“Those Italians probably passed her around. Now it’s my turn. Go mind your business.”
“When he comes for her, I hope he blows your head off. Things were peaceful while you were away. The last two years have been hell since you’ve been trying to lift your head.
“Romano is using you and you’re too stupid to see what’s coming. I said get the fuck away from her before I break your brother’s heart by making him have to bury you.”
I smiled to myself. That’s the Emory I know and love. I give her a silent thanks as the drugs they’ve been filling me with take me under once again.
Fire? Did Emory make it out? Rage fills me; I need to wake up.
I have fish to gut. Rico needs me. I need to make sure Emory made it out.
I push harder to open my eyes. Blinding pain rocks through my skull. I have to keep fighting.
“Any word on Rico?” Fredo asks.
“He’s finally stable, Doc says now we wait, same as here.”
“They’re going to be devastated. Rico wants to be a father. When he finds out Oni was pregnant and lost the baby, no one will be safe.”
Fredo sighs. “I wish that Emory chick had called with the location sooner. We lost a week trying to find her.”
“Bro, did you see that?”
“See what?”
“I think her finger twitched.”
“Wait, her eyes are moving under her lids,” Fredo says. “Oni, hey, sweetheart, can you hear me?”
“Oni, it’s me, Al. If you can hear me, give my finger a squeeze,” he coaxes as light pressure settles in the center of my palm.
“Where’s my gun? They killed my baby, and he tried to rape me.”
They both chuckle.
“That’s my girl,” Fredo croons.
“Welcome back, baby girl. We’re going to get them. You and Rico need to recover first,” Al says.
Rico
“Where is she?”
“Rico, hold on. You’re recovering. You need to rest,” Uncle Emilio says as he tries to stop me from getting out of bed.
“I can recover when I know she’s alive and well. Forgive me for not being able to trust you where she’s concerned. I need to set eyes on her.”
“Marone, when are you going to forgive me for that? I thought we got past all that.”
“This isn’t about us. My wife was taken. I should have killed Romano when I wanted to.
“I would have kept the blowback from your door. Out of respect for you, I let him live,” I snap.
“Oni, wait. You should be in bed. Please,” my mother-in-law says on the other side of the door.
In the next moment, the door bursts open, and my wife comes into view. I go to stand to get to her, but pain sears through my leg. I stumble forward and have to pause.
Oni rushes to me and wraps her arms around me. I wrap her in my embrace and hold her tightly to me. She breaks down sobbing, which is so unlike my wife.
