Chapter 80
Edmundo
“You’ve been up all night, my love. You really should get some sleep,” Ana said, trying to force me to lie down on the couch in my office. “You’re not going to be any good to anyone if you’re exhausted.”
“I know, but I just can’t help thinking about that poem. It feels like it is aimed at you and Lilya, and I’m so tired of my family being threatened,” I growled, and continued to pace.
Ana was right, I felt the fatigue from being awake for over twenty-four hours setting in, but my mind wouldn’t shut off. The anger kept me upright, the questions kept my feet moving, and my money had others working their fingers to the bone to get me answers.
Ana had changed out of her dress and was perched on my desk, eyes calm and warm as they watched me.
“Not that I like our family being threatened, but you’re incredibly sexy when you’re like this,” she said, making me smirk.
Stopping in front of her, I gave her a quick kiss.
“Any word from the guy you used for the bank job?”
She looked at her phone and shook her head.
“No news.”
“Shit.”
I ran my fingers through my hair. I had a bad feeling.
“I’m going to try Paul again,” I said, but my phone rang in my hand. Speak of the devil. “Paul, I was just about to call you.”
“Ed, there has been an incident. Ren is on her way to the hospital,” he said, and I stumbled back.
The room tilted. Not spun—tilted. Like gravity had been adjusted just enough to break me. Ana jumped off the desk and grabbed my arms. I held her hand and looked into her eyes that were suddenly filled with worry.
“How bad?”
“It could’ve been a lot worse, but the on-site doctor says she is going to be fine. He is with her in the ambulance, and so is Blake O’Brien.”
“What happened?” I growled and put him on speaker.
The line was quiet.
“Paul, don’t fuck with me right now. We’ve been friends far too long. Fuck the Curator’s code of silence. Tell me what happened to my daughter.”
My fist clenched tight, muscles shaking with rage. The only thing grounding me was Ana’s hand on my arm.
“One of the teachers, Mark Sharpe, attacked her.”
“I don’t understand. Why would a teacher attack my daughter?”
“I can’t get into specifics with you, but I will say that there is suspicion that he has…ties to Christov, and…shit.”
“Who?” I barked but was already picturing Vadin’s smug face.
“Vadin, and possibly Patricia,” Paul finally said, and I stood there shocked.
I shouldn’t have been. They all hated us for one reason or another. But I never thought Patricia would go after Lilya.
“How the hell did Christov and Patricia get connected?”
“I’ll be in touch when I know more, but I need to go. Go see your daughter and let us worry about Sharpe.”
I hung up on him and snarled.
“Not a fucking chance.”
“Agreed, but we need to be there for Ren first. Then, we’ll take care of Christov, Patricia, and Vadin. I made the mistake of putting my vengeance first, and it could’ve cost me you and her. I won’t do it again.”
I nodded.
“Let’s go,” I said, already texting Marcus as Ana did the same with her men.
Grabbing the keys to the SUV, we marched outside.
“Sir, where are you going?”
The guard stationed at my office was on high-alert as we stormed past, leaving the door open.
“The hospital.”
“Give me a minute. I’ll get the guards assembled,” he said, scrambling.
Reaching the first SUV, I stopped and looked at him.
“Marcus will follow shortly, I just—”
A red dot appeared on Ana’s sweater—right over her heart. For half a second, my mind refused to understand what I was seeing.
No.
The sheer terror of losing her again had me moving before anyone knew what was happening.
I shoved her out of the way, and she yelped as she fell back.
The echo of the shot in the distance was followed by searing pain as I took the bullet meant for her.
I ignored it and jumped on top of Ana, blanketing her with my body.
Yells and gunfire erupted around the courtyard.
“Eddie, oh my god,” Ana cried, trying to get out from under me.
“I’m fine.”
That was a lie.
“Stay covered,” I said, groaning as white-hot pain seared down my left side. “Are you hit?”
“No, I’m okay. How bad is it?”
I didn’t really know, but I could still move all my body parts.
“I think it’s my shoulder,” I said, and winced when I tried to move it.
