Page 34 of Devil Seeks Nanny

I’m instantly crouching, holding Matteo to me as people around us start screaming and running, and Bruno’s men are forming a shield around Matteo and me as one of them shouts, “Stay down!”

Oh, fuck.

More gunfire, this time from Bruno’s men, and I wrap an arm around Matteo’s head as I flinch, the sound deafening. My heart is thundering and my skin is on fire from anxiety and fear, and I hear Matteo’s muffled cries as I lower myself to the ground. I can vaguely make sense of what the men protecting us are saying as they communicate with one another, but I do make out one of them saying Russians. I inhale sharply, eyes wide, and my gaze goes toward a long cement planter that I could maybe hide behind with Matteo to keep us out of the spray of bullets.

There’s only one thought going through my mind: protect Matteo at all costs. If something happened to Bruno’s son, I’d never forgive myself.

I don’t know which direction the enemy fire is coming from, but I know we’re being attacked. “I got you, I got you,” I whisper to Matteo, hoping he can hear me over the sounds of his cries, my pounding heartbeat, and the vicious shouting and gunfire happening all around us.

The side of my face prickles, feeling like someone’s watching me, and my head snaps toward the left from where I’m crouched on the ground. Over Matteo’s head, I catch sight of a man a good distance away, but with his gun pointed directly at us—at Matteo.

My heart stops. He fires.

And I twist my body around instinctively, shielding Matteo, and all I can do is let out a sharp, agonized cry as a bullet buries itself into my side before the blinding pain knocks the wind out of me. Just as quickly, I’m falling into darkness, the world around me fading into nothing.

Chapter 21

BRUNO

“That was a fucking waste of time,” I say through gritted teeth, making my way down the front steps of the bar lounge, Leo right by my side. My men surround us as we head toward the cars, and I pull out my switched-off phone. I didn’t want to be disturbed during such an important meeting.

Alexei and I came to no sort of agreement; the meeting, for all intents and purposes, ended with me warning Alexei, in no uncertain terms, to stay away from my territory. If I got wind of any more Russian operations occurring in San Francisco, I would have his Goddamn head on a stick and plant it in the bedroom he shares with his wife. He didn’t take kindly to that threat, but I didn’t give a flying fuck. He’s lucky I didn’t cut him up on principle.

When I switch on my phone again, my eyebrows pull together at the multiple missed calls from Raf and Diana. My heart jumps when I read her name. She wanted to talk to me and I take that as a good sign. Only for a moment though, as I begin to listen to her voicemail while approaching the car.

“Hey, Bruno,” she says, and I immediately detect the undertone of worry in her voice. “Matteo’s not feeling well, he’s got a fever. I think it’d be a good idea to take him to the hospital. You’re not answering, but Raf is here. If he says it’s okay, I’m gonna take Matteo to the doctor. And, don’t worry, I won’t be going alone.”

Concern pinpricks my skin at the notion of Matteo being sick. Before I can call her back or call Raf since he’s left me some calls as well, Leo suddenly calls out to me. “Bruno.” I look at him, and I see the look on his hardened features. Dread curls at the base of my spine, and I understand why when he tells me, “There was an attack at the front of the hospital Diana and Matteo were at. Diana got shot.” His gaze flickers toward the lounge. “Tony and Raf confirmed it’s the Russians. Matteo’s back home with Raf, but Diana’s in surgery.”

A ringing echoes through my head, and I can only focus on three words.

Diana got shot.

Diana got shot.

Diana got shot.

White-hot rage shoots through my veins, and I’d rather feel that than the iron grip my terror has on my chest. I practically throw open the car door, my jaw tight enough to shatter my teeth as I tell Leo, “Got to plan B.”

Leo nods and gives the signal to the other men before getting in the driver’s seat. He doesn’t need an order from me to peel out of the lot and speed toward the highway. As we drive away, I can hear the distant, familiar sounds of gunfire. My men know not to leave any survivors.

We could have done this amicably. We could have come to some sort of agreement. But Alexei chose to jerk me around and waste my time—for this. He purposefully stalled because he’d ordered his men to find either my kids, Diana—since she’s Benny’s daughter—or both. And for that, his life, or the lives of his men, will not be spared.

It’s about time I got rid of my Russian problem.

As Leo drives to the hospital, all I can feel is the thundering of my heart, the fear that bleeds through my anger. Diana was meant to be kept out of this side of my world. And while I know, at first, she had been intimidated by me, I always knew she hasn’t been genuinely afraid of me. I see it in the fire in her eyes when she looks at me—both indignant and lust-driven. And it’s a sight to admire, as much as I admire the sight of her with my children, who have so easily grown to love her.

If anything happens to Diana, Matteo and Monica will be devastated.

If anything happens to Diana, I don’t think I’ll fucking recover—and that is a realization that settles deep inside of me.

I can’t lose her. I won’t lose her.

The second Leo pulls up in front of the hospital, I’m racing inside. He pulled into a different entrance, though I see there are several police cars around. I don’t pay them any attention as I race inside, uncaring if I look as disheveled as I feel. I shove my way past doctors and nurses and other insignificant people until I reach the first nurse’s station I find.

My hands smack on top of the counter, startling the nurse. I don’t care as I say, “Diana Elliott. She was brought in with a gunshot wound. Where is she?”

The nurse blinks at me and at my authoritative tone. “I’m sorry, sir—are you related to the patient?”

---