Page 15 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 4

“What happened?” I asked Bruno.

He shook his head. “Best I can tell, someone broke in and placed the bomb prior to our arrival. Based on the fact that the bomb was attached to Brenden’s office door, a door that was clearly marked as his, tells me he was the target of that explosion, not you or Giovanni.”

“You think Bianca wanted to kill her own husband to get the insurance payout?”

Bruno tilted his head. “You seem surprised. We’re talking about the same woman that sexually assaulted Giovanni, cheated on her fiancé at their rehearsal dinner with his best friend, married that friend, and is pregnant with one of their babies? Who also was magically released from jail and fled the country. I wouldn’t put anything past her,” he said while rubbing his chin.

I let out a long sigh. “I know, I know. It’s just that Brenden has backed her every step of the way. He chose her over his bestfriend and even his own sister.” I gulped against the need to swallow the emotional pain that went with that truth.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean she had the same loyalty to him,” he replied gently.

“No, it doesn’t.” Why I would think evil people could be loyal was beyond me. “If he dies from this explosion, she gets the payout right?”

He nodded. “Twenty-five million dollars to be exact. Provided there isn’t proof that she planted it. And seeing as she was nowhere near the offices or in the same country, it sure gives her a pretty ironclad alibi.”

I closed my eyes and breathed in through my nose and out my mouth for a full five breaths, trying to get my anger under control. I needed to think all of this through, but my brain felt foggy, my thoughts all muddled together.

“Look, you rest. I’m going to touch base with my guys. I’ve got a couple members of my security team keeping an eye on your room, just to be extra cautious.”

I nodded. “Thank you. When can I see Gio?”

“I don’t know. I’ll look into it.” He walked over to the table then filled a cup of water for me. He added a straw and held it to my lips.

I drank greedily until some dribbled down my chin. Bruno lifted the cotton blanket and patted the water away. “You need to rest up. I don’t imagine things are going to get any easier for you. I’ll have the doctor come in to speak with you.”

“Thank you, Bruno.” I reached out until he took my hand, tightened his grip, and then let it go.

“You’re welcome.” He moved to leave my room.

“Bruno,” I called out.

He turned, his hand on the doorknob. “Yeah?”

“Please find her. I want justice. No…” I swallowed the torturous emotions swelling and ebbing throughout my body. “Ineedjustice.”

“I’ll do my best.” He said the words as though they were a vow. One I had to hold onto with my entire being in order to keep myself together.

Bianca would get hers.

It was only a matter of time.

* * * *

Two agonizing days later, Giovanni started coming back to me. He had been on heavy pain and agitation medication but was finally making progress. He was lying on his side due to the patchwork of injuries the doctors had to mend on his back, not including the burns. Thankfully, right before the explosion, Giovanni got us mostly around a corner wall leading to a hallway. That wall protected us more than anything else. Had he not, we both would have been injured far worse. We’d be in a medically induced coma fighting for our lives like my brother was. I was discharged the morning after I arrived but had been at my husband’s side ever since.

Things did not look good for Brenden, and the doctors made it clear it would take a miracle for him to survive the next couple weeks. I wasn’t sure how to feel about his condition. On the one hand, he’d put us through absolute hell. On the other, he was my blood. My brother. My family. At least he was before Hurricane Bianca tore through our family and shredded us to bits. Now I wasn’t sure what was left of us.

“Hey,” I spoke low in case Gio was having the same sensitivity to sound that I was. I put my hand on his cheek, delighting in feeling the renewed warmth there. He’d been so cold the last two days.

His glassy eyes stared at me, flicking from one point to another on my face before doing it all over again. Those grey orbs filled with tears and my heart broke as they fell down his cheeks, relief evident in his gaze.

“I thought you were dead,” he rasped.

I smiled through my own tears. “You’re not getting rid of me just yet, Mister,” I teased then dipped my head to rest my injured forehead lightly to his. I winced but breathed through the pain. “Don’t ever scare me like that again,” I whispered and licked the salty tears from my lips. “Not ever again, Gio. I can’t do this alone.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

I cupped both of his cheeks. “You saved us. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

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