Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Riley
Finding out about shifters is like a dream. That was never something I thought would be real. Not ever. But now that I know? I want to know more. But first I need to know that Fiorella’s okay and hopefully she doesn’t blame me for her getting shot.
“What’s going through that beautiful head of yours?” Fionn whispers as he holds me.
“What if Fiorella hates me?”
“Baby, I know Fiorella, she’s going to tell you that none of this was your fault. That there was nothing you could’ve done to change this.”
“Thank you. It scares me to think that any of the family might be mad at me. I’ve come to see them as my family too.”
“They are your family. I am your family.” He says as he kisses me.
We join the rest of the family in the surgical waiting room.
Every one of them hugs me and I can’t help the tears that are falling.
Finally, after another hour, a doctor came out.
Fionn tells me that his name is Jér?me Laurent and he’s another member of the mafia family.
He tells us that Fiorella is doing well.
That the bullet went through cleanly and didn’t hit any organs she will be in recover for about an hour.
Then he’ll move her to a private room and then we can all see her.
For now, her mama, Rosaura went to sit with her.
“I’m going to get on the security upgrades for our buildings. Mam told me she really doesn’t want to keep the bakery closed for more than a day. So if it’s okay, I’m going to grab as many guys…” Sebastiano starts to say as his sister Giovanna is squinting at him.
“And girls I can…” he squints back at her. “To get it done as fast as we can.”
“Okay. Make sure you’re all paying attention to your surroundings. Head on a swivel and no one goes anywhere alone. I don’t care what the reason is. No one.” His papà, Enea, says to him.
“Sì, papà.”
“I’ll come and help as soon as I see Rella.” Salvatore says to him.
I watch the family hug and then half of them leave. I know Fionn doesn’t want to leave me, but I also know he wants to help the family out.
“You should go and help Sebastiano. I promise I’ll stay with the family and I have Oliver.”
“I don’t want to leave you. But I know I can help get your shop ready too. Let me talk to Enea. I want you to have more than just Oliver with you.”
I watch him go over to Enea to talk to him. Daphne comes and sits next to me.
“I think your new family is a really good one.” She whispers to me.
“You know they’re your family too.” I smile at her.
“We’re two lucky bitches.” She chuckles softly. “And I’m really glad Fiorella’s going to be okay.”
“Me too, I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared before.”
Fionn comes back over to us.
“Enea’s said that you’ll be safe while you’re here with all of them. There are a few bodyguards here and they’ll be watching you both. Oliver will not leave your side too.”
I stand up and hug Fionn. “Please be careful. I can’t lose you.”
“I will, mo fhíorghra. Let me know if you decide you want to head home.”
“Okay.” I nod as I kiss him. He leaves with the last of the guys that are heading out.
I overhear Enea talking to Giacomo about someone picking Scrapper up.
I keep hearing that name. I want to ask questions, but I don’t think I’m allowed to just yet.
Finally, Rosaura comes out and tells us that we can all go to Fiorella’s room.
I follow everyone into the room and one by one we all hug her.
Fiorella looks at me and takes my hand.
“That look on your face is telling me that you’re thinking this is your fault. But it’s not. So wipe that look off your face. We’re family and everything’s okay. I’m fine. So, what’s been going on since I was out cold in surgery?” she smiles.
Seraphina, Oliver, Ares and Apollo tell her about Daphne and I finding out about their animals.
“I wish I had been there.” Fiorella laughs.
“I’m not sure I believe what I saw yet. I mean how is this even possible?” I laugh.
“Wait till you see all of them. We all say we wish we could do it.”
Salvatore and Gianluca, Fiorella’s triplet brothers come rushing in and hug her.
“What’s wrong with you? Don’t you’re supposed to avoid getting shot? And before you open your mouth, I talked to Marco.” Salvatore frowns at his sister.
Fiorella scrunches up her face.
“What do you expect from Leonardo Mancini’s daughter?” she snaps at him.
“I expect my baby sister to no step in front of a fucking bullet.”
“Watch your mouth, Mijo.” Their mamà says to him.
“Sorry mamà, but Fiorella should’ve listened to Marco.”
“What a narc.” Fiorella says as she glares at Marco.
“Fiorella Mancini.” Rosaura frowns at her daughter.
“Well that went south pretty fast.” Ares whispers.
“I can hear you, you big loaf.”
“Did you just call me a loaf?”
“Yes.”
