“No.” I trembled through more tears. “No, just go.”
I scrambled to grab my phone as he ran out, and I rushed toward the door to close it, tripping along the way.
“Ouch!” I held my burning, bloody arm as someone slammed into it, forcing it open again. “No!” I batted at a set of hands, but when I heard his voice I stopped.
“Jesus!” Vinni looked down at me, horrified. “What the hell happened?”
I threw myself into his arms, so thankful to see him.
“Help me,” I cried.
“Elio!” he called, and a moment later I felt his strong arms wrap around me.
“Whose blood is that?” His voice was haunting.
“Hers,” Vinni whispered.
They sat me in a chair and then closed and locked the door. Elio grabbed a towel and put pressure on my arm for a moment as he held me.
“Who did this?” he finally asked as his eyes drilled into me, but before I could reply, he removed the towel, and they both looked down at the deep cut.
“Is that a…” Vinni studied my arm, and for the first time, I took a look at it. A crude, jagged J was cut into my flesh.
“He marked her!” Elio growled, and if I thought he was wound up before, I was sadly mistaken.
“He wanted you to sign the contract,” I whispered, feeling the need to speak.
“Is that so?” he boomed as he stood. “Vinni, watch her.” He went for the door, but I jumped to my feet, feeling like I might be sick if he left.
“Elio,” I cried against his chest, “please don’t leave me.”
“This won’t take long, I promise.”
“No.” I sobbed, desperately wanting him to see what I needed from him. “I needyou, please.”
I held his wild gaze with my terrified one, and after a moment, I knew he heard me. He buried his face into my neck and held me tight.
“Vinni.” He lifted his head after a few beats. “Don’t leave Wyatt alone tonight, but get Niccola…”
“You got it, boss.” Vinni gave me a pat on the shoulder as he left us alone.
Elio helped me to bed. He gently tucked the covers high up around my chin then paused as though he wanted to say something. He didn’t. I watched as he removed his suit jacket and bloodstained shirt then disappeared into the bathroom where I soon heard the shower running. I moved my attention to the electric fireplace and became mesmerized by the flames as they slowly flickered up over the artificial log. It gave me a chance to turn off my thoughts, if only for a few moments. I tuned in to the tenderness of the cut on my arm as I rolled over. Elio had wrapped it up after cleaning it when we were finally left alone. He also insisted I took a pain killer. I was glad I did; it hurt a lot now.
Thunder shook the windows, and I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. As much as I loved a good storm, it was a constant reminder of my time alone on the streets.
“Stop,” I whispered, wanting to keep my mind from racing wildly through everything that had happened then and today, to force myself to focus on what was next.
“There’s one more thing.” His voice suddenly broke through my thoughts. I opened my eyes to see him and blinked hard to focus. He leaned against the mantel. A fresh pair of slacks rested low on his hips, and as he reached up with both hands to slick back his wet hair, he let go a long breath.
I pushed myself up to rest my back on the pillowed headboard, curious to know what he had to say. At the same time, I wondered if my head could take any more tonight.
I looked up at him with a question in my eyes. He seemed to gather his thoughts and sat. “I like to call it quiet wealth.” He sat down on a chair by the bed, keeping his eyes on mine. “There’s a reason our family got to where we are today, why we have so many eyes and ears keeping watch for us, why we have so many staff members, and why loyalty runs so deep…” He paused again, and I wondered where he was going with this, then he shook his head as if to get back on track. He stood and walked to the floor-length window and rested his arm on the glass. His reflection mirrored the storm outside.
“Fear, when used correctly, is one of the most powerful weapons.” His voice was almost chilling. “When someone joins our syndicate, whether they are a staff member or a family friend, we arrange it so they become a witness to a crime. We also make sure that they know the killer saw their face.” I swallowed hard, thinking immediately of the murder I had witnessed. “It sounds sick, I know, but it ensures that they keep quiet, and in return for their silence, we provide them with protection and money to feed their families. It’s like an initiation to our world.”
“And if they want out?” The words barely slipped past my lips.
“They don’t.” He kept his back to me.