Page 98 of Day Shift

She sighed, then begrudgingly grabbed a yogurt, took a spoonful, and started nibbling on it.

Braxton spoke up. “Nik’s doing well, Angel, if that’s what’s worrying you. So well, in fact, that I removed the IV this morning. He hasn’t needed any more pain meds either. All he’ll need now is a round of antibiotics and some ibuprofen.”

Just then, Nik shuffled into the kitchen, wearing only shorts and the bandage around his thigh. Angel jumped up and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. “I’ve been worried sick about you,” she said.

Nik grunted in pain, and Braxton was there in an instant, pulling her back. “Careful, Angel. He was just shot, remember?”

She stepped back, looking apologetic. “I’m sorry, Nik. I was just so worried.”

Nik waved it off. “I’m fine. Stop worrying about me.”

Braxton gestured to the chair he had been sitting in. “Nik, sit down and get some food. You lost a lot of blood and need to refuel to heal.”

Nik grinned. “All right, all right. Quit fussing, you old mother hen.”

“Shut up. Just sit down and eat,” Braxton shot back.

Nik laughed. He reached for a biscuit, then winced. Braxton noticed immediately. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Nik insisted, though his face betrayed the pain.

Braxton moved closer, inspecting the bandage. “You’ve bled through a little. You may have torn a suture. I’ll look at it after you eat something and clean it back up. You’re gonna have to stay off your feet, you know.” He poured Nik a cup of coffee and then handed him a bottle of water. “You need lots of fluids too.”

Angel visibly relaxed as she watched the exchange, and she sat back down. Now that Nik was here and she could see he was okay, being taken care of, she seemed more like herself.

I reached over her to grab a container with gravy biscuits. Lucian snorted. “Watch it, Conan. You’re going to get fat.”

“Takes a lot of calories to keep up with my workouts, especially at my size,” I replied, grinning.

Angel managed a small smile and continued eating her yogurt—a small victory.

With everyone in the kitchen, safe and sound, the tension dissipated somewhat. The atmosphere eased, and the chatter became more relaxed as we ate.

Angel’s phone, which was lying on the table, started to ring, and the mood in the kitchen shifted instantly. She flipped it over and stared at the screen, then at us, her eyes wide with fear.

“It’s Luca,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Everyone froze. “I’m too terrified to answer.”

I placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Hey, you’ve got a kitchen full of adoring fans right here. We’re not going anywhere. Just try to get as much info out of him as you can.”

She nodded, taking a deep breath. With a shaky hand, she put the phone on speaker and cautiously answered. “Hello, Uncle Luca.”

“Hello, Anastasia,” Luca said, his cold voice filling the room. “You’re a lucky young woman to still be breathing this morning. That was one hell of a scene at the church. My crew spent all night cleaning up, and I can tell you now, our story to cover Father Russo’s disappearance is thin at best.”

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances. Angel’s lip quivered, and I rested my hands on her shoulders, grounding her.

With no more introduction, Luca launched into a blunt rundown. “Your parents are in my basement. They’re going to suffer for all their treachery, but I need to keep them alive for now.”

Angel flashed a concerned look at Nik, then asked, “What are you going to do with them?”

Luca’s tone was icy. “I’ll hold Viktor and Valentina so I can learn more about their organization, the Volkvoi Notchi. They’re going to be useful to me. I aim to take control of their syndicate, both in the US and Russia, as payback for their betrayal.”

We all remained silent as he continued, “There are a lot of foreign crime syndicates trying to take over New York, and I must use these resources wisely. For now, Viktor and Valentina are no longer your worry, Anastasia.”

Angel took a deep breath, processing the information. The room was quiet, the tension palpable. I squeezed her shoulders affectionately, letting her know we were all here for her.

Luca’s next words were sharp, cutting through the silence. “Your aunt Elena is dead, along with Frankie, Frankie’s parents, sisters, groomsmen, and a couple of our Genovese family members. In total, ten dead and several others injured.”

Angel gasped, her hand shooting up to cover her mouth. Tears welled up as she spoke, her voice trembling. “It’s my fault. Innocent people died because of me. I don’t know how I’ll live with this.”

---