Dad snorts into his glass earlier than taking a sip. “I ponder if Patrick knew that.”

“Doubt it.”

“The place did Enzo take her?”

I look away. “She’s again on the penthouse.”

“That’s good.” Dad nods, and I do know the wheels are delivering his head already. “Who else is aware of?”

“Simply you and me, so far as I do know. I don’t know if she’s informed anybody else.”

Dad nods once more. “Let’s hold it that approach for now. We must be cautious right here.”

He’s referring to the truth that Rose is technically nonetheless in a wedding contract with Igor, and I broke that after I slept along with her and bought her pregnant. “I didn’t know who she was after I met her, Dad.”

“I imagine you. Even you’re not that silly.”

“Thanks?”

He both doesn’t hear me or doesn’t care as a result of he simply barrels on. “Have Rose and Liam keep on the penthouse for now. I’ll want to speak to Patrick and—”

My cellphone rings, interrupting Dad. I pull it out of my pants and say, “It’s Gabriella. She’s with Rose and Liam.”

“Reply it.”

I swipe the inexperienced button. “Gabriella? What—”

“Michael!” she shouts, her voice choked with sobs. I’m instantly on edge, and Dad mirrors my nervousness having heard his youngest by the speaker. “They-they shot Enzo. And so they took them!”

“What? Who?”

“The Irish. They shot Enzo and took Rose and Liam.”

30

Rose

“The excellent news is that nothing seems damaged.” Dr. Gonzalez prods my hand, and for the second time tonight, I’m tempted to slap one other asshole within the face. “Place an ice pack on it in twenty-minute intervals. Twenty on, twenty off till the swelling goes down. You possibly can take some ibuprofen for the ache, and if it will get worse, I’d like so that you can are available in and get an X-ray finished.” He packs up his provides earlier than he smiles at me comfortingly. “Watch out, my expensive, and check out to not slam your hand in any extra doorways.”

I nod to indicate I perceive, feeling responsible for mendacity to him, however when he requested me how I injured my hand, it was the very first thing that got here to thoughts.

“Thanks, Doc,” Enzo says earlier than he walks the older man to the elevator.

“Right here you go.” Gabriella fingers me a baggie of ice wrapped in a kitchen towel, two orange ibuprofen drugs, and a glass of water.

I swallow the drugs and punctiliously set the ice on prime of my hand. “Thanks.”

Gabriella watches me from the nook of my eye. She’s curious. They each are. However I’m nonetheless reeling from Michael’s response, and actually, I’m scared they’ll react the identical approach if I inform them the reality. And in the event that they do…then Liam and I actually will likely be alone.

My eyes give attention to the sleeping toddler tucked inside a cocoon of blankets on the sofa. He’s too younger to roll over, however I don’t wish to take any possibilities. Moreover, if he had been to get harm, Michael will little question blame that on me too.

Enzo returns with a glass in a single hand and a bottle of scotch within the different. He wiggles them suggestively out to me. “Take care of one thing a bit stronger?”

Logically, I ought to say no as a result of being inebriated is the very last thing I want proper now, particularly after taking ache meds, however my coronary heart and thoughts are too heavy and drained to say no. The thought of feeling numb is extraordinarily tempting.

Balancing the ice bag on prime of my hand, I beckon with the opposite. “Please.”

Enzo fills one glass generously and fingers it to me. The alcohol is a scrumptious and clean burn down my throat. However to be trustworthy, he might hand me home-brewed moonshine, made within the again nation swamps, and I’d nonetheless drink it as a result of I’m determined for that numbing sensation.

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