“I’m sorry, hun, but you still can’t be here,” she repeats compassionately this time. “Come with me and I’ll show you where to wait, and as soon as we know anything, a doctor will be out to speak with you and her family.”
Family?
I’m her family.
She’s my family.
I’m her goddamn family!
I look at the ground, shaking my head, my hand going to the back of my neck. I can still hear loud voices from the other side of the door, but I can’t make out what they are saying.
“I need to be with her,” I repeat, but this time, I don’t know if I’m saying it for me or for the nurse.
“Those doctors in there will do everything within their power to help her, honey. Right now, you just need to be strong for her.”
I don’t know if I will ever be strong again if she doesn’t make it. I shake my head at my own thoughts. If she doesn’t make it, I’m not sure what I’ll do. My whole life with her flashes before my eyes—the way she smiles, the look she gets when she looks at me, her kindness and generosity to everyone she meets. All the things we would miss out on, like her wearing my ring, our wedding, her having my child, and the little moments you take for granted every fucking day because you always think there will be a tomorrow.
I knew my own piece of heaven was too much to ask for. I fucking knew it was too good to be true.
“Come with me, hun.”
I don’t even know that I’m following her until I hear Justin tell her that Autumn’s his sister when she asks if there’s anyone she should contact. He tells her that he’ll call everyone. I don’t even know if I’m breathing when my parents show up. It isn’t until my mom wraps her arms around me that I feel something.
“She’s strong, baby,” Mom whispers to me.
“I won’t make it without her.”
“You won’t have to,” she replies softly, and I feel her tears seeping into my skin.
I pull away and put my head between my legs, praying for the first time in years. I pray to every god out there or anyone who will listen.
“Are you all the family of Autumn Freeman?”
I stand up immediately, taking in the room for the first time since I got here. My family, some of Autumn’s friends, and my men are all sprawled throughout the room.
“I’m her fiancé,” I tell the doctor, walking towards him.
His eyes take me in, and then Justin is at my side. “I’m her brother.”
“Do you want to talk in private, or can I speak openly in front of everyone present?”
I looked around again at all the people in the room. “We can talk here,” I tell him.
“Let me start out by saying she is stable but still in critical condition.”
I feel my legs get weak and I let out a long breath.
“She suffered two gunshot wounds: one to the shoulder that hit a major artery and one to the face. The one to the shoulder caused her to lose massive amounts of blood, and the one to the face went in her cheek through her lower jaw, shattering it.” He takes a breath. “She’s a very lucky woman. Though the injuries are significant, we do expect her to make a full recovery.”
I lean my head back, saying a silent thank-you to whoever answered my prayers before looking at the doctor again. “When can I see her?”
“Right now, she’s being moved to the ICU. After we get her settled into her room, we will let you know when you can see her.”
“Thank you,” I mumble.
“She will only be allowed visitors for fifteen minutes at a time, and no more than two people in the room with her.” I nod and he keeps going. “Her recovery is going to be a long one. The amount of damage to her jaw alone will take months to heal. I have to tell you…if it weren’t for the man who attacked her assailant, this conversation would probably be a lot different.”
“What?” I ask, wondering what the fuck I missed over the last few hours while I sat here feeling like my world was ending.
“A man named Sidney Sharp was there when the attack occurred. He was shot in the chest but was able to make it to your fiancée and somehow stop her assault.”
What the fuck was Sid doing here? “The gunman?” I ask aloud.
“He got away. The police are looking for him.”
I take a breath, letting it out slowly. I need to keep it together long enough to see that Autumn gets better, but then I’m going to track down the stupid fuck and kill him.
“Did Sid make it?” I ask.
“He’s in the ICU now but is expected to recover as well.”
“Thanks, Doc.” I shake his hand then go back to my seat. I lean my head back and close my eyes. Whoever did this is going to fucking die, and I don’t give a fuck who or how many people I have to kill to make that happen.
Chapter 10
The Slaughterhouse
Kenton
“They agreed she was off-limits,” I remind Justin, sitting back in my chair.
We were going over what happened at the hospital after watching the tapes from the night of the shooting. I hated seeing the video of Autumn getting shot, but it was the only way to know exactly what happened. The video footage was grainy and the images distorted, but I could still make out what happened. Autumn is adamant that the shooter from the club is the guy who shot her, and I will always trust her over anyone else.
It’s been two weeks since everything went down. I’ve been working leads as they come in, but most of my time has been spent with her since she woke up from the medically induced coma they’d been keeping her in. She can’t talk because they have her jaw wired closed, but she does recognize everyone and has been able to write things down, and that’s the most important thing in all of this.
The first time I saw her after I was let into the ICU, it took everything in me to stay upright. Her head was wrapped in gauze, only her lips and eyes visible. She looked like a science experiment gone wrong. There were tubes and wires attached all over her body, leading to the machines that were surrounding her bed.
