I tighten my embrace and move back toward the bed to sit and bring her into my lap. With her in my arms, I’m able to ignore the pain firing through my body.
“I’m here now. It’s okay, baby. I’m here,” I murmur into the top of her hair.
She takes a calming breath. “The baby is gone. The drugs and lack of nutrition … I lost the baby,” she sobs.
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I stepped out of the shop because I was feeling nauseous. I realized once I stepped out that I was already pregnant. That’s why I’ve been so tired and cranky lately.
“When I woke, the doctor told me I miscarried once you saved me and got me home. I’m sorry. I did everything I could.”
“Shh, baby, shh. This is my fault. I took too long to find you.
“If not for Emory reaching out, I’d still be looking for you. She said they only brought her in a few days ago. She had been somewhere else when the call first came in.
“She called me as soon as she was able to get a number for me. You were at one of Romano’s properties. We hadn’t known to look there; the Sullivans were the ones who took you,” I say as my thoughts race.
I still haven’t processed what she said. She was already pregnant? Our baby is gone?
“I knew you would come for me. I was waiting,” she whispers.
I can only nod. The pain in my body no longer registers as the pain in my chest takes over. It feels like I’ve been stabbed through the heart by a hot knife.
“The city is on lockdown. They won’t get away, youse two do whatever you need to.
“I have no objections. Burn the fucking city down if you want,” Uncle Emilio says, then walks out.
“Rico?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“About Emory. Is she okay? I owe her. Lorcan was going to rape me. She stopped him.”
“What did you say?”
“I woke to Lorcan trying to rape me. I fought as best I could with my hands tied, but then Emory came and pulled a gun on him. I want to thank her.”
“Mario has …” I pause to swallow hard. “She’s been in one of our safe houses. Lorcan knows she led us to you. He wants her dead.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“No, it’s not. I’m going to kill him with my bare hands as soon as I get out of here.”
“I’m not going to rest until they all pay for our baby.”
“Me either, baby. This is far from over.”
CHAPTER 46
Recovery
Rico
Six months later …
“Human”by Rag’n’Bone Man blasts through the speakers in our home gym as I push my body to its max. However, I don’t feel like I’m only human. I’ve crossed over into a different zone.
My one goal is to fully recover so I can avenge my wife and child. I haven’t stopped seeing red since Oni told me we lost our baby and that bastard tried to violate her.