I can’t help laughing at them, even when Salvatore was yelling at his sister, I could feel the love that he has for her.
And how scared he was for her. They’re reminding me that I never told my siblings about what’s been going on.
They were all supposed to come down for my grand opening, but they called last night and said couldn’t make it.
They were super sad, but after what happened today?
I’m grateful now that they didn’t come out.
I don’t know if they’ll hear about the shooting.
And I don’t know how much I can tell them about my new family. I’ll have to talk to Fionn and ask him.
We spend about an hour with Fiorella and the family before heading back to the property.
On the way back, I asked Oliver if we could stop by the shop.
So we called Fionn to make sure they were okay with us coming by.
He told us that they’re working on the security upgrades.
It’s amazing how fast the family works to get things done.
When we get to my shop, we see the guys working inside and outside of the bakery, cafe and my shop. I walk over and Fionn gives me a kiss. Sebastiano explains how the new security will work to me and Daphne.
“So the security system is now connected. Your coffee shop, the bakery, cafe and Rella’s shop are connected together.
The security room is in the bakery and there’s seven camera’s in each shop.
” He explains as he points them out to us.
“The main feed goes to the property, into our security room. I wanted to be able to see it there too. Because we have someone there twenty-four-seven. So you’ll always be able to alert us if something happens here. ”
“How are we going to prove this was Playboy and his crew?” I ask.
“We have the eye-witnesses and they all made statements. The next thing we will do is wait for Scrapper to get here. I know you don’t quite understand how the family works yet.
But you will, for now, Scrapper is the president of the Feral Raptors MC.
They’re from England and they’re a chapter club of the Cimaruta MC. ”
“So are they answer to your MC?” I ask.
“Basically, yes.” He nods.
“So Scrapper, is he like Playboy?”
“No. The old president, T-Rex was like Playboy. And Playboy was his Sargent-At-Arms. But when T-Rex was taken out, Scrapper gave some of them a choice and the ones who chose to stay, stayed. From what everyone knew, things were good. But when they come to the US, especially here to Chicago, they have to tell us. Apparently Playboy has decided the rules don’t apply to him and Scrapper wants to take his cut. ”
“Cut?”
“The vest the MC wears, it tells people who we are and who we belong to.” Francesco says as he brings his over and shows me. His says Sgt-At-Arms and Bestia on the front.
“Bestia?”
“That’s my road name it means ‘Beast’. In Italian.”
“Do you all have a road name?”
“Yes, every patched member has a road name.”
“Sorry for all the questions, the only things I really know about MC’s is what I’ve seen on TV.” I chuckle.
“That’s what everyone says.” He laughs.
“Tomorrow we’ll put in the new bullet proof glass for all the shop fronts.” Fionn says.
I look at my shop and Fiorella’s shop and see all the front windows are boarded up. That’s how she got shot. From what the eye witnesses said, Playboy and his crew started shooting from my shop and stopped around Fiorella’s. It makes me sad to see the boards up on the windows.
Fionn
When we left the hospital, we headed straight to town to get the security systems upgraded.
Between all of us, it took us about three hours to get them all up and hooked up.
When Riley came down, we were just testing out the system and making sure everything was wired right.
I can see the sadness in her eyes as she looks at all the windows that were shot out.
I know we’ll find Playboy. The question is will we find him before he hurts one of us.
“My papà said that the prospect has Scrapper and his guys. They’re headed to the property now. We’ll meet up with them in an hour.” Francesco tells us.
“Has he heard from Playboy?” I ask.
“Yes. And Playboy knows Scrapper’s coming and that he needs to talk to him. I don’t think he knows what’s going to happen. But even if he does, it doesn’t really matter. Scrapper plans of kicking out of the club.”
“Are they having him come to the clubhouse?” Sebastiano asks.
“I don’t know. They’ll tell us when we get back to the property. Let’s get the signs up since the three shops will be closed tomorrow and head home. Sal will be meeting us there too.” Francesco answers.
“I hear they told Rella yours and Daphne’s reactions to the shifters.” I chuckle.
“She couldn’t stop laughing. And she said it’s a good thing that the bullet went through her upper shoulder and not her side. Or laughing would suck.”
“Yeah, that sounds like Rella.” I laugh as we work to put up the signs.
“This makes me sad that the bakery has to be closed.” She sighs as she looks around.
I hold her. “I know, but hopefully it’ll be over soon and we can get back to our lives.”
“I really hope so.”