Benny’s fingers curl around the paper coffee cup that he still hasn’t taken a drink from. “You forget, I spent a lifetime studying people in all sorts of ways. Something ain’t right about her.”
“Leave it alone, Benny. I have it under control,” I tell him, hoping it’ll stop him from prying, but it doesn’t.
“I saw her eyes, kid. The only reason she’d be covering those up is because she doesn’t want anyone to know who she is. Doesn’t want anyone to remember her. I told her if she fucked you over, I’d take care of her myself.”
My chair is uncomfortable and gets less tolerable by the second. I shift closer to allow our conversation to stay discreet. “Jesus Christ, old man. Don’t you dare touch a fucking hair on her head. I know exactly who she is and why she’s hiding.”
“You sure about that? Because the last woman I saw who had eyes like that was killed in a bloodbath that started a feud that still hasn’t ended.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
He coughs and hacks, finally catching his shallow breath. “It’s just a feeling, but my gut has saved my life more than once, and I don’t think it’s wrong this time either.”
I need to know. “What woman?”
Holly and Memphis walk toward us, and Benny goes quiet. Before I can ask him again, a doctor steps into the waiting room.
“Is the Karas family here?”
I jump out of my seat and head for Holly and Memphis. Holly holds out her arm, and I take it. Cav is right behind her.
“Yes,” she says. “We’re the Karas family. Please, God, tell us he’s okay.”
26
Cannon
Holly huddles at Creighton’s bedside, where he’s slipped in and out of consciousness over the last few hours since he’s been out of recovery. A bullet nicked his spleen, but they were able to repair it and his prognosis is excellent.
Thankfully, the ER got Greer stitched up from the shard of flying glass that sliced her arm, and she and Cav just left Creighton’s room to give Holly some time alone.
Dom and Enzo are both still in surgery, but we’ve only gotten updates about Dom. He had a fully blocked artery, and they’re working on the bypass and the stent.
Throughout it all, Memphis has been a rock. She’s calm, collected, offering a shoulder to cry on to Holly, and making sure Cav and Greer have everything they need. It’s like she’s already more part of the family than I ever have been, and I’m fucking glad.
Every time she makes another round, going from one person to the next, she stops beside me, curls into my side, and lets me hold her until we’re both ready to keep pushing on.
It’s closing in on midnight, and the halls of the hospital have quieted. Only nurses in scrubs or patients in gowns walk soundlessly behind us, as if not wanting to disturb our vigil.
“Have they given another update on Dom?” she asks, standing beside me.
I wrap my arm around her shoulders and hug her to my side. “Not yet. I’m hoping he’ll be out of surgery anytime.”
“Do we need to be worrying?”
I glance down at her troubled tone. “What do you mean?”
She looks in one direction and then the other, double-checking to see if we’re truly alone before speaking. “The Rossettis. Are they going to try again? Do we need security here? What about when we leave?”
My brain has been running in the same direction, but I’ve been deliberately keeping it to myself since we’ve been in the hospital. “I don’t think the Rossettis are bold enough to try to get to us here.”
“What about when we leave, though? Eden said something about a hotel, but that doesn’t seem like a smart idea.”
A janitor pushes a cleaning cart down the hall, and we both wait for him to pass before continuing our conversation. Part of me hates that Memphis is now as aware as I am, but the other part of me is glad. A little paranoia is a good thing when it comes to keeping safe.
“No one’s going to a hotel,” I tell her with a squeeze to her hand. “It’s not secure enough.”
She looks tired, and it’s clear the night has taken a toll on her. “Then where are they all going to go?”