Page 46 of Ruthless Contract
“I’m bleeding out... and you’re... yelling,” I whispered. “What the... hell?”
“Just making sure you’re not dead. Hell, the only reason you’re still moving is because of those pills you took. I don’t know if you’re a genius or insane.”
He slammed the car door. I closed my eyes again, unable to keep them open. I was no genius. There were plenty who would call me insane. But right now, I was just grateful. Grateful to Terzo. He got into the vehicle and started it. Before he could back up, his phone rang.
“What is it?” Terzo said into his phone. He then turned to me and asked, “Do you want us to call the fire department or let it burn?”
Opening my eyes, I stared at the burning house. My cousin was inside. I’d shot him in the stomach, and he’d been shot by one of his own guards in the arm. Death was imminent. But just to make sure, I’d let him be cremated in his home.
“Let it burn,” I told him.
“Leave it,” Terzo told the caller. “But make sure no traces of our presence are left behind.”
“Tell them there are... tear gas canisters in the back employee area,” I rasped.
“Hey, Mike. Check the back of the house. There are tear gas canisters back there. Mask up and get those out. Leave no trace of us behind. Alright. Thanks, man. I’ll double your pay for tonight since you worked two jobs. No. I’m doubling it. Tell the team. Just accept the money. Damn.”
Terzo ended the call. I relaxed against the seat as the car started. And then we were off.
“Thanks, Terzo,” I whispered.
“For this, you owe me a motorcycle when I come to the States.”
I started to say something, but the darkness was approaching. It pulled me under before I could get the words out. But my response wasn’t going to be about any damn motorcycle.
I wanted my laptop. I needed to know if Juliet had reached out to me. But I was too weak to ask for it. Right now, my body needed rest. So, I let the darkness pull me under.
***
Pain dragged me back to consciousness. For a second, I didn't move. Didn't open my eyes. Didn't breathe. I just lay there, trying to figure out why every part of my body felt like it'd been run over by a truck.
Ten trucks.
Eighteen wheelers.
I tried to turn to the side, hoping to alleviate some of the discomfort. All that did was make it worse.Fuck. The pain hit hard enough that my eyes snapped open. Bright light greeted me, and I immediately regretted opening my eyes.
I squeezed them shut, shutting out the world as I licked my lips, noticing how dry they were. My mouth felt like someone had stuffed it full of cotton. I swallowed and winced. Even that hurt. The events of last night came rushing back to me.
The pills had worn off. Every punch, every kick, every injury I'd ignored while fighting Pasquale had apparently decided to introduce themselves all at once. My shoulder was the worst of it.
It felt like someone had shoved a hot knife into it and left it there. I opened my eyes again, slowly this time, letting them adjust to the brightness of the room. I stared at the ceiling for several seconds, my mind replaying last night’s events in my head.
The attack at the lab. The estate. The fire. Pasquale’s weak-ass hypocrisy. The gunshot. Terzo.
Damn... I owed Terzo.
Slowly, I turned my head, taking in my surroundings. I was in the hospital. The one affiliated with the DeLucas. It was a safe space. And it wasn’t my first time ending up here. Next to the bed, a machine beeped.
I had an IV line hooked to my arm. And whenever I moved, I could feel the bandages covering my chest and shoulder beneath the hospital gown. Damn, I hated hospital gowns. I would feel more comfortable in my own clothes.
Now, where were they?
My gaze drifted around the room, landing on Terzo, who was asleep in a chair near the window, his arms folded across hischest and his head tilted back. I swear, this guy reminded me of my baby brother, Cas.
They were both so damn nosy, unable to relax until they knew everyone was safe and sound. I guess after all this time, I’d slowly started thinking of Terzo as a brother, too. The DeLucas were more family to me than my real family here in Italy.
Blood was thicker than water. But you needed both to survive.
