Chapter Thirty-Seven
Zahra
He wasn’t taken to a hospital, but one of the Marino safe houses in the city.
It was a penthouse in a hotel near Elio’s building.
All through the ride here, Elio hadn’t said a word; the man had been deep in silence, probably buried in his thoughts.
I wanted to assure him that all would be well.
I had no idea why I felt the need to talk him out of his head; I didn’t give a shit about Casmiro, but I cared about Elio, so I guess that’s why.
When we entered the elevator, I glanced at him, noticing his tense shoulders; his face was etched in a frown that made him look unapproachable. He was worried, and even his strong front couldn’t hide it.
“I’m sure he’s fine since he wasn’t hospitalized?”
“The medical team is here.”
“Oh,” I said as the elevator rode up, the silence tense and deafening. “What was he doing here in Turin, anyway?”
“Business.”
“Then why didn’t he come with us earlier on the pla—”
“I’m not in the mood to talk, Zahra,” he snapped.
I parted my lips to say something but closed them again, shifting on my feet as I looked ahead, grateful that the elevator stopped and slid apart, revealing a large living room.
Elio walked out quickly, and I followed behind him, but my steps faltered for a second when I spotted Upper and Angelo talking with some soldiers; two nurses were checking a file at the far end of the living room.
Soldiers were all around the space; there was also a table filled with weapons as if they were preparing to head out once information about the shooters came forward.
“Where is he?” Elio asked as we approached Upper and Angelo.
Real fear gripped me when my eyes scanned Upper from head to toe, and even when I confirmed that he was okay and the blood on him wasn’t his, the fear remained.
He could have died tonight.
“In there,” Angelo said. “It’s not looking good.”
Elio didn’t wait to hear anything else, he just disappeared behind the door Angelo had pointed to, and when Angelo followed him—not before shooting me a distrusting frown—I pulled Upper by his wrists, away from the other soldiers, who kept their eyes on us.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I asked in a panicked whisper.
He frowned. “Glad to see that’s the first thing you care about.”
“What? You—where’s everyone else?”
“Back in Milan, at the compound. I just informed them about what hap—”
“Why are you here?” I bit at him.
Upper looked tired. There were fading bloodstains on his hands and some smudges here and there on his face; his hair looked a mess. “We were together when we got attacked by some real crazy gun-ninja a-holes. Casmiro took three bullets, and we barely escaped that building alive.”
I eyed him. “Why were you with him?”
Upper eyed me cautiously. “He invited me to come along? When he got back from the airport, we went for a drive, and I was still in the car when he told me he had a company here that dealt with racing and car shit. He asked if I’d like to tag along, and I did, we drove here a—”
“And you didn’t think to tell me you were tagging along?” I gritted out.
“It slipped my mind, okay? I figured I would surprise you, and you wouldn’t have to be alone on the journey back—but fuck, that isn’t important.
These people stormed the company un-bloody-announced, and he got shot, and there was so much blood, and I freaked out because they were gunning for him, Zahra.
They wanted to kill him. Not me. Or anyone else in that building. ”
I was furious.
“I don’t give a shit about Casmiro, Upper. You made a fucking mistake tonight, not telling me you would be here; you could have fucking died just by being with him. You don’t tag along with people like that.”
Upper’s eyes widened in disbelief, looking at me like my face belonged to a stranger. “What in bloody hell’s name is wrong with you, Zahra? Do you not get it? He might die, and you’re here worrying about the measly fact that I didn’t shoot you a quick text?”
“Upper—”
“He took a bloody bullet for me, and he’s in there fighting for his life because of it; you should be worried about him, not me. I’m fine; he’s not. And he’s not a fucking bad person, okay? Just because he’s in a crime family doesn’t mean we automatically wish him dead.”
“I get what you’re saying, and I’m glad he took that bullet for you—”
“What?”
“You would have died otherwise; spare me if I care about you and not someone I know absolutely nothing about.”
“Jesus Christ, Zahra, at least show some sympathy.”
I scoffed, relaxing my shoulders as I looked towards the window.
“I have no sympathy to give. Not even a tiny drop of care. He probably pissed off some people, made threats here and there, and talked more than he should. That’s what these guys do; they run their mouths because they think they have a title that makes them untouchable. But karma is a bitch, not our problem.”
Upper shook his head. “Are you high right now?”
“Completely sober. How many were they, the men.”
