Page 64 of Wicked King

CHAPTER 31

LET HER GO

Marco

Merda! My heart lurches up my throat as gunshots ricochet across the dancefloor. Screams and cries fill the air, but all my focus is on Jia. Her eyes are wide as she stares at me, her mouth curved into a capital O. Then both our gazes drift lower, to the blood blossoming across the pristine white lace of her gown.

“Jia!” I shout and pull her into my arms. She glances up at me, two midnight spheres wide with fear. Cazzo, why did I ever let her go? Lifting her up, I cradle her slender form against my chest. Deep crimson blooms across her torso, and panic claws at my heart. “I’ve got you, spitfire. You’re going to be fine.”

Shots crackle in the air as our bodyguards spring into action, absolute chaos ensuing. The wedding guests are running, trampling over one another to reach the exit. Nico races toward us with Maisy, Jimmy at his heels. My brother’s right-hand man holds a gun in each hand, his expression savage.

“Fuck,” Nico hisses as his wild gaze lands on us.

“Oh my golly, is she okay?” Maisy’s bright-green eyes go impossibly wide.

“Of course she’s not okay, Mais,” I growl. “She’s been shot.”

Nico steals the handkerchief from my pocket and presses it to the wound.

Merda, why didn’t I think of that?

Jia’s pale lids flutter, and paralyzing fear constricts my ribcage. “Jia, stay with me. Keep your eyes open.” Fuck! If I hadn’t been so busy screwing around, I would have had time to find out who shot at me yesterday. Now, Jia had paid the price for my failing.

I’ll find the assholes behind this and kill them all. No one hurts my wife. I’ll burn Manhattan to the ground if that’s what it takes.

All the cries blur around me, the manic pounding of my heart drowning out everything else.

“Marco!” Nico’s shout jerks me from my downward spiral. He’s standing in front of my face, waving his phone. “Dr. Pacetti will meet us at your penthouse in five.”

“No, fuck that. I’m taking her to the hospital.”

“Are you out of your mind? You know I cannot let you do that.”

“My wife was shot at our wedding, bastardo! You don’t think that’s going to make the front-page news either way? I won’t risk her safety to keep Gemini Corp out of the public eye.”

Maisy sneaks in beside me and whispers, “I’ll call the ambulance. Go out the back.”

My throat tightens, and I’m about a second away from kissing my twin’s girlfriend full on the lips. Instead, I muster a quick, “Thank you,” before darting toward the door of the grand ballroom.

Nico shouts behind me, but his voice is drowned out by the pandemonium. As I race through the crowd with my palm pressing the handkerchief to the wound, barreling over Red Dragons and Four Seas alike, it occurs to me I should find Jia’s grandfather. If anything happens to him, she’ll be devastated…

But I can’t stop to look for him now.

I resolve to send Jimmy a message to find the old man as soon as Jia is safe. Speeding down the hallway of the hotel, I ignore the warm blood coating my sleeves and my sticky fingers. Jia will be fine. She must be. Pushing through another set of doors, I run into a wall of black suits. One of the men I immediately recognize: Max, my brother’s driver. The big guy dips his head, and I exhale sharply.

“Come on, I’ll escort you both safely outside.” Signaling at the other men to stay put, he moves into step beside me, and a hint of relief slows the manic thundering of my pulse.

“Thanks,” I mutter.

“Just following orders, Mr. Rossi.”

“My brother?”

He nods.

The hint of a smile tugs at my lips despite the fear. Nico might be an asshole most of the time, but even he understands. Maybe more than I do. I glance down at Jia and my damned heart crumbles. Blood soaks the front of her beautiful gown. Squeezing my eyes closed, dark memories of the past rush to the surface.

Vacant eyes staring into the night sky.

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