Page 81 of The Mafia's Surprise Gift

“I can’t, I… what happened? Where is Mae? I couldn’t get past—fuck, Rocco. I’m so fucking sorry.”

“Stop.” My concern for him and Mae made the apology almost impossible to process. “How are you?”

Dino sagged back into the pillows and groaned. He was covered in bandages, and his skin was so pale that it had a grey tint. Just looking at him was enough to drown myself in guilt.

“I’m fine.”

“Dino,” I warned sharply. “I am not in the mood for games.”

“Broken arm,” he muttered, holding up the crisp, white cast. “Broken ribs, internal bleeding and head trauma from having my face kicked around like a fucking football. So, all in all, I’m fine.”

“You bastard.” He wasn’t fine. Not by a long shot. How did this happen? It was by some twisted stroke of luck that Dino was here and not with the eight other bodies in the morgue, and I wouldn’t stop thanking whatever made that happen.

“How is Mae?” Dino croaked, suddenly dissolving into paper-thin coughs. “Is she alive? I tried, I swear I?—”

I clutched at his bruised hand. “She’s alive. She’s not awake yet. Doctor told me she has some bruised ribs, a hairline fracture on her jaw, and some abdominal bleeding, but she’s okay.”

“Fuck.”

“Tell me what happened. Tell me everything.”

“They rolled up on us so fast,” Dino began to explain. “I barely made it to the house. Men were dying, and I tried but I was outnumbered. Last I saw, some fucking giant of a man burst in the front door and—holy shit, is her mother okay?”

“Shaken but unharmed,” I assured him. “Guess they didn’t see any benefit to beating up an old woman.”

“Fucking cunts,” Dino growled. “I took two down with me, but then something hit me on the back of the head and everything went woozy. It was like my legs and arms weren’t working.”

“Did you hear any names?”

Dino shook his head. In truth, the only name that was important was whether or not the Pakhan’s son had been involved in this or if he’d just sent his goons to do his dirty work.

“Alright. You rest, okay? I have men at your door. I need to get back to Mae.”

“Okay.” Dino nodded slowly. “I’m sorry, Boss.”

“Don’t.”

Out in the hall, Dino’s apology followed me back to Mae’s room. I was angry, yes, but not at him. The state he was in, it was a miracle he was alive, and I knew he did everything in his power to protect Mae and Zack.

This was my failure.

Voices rose up from Mae’s room, so I rushed inside and my heart exploded with relief to see Mae awake and clutching at Jian with tears sparkling in her eyes.

“Mae!”

“Rocco!” She sobbed, turning to face me. “What the hell? You were supposed to keep us safe, and they came into my house and they took him! They took Zack! They took my baby!”

“I know. I know!” I rushed to her bedside and grabbed her shoulders while both of her hands clawed at my shirt.

“We have to get him back, please. Please, we have to!”

“I swear on my life that I will do everything to get our son back, do you hear me? I swear it.”

“Please,” Mae begged, dissolving into more sobs. “Please get him back. He’s too little for this. He’s too little! He won’t understand anything.”

“I know. I know.” I cupped her damp face, unable to tear my gaze away from her swimming eyes. “Mae, I need to know. The man who attacked you, had you ever seen him before?”

Mae shook her head violently. “No. Never.”

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