Page 48 of Claimed By the Boss

Dr. Wallace makes sure I’ve memorized my wound care instructions, then hands me a bag of antibacterial solution and bandages before departing.

With a deep breath to steady myself, I make my way downstairs to join Nolan, Jade, and Caleb in the front room of the townhouse.

Caleb and Jade perch on one of the delicate love seats while Nolan paces, speaking intently into his phone.

When I enter, his green eyes flick to me, and he strides over to cup the uninjured side of my head and drop a kiss on my hair.

“Leo, come sit down. Your poor face must hurt so bad.” Jade waves his arm, where the white bandage wrapped around his bicep stands out beneath the shorn sleeve of his black shirt. “Look! We’re gauze buddies.”

As he breaks out in giggles, Caleb shakes his head with indulgence. “Ignore him. The doctor gave him drugs.”

My body throbs in time to my pulse as I take the accent chair next to Caleb. Dr. Wallace only administered an anti-inflammatory for me and left acetaminophen for if the pain worsens.

“Dammit!” Nolan rubs a hand through his dark brown hair, frustration clear on his face.

I lean toward Caleb, my voice low. “What’s going on?”

“He’s checking in with the clean-up team.” Jade leans across Caleb to get closer to me. “They’re responsible for dealing with the bodies and wiping the place clean of anything that can tie us to the crime scene. Tie…”

His eyes widen. “Nolan was going to tie you up.” He rears up, nearly head-butting Caleb in the chin. “Did you know Nolan was kinky?”

“Shut up, brat.” Caleb pushes him back on the couch.

Jade collapses against the armrest, falling silent as the ornate decorations on the ceiling distract him.

Caleb turns back to me. “How are you feeling?”

I touch my tender face. “I’m going to have some bruises for a couple of weeks, and the deeper wounds on my wrists may scar, but I’ll live.”

“Living is what matters.” Caleb’s fingers brush my bandages. “Take the scars as proof that you survived.”

A lump forms in my throat, and I nod.

“Alright, I understand.” Frustration laces Nolan’s voice. “Keep me informed.”

He hangs up and pockets his phone.

“Everything okay?” I ask, trying to stop fear from overtaking me.

At least one person was killed today. If the police had arrived before the warehouse was cleaned up…

Nolan’s expression softens as he looks at me. “Yes, there’s just been a minor complication. My shot didn’t kill Tony, and the rat got away.”

I stiffen. “Are you in danger?”

“No, nothing like that.” He catches my hand and tugs me up to take my chair, then pulls me onto his lap. “He and Bugrov on the run, but our people will catch up with him. In the meantime, we can look into the local gang’s involvement with your kidnapping. They’re already on our list to deal with, but if they’re targeting our family, we need to escalate things.”

“Actually, I don’t think the gang had anything to do with this. Gino and Tony were too disorganized. They didn’t even have a plan for how to send the ransom.” I take a deep breath, anger and shame warring within me. “Gino also admitted that my debt to the gang was all fake. He made the whole thing up. He and Tony were scamming me from the very beginning. My brother, Foley, never took out a loan.”

Nolan’s expression shifts from surprise to rage in an instant. “Then why did Gino target you?”

“When I asked the same thing, he implied that we’ve met before.” I pull Nolan’s arms around me. “I think Gino knew Foley, and he must have told him about me.”

“I’m so sorry. Gino’s confidence in coming after you probably means that your brother is dead, as you suspected.” Nolan takes my hand. “But we can find out for sure. At the very least, we’ll locate his body so you can lay him to rest.”

His words fill me with more worry than reassurance. Messing with the gangs is risky. If they’re not aware of what’s been going on, I don’t want Nolan drawing their attention.

I meet his steady gaze. “Foley isn’t a part of my life, and now Gino is dealt with. Finding out what happened to my brother isn’t worth putting you or your family in danger.”

---