I used every muscle in my body to get my legs to move me to her. When I reached the bed, I fell to my knees at her side and dropped my forehead to the top of her hand. I stayed like that for a long time, just thankful to feel the warmth in her hand and hear the sound of her breath.
When I lifted my head and my eyes looked down at her empty finger, I knew I would put my ring where it belonged, where I should’ve put it months ago, but I had been concerned that I was moving too fast for her. Now, I don’t care. I know she loves me, and I know that the love I have for her is something I’ve never felt for another person and what that meant for us.
So that night, I talked to my mom and she gave me my grandmas’ ring, the same one that’s been in our family for generations’. The oval-cut sapphire ring has diamonds around the center stone and down the band. It’s the ring I knew would sit on the finger of the woman I love since I was old enough to understand its meaning.
I went to the hospital the next day, and like it was meant to be, I slid the ring on her and it fit perfectly. I knew that, when she woke up, she would have a long road to recovery, but I also knew that we were going to go on with our lives together and there would be no more putting stuff off until tomorrow.
“Man, he’s the only person I can think of who would have the balls to hurt her,” Justin says, bringing me out of my head.
“Get Kai on the phone.” I run a hand through my hair, frustrated that this shit is happening. I feel torn between needing to be with Autumn and needing this finished so we can move on with our lives knowing that there is no longer a threat once she’s out of the hospital.
“On it.” He stands up and leaves the office.
I turn my head and look at Finn.
“Where do you want me?” he asks.
“Go to the hospital, talk to Sid, and see if he told anyone about his visit here.”
“Done.” He stands but stops at the door. “How’s Autumn?”
“She??
?s doing better than they thought she would be at this point.”
“What did she think of the ring?” he smirks.
I smile for the first time in hours and shake my head. “She hasn’t taken it off and thrown it at me, so I’m taking that as a good thing.”
“She loves you, man. You’re both real fuckin’ lucky.” He shakes his head and I see something flash in his eyes before he leaves the office.
I don’t know what that was about and don’t have time to find out right now, but it looks like, when the water calms, I need to have a sit-down with my boy.
I run a hand over my head before picking up the phone when I see that Justin is calling. “Yeah?”
“Kai will be calling any minute.”
“Thanks.”
“You heading to the hospital soon?” he asks.
I look at the clock and check the time. “Yeah. They should be moving her out of the ICU today and I want to be there.”
“I’ll see you there at some point,” he mumbles.
Justin has been at the hospital as much as I have. I can tell that the thought of losing Autumn from his life has affected him as much as it has me. He isn’t in love with her, but he loves her like a sister and is one more family member she didn’t have before but has now.
“See you.” I hang up. A few minutes later, I answer the phone, looking at the clock again. “Yeah?”
“I was told you need to speak with me,” Kai says, and I lean forward and feel my muscles tense.
“I need you to set up another meeting.”
“I’m sorry about your situation, but—”
“Do not fucking tell me you can’t get me a meeting,” I cut him off, feeling the phone cracking in my hand. “This is my woman. I need this shit done so when she comes home, she knows she’s safe. Get me the meeting.”
“You’re putting me in a very bad position.”
“What would you do if this shit happened to your woman?” I growl.
“Kill every single motherfucker who even thought about hurting her,” he replies back, his tone dark.
“Give me what I want.”
“I’ll make the call, but you owe me,” he replies.
Kai isn’t the kind of guy I like owing favors to, but at this point, I would make a deal with the devil to get what I need. “Thanks, man.”
“I’m very sorry about what happened.”
I hear the sincerity in his voice, but that does nothing to ease the fury that’s been pumping through my veins since this shit went down.
“Me too. Call me when it’s set up.” I hang up and shove my phone in my pocket before heading to the hospital.
*
“You told me she was off-limits,” I tell the two men sitting across from me. “You said you were putting a leash on your fucking dog.” I got into Vegas two hours ago on Sven’s private plane after I learned that Paulie Amidio had agreed to have a sit-down with me.
“Do you know who you’re talking to?” Paulie Amidio Jr. asks, sitting forward.
His father, Paulie Sr., puts his hand on his shoulder, pulling him back. Anyone can tell they are family. They are both dressed identically in black suits, both have dark hair slicked back from their faces, and both have dark skin and crystal-blue eyes.
“We were under the impression that it was over. Unfortunately for all parties involved, Vincent didn’t feel the same.” Paulie Sr. starts rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“Where is he now?” I ask. I don’t care what the fuck is going on in their organization; the only thing I care about is getting this shit settled.
“My men are looking for him now,” he says, and his son nods.
“I need a list of the people he associates with.” I will find him myself if I have to.
“Do you think this is Match.com?” Paulie Jr. asks, and it takes everything in me not to shoot him in the fucking head. This little fuck is greedy for power. I saw it during our first meeting, and I see it now.
“Son,” his dad says in a harsh tone.
“Fuck that, Pop. This is bullshit,” Junior says, starting to stand.
