I shook my head.“No.I don’t want him alive, but I don’t want to kill anyone else.”I turned to look at Hannah.“Thank you.”The other woman smiled back at me.
Knuckles and Inferno hauled Iron out to a waiting cage where Tonio and his men could deal with the bastard as they saw fit.
Finally, Tonio gave a small, frustrated sigh.“Tessa.Honey.”A single tear slid down Tessa’s cheek, and Tonio scrubbed a hand over his face.“You don’t know me, Tessa.”
“You said you’d kill anyone who did this.”It broke my heart to hear Tessa’s voice so raw and terrified.
“I did.”
“That’s all I need to know.”Tessa’s gaze never wavered from Tonio’s.
“Have you met Tonio before, Tessa?”I didn’t think the man would be the kind of person to hurt women when he’d made getting Tessa back the priority over anything to do with his businesses, but the guy was the aforementioned mafia prince.
Tessa shook her head slowly.“No.”
“She sees me,” Tonio said simply.“Don’t you, Miss Garrison?”When she said nothing further, Tonio continued.“Do you trust me, Tessa?”
“Yes.”
Tonio gave a small, crisp nod, then he turned his attention to Hannah.“Would you mind having a room at Haven prepared for Tessa?She’ll need room for medical equipment.I’ll have some things delivered for her care.”
Knuckles grunted.“You know, once she’s in Haven she’s under our protection.If she doesn’t want to see you, even if you buy the whole fucking compound, we’re not letting you in.Right?”
Tonio smiled.“She’s capable of making her own decisions and I will abide by them.I’m still seeing to her care.”
“As long as we understand each other,” Hannah added.
Tessa looked up at me.“He can stay.”
I didn’t know what to do with that.So I just shrugged.“Well.I guess that means he can stay.”
“Well, shit, boss.”One of the guys with Tonio scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck.“Warn me next time.If I’d known she was yours I’d have already had the doc on the way.”
Tonio shook his head.“Kiss of Death has a doctor they all trust.Pain will take care of Tessa and call me if he needs anything.”Tonio looked at Knuckles.“Yes?”
Knuckles grinned.“I’ll relay the fuckin’ message, Tonio.”
Chapter Seventeen
Veda
No one was more surprised than me when Tessa wouldn’t allow anyone but Tonio to carry her out of the restaurant and to the SUV waiting to take us back to Kiss of Death and Haven.She clung to him, not saying a word, and Tonio, even though Tessa was filthy from her ordeal, didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her like she seemed to need.The whole ride, Tessa remained silent and still.She had her eyes closed but I could tell she didn’t sleep.
Once we got to Haven, Pippa met us and we all made our way to the lift and a large apartment on the third floor.I walked alongside her and Tonio where Tessa could see me if she opened her eyes.Her skin looked gray under the fluorescent lights, her breathing shallow, her eyelids only half open as she drifted between consciousness and whatever hell the drugs were dragging her through.
Soft, dim lamplight cast the walls in a warm glow that somehow made everything feel more homey.A handmade quilt in faded blues and purples lay folded at the foot of the bed -- donated, Hannah had explained, by a woman who’d spent three months at Haven last year.On the nightstand sat a pitcher of water with a slice of lemon floating on top.
Tonio set Tessa in a comfortable chair next to the window and then, with a careful gentleness I never would have guessed he possessed, he helped her out of the filthy fleece hoodie before wrapping a blanket from the back of the chair around her.He knelt in front of her, whispering something only Tessa could hear.She nodded at him with barely a movement of her head.Tonio brushed his thumb along her cheek in a lingering touch before standing and, leveling me with a look, walked back to the door and slipped outside.The room was quiet again except for the thin, hitching sound of my sister’s breath.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.Once the door shut, Pippa and Hannah helped me get Tessa undressed.She asked softly to take a shower and I stayed with her.I had to do most of the work because she was so weak and out of it, but I simply shucked my clothes down to my underwear and climbed in with her.
Once we’d finished and put on clean clothes.I brushed through her hair, being as gentle as could and still get her tangle free.Through it all, Tessa obeyed me passively.
When I opened the door, Pippa helped me guide Tessa to the bed where we urged her to sit.I watched as she eased back gingerly to sit upright but with her legs outstretched in front of her on the bed.She still looked half drugged.Whatever they’d pumped into her system at Vossberg’s restaurant had its hooks in deep.
Nadine approached Tessa.She also had a quiet manner that could put a person at ease.
“Hi, Tessa.Pain’s not going to get all up in your space.”She gave my sister a gentle smile.“But, if you don’t mind, I’d like to look you over.Make sure we catch any major injuries.Once you’ve had a few days to rest, hydrate, and heal, we’ll do more extensive tests if you want.Is that OK?”