Marcus was suddenly there, kneeling beside us, along with so many others that they became a human wall.
“We need to get you to the hospital,” Marcus said. “Yuli, are you injured?”
“No, just help him,” Ana said.
“This is going to hurt,” Marcus said, and hauled me off of Ana. I grimaced against the stabbing sensation shooting down my arm.
“Fuck,” I growled as Marcus practically threw me into the back of the armored vehicle.
Ana climbed in after me, refusing to let go, her hands stained red with my blood. Marcus and Vlad got in the front, and the SUV tore out of the driveway. We skidded sideways as we hit the street, and I sucked in a sharp breath as the momentum pressed my wounded arm up against the door.
Pinging sounds hit the metal as we sped away.
Each bump we hit felt like I was being electrocuted. I sucked in a breath and focused on staying conscious—on staying alive.
“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered. “Could you find a few more potholes?”
“I can if you want,” Marcus shot back. I grumbled a few choice words under my breath.
“Let me see,” Ana ordered, pulling my hand away.
Grabbing the knife that she kept tucked in her boot, she cut through my suit jacket and shirt.
“Lean forward.”
I winced as I did what she said. She felt around the back side of my shoulder.
“The bullet is still in the wound. They’ll need to operate.”
Ana tore her blouse off and balled it. I bit down hard on my lip as she pressed it against the bleeding hole.
“Fuck that. Pull it out,” I said, and Ana looked at me like I’d gone mad. “I can’t be put under for surgery. Not now. Lilya needs me, and they all need to die for this,” I said, my voice still firm despite the blood loss.
“And they will, after the doctors remove the bullet and stitch you up.”
“No, you pull it out. I can take it.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
I tried to push her hands away, but Ana slipped onto my lap, straddling me, and put all her strength into slowing the bleeding and keeping me still.
“Don’t you dare start with me, Eddie Genovese. I’m not losing you due to your stubbornness. And our daughter wouldn’t want that either. God knows I’ve already put her through enough. She doesn’t need you dying from stupidity.”
I grabbed her arm, smearing blood across her fair skin.
“Please.”
Her chest rose, eyes firm, and arms locked straight.
“Not a chance.”
“Marcus,” I said.
“Fuck you. Shut up and listen to your wife. I’m not doing it either, even if you order me,” Marcus said as we flew down the street.
“And don’t even get me started about the two of you leaving the house without protection.
We’ll discuss that later,” Marcus said, his tone telling me that I was going to get an earful.
“Asshole,” I said, but the argument was lost, and I knew it. “You know, under any other circumstances, this would be sexy,” I said, realizing that Ana was only in a lace bra.
She glared at me and pressed harder on the wound. I winced.
“You’re obviously not in enough pain,” Ana snarled. “Don’t you ever do something so stupid again,” she said, her voice firm, but tears started down her cheeks.
“I will always save you,” I said.
“And that is what has always scared me,” she answered. “Do you realize you just proved everything I’ve argued with you about since I returned?”
I grumbled under my breath, not answering.
“We’re here, brace yourself.”
Marcus braked hard and then jumped out, yelling for a doctor.
Before things got insane and they pulled us apart, I cupped Ana’s face, leaving a smudge of red where my thumb touched her skin.
“I love you.”
She sniffed and blinked as more tears fell.
“I love you more.”
“Impossible,” I answered.
For a moment, the air held still. It was the two of us and nothing else. Ana kissed me hard, her lips salty from crying.
“Don’t you dare leave me, Eddie,” she ordered, her voice soft and full of love.
Then the door was yanked open. I reached for Ana as they put me on a gurney. She followed as they ran me inside, but our fingers only brushed.
“Find Lilya, I need to know she’s okay,” I called out.
“I will,” Ana said, stopping at a set of double doors.
Just before they slammed shut, I saw Ana’s face shift—the decision was already made. She was going after them herself.
And that truth hurt worse than the bullet in my shoulder. If I lost her and Lilya, it would end me in ways no grave ever could.