His dad wraps his hand around his arm and pulls him back down into his chair. “This is my fucking family. You do what I say when I fucking say it,” Senior tells him, slamming his fist onto the table in front of him. When the younger man’s eyes come to me, I see embarrassment and anger, but he covers it quickly, ducking his head. “I’ll get you the information you asked for, but if you find him, you bring him to me,” Paulie Sr. compromises.
“What are you going to do with him?” I ask, because in my mind, death is the only option at this point.
“That’s family business,” he says vaguely.
“That’s not going to work for me. He put two bullets in my woman. I want him six feet under,” I state, trying to keep my cool.
“He won’t be a threat to you after I get him.” His tone is cold, and I immediately nod.
“I’ll be waiting for your call,” I tell him, standing and leaving the room.
Kai doesn’t follow me out into the parking lot right away, so I take the time to call my mom and check in. She gives me an update about Autumn and Tubs, telling me that both are okay and Autumn seems to be doing a lot better today; she got out of bed and took a shower. That’s all great news, but it would be better if I were there to see it for myself. Autumn was upset that I was leaving, and I could see it in her eyes that she was afraid, but I needed to see to this situation myself. I’m not leaving anything to chance.
*
“Tell me where the fuck Vincent is,” I growl, digging my thumb into the open wound on Alfeo’s thigh. I have been at this for over two hours and still have nothing.
I picked up Alfeo outside his place of business in Vegas at a house known for selling pussy. Normally, I would turn my eyes at this, but Justin got back to me with information, and this house has been on the cop’s radar for the last year. They’ve beentrying to build a case against Alfeo. Seems he has a preference, and that preference is for young girls who are mostly runaways and high school dropouts with nowhere and no one to turn to. He gets them addicted to blow and then puts them to work.
“I’m not telling you shit,” Alfeo says as spit and blood fly out of his mouth.
“That’s not the right answer.” I pull the knife I shoved into his left thigh out and slam it into his right one.
His scream fills the small space, and I shake my head. For a man who acts so fucking hard, he sure as fuck screams like a chick.
“I’m getting really fucking sick of this game. Tell me what I want to know or I’ll put a bullet in your fucking head.”
“Fuck you.” He tries to sit forward, but the ropes around his arms and legs hold him in place.
I pull out one of the guns Sven gave me from behind my back and hold it to the side of his head. “Last chance.”
“Like I said before…fuck you,” he spits.
I pull the trigger, letting one off into his shoulder. I don’t want to give him another chance, but he’s been one of Vincent’s sidekicks since they were young. I only have three men who’ve been in contact with Vincent over the last three years, so I don’t have a lot of options.
“You shot me!” I make out through his screams of agony.
“And I’ll do it again if you don’t tell me what the fuck I need to know.” I put the gun back to his head.
“I don’t have anything for you, you piece of shit!” His eyes go wide with panic.
“Well then, Alfeo, our time here’s up.” I pull the trigger.
This time, the bullet goes through his temple and his brain splatters all over the wall. I will never get used to the stench that comes along with killing someone, I think as I go to the sink, wash off my arms and hands, and then begin thinking about my next move.
“What’s next?” Kai asks.
I look at him then Sven over my shoulder. Both of them have been at my side since I left the meeting. They helped me get Alfeo to the basement I brought him
to but have stayed back and let me handle this my way. I’d expected Kai to go back to Hawaii, but he came out of the club when I was hanging up with my mom, his face contorted with rage. I didn’t ask him what it was about, but I had a feeling the small woman I’d gotten a glimpse of him kissing a couple of minutes before his men had taken her away as we’d gone inside had something to do with that look. Sven, I knew, would have my back. The minute I called him from Tennessee telling him that I needed his plane, he was on it, coming to pick me up.
“We’re going to find Carlo to see if he has anything to say,” I tell them.
“You gonna kill him too?” Kai asks.
“Yep.” I look Kai dead in the eyes without saying anything else. These men are all fucking scum and do not deserve to breathe.
“Just making sure,” he says, and I see his lips twitch.
I shake my head and listen as he makes a call to have someone come clean up my mess.
*
“Do you feel like we’ve been here before?” Sven asks Kai from behind me.
I ignore them and pull the blade out of Carlo’s leg. I tilt my head back and forth, working out the kinks in my neck.
“I told you I don’t know where he is!” he shouts and then starts to cry.
“When the hell did men start all this crying bullshit?” Kai asks, stepping forward. “Your man has no loyalty to you. Tell us where he is and this will be over,” he says, getting down to Carlo’s level.
“So you can kill me? Fuck you!”
“You’re going to die one way or another, but think of it this way: you do the right thing and, when you get to the other side, God may have mercy on you,” Kai says, but I disagree with him. This guy here is as bad as his friends. He has a history of beating women that goes back ages. His last girlfriend was in the hospital for a month after what he had done to her.
“I haven’t spoken to him,” he swears.
“Bullshit.” I lift the blade I pulled from his thigh and slam it through his chest. He gasps for air, and I can almost visualize his lungs filling up with blood. “Tell me!” I roar, losing patience.