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“Giovanni said it was a first for Antonio, being shot. That surprised me in this business.” Nera laughed. “But Antonio tends to calculate every move.”
“It shouldn’t have been him,” Vespa said. The bubbling anger returned, the one she’d shoved down ever since Antonio had knocked her out of the way.
“I just said it, didn’t I? Antonio calculates everything. That means he chose what happened; I’m sure of that.” Nera picked up the plate, pushing it toward Vespa. “I think you should bring this to him. He might be hungry.”
Vespa met the other woman’s eyes. “I stopped by to ask about him, that’s all.”
Nera lifted an eyebrow. “So you didn’t want to see him?”
The thought of seeing for herself that he was fine wove inside Vespa, making her heart race. “Dammit,” she muttered, grabbing the plate, making the croissant slide precariously. “Where the hell is he?”
Nera’s smile spread into a grin as she told Vespa which room was his.
It was up the damn stairs, which meant more Di Salvos watched her progress. None were on the second floor, and when Vespa made it to the door, she decided she wouldn’t knock. He might be sleeping, after all.
Her annoyance ratcheted up when she found he wasn’t alone. His uncle, Enzo, the one who was still alive, grinned at her as widely as Nera had.
“Hell,” Vespa muttered.
Her eyes moved to the bed. Antonio lay there, looking like shit. There were dark circles under his closed eyes, and she hated the way the white cast looked against his tanned skin.
Enzo rose from the chair. “Thought you might come.”
“Yeah? What’s that supposed to mean?” Vespa’s fingers tightened on the delicate plate, and she started to worry she’d crack it.
He chuckled, the sound sending nerves dancing across her skin. “Doesn’t have to mean anything.”
She set the plate down on the nightstand, her eyes not leaving Antonio’s slackened face. Her stomach twisted. “He going to be okay?” The words were out before she thought them through.
His uncle’s silence stretched, making her heartbeat louder. “What if I said no?”
Her eyes squeezed shut. That couldn’t be. Not for her. “Fuck. There’s permanent damage?” She remembered the way his darts had hit the bull’s-eye right along with hers. No, he was right-handed. He’d still have that, even if his left one was screwed up.
“No. He’ll be fine,” Enzo said, causing her eyes to snap open to glare at him. “I wanted to see what you’d say.”
“You’re an asshole,” she groused.
Enzo chuckled. “I was testing the waters a little. Wanted to make sure I was good to leave him with you.” He stretched, his mouth cracking open in a yawn.
Vespa’s gaze swung to Antonio’s face, which was paler than normal. “I wasn’t going to stay.”
“Sounds like you’ve already changed your mind. You’ll stay now?”
She moved closer to the bed. “Yeah,” she mumbled. Then she cleared her throat. “And you don’t have to worry. I won’t hurt him.”
“Well, there’s hurt, and then there’s hurt,” Enzo said.
She frowned at him. “I said I—”
“I believe you. And physically, that’s fine.” His eyes softened as they moved to the bed. “A few knocks to his heart might be good for him, though.”
Vespa’s mouth dried. She swallowed, looking away from his uncle. “It’s not like that.”
“Then why are you here?” Enzo asked.
She stared hard at the cast Antonio was wearing.
His uncle apparently hadn’t wanted an answer. The door clicked shut behind him.
