Chapter 42
CIRO
My brothers and I rushed into the hospital emergency room. It’d taken longer to get there than I’d thought. Every goddamn thing took longer for me today. I was over the universe fucking with my life.
I strode toward the information desk with my brothers on my heels.
“Can I help you?” the woman asked behind the counter.
“Yes, my wife was brought in. Isla Martin.”
She tapped away on her computer keyboard, and I tapped my fingers on the counter. If she questioned me, I might wring her neck.
“Identification.”
I glanced at Roman as I took out my wallet and showed her my license.
“Remotti,” she said my last name like she wasn’t buying what I was selling.
“Yes.”
“Modern day couple, huh? I have major respect for a woman who keeps her maiden name.” She put a clipboard in front of me. “Sign here.”
I didn’t reply and signed the form.
“Through those doors, third floor, room three-twenty. And they can’t go with you.” She pointed at my brothers.
“Why not? They’re my brothers.”
She sighed and looked at them with a critical eye. I’d say she was in her fifties. “Sign the form.”
Roman and Luca signed and she buzzed us through.
Fabio had sent a couple of guards with us, but I had them wait outside at the entrance. Fortunately, the weather in California was comfortable, compared to Canadian temperatures in May. I didn’t feel bad about leaving them out in the elements.
We entered the elevator and I pushed number three.
“I’m nervous to see her,” I told my brothers honestly.
“The sooner you get it over with, the better,” Roman replied.
“Maybe the doctor can give her a sedative to keep her calm after you tell her. She’s going to lose it.” Leave it to Luca to make me feel worse.
“Call Wolf and tell him what’s going on,” I told Roman. “Ask him to have Grizzly look for the paternity of a Cosimo Clemente.”
“What for?” Roman asked.
“To confirm who is father is. And that it’s not Padre.” My stomach churned when the elevator stopped and the doors opened.
“Cara had dad’s child?” Roman whispered.
“I don’t think so, but I need confirmation.” I glanced around and found the sign on the wall with the room numbers and arrows pointing in which direction to go. “This way.”
“Mr. Remotti?”
I stopped upon hearing my name. The guy Isla worked with was not who I wanted to see.
“Jon, right?” I asked.
“Yes. Are you here to see Isla?” he asked.
“Who else would I be here to see?” I shoved my hands into my pant pockets.
“Right. I’m just surprised to see you. Usually it’s only family who’s allowed in.”
“I am her family.”
He reared his head back. “Okay, I’m not going to stop you.”
“Good.”
“I was just with her a little while ago. You should prepare yourself.” He glanced at my brothers. “She’s in bad shape.”
“Okay.” I took a step.
“Also,” he said, making me stop and face him.
“Yes?” I glared at him, showing my annoyance.
“She’s experiencing some memory loss. I’m certain it’s temporary, but you should be aware if she doesn’t remember you. She had a little trouble remembering me at first.”
“I’m confident she’ll know me.” I squared my shoulders. “Anything else?”
“She hasn’t asked about her baby.”
His words hit me like a bulldozer in the gut. “She hasn’t?”
“No. It’s concerning given how much she loves her baby. So, I didn’t bring it up for fear it might traumatize her. Do you know what happened to Isla?” he asked.
“She was attacked at home.” I kept it short and sweet, because he didn’t need to know all the details.
“And her sister? She must have been there too.”
“Yes.” I had totally forgotten about Isla’s sister. “How is her sister?”
Jon looked down at his feet. “When she was brought in, she was unresponsive. She didn’t make it.”
“Oh, shit,” Roman whispered.
“Does Isla know?” I asked.
“No. I didn’t have the heart to tell her after she woke up and was disoriented. It’s best to hold off a bit. Receiving bad news could delay her regaining her memory.”
I nodded. “That makes sense.”
“Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be around.”
“Thanks.”
“Ask about Paolo,” Luca whispered.
“Jon, wait,” I blurted.
“Yeah?”
“Our cousin was brought in, too. His name is Paolo Remotti.”
“I haven’t seen him, but I’ll look into it.”
“Thank you.” I motioned for my brothers to follow me. “I’ll go in first. We don’t want to overwhelm her.”
“Okay. And don’t tell her about Pippa. It’ll be too much for her,” Roman said.
“We need to get the baby back before Isla finds out she’s missing,” Luca said.
“Yes.” I stopped at Room 320. “Wait here.” I inhaled a deep breath before going in.
The sound of beeping monitors made my organs twist into a knot, but nothing prepared me for seeing her beautiful face.
I choked down my emotions and moved closer. Isla was sound asleep and I was glad. I wouldn’t want her to see me shocked at her appearance. Her face was black and blue, and swollen. There were stitches that ran down the left side of her temple. Her arm was in a cast. And her bottom lip was busted.
