Chapter 35
Thirty-Five
Enzo
The moment we stepped into the private hall, I looked at Benny. “I want every damn detail. How’d you let this happen?”
Benny fell back a step, fire burning in his eyes, and he balled up his fists. I waited for him to punch me. If he did, it was deserved.
He shoved me instead. “How did I let this happen? Someone shot Dad while he was in the back seat of the Escalade. I was at home, taking care of business, when I got the call.”
“The SUV wasn’t bulletproof?” I asked.
“That one wasn’t.”
“Why aren’t all of them bulletproof?” This time, I shoved him. “He shouldn’t even own a vehicle that isn’t.”
I wasn’t even the family boss or underboss, and I knew that shit.
Benny ignored my shove. Just like with mine earlier, he knew he’d deserved that.
He massaged the back of his neck. “He hasn’t had an assassination attempt since the Lombardi war.”
I didn’t miss the way his eyes drifted toward Antonio since that was his brother who’d done it.
Sometimes, I wondered how much Benny had truly forgiven Antonio.
They acted like brothers now, but I could tell Benny considered digging up Antonio’s father’s grave and killing him again for what he’d done.
While Antonio hadn’t been involved, his father had accidentally shot Neomi, Benny’s wife, when Benny was the intended target.
We lived in one small, murderous, fucked-up world.
While they were common in Mafia circles, each assassination attempt needed to be taken seriously. Someone had been ballsy enough to try with our father. They knew if they failed, the repercussions would be deadly.
“He’s currently in the OR with the best surgeon in the city,” Benny explained, running the back of his hand over his sweaty, creased forehead. “He was shot twice. Luckily, only one of the bullets made contact and went through his chest. Barely missed the heart.”
“Motherfuckers,” I hissed through my teeth before blowing out an upward breath. “Any idea who’s responsible?”
He shook his head. “We don’t have any existing wars happening. We’ve been at peace for a while, everyone knowing their place.”
“It was a black SUV,” Antonio added. “I have my men pulling up all the city camera footage. Whoever was behind it, we’ll find them. They won’t live long.”
He shook his head, fear and anger matching ours. Not only did he care about my father as a son-in-law, but he also didn’t want his wife to lose her father.
I nodded in agreement, and we paused for a moment as a nurse passed us. Everyone on this floor was on our payroll, but that didn’t mean we talked freely in front of them.
I cracked my knuckles, ready for violence and revenge.
Not only would the Marchettis be looking for whoever had shot my father but two other Mafia families—the Cavallaros and Lombardis—would be searching as well. Not to mention, our connections in Chicago. We had also made friends with the head Bratva family who ran Boston.
Whoever had thought they were sly enough to cross us was royally fucked. If they hadn’t acted alone—which I doubted they had—everyone in their organization would be dead by the end of the week.
I rested the sole of my shoe against the wall and released a long breath.
“Why’d you bring the girl?” Benny asked.
“She was already with me,” I lied.
“Do you plan on taking her back to the university?”
I didn’t reply.
“Jesus,” he groaned, throwing his head back. “She can’t fucking stay at the mansion. Not with all of this going on.”
“I’m sure as hell not driving her back tonight.” I thrusted my finger toward the ground. “I’m staying here, in the city, until we figure this shit out.”
“One night.” Benny bared his teeth, his face reddening more. “She can stay for one night, but you make sure she brings nothing into the mansion. I don’t trust anyone right now.”
I nodded in gratitude. That was him allowing something our father never would. It was a favor to me that I appreciated because we hardly ever let anyone, especially someone I knew very little about, stay in the mansion.
If Blair had had anything to do with this, which I refused to believe, I’d just fucked over my entire family.
Blair had no one. She never worried about her phone, and I never found her being sneaky. Surely, she wasn’t involved. I’d never choose a Fawn who’d do something like that.
“Take her there now,” Benny said. “We’re still waiting on news from the surgeon. As soon as we get that, we’ll be busy for the rest of the night.”
“Got it.” I pushed off the wall.
“And, Enzo?”
I turned my head to look at him.
“She stays in your wing, period. Lock her ass in there.”
Benny and Antonio followed me out at the same time my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, seeing Brooks’s name on the screen, and I hit Ignore.
Seconds later, when we returned to the waiting room, I saw the TV headline.
“Shit.” I moved in closer to watch the TV.
The guys did the same as we listened to the reporter update the public that someone had tried to shoot the president. Like our father, he was also currently in surgery.
“Do you think the two are connected?” Antonio asked as we watched video footage of the president going down.
It looked like a shot to the shoulder.
“It’s real fucking suspicious,” Benny said before snapping his attention to me. “Take the girl, Natalia, and Gigi home.”
“I think not.” Mom shook her head. “I’m not leaving here. As soon as they’re finished with my husband’s surgery, I’m at his side. I’m already pissed they wouldn’t let me be in there during it. What was I going to do? Get in the way of someone handing the doctor a fucking scalpel?”
My mom could be a little hotheaded when it came to my father.
I noticed a sliver of a smile on Blair’s face at my mom’s response.
“Until then, I’m sitting in this waiting room.” She stubbornly crossed her arms.
Knowing her, I knew we’d have to drag her out. She’d kick and scream, and then when she got home, she would figure out a way to come back here.
Nothing could make her leave my father right now.
Benny gestured toward Natalia and Gigi while looking at Antonio. “Get at least two of your men here to watch them. I want every entrance and exit secure in this place. Have Julian do a run-through of every person working on shift at this hospital.”
“On it already.” Antonio tugged his phone from his blazer pocket. “I’ll also send some men around the mansion’s perimeter to make sure no one tries to breach the walls.”
“Appreciate it.” Benny patted his back before mouthing, Get the girl out of here now, to me.