He barked something at his guards. I stayed focused on him, trying hard not to let panic consume me. He crowded me, using his body to shield mine as he maneuvered me to the car. I clung to him as he fired more shots. Trey yanked open the passenger door then pushed me into the car. More gunshots went off as I fumbled with my seat belt with fingers that refused to work. It took two tries to secure it.
Two seconds later, he rounded the car then was in the driver’s side, and we peeled out of the parking spot and onto the road, my heart thudding loudly in my ears. I had a death grip on my seat and the dash as we swerved through cars. His face was like granite, emphasizing his angular jaw and intense eyes. I wanted to ask what the hell had happened, but my heart was pounding too hard, and my stomach churned. I was afraid if I opened my mouth, I would embarrass myself by throwing up all over the place.
In the side mirror, I saw his guards following in the black SUV. It didn’t look like anyone else was behind them, but I didn’t know for sure—that had been a first for me. Tears pricked the backs of my eyes, making them burn. I refused to let them fall.
The shot had come close to me. I had been the target. There was only one person who would wish me ill, and I wasn’t thinking of my old boyfriend from college.My God, how could he?It was the only thing that made sense. It couldn’t have been anyone else. He was a class-A douche, but having me killed was beyond the pale. My mouth was dry, and my hands shook.Allen tried to kill me.What threat am I to him that would warrant my death? And what could he possibly gain?
CHAPTER TEN
TREY
Ipushed the Maserati’s pedal to the floor, weaving in and out of cars. We were on the highway for a short time, and the exit to my family’s home loomed ahead. Before we’d left the boutique, I’d told Sam, one of my guards, to call my brothers and alert them to the situation and where to meet me. I had no doubt he’d also called the rest of the bosses. And if they came, the wives would too. Hailey’s stricken expression and death grip on the car hadn’t escaped my notice.
“Where are we going?”
“My family’s home.” I checked the mirror every few seconds to make sure we weren’t followed by anyone other than my security detail. As we closed in on the house, some of my rage dissipated enough that I could talk to Hailey without sounding like a complete asshole. “Are you okay?” I knew she wasn’t hurt. The shot had gone wide.
“Yeah.” Her voice trembled. “I can’t believe Allen hired someone else to kill me.”
I clenched the steering wheel harder. The turn for the street that would lead to my family home was just up ahead. I hung a sharp right. “He may have involved me with the hopes that something would go wrong, but the terms were never to kill you. And there was no exchange of money, in case you’re wondering. Not that I ever would have done anything like that.” I didn’t need to, and my loyalty was to the family. Always. Odd jobs as a hitman weren’t my forte. “But I’m not entirely sure the hit was from Allen.”
“Then who?” Her hand shook as she tucked her wavy hair behind her ear.
“That’s what I intend to find out.” I pulled into the driveway, got out, then went around to her side and opened her door. We had men patrolling the perimeter of the house, but I wasn’t ruling out a threat and scanned the grounds while I took her hand and led her into the house. I breathed a sigh of relief only when the door shut behind us.
Sofia appeared from the second-floor landing. As she descended the stairs, recognition flitted across her features. “Hailey!” She grinned. “What are you doing here”—her sharpened gaze read my expression for what it was—“with my brother?”
“Hey, Sofia.” Hailey glanced at me. “Sort of a long story.”
Laughter trailed behind Sofia as she came toward us. “Those are always the best kind.” She winked at me then grabbed Hailey’s hand, breaking our connection as she dragged her toward the kitchen.
I watched them retreat, giving Hailey a reassuring smile when she glanced over her shoulder once before they were out of sight.
With my sister taking care of Hailey, I headed toward the office, where Marco had texted that he would be. When my phone pinged, I checked the incoming text to see that it was from Mom. Her message managed to ease a small part of my worry. Katherine was doing well, completely taken with Vincenzo and challenging him from the get-go. The bone marrow transplant was scheduled to happen in four days. I shot off a reply then pocketed my phone.
On my way down the hall, I placed a call to the hospital and asked for Sandy, the head nurse who handled the scheduling if an emergency came up. She needed to know that I wouldn’t be in for at least a week. When she answered, I told her as much. She didn’t protest or cite rules that we both knew I wouldn’t follow. I appreciated that about her. There was absolutely nothing Allen or the board could do about it.
The door was open, and I walked into Marco’s spacious office with its large mahogany desk, several chairs fanned around its front, and a couch and coffee table at the opposite end of the room. Bookshelves lined the wall behind Marco, and sunlight streamed through the three windows across from the entrance. I faced him, dropped my fists to the top of his workspace, and leaned forward. “We were shot at today.”
A half smile curved my brother’s face. “You say that like it’s an unusual occurrence in our lives.”
“Hilarious.” I pushed off the desk then sat in one of the chairs opposite him. “I was with Hailey. The shot went wide. Which means it’s either someone who can’t aim for shit or Guido is here.” Guido, the underboss for Leo Amato, was from New York. He and his henchman had had a beef with Summer the month before and had come to Chicago to try to take her. But Luc, the new Brambilla Mafia boss, had claimed her. We’d taken up the fight with him.
“There were no eyes on the shooter?”
“No. I fired back then got Hailey in the car, and we headed here.”
“Let’s back that up a little. Why do you still have Hailey with you? I thought you were going to go in, get her, then drop her off at her daddy’s.”
I opened my mouth to answer but stopped when Enzo walked in, followed by Stefano and Max. All the bosses were present but Luc, who was in Italy, on his honeymoon with Summer. Nico wasn’t there yet, either, and I needed him to help with the cameras.
“My wife kicked me out of the kitchen.” Enzo cracked me on the back of my head. My fingers itched to grab my gun, but I shot him a glare instead. “Want to tell us who the woman is she’s talking to?”
Marco filled them in with what he knew about Allen, Hailey’s stepfather, asking for my help, how I’d found her with Nico’s assistance, and that for some reason, I hadn’t returned her. When everyone was up to speed, I told them the rest. As I was relaying what had happened half an hour before in front of the boutique, Nico entered the room, which was good because I didn’t want to explain a second time.
Nico took the seat next to me. “You kept her?”
Marco laughed. I glared at him. He had to have known that much because the guards that had gone with me in response to his orders would have reported it to him. It seemed that he didn’t clue in Nico, though, and Sofia hadn’t spilled the details I’d shared with her, which I was sort of glad about. It wasn’t anyone else’s business.