Still frowning at me, he crossed his arms over his chest. “I couldn’t exactly count. We were being chased around the building, and I practically dragged him to a car, where I drove and informed Angelo.”
My brain worked. “They didn’t follow?”
Concern filled his eyes. “No, they didn’t … it worries me that they didn’t because they were hell-bent on making sure they emptied their bullets in him. Whoever sent them must be influential because … What are you doing?”
I rushed to the window, quickly pulling the curtain aside as I looked down.
Three cars were pulling up, all tinted windows. Armed men started filing out, and people rushed in different directions, evading the unknown gunmen.
I closed the curtain and turned. “They followed. They just waited to make sure there was no room for escape.”
Upper’s eyes widened as he rushed towards me, pulling the curtain.
“Bloody fuck.”
“We need to secure the building,” I said. “Or we’re all dead.”
The door Elio and Angelo had walked into pulled open, and Angelo stepped out. “Secure the building, shoot to kill on sight. Leave one person for questioning.”
Soldiers moved, talking on comms, grabbing weapons.
“Hey,” I whispered to Upper. “Stay here; on no account should you leave this apartment.”
“Where are you going?” he asked, confused.
I didn’t answer as I moved to the weapons table, Upper on my tail as I grabbed a handy gun. The weight was perfect in my grip.
“Zahra, I don’t think this is a good idea; these people, they know how to work a gun—”
“Awesome, I happen to be perfect at working a gun too.”
He shot me a strange look as I cocked the weapon expertly before slipping the gun into the back of my sweatpants. “Listen, I know you’re confused, but there’s no time for me to explain why and how I know how to work a gun—”
“That’s not it. Ever since you arrived with Elio, you’ve been a completely different person.”
“I’m in men’s clothing; what the fuck do you expect?”
“That’s not—”
“Stay here with Elio and Cas and the doctors, and I will—”
“Do nothing.” Elio’s voice had my head snapping to the side.
He reached us, his face void of emotion, attention settling on Upper. “I will never be able to repay you for saving Casmiro’s life. I owe you.”
Upper nodded. “It’s all right; he saved mine too.”
Elio gave a firm nod before looking at me. “You will banish whatever thought you think you have at this instant; you are not getting in that elevator.”
“I’m of no use here. I can help out there.”
His eyes hardened. “I don’t need help; I have enough people to handle this.”
Goddamn it.
I frowned, leveling Elio with a glare. “Upper would have died today. Understand? Those fuckers invading this building would have touched one of my own. I want nothing more than to bring down the people responsible for that and—”
“Upper, can you give us a moment?” Elio said, cutting me off.
Upper’s eyes narrowed as he looked between us, confusion and suspicion lacing his assessing stare. His gaze dropped to our chests like he was looking at our outfits before he blinked and shook his head, settling his attention on me, seeking my approval.
“It’s fine,” I said.
He nodded before walking over to Angelo, who was on the phone.
Some of the soldiers were already filing into the elevator.
I felt Elio’s hand on my arm as he gently turned my body to face him.
Our gazes locked. “I have to be out there, Elio.”
“You sound desperate.”
His remark caught me off guard. “What?”
He looked around the room, conflict in his eyes, before he looked back at me. “Why do you want to be out there so badly?”
“To help?”
“You don’t care about any of this or Casmiro.”
“I care about Upper, and he almost died.”
“Yes, but he’s alive, and he’s fine, so why do you want to get involved in a fight that isn’t yours?” His eyes searched mine with confident suspicion. My stomach clenched, and I bit the inside of my lips till I tasted blood. My brain was working so fast.
“I just—”
“Unless it’s your fight…”
“What?”
“Unless, one way or another, this is your fault.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Casmiro was attacked by Manuel Conti’s men,” he stated. “You knew him.”
“Yeah, years ago … I have no idea why—”
“Be honest with me, Zahra.”
I blinked at him. “You think I’m responsible for this?” My eyes searched his. “Are you fucking kidding me, Elio?”
He closed his eyes briefly, jaw clenching as he opened them back up. “I wouldn’t make an accusation if I had no reason to, Zahra.”
“How—when the—why would I want to hurt Casmiro?”
“That is what I am hoping you will answer for me.”
I shook my head slowly. “This is insane. I’m trying to help, and you think that I’m involved?
That I would put Upper in danger just to—kill your underboss?
How the fuck do you think I would have access to men like that?
Or—or—kill someone I know nothing about; why would you even have a thought like this? ”
He looked as uncomfortable as I felt.