Page 14 of Triplets for the Mafia Prince

“You can’t call your father?—”

“I can call Ava.”

I want to shake sense into her. “No. She’s a Rinella?—”

“She’s a D’Amato now, and they’re good people.”

“Who have an alliance with your father.” It’s striking that she doesn’t defend her father. She must know the type of man he is. Well, of course she does. Her father arranged for her to marry my sadist father.

“Max is the only person we can trust right now. Promise me you’ll call him.”

Her jaw tightens. Her fingers flex and then wrap around the steering wheel. I have to admit, this girl has grit.

Finally, she sucks in a breath. “I promise.” I don’t know if I believe her, but I don’t have much choice.

I lean back, exhausted by the effort. It's not much of a plan, but it's something.

My vision blurs, and I can sense my strength draining away rapidly. I try to fight it, knowing I need to stay alert for Bella's sake, but it's a losing battle.

"Bella," I mumble, my voice barely audible. "Keep… driving. Don't stop…"

I struggle to keep my eyes open, to give her more instructions, but the darkness closes in fast.

“Oh… and call me Nic.” The pain recedes as unconsciousness takes hold. My head lolls to the side, and I slip away, leaving Bella to face our predicament alone.

6

BELLA

Niccolo slumps in the passenger seat, his eyes closed, breathing shallow. Blood seeps through his shirt where the bullet hit him.

"Nic?" I whisper, my voice trembling. No response.

Panic rises in my throat. What am I supposed to do now? I'm alone, driving a stolen car with an unconscious man bleeding next to me as we run from… who? Assassins? My father?

I glance at Nic again. His face is pale, a sheen of sweat on his brow. Part of me wants to pull over, try to help him. But what if he wakes up and decides I'm a liability? He killed that driver without hesitation.

Then again, if he wanted to hurt me, why go through all this? Why not just leave me behind?

My mind races, trying to make sense of it all. I'm trapped between my fear of Nic and my fear of whoever's after us. At least with Nic, I have some protection. On my own, I'm completely vulnerable.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself.Focus on driving, I tell myself.Just get to the cabin.

I steal another look at Nic. Despite everything, I can't help but worry about him. He's losing a lot of blood. If I don't do something soon, he might not make it to the cabin.

“Nic?” I push on his arm, hoping to wake him, but he’s completely out. Despite everything that's happened, I can't just let him bleed out next to me. He might be dangerous, but right now, he's my only lifeline in this mess.

I rack my brain, trying to remember what I packed that might stave off the bleeding. Clothes, toiletries, a few books, Band-Aids… nothing that could help with a gunshot wound.

I remember that many drivers keep first-aid kits in their vehicles. I keep one hand and one eye on the road as I reach over to open the glove compartment. I poke around but only find the usual car manual, registration, plastic spoons, and spare sunglasses.

I open the center console to find only change, a phone charger, CDs, and a bottle of water.

I slump back in my seat, fighting back tears of frustration. Why is this happening?

I look over at Nic again. His skin has taken on a grayish tinge, and his breathing seems even more labored than before.

The trunk. Maybe there’s a first aid kit there. I scan our surroundings. We’re out of the cities and towns, in rural Indiana. There aren’t many cars on the road. I spot a sign for an upcoming exit that doesn’t advertise gas stations or restaurants, suggesting it doesn’t have many people.

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