Chapter 6
KNIGHT
Once Cassia and Eleni are settled into the hospital on the island, I stand at the end of the hallway for a few minutes.
It’s been a rough week. At first, we couldn’t get the sisters out of Greece, because they both had surgery.
Santiago had one of his private jets rigged with medical equipment. He also had Dr. Anthony go to Greece so he could monitor the sisters during the trip back to South America, where the island is located.
They’re both in induced comas, and the doctor can’t tell us whether they’ll pull through.
If only I’d gotten there ten minutes earlier.
I’m always too late when it counts most.
“Knight,” I hear Santiago call, and when I glance over my shoulder at the entrance to the hospital, he gestures for me to come.
I sigh as I exit the building, and when I join him outside, he asks, “How are they?”
I shrug. “We’ll have to wait and see.”
He shakes his head, his features tight with worry. “Besides Cassia and her sister, the bratva wiped out the entire family and most of the high-level associates in the Greek mafia. The rest of the organization is scattered.”
He lifts his hand and swipes the pad of his thumb over his bottom lip. “Leo and Enzo are on their way. I told everyone to gather here until we know if it was a one-off attack or whether the bratva is coming after all of us.”
I nod and glance through the windows into the hospital. When I see Dr. Anthony, I tap Santiago’s arm and nod my head in the direction of the man who’s been overseeing the sisters' care.
“Let’s hear how the women are doing,” Santiago mutters.
I shouldn’t care, but I can’t stop myself from following my friend into the hospital.
“How are they?” Santiago asks.
“Cassia is stable, but we won’t know the extent of the injury Eleni suffered until she regains consciousness. I’ve stopped the medication so they can come out of their induced comas. Only time will tell now.”
Santiago nods. “Thanks, doc.”
When Dr. Anthony returns to his patients, Santiago shakes his head and lets out a sigh. “There’s nothing else we can do here. I’m going to talk with Dominik so we can start forming a plan.”
Knowing Santiago is safe on the island, I don’t follow after him but find myself glancing down the hallway again. Before I’m able to think things through, my feet move, and the next minute, I find myself standing in the doorway of Cassia’s hospital room.
I stare at her pale complexion while the machines make nerve-racking noises.
A nurse comes down the hallway, and when I lock eyes with her, I ask, “Are the machines supposed to sound like that?”
She nods. “Her vitals are good. She’s a fighter.”
When the nurse walks away, I turn my attention back to Cassia and slowly step deeper into the room. I stop next to the bed, and my gaze drifts over the bandage around her bicep before settling on the breathing tube.
The memory of Cassia running behind Eleni flits through my mind. Through the scope of my rifle, I saw the gunshot wounds she suffered, but still, she kept running until I killed the second bratva soldier. The moment she realized help had arrived she seemed to lose all her fight.
The images flash through my mind like a reel from a film.
The bodies dropping as I killed one fucker after the other.
Cassia slowing down, and the bullet hitting her in the back.
Cassia crawling to get to her sister.
Even though she begged me to save Eleni, there was nothing I could do.
Just like there was nothing I could do for Ronnie.
The memory of Ronnie’s body pinned beneath the bastard while foam was dribbling from the corner of her parted lips ravages my already destroyed soul.
My legs almost give way, and I place my hand on the side of the bed for support.
I’m surprised when Cassia’s fingers stir, and the knuckle of her pointer finger brushes against the side of my pinky. My eyes flick to her face, but not seeing any other signs that she’s coming to, I let out a sigh.
For some reason I can’t explain, I pull the armchair closer and take a seat beside the bed.
The bratva wiped out her family, and she kept going with three bullet wounds. Not even the fourth one took her out. She still crawled to her sister.
Flashes of when Cassia saved Santiago and Dominik flit through my mind, and my eyes narrow on the woman who’s much stronger than she looks.
My eyes drift over her face. Her pale complexion makes her seem fragile, and I catch myself doing something weird by taking hold of her hand.
Her skin is ice cold, so I lift my other hand and rub my palm up and down her arm.
She’s freezing.
