“I used to be simply doing my job.”

Her hand pauses, now not permitting her light ministrations to appease me. For a beat, we’re frozen at nighttime, solely the comfortable moonlight casting shadows behind her. I can’t see her face, I can’t make out the expression on it. However when she begins to maneuver away, I do know I fucked up.

“Proper,” she says, clearing her throat as she sits up. “In fact, your job.”

Realization begins to sink in as I take into consideration what I stated. I don’t know why it got here out like that as a result of I by no means meant it in that approach. Despite the fact that it’s my job, I might by no means have executed something totally different. I might have taken that bullet 1,000,000 occasions over for Bianchi, no matter my place right here.

“Sera…”

She strikes off of me, sliding out from the covers to face. She’s so quick that I barely have time to register what’s taking place.

After I do, I attempt to transfer. I attempt to get out of the mattress; something to cease her leaving me. “I didn’t imply it like that, Sera.”

The piercing silence is much more painful than the gunshot wound.

“The place are you going?”

Her ft pad in direction of the door. With out even turning round, she throws an order over her shoulder that’s devoid of all emotion. “Get some relaxation, Gio.”

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you charge your ache?”

I stage the physician with a glare. If he’s referring to my bodily ache, it’s close to non-existent. If he’s referring to the actual fact I haven’t seen or heard Serafina for per week, that shit is agonizing. I didn’t suppose her absence would damage a lot, however with the best way issues escalated after which abruptly ended, it stings greater than when the doc pulled that bullet out of me.

“Zero,” I reply by gritted tooth.

He raises a forehead in query, however he doesn’t appear to be he’s going to combat me on this. It’s the very last thing I would like proper now, too. All I need is to get a goddamn bathe and really feel regular. I’ve bought a brand new dressing on the wound. And after checking the stitches, it’s excellent news that I’m therapeutic properly. Although I may have advised him that myself final week.

I’m itching to get again to work, again to doing my job and, extra importantly, being by Sera’s aspect. I do know she’s in good arms along with her crew, however nothing beats an additional pair of arms.

“I’d nonetheless such as you to take it straightforward, Giovanni. I don’t need you tearing any stitches. No strenuous train or—“

“Certain,” I snap, pushing up from my mattress.

“I’ll let Donna Bianchi know that—“

“No,” I lower him off, turning on my heel. I look down on the man. He’s quick in stature, historical in age, however the look in his eyes tells me he has sufficient expertise with this aspect of life. “I’ll inform her myself.”

With a agency nod, he begins packing up his gear. As soon as he’s left, I sit and ruminate over what I’m going to do subsequent. It’s two within the afternoon, and judging by how quiet it’s, I’d say the time for laying low is over.

I run by the motions of showering—cautious to keep away from the dressing—whereas fascinated about the place I would discover Sera. The very first thing on my thoughts when the doc got here to see me was Sera, and now it’s all I can concentrate on. Certain, the doc giving me the all clear is a optimistic, however the reality I get to see Sera is far more interesting.

She will’t keep away from me now, both. The ball has been in her courtroom for the final week, and he or she hasn’t returned the volley. It’s my flip to steal it for myself.

As soon as I’m suited up, I snag the keys from the important thing field within the hallway of Sera’s place. I don’t know the place I’m going to seek out her, but when she isn’t right here, there are only a few locations she’d be. I’ll begin with the obvious one: her membership.

The journey all the way down to town isn’t very lengthy. My constructing pleasure blended with my apprehension makes the journey fly by, and very quickly in any respect, I’m pulling into the underground car parking zone of Haze.

The dim glow of lights brightens as I enter. It’s a stilted welcome for anybody arriving, a way of foreboding sitting within the air. That is the place Luca killed certainly one of The Vultures in chilly blood, the place the place Sera determined sufficient was sufficient. The pool of blood is lengthy gone, however the sense of empowerment nonetheless lingers.

I head in direction of the elevators, punching the button for the highest flooring after I’m inside. It’s a gentle journey as much as the highest, and I can already hear Sera’s voice from the hall.

Steadying my breath, I march in direction of her workplace. I’ve a lot on my thoughts, a lot I have to say to her. The way in which we left issues has solely cemented the truth that I have to be round her. She’s the breath of life I would like, the spark to gentle my candle in order that I can see by the darkness. The haunting ideas of my daughter have clung onto me like insidious claws, and it’s time to shake them away.

I push by the door, locking eyes on Sera, who has her telephone pinned to her ear. She takes one have a look at me earlier than she hangs up, stepping round her desk instantly.

In lower than three strides, I eat up the gap between us. It’s now or by no means. I’ve to inform her how I really feel. I’ve to inform her the reality.

“Gio—“

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