Page 92 of Controlled

“Come on, baby. You’re going to be okay. Open your eyes for me.”

Another cough turned into wheezing, but she finally opened her eyes, searching mine with the intensity of a lion.

“Go… Away,” she managed, terror filling her eyes.

“That’s not going to happen.” I kept her close as I scanned the shore. We could be sitting ducks out here.

“You knew. You used… me.” She coughed, still fighting to get away from my hold.

“Used you? No,” I hissed and could tell she wasn’t talking about how I’d laid claim to her in the first place. “Why did you run? What happened? I almost lost you. That can’t happen.”

I could tell she was fading. I needed to get her medical attention. While she opened her mouth to speak, no words came out. I pulled her upright against me, cradling her as close to my body as possible. As I scanned the shore, Kane and two other soldiers were running toward us.

Whether or not the situation had been contained couldn’t matter. I had to get her to shore.

Bella clung to me, taking shallow breaths. And in the next few seconds, her hoarse whisper pulled me back to reality.

“Armand… Marcello. My… father. Jonas killed because of… connection.”

She knew.

She’d overheard.

Now she would do everything in her power to get away from me.

But I would not allow that to happen.

I stared at the bodies of the enemies who’d been killed, as the last one was dumped into the back of a truck. Kane stood with me, both of us remaining quiet. I’d lost five men in the attack, all of them with families. I’d never really thought about it before. Family. Hardship.

“Send the families of our lost soldiers money for their loss.” I could tell he was looking at me.

“Okay, boss. It won’t make up for it.”

“No, maybe a few heads on a silver platter will. Find the fuck out who did this, Kane. I want to know by nightfall.” I’d had the doctor we used when Styx wasn’t in town come and check on her condition.

The extra soldiers had arrived, some helping to clean up the fucking mess. As I’d expected, there were no identifying markers on the dead assholes. Gone were the good old days when they announced themselves and who they worked for.

“I’ll do my best,” he answered, his tone indicating he was as rattled as I’d been while in the water.

“Find Gregor. He is the fucking key to all of this. I need to know every goddamn thing. I won’t rest until I do.”

As I started to walk away, he stopped me. “Do you want me to bury the bodies on the hunting grounds?”

I thought about his question and sighed. Maybe Styx was right about everything. It was time to turn a new leaf. If I didn’t the bloody wars would continue. With my need for Bella, that would only place her life continuously in danger. “No. Take them off the property. This won’t be a place of death anymore.”

“You really like this girl.”

“What’s not to like?”

“She’s changed you.”

As all women could do to a man. “Maybe it’s what I need in my life. I’m bored.”

He laughed. “Woe is you.”

Only he could get away with saying something so trite. “I’m going to spend some quality time with Bella. I do not want another breach and have the men scour the streets of Chicago. I want anyone involved rounded up.”

“What about Frederico?”

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