For all De Rossi’s threats to bury me alive, I can’t help but notice that he doesn’t seem to want me dead. He’s already summoned another doctor; already ruined his silk waistcoat with my blood.
Apparently the mob bosscares.
“I’m fine, Allegra. It didn’t hit bone.”
“Didn’t hitbone—” she cuts herself off, shaking her head and pacing faster. If she keeps on like this, she’ll wear through the floorboards and drop to the room below.
“It’s alright. Really. No worse than Nico’s stab wound a few weeks ago.”
“Well, I don’t care about Nico!”
“Charming.” The man in question shoves through the doorway, shooting Allegra a sour look, but he’s not really offended. We all know what she meant.
At least, Ihopewe all know. If I’m reading this wrong again, I’ll put my head through a wall. When I thought I’d lost her for a moment back there…
“You’re fine, Falasca.” Allegra flaps a hand at the mobster, baring sparing him a glance. “And you got married without telling us. You can jump off a bridge for all I care.”
You know, I don’t think that’s true. The De Rossis both like to pretend they’re above sticky things likefeelings, but who’s hovering over me, pale with worry right now? Santo and Allegra, that’s who.
“The other doctor is on his way.” Santo’s hand presses against my wound, steady and strong, as he tries to calm his sister. “And they’ve neutralized the threat. It’s nearly over, Alle. You can wait in your room if you prefer.”
She sucks in a deep breath, hands balling into fists. “I amnotleaving him!”
Despite the pain, I fight a smile.
“He’s fine.” Santo jerks his chin in my direction. “Do you see that smug expression? This asshole is fine.”
Two matching pairs of icy blue eyes bore into me.
I raise my good hand in surrender. “I’m just glad she cares.”
Allegra huffs, while Santo’s nose wrinkles in distaste.
“Don’t get any ideas,” she snips out, marching to the doorway. “I have plenty of better places to be, Raul Ossani.”
* * *
Exactly three minutes pass before Allegra storms back inside. “Not. A. Word,” she warns, throwing herself down on the edge of my bed.
I nod, stark relief and amusement warring in my chest. For a second there, I thought she’d really gone, and who could blame her? Allegra was right to be furious. Right to call us all out on our bullshit—especially me.
I’ll never strain our connection like that again.
“You will be fine,” the doctor says as he prods at my shoulder. His is a voice for playing dice in smoky bars. “The bullet did not hit bone, and it came out clean. Someone must help me, though, while I stitch.”
“I’ll do it,” Allegra says quickly, scrambling into my lap. Santo curses under his breath and leaves the room, Nico swift on his heels. “Tell me what to do.”
The old man hands her a pair of scissors. “Cut off his shirt. I need to clean the wound.”
Allegra frowns, breathing steadily as she snips a careful line up the center of my torso.
“I had a dream like this once,” I offer, trying to distract myself from the burning pain in my shoulder. “No old man, though.”
“Shut up, Raul.”
“And you weren’t half a breath away from leaving me.”
Allegra’s face crumples, and she keeps snipping. “I’m sorry,” she whispers, and I jerk back, head bumping against the wall.