I tuck her arm beneath the white sheet and adust the fabric around her before I get up to go look for Jasmine, the nurse.
Finding the woman at a nursing station, I ask, “Where do you keep the blankets?”
Her eyebrows lift as she gestures to a room behind her. “Do you need one?”
“Just give me two,” I order.
She pops into the room, and a few seconds later, she returns with two blankets, which she hands to me.
I head to Eleni’s room and place one of the blankets on the armchair while I cover her with the other. As I tuck the fabric in around the girl, my mind plays tricks on me, and for a split second, I see Ronnie lying with a breathing tube.
“Ronnie,” I whisper, my heart stuttering in my chest.
When I blink again, it’s to see Eleni, and I step away from the bed while sucking in a deep breath. Swinging around, I grab the other blanket and rush back to Cassia’s room.
As I’m draping the blanket over her, she lets out a soft groan, but when she doesn’t move or open her eyes, I start to get worried.
Hurrying out of the room, I head to the nurses' station, and as the woman lifts her head, I gesture with a jab of my thumb over my shoulder. “Cassia just groaned. I think she’s in pain.”
The nurse shakes her head as she accompanies me back to the room. “She’s probably starting to come to. She’ll be in and out of it for a while.”
“How long is a while?” I ask, my tone too harsh.
“It can be anything from a few hours to a couple of days. It’s different for every person.”
The nurse checks the machines before she leans over Cassia and taps her cheek. “Miss Dimitrou? Can you hear me?”
Cassia suddenly makes a gagging sound, and it has me darting forward while snapping, “Remove the fucking tube. She’s choking.”
“Sir, you have to calm down,” the nurse orders with a stern voice. “Wait outside while I see to the patient.”
I tilt my head, a tremor shuddering through my body as I level the woman with a look of warning. “I’m staying right here.”
Fear creeps into her eyes, but then Cassia groans again, and the sound draws our attention to her.
“Cassia?” Jasmine murmurs. “Can you open your eyes?”
My hands fist at my sides, but then I cross my arms over my chest, my body tense because the nurse isn’t working quickly enough for my liking.
Cassia’s lashes start to flutter, and when she gags again, I rub a frustrated hand over my face.
Thankfully, Jasmine starts to remove the breathing tube, but the sounds coming from Cassia have me clenching my teeth.
The sight of Ronnie foaming around the mouth hits me hard, and when the gruesome image passes, I find myself right next to Cassia’s bed, her hand gripped tightly in mine while ragged breaths rush from me.
The nurse checks Cassia’s vitals again, then she smiles at her patient. “Your breathing is normal, and your vitals look good. I’m just going to go call the doctor so he can come check on you.”
I’m given a cautious look as she leaves the room, and through a window that looks out into the hallway, I see her quickly hurry away. When I turn my eyes back to Cassia, it’s to see her drowsily looking at me.
“E-Eleni?” The word is hoarse and weak.
I gesture with a nod toward the window, and my tone is too harsh as I mutter, “She’s in another room.”
When Cassia’s fingers stir in my hold, I realize I’m still holding her hand and quickly let go. I start to take a step backward, but something keeps me from moving away from the bed.
I glance around the room and suck in a deep breath before my eyes settle on Cassia’s drowsy ones.
Her forehead furrows, and her tongue darts out to wet her lips. “Eleni,” she whispers, her eyelids growing heavier.
I clear my throat, and my voice is rough as I say, “I’ll watch over both of you. Sleep.”
She pries her eyes open again, and they move over my face before she loses the battle and drifts off to sleep.
I might have been too late to keep the sisters from getting hurt, but as long as they’re breathing, I’ll guard them.
I’ll do for them what no one did for Ronnie.
I turn my head and stare at Eleni’s window, but the blinds are drawn in her room.
Leaving Cassia’s side for a minute, I walk to the other room and open the blinds. When I’m back at Cassia’s bedside, I position the armchair so I can see both women while sitting in it.
For the past two years, all I’ve done is kill, but I now have the chance to save lives.
Maybe I’ll be able to do penance for failing Ronnie.