I laced my fingers together and squeezed them against my mouth as I stared at my beauty. If Roy wasn’t dead, I would beat him to death for what he did to Isla.
Time seemed to stand still as I watched her sleep. The last thing I wanted to do was disturb her. She needed to rest and appeared okay.
As much as I wanted to take her into my arms and kiss her, I refrained. I had too much to do to make things right. Priority number one was getting our daughter back safe and sound.
I kneeled on the floor and prayed at the foot of her bed. It wasn’t often that I asked God for help or protection. He’d let me down two times before with the death of my mother and Julietta. But I was at His mercy…
Heavenly Father, I kneel before you and bow my head in humility to ask for your help. Please, Lord God. My innocent baby girl, Pippa, needs your divine powers to surround and shield her from the evil men who have taken her.
Father, I beg you to provide her with comfort and that the men who have her treat her with care and compassion.
Please God, lead me to where she is. Help to get this ordeal resolved quickly and with minimal trauma for Pippa and her mother.
Merciful God, keep her safe. I humbly ask you for these things, Father. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
I rubbed my palms against my damp eyes and stood up.
Carefully, I placed a kiss on Isla’s head and lightly touched the top of her hand. “I’ll make this right my love. You have my word.” I kissed her again and left.
“Did you find out anything?” I asked my brothers.
“Wolf is on it. How is she?” Roman asked.
“Go in and see her. Both of you. Then we have work to do.”
They didn’t spare a second going in to see my beloved, Isla.
“Mr. Remotti,” Jon said.
“Call me, Ciro.”
“Okay. Ciro. Your cousin Paolo is in critical condition. He was shot in the chest and is in surgery.”
“Jesus.” I scrubbed my hand down my cheek. “What do you think? Will he make it?”
“I don’t know. It can really go either way.”
“I appreciate your honesty and not questioning me,” I said frankly. “The situation is of a delicate nature.”
“Right. I thought so. I’ve looked you up.” He held my gaze. “Is she still sleeping?”
“Yes. I didn’t disturb her. My brothers are inside, then we’ll be leaving.” I took out a business card and handed it to him. “Call me for anything she needs and when Paolo is out of surgery.”
“Of course.”
Just then Roman and Luca exited Isla’s room. Roman eyed me like there was something important he needed to tell me.
“We’ll be leaving now,” I told Jon.
“I’ll keep you posted on any changes for Isla and Paolo.”
“Appreciate it.”
My brothers and I headed for the elevator. Once inside, I gave Roman my full attention.
“They got the Russian to talk. He works for Zotov and they were supposed to take Isla. but they didn’t know which woman was the right one, so they took the baby.”
“Why?”
“Because they want Kira.”
“So, it wasn’t Cara,” I said.
“Apparently not, but Grizzly is looking into Cosimo,” Luca said.
“Well, I will give them Kira.” The doors of the elevator opened.
“You can’t just hand over Wolf’s brother. They’ll kill him.” Roman stared at me like I’d lost my mind.
“The fuck I can’t. Bratva has my daughter, and I will get her back. Where’s your loyalty to the family?”
“I’m loyal, but Wolf is our brother-in-law. He’s our sister’s husband and not to be fucked with.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it, Roman,” Luca spat. “Blood above everything else. Wolf’s brother shouldn’t have fucked around with the Bratva. Now, he’ll pay the price with his life.”
“Get Wolf on the phone,” I told Roman as we stormed out of the hospital. “And Luca, we need more guards at the hospital.” With Cara Clemente alive, I wasn’t taking any risks with Isla’s life.
“On it.”
I took out my phone and called Fabio.
“Yeah,” he answered. “How’s your girl?”
“She’ll live.”
“Good.”
“Any idea where Zotov is holding my baby?”
“Not yet. But I’m working on it.”
“I need someone to look into a Vera Antonova. She’s Kira’s mother and still in Russia. I suspect she isn’t alive and Kira’s been lying to his brother all this time.”
Roman furrowed his brow like he couldn’t believe what I’d said.
“Okay. That might take a little time, but I’ll put one of my men on it,” Fabio replied.
“I owe you big my friend.” I ended the call getting into the car.
“If Wolf’s mother is dead, and Kira’s been lying, Wolf will lose it,” Luca said.
“Good. I never believed a word out of that lowlife’s mouth.”
“I’ll call Wolf and have him bring Kira here.” Roman exhaled a heavy breath.
I understood where he was coming from. He couldn’t imagine handing over one of his brothers to a crime boss, knowing full well they would be killed. Brothers in our world had a special bond. We’d die for each other.
But it appeared Wolf didn’t have the same kind of relationship with his brother as I had with mine. Not my problem, though.
If Zotov wanted Kira in exchange for my baby, he’d get him.
Whether Wolf liked it or not.