Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Remi
I’m not going to drown. I’m not going to drown. I’m not going to drown.
It’s a mantra I cling to like a lifeline.
I’ve been treading water for what feels like an eternity. There was no point in fighting the current, but that means I don’t know how far I’ve drifted from the party.
All I know is it’s dark. I’m getting disoriented. And it’s cold as fuck.
Exhaustion sets in, and I switch over to floating on my back. Except just like in the pool, my lower half sinks like a stone, and this time, I don’t have an Alessandra to chastise me.
Or an Angelo to save me.
It’s a struggle, but I get my body positioned vertically, scissoring my legs while moving my fatigued arms. My teeth rattle my jaw from the cold.
Things are starting to get fuzzy in my brain, my thoughts jumbled…
At least I got to be on the stage. Maybe MawMaw would be proud of me. It really sucks getting murdered. I hope Angelo takes care of Nola; she acts like she doesn’t need anyone, but that’s just a front. Maybe the same could be said about me.
No man has ever taken care of you.
I was so close to letting him, but wouldn’t that have been silly? Me falling in love with Angelo Calvani.
I’m so tired, and my limbs no longer seem to cooperate. My head dips beneath the water, my lungs on fire….
Voices. Panicked voices.
Is this a dream?
Something hard is pressing on my chest, and I puke what feels like a gallon of water. Coughing, my eyes open, and I blink rapidly, looking around.
“Ma’am. Are you alright??” An old man asks me.
Wanting to make sure this is real, I ask between the chattering of my teeth, “I didn’t drown?”
“No, ma’am.” The man wraps a blanket around me. “You’re lucky our light landed on you before you went under. Otherwise, we’d have never seen you. How’d you wind up in the water?”
Mr. Prenup fucking Bennett. That’s how.
My eyes feel slightly out of focus, but they land on the name of the vessel illuminated by the light.
Calvani Seafood Company
“Angelo Calvani owns this boat?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Could you call him and let him know you’ve found me. Tell him it’s his houseguest,” I say, my eyes fluttering closed. “He’ll know who I am. Whatever you do, don’t call the cops.”
“Ma’am, open your eyes. Stay with me.”
But it feels soooo much better keeping them closed.
Angelo
I pace the room like a caged jungle cat. How my brother has survived nearly ten years of incarceration is beyond me. Then again, Fabien might not survive it if I find out he was behind the attempted hit.
But one dumpster fire at a time.
A knock on the door, and a uniformed officer appears. “Mr. Calvani, you’re being released.”
“About damn time,” Mr. Bennett says dramatically.
I don’t comment as we’re escorted out by the officer, where my belongings are returned to me. Mr. Bennett and I step outside, and my convey pulls up to the curb. Maks hops out, opening my door for me.
“I want a meeting with the mayor. I don’t care how you have to make it happen; fucking make it happen,” I tell Bennett before disappearing inside the SUV.
Behind the wheel, Maks says as we take off, “Who needs to die first?”
“I’m still working out the order. Where’s Al?”
“Nic and I took her home after your arrest. He’s with her at the house.”
“Good. And Remi?”
“We aborted the plan from the get-go. After getting Al home, I returned to the extraction point before going to the hotel and waiting. No sign of her at either.”
My mind reels. Did she run? Get arrested herself? Snag the mayor’s attention a little too well?
My teeth grind back and forth as I power up my phone, getting ready to tear this fucking city apart to find her.
There are several missed calls from the captain of one of my fishing boats, which is an oddity. An incoming call lights up, and I see it’s him.
“Captain,” I answer on speakerphone.
“Mr. Calvani. We pulled a woman out of the Mississippi River. She said to call you, that she was your houseguest.”
It feels like all the air’s been knocked out of my lungs. “What?”
“I said, we pulled a woman?—”
“Where is she?”
“Still on the ship. We’re emergency anchored at 90.1 above Head of Passes. Sir, she needs a doctor.”
My chest rattles violently. “Where’s the nearest dock? I’ll meet you there.”
He relays the mile marker, and Maks silently pulls a U-turn as we head toward the river.
“Sir, the incident was reported to the Coast Guard before I knew she was connected to you,” he says hesitantly.
“Radio them and say you were mistaken; it was debris and not a woman. If you’re boarded, make sure she remains hidden,” I instruct him.
“Understood.”
The call ends, and my hands shake violently as I scroll through my contacts, finding Al’s boyfriend’s father. A veterinarian is the closest thing I have to a doctor on call. Other than Laurie, and under no circumstances am I getting her involved.
“Mr. Calvani.” The vet answers.
“I need an emergency visit at my house.” My voice is tight.
“On my way.”
What little restraint I was holding onto snaps when I end the call. Retrieving a gun hidden beneath my seat, I lean forward and press the barrel to Maks’ neck. “How did Remi wind up in the fucking river? Tell me again what happened after I was arrested.”
To his credit, Maks doesn’t flinch. “I communicated with Remi that she had neither eyes nor a runner, and to abort the plan. My priority at that point was making sure your sister was safe, as she had no security with her inside the party.”
I let out a frustrated growl, lowering my weapon. I’ve gotten too fucking soft, letting Al talk her way into coming last night. Had she been home safe and sound, Maks could have focused his attention on helping Remi with her exit, which would not have been a water one.
We arrive at the dock to find my boat moored, the captain waiting for us. But all I can see is Remi, whose petite frame is draped in a blanket. She’s shivering violently.
“Wait, let me secure the area,” Maks calls, but I’m already out of the vehicle and running to her.
Scooping her into my arms, I say against her freezing head, “Did you really need to test out your swim lessons so soon?”
Her muscle convulsions are the only answer she gives me.
“Don’t know how long she was in the water; she’s damn lucky to be alive,” the captain tells me.
“Speak of this to no one,” I warn him.
“Of course, sir.”
“Remi, talk to me. What happened?” I ask, carrying her back to the vehicle.
“Nola needs a prenup, but she can’t be on the boat,” she says between the chattering of her teeth.
“What?” I ask.
“The piano can’t swim.”
Maks opens the door for us, and I tell him in a panic, “I’m worried. Remi’s speaking gibberish.”
“The chopsticks don’t go on the water,” Remi mumbles as I place her in the backseat.
“She’s hypothermic. Lose the wet blanket and remove her clothes. Take yours off to share body heat with her,” Maks instructs me.
I climb in beside Remi, tugging the blanket away from her, but I struggle to remove the wet gown that’s become a second skin. “I need a knife!”
One is placed in my hand, and I hold her dress away from her body, slicing down the middle.
It parts, and she’s braless, wearing a pair of waterlogged panties. “Look at her right now, and I’ll fucking kill you.” I snarl.
Maks refuses to make eye contact as he tosses a fresh blanket at us and closes the door, hopping in the driver’s seat.
We take off, with me struggling to unknot my damn tie. “Blast the heat on high.” I growl in frustration, shrugging out of my jacket.
“Boss, you don’t want to shock her system too much,” he warns. “You’ve got to raise her body temperature slowly.”
My tie’s knotted all to hell, and the damn thing gets sliced off my neck. The silk pieces flutter to the floorboard, and I get to work on my shirt. Giving up with a snarl, I use the knife to slice along the buttons, and it gets tossed.
Remi’s situated onto my chest as I adjust the blanket, wrapping my arms around her freezing body. “Little pickpocket, open your eyes,” I command, pressing my lips to her clammy ones.
Panic blooms in my chest when her eyes remain closed.
I promised Remi I’d steal a kiss from her, but this isn’t what I had in mind.