Page 108 of King Of Order

Only then did Rio turn to me, his expression softening as he reached out, his hand touching my arm and coming around me, pulling me close to his chest. ‘Bella, are you OK?’

I nodded, but still, adrenaline coursing through me, my hands trembling as I pushed him from me. ‘I’m OK, I think, but don’t come closer. You’ll get blood on your shirt,’ I whispered.

‘Chiara,amore,’ he rasped, voice raw with anger and concern. ‘You’re not fine. You’re bleeding from cuts to your face and limbs, and you also have a nasty bruise on your brow.’

He ran hands over my arms that had been bruised where Nicco grabbed me.

Sucking his teeth, he examined the cut on my lip, cheek, and temple that was trickling blood from where I’d been pressed against the glass. ‘I should have been here. I ought to have known better than to leave you alone.’

I glanced up at him, her eyes wide, still shocked. ‘It’s fine. It’s not your fault. Butcazzo, you were amazing.’

Rio huffed, shrugging off my compliment. ‘Where did he come from?’

‘The back. I think.’

‘Damn. I had eyes on the front, but the alleyway at the back is a mess, and the ingress there is difficult.’

‘He was desperate.’

‘Seems so.’

Chapter 23

VALERIO

Ifussed over Chiara, making her comfortable in her office chair, cleaning cuts, and hunting down an ice pack from her workplace fridge.

She took it with a sigh, pressing it against her bleeding, swollen face.

All the while, I was brooding about how Nicco got a chance to breach the gallery.

‘I’ll be back,’ I muttered to Chiara. ‘Front door’s locked. I need to check the rear access.’

She nodded as I approached the posterior door and found a broken lock and a smashed security pad.

Nicco must have kicked the door in, using sheer brute power to get in.

I glanced at the gallery’s laneway.

It was quiet, yet beyond was the main street, bustling with the typical Naples energy.

People passed by, chatting in rapid Italian, while all around, the aroma of espresso and fresh pastries scented in the air.

I searched the area and spotted nothing unusual.

Other than the occasional delivery van, loud conversations, and zipping scooters, it was business as usual.

Jogging to my car, parked in front of the gallery, I ran back with my toolbox.

I used a long piece of wood from the art packing room and nailed shut the back door.

I returned to Chiara.

She sat at her desk, pressing the ice pack to her cut lip.

I itched to hunt down Nicco, for he wasn’t going to get away with this shit.

Rage boiled in me, but I pushed it down. Right now, I had to take care of her.

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