Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Could be the drugs or the blow,” Venezio said when she paused. “Anything else?”
“Danny… he did this,” she said, lifting a hand toward her face. “With a flashlight. One of those big ones for camping.”
I didn’t realize the growl I felt building inside had burst out until Venezio shot a bemused look in my direction.
“You’re sittin’ funny. Ribs?” he asked.
“Yeah. With the flashlight too.”
Then, without another word, Venezio yanked up the shirt, exposing her lower half, panties and all, but being careful to pin the material under her breasts to preserve some modesty.
“Any shortness of breath?” he asked, checking out the bruises that were already forming. They’d grow darker over the next few hours.
“No.”
Venezio probed with his fingers.
“Eh, don’t think they’re broken. It woulda taken a big fuckin’ blow to break ‘em. Probably just bruised. But bruised and broke mostly feel the same. Go easy on ‘em. Don’t reach up over your head if you don’t gotta. Don’t twist, that kinda thing.”
“What about her head? Did Sal really get a scanner?”
“Yeah, we got a CT a couple months back after we got the lead walls and doors done and shit. He considered an MRI, but the CT is smaller. And you can go in it with bullet shards in you. The MRI will pull those fucks violently out.”
“Where the hell did you get a CT machine?”
“Russians,” Salvatore said, appearing in the doorway. “Crazy the kinda shit they can get. Hey, sweetheart,” he greeted Blair. “Had a rough night, huh?”
“We’ve been over this!” Blair yelled, cradling her head as Venezio relayed everything Blair had told him.
There was a second of tense silence before Venezio shrugged it off. “It’s the drugs,” he said.
“Did you take blood yet?”
“What? I gotta do everything?” Venezio asked, lips twitching, making me realize I’d never seen the man smile.
He made his way out, leaving Salvatore to take the blood, then lower the lights and give Blair some ice packs before going to set up the scan on her head and ribs.
“I didn’t mean to yell at your family,” Blair said, sniffling as she leaned against me.
“I know you didn’t. They know too. It’s just the way the drugs can fuck with your head and emotions. No one’s gonna take it personally.”
“Okay.”
Her head leaned into me, her eyes drifting closed.
The next few hours seemed to sap what was left of her energy, leaving her nodding in and out while Salvatore told me the results of the scan (no signs of broken ribs or concussion), cleaned up her face, then gave me instructions for care.
“Get her home and cleaned up so she can sleep,” he said, giving Blair a sad smile. “Text me if you have any questions. And I’ll let you know what the tox screen comes back.”
“Thanks, Sal,” I said, taking the little goodie bag of supplies Venezio had supplied and helping Blair back to the car.
Once inside, Blair turned her head and slipped back to sleep almost immediately, giving me a minute to call Leo without freaking her out.
“How is she?” he answered.
“She’s alright. Nothing serious. Just needs to rest and let the drugs fully leave her system.”
“Good. Glad to hear it.”
“What’s going on there?”
“Brio took Danny for questioning. We swept the place three times. There’s no sign of Ronny, Tom, or even the aunts.”
“Damnit.”
“The whole Family is out looking. Someone will find something.”
“I want to take her home.”
“Take her home,” Leo said immediately. “I will tell Lorenzo and Cos to send some men over to your building.”
“What about—”
“After I check in, I will grab Goya from Zeno’s and bring him over. She’s gonna want to see him. And him, her.”
“Thanks, Leo.”
“I got this,” he said. And while I was generally the one taking charge, I knew that Leo was capable of handling things without me. “You take care of your girl.”
With that, we hung up and I drove back toward our apartment building. Emilio met me out front, nodding me over toward the side fire door, where one of his men was holding it open.
I went around to get Blair, lifting her, and carrying her into the building.
“I can walk,” Blair offered.
“You have no shoes. And your feet are chewed up,” I reminded her. “I’ve got you.”
“Should we be back here?” she asked as I took her to my apartment, since her keys were back at the safe house.
“Got a small army of men protecting us now,” I assured her, carrying her past the threshold of my apartment. “Do you want to take a bath, or just have me clean you up before bed?”
“I’m filthy.”
“Quick bath.”
“Will you stay with me?” she asked.
“I’ll do you one better,” I said, placing her down on the toilet lid, so I could run the bath. “I’ll come in with you.”
With that, I stripped down as she wiped at the worst of the grime on her legs with a wet washcloth.