Page 103 of Wicked Truths

Dropping to my knees, I check for a pulse, praying that I’m not too late. It’s faint, but still there. We need to get her to a hospital now.

Movement out of the corner of my eyes has me jumping to my feet. Jax rounds the back corner of the house and narrows his eyes on me.

He stalks toward me, cracking his knuckles for a fight, but he’s barely worth any energy. I level my gun at him and pull the trigger, shooting him square in the chest.

I should have done that from the get go. Then Francesca wouldn’t be fighting for her life.

An older man sneaks around the back of the house, coming from the same direction Jax did.

I holster my gun and get ready to run after him, but Arturo wraps his hand around my arm and stops me.

“Save Francesca and get out of here. Take her straight to the hospital and ask for Doctor Matteo.Don’t answer any questions until I tell you to. We don’t need to be anywhere near this house in a few minutes.”

I can’t just leave Arturo behind. He’s the head of the family. The head of all operations. Francesca and Joey will kill me if something happens to him.

“What about you?” I ask as I glance down at the very pale Francesca. She’s losing too much blood.

He claps me on my back. “I’ll be right behind you. I’ll get a ride with someone else. Just take care of my baby girl.”

“Be safe and be quick.” I say before picking Francesca up and pulling her close to my body.

Her skin is ice cold, like I’m already too late. I walk as fast as I can to my truck. I open the back door and lay her on the backseat.

Remembering the cover under the seat, I spread it over her to try to get some warmth through her body.

I gently close the door before jumping in the driver’s seat and driving straight to the hospital.

I run every red light and every stop sign. It’s late, and no one is really on the road. Besides, my emergency flashers are on so they can see it’s an emergency.

Glancing at the rearview mirror at a lifeless Francesca, my heart shatters.

This was supposed to be an easy rest of the year for the team and the Marino family, but it’s been anything but since Francesca blew back into my life.

“Damn it. Don’t die on me, Chessie. Don’t fucking leave me. Not like this. Not before we’ve had a chanceat a long, happy life together. Not before I’ve had the chance to watch you walk down the aisle to me. Not before we’ve checked off everything on your Fuck-It list.”

I chuckle to keep from breaking down and crying. I haven’t cried since I was a child.

“Yeah, I know all about your Fuck-It list that you hid in your hockey learning book. Thankfully, Joey and your dad have no clue about it because I intend to fulfill your every wish as soon as you are better.”

I pull up to the hospital and park under the covered emergency room entrance before gently getting Francesca out of my truck.

I carry her through the automatic doors, yelling for help. Several nurses rush over to me with a bed, asking what happened and who this is.

Remembering what Arturo said, I say, “We only want Doctor Matteo.”

The nurse glances at the nurse beside her before saying, “We can’t do that.”

I pull Francesca closer to my body. “Listen, ma’am, her father is Arturo Marino, and he has requested Doctor Matteo to care for her. I don’t think you want to be on his bad side. Now, how about you go get the doctor, and I won’t mention this to Arturo?”

The nurses nod.

“So? Do we have a deal?”

One nurse runs over to her desk to page the doctor as the others help me get Francesca on the bed and begin taking her vitals.

“You’ll have to wait out here while she gets lookedat. She’s lost a lot of blood and her pulse is weak. The gunshot wound looks like it will need surgery.”

“I’m going wherever you take her. I will stand to the side and out of the way, but come hell or high water, I’ll be by her side every moment she is here.”

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