’s work. That’s the only safe place for her right now.” I say.
“Mafia? What on earth are you talking about?”
“We overheard that politician. He was in my club this afternoon talking about delivering a certain model to the Mafia. I wasn’t sure then that they were talking about Katarina. I only had my suspicion when I saw him call her, trying to ask her out.” I say.
Gio adds, “I managed to get the politician’s phone. From what I can tell, he’s just handling logistics and supplying goods for someone in the Mafia. We still don’t know exactly who he’s working with, but the Italian Mafia came up a few times in his conversations. We’re also digging deeper into the number he was contacting.”
“But why would the Italian Mafia want Katarina?” Julian asks, his voice tinged with anger.
“I’ll find out the answer when she is safe in Italy,” I say.
“How is that safe when you’re delivering her straight to Sicily?” I can hear the panic in his voice; his tone is starting to irritate me. So I pull out my phone and play Mateo’s voicemail. His face contorts into a frown, but he finally shuts up.
“Mateo asked me to protect her.Me. Because he knows I’m the only one who can.” I say.
He rubs his temples before placing his one hand on his nape, turning his back on us. After a beat, he says, “I’m coming with you then.”
“And why would you do that?” I ask.
“Because it’s my job to protect her, too.” He argues, looking at me with such disdain.
I chuckle, and for the first time, I realize it.This asshole has feelings for her.
Well, too bad he ain’t acting on that. Not until I’m dead.
“The boss and Kat are my only family. I would like to see this through since I couldn’t protect him,” he adds after a beat.
“The Mafia is no joke,” Gio warns.
“Then they messed with the wrong people,” Julian answers, staring at Katarina, and it makes me want to punch him in the face after he refers to her as family—the audacity.
But for now, she needs all the protection she can get. I guess he’s coming with us then.
“Make sure to leave men here to watch the clubs and my place. Mateo’s place, too.” I instruct, and he leaves the room.
When he is gone, Gio asks, “Do you plan on coming back here?”
“It doesn’t matter. But we have to make sure she is safe,” I say, my gaze lingering on the sleeping woman the rest of the world is dying to possess.
∞∞∞
The ride to the airport is a blur. Gio zipped through traffic, and before I knew it, we were pulling up at the tarmac.
