Page 92 of Absolution

“On my way,” I grit out, my throat tightening. Fuck! “I think they drugged her, Luci.”

Salvatore doesn’t have time to respond before I’m by his side. He pushes Cecilia’s hair off her face and regards her, then he hauls up his phone. “I’m calling the doc. Let’s move.”

In the car, as Ivan drives us to the hospital where a crew of medical staff will be meeting us, Simon leans over Cecilia, checking her pulse, lifting her eyelids.

“She’ll be fine. They’ve probably given her a benzo. She’s got good vitals.”

“How do you know?” I growl, fear having seized all my senses.

“I’m a trained medic, military. It’s cool. You should call her mother.”

I exhale raggedly and haul up my phone.

“Yes?” Kerry sounds out of breath, her voice barely recognizable.

“Cecilia is fine. I’ve got her.”

The wordless wail on the other hand makes me jerk the phone away from my ear and everyone in the car turns to look at me.

“Ker?”

“Yes,” she whimpers, “is she with you?”

“She is. She’s safe. We’re passing the hospital for a check-up, but we’ll be home soon.”

“Which hospital? I’m coming.”

No, she’s not. I’m not letting her see Cecilia in this state.

“Stay with Carmen. We’ll be home before you know it.”

I disconnect.

A moan makes me look down. Cecilia’s long dark eyelashes flutter and then she opens her eyes. She’s drowsy, but she’s awake! I give Simon a grateful look, appreciating his earlier words.

“Kis?” she whispers and frowns.

I hug her, careful not to squeeze the little body too hard. “Daddy’s here, honey,” I mumble as I bury my face in her dark locks.

Salvatore spins around from his seat in the front. “She’s awake?”

I nod and can’t help the probably goofy smile that spreads over my face as Cecilia reaches for the scraggy stubble on my chin. My phone keeps buzzing, and the voice messages and texts keep coming in. All from a frantic Kerry. I text her back that she needs to calm down, because it’s all good, then I turn off the phone. Maybe a bit harsh, but I’ve told Kerry what she needs to know and she has Carmen by her side. Right now I want to focus on our daughter.

The visit to the hospital is quick. Cecilia’s vitals are good, just as Simon said. I’m gonna talk to Salvatore about getting that man a promotion, because he fucking saved my sanity back there.

As we drive up to Carmen and Lucas’ house, I tap Salvatore on the shoulder.

“We’re not done.”

He turns and nods, a grim expression on his face. “I’m gonna wipe out Richter’s whole organization. Down to every last man.”

“My guess is Richter isn’t in town.”

“We’ll have to make do with two traitors today. Rusty and that other piece of shit, Evan.”

“I’ll rip Kerry’s ex-husband apart with my own fucking hands,” I growl.

“I’ll let you have him.”

The car comes to a stop. The front door to the house slams open and Kerry comes rushing out, barefoot, her face white. I climb out to meet her, Cecilia safe in my arms. I want to hug her forever and never let go, but we have things to do, and she and her mother need each other.

There’s always a war, always a new disaster, blood, damage, pain.

Such is my life.

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