Page 24 of Bones

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“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “After he shoved me to the floor and kicked me, I passed out. When I woke up, they were gone.”

My jaw clenches. “Did they all touch you?” Three men against a woman is horrible enough, but then for it to be someone her size? Not to mention they’re her fucking brothers. They wanted to scare her, rough her up, but not to the point of killing her. No, they wanted her to come crawling back to me, pretending to need help. Giving me the chance to be the savior and fall for the damsel in distress. And when she didn’t, they went after Luca, knowing that would do it. It’s the one person who means anything to her. He’s never betrayed her—not like the rest of her family has anyway.

She shakes her head. “Matteo did all the work.”

Just then, the door opens again, and Haven runs in. “Oh, my God, Mia.” She rushes over to her bed and hugs her tightly. “The nurse told me you were up and talking,” Haven adds. “I had to see you.”

I turn and exit the room and begin to pace the empty hallway. Looking up, I see Lane walking toward me, still dressed in his bloody scrubs. I swallow, meeting him halfway.

“Luca—?”

“He’s stable. For now.” He places his hands on his hips, and I let out a long breath. “But he’s not out of the woods.”

I nod, figuring that would be the case. “And Mia? Were you able to look at her test results?” I didn’t want anyone else looking at them. One less person we have to give an NDA to.

I already knew nothing was broken, but they ran other tests as well once it was clear she had been beaten. Add the fact that her brother had been shot. I wanted him to be very thorough.

“Rape tests came back negative, along with pregnancy test. As you were told earlier, she most likely had a concussion from the head laceration found, but it’s too late for us to tell now.”

I didn’t expect her brothers would rape her, but you never fucking know. I wouldn’t put anything past them at this point. “Anything else?”

“She was dehydrated, and my guess is she hasn’t slept in days. Maybe due to the attack. Victims react differently to any kind of trauma. Add sleep deprivation, starvation, and stress regarding Luca, and that could be your cause of the fainting.”

“What do you suggest for recovery?” I ask. My concern now is to make sure I keep her safe. I can’t allow her and Luca to both die.

“Honestly, it won’t take her long to bounce back. She needs to eat regularly. Even if she’s not hungry. I’m going to write her a prescription for nausea pills in case she gets sick. The best thing for her now is rest.”

I nod, stepping back.

“I need to speak to Haven.”

“She’s in Mia’s room.” I point at her door, and he walks past me to speak to them privately.

Leaning back against the wall, I close my eyes, running a hand down my face. Now what the fuck do I do?

“He’s been placed in a private ICU room,” Titan speaks, walking down the hall to me. “As you requested. And in his own wing. NDAs have been signed.”

I nod toward Mia’s door. “Lane is speaking to Haven and Mia now.”

His eyes slide over to it, but he doesn’t bring up the elephant in the room—who is she, and how do I know her. Instead, he says, “I’m going to order around-the-clock private security for Luca.”

“You can never be too careful,” I agree with him.

“And her? Want the same?”

“She won’t be here much longer.” She’ll get released today. There’s nothing they can do for Mia. She should have sought immediate treatment when she was assaulted. I would say that the fact Luca was shot helped her. Otherwise, she would have passed out alone in my beach home. But then again, he was shot because of her, or so she thinks.

Hearing the door to Mia’s room open, I look over to see Haven exit and literally charge toward me.

“You and Mia can stay at my house,” I tell her. Titan, Grave, and Cross will be next door. It’s our very own private, gated community. No one goes in or out without the Kings’ knowledge. “Your house won’t be safe, and someone needs to watch over her.” I’m never home anyway. I live at Kingdom.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she states.

“Haven …” I grind out her name, not in the mood to argue with her.

“When I’m not in Luca’s room, I will be at our house.”

“I’m afraid you can’t stay there,” I tell her. Luca is going to live, and I can’t risk the Bianchi brothers going to their house and hurting Haven. Luca wouldn’t want to live if his wife was killed.


Tags: Shantel Tessier Dark