Page 65 of Borrowed Bride

Even now, the flames of love haven’t died down. Mourning him did nothing to quell those feelings and now learning that he’s alive has ignited them like a bonfire.

Fawn drums her fingers on the table. “Given…what you have told me,” she says tightly. “I’m inclined to believe there is something I am missing.”

“I need to talk to him.” I press both hands flat against the table. “If you can get me to him then maybe I can?—”

“Fawn!” Cherry bursts through the door, cutting me off with a yelp. “The girl we had on Leo just called. Marco raided him at that club, the Newt, downtown and when they were both inside, it exploded!”

Fawn is on her feet as fast as my heart jumps painfully in my chest.

“They’re on their way to hospital,” Cherry finishes.

“It’s the Ricci’s,” Fawn mutters. “It’s gotta be. They’ll never make it. We need to hijack those ambulances!”

26

MARCO

Ican’t breathe.

I can’t move.

My limbs are heavy. My lungs clog with brick dust and ash. Pain throbs through me, pulsing in time to my sluggish heartbeat, but the sensations are oddly distant, more like a memory than anything else.

How has it come to this? Another explosion just when I was close to getting Leonardo.

Leo, who claims to know nothing about the assassin and now I have to believe him because there is no way he would blow himself up.

I need to get up.

I need to find him and talk to him and get to the bottom of this once and for all, but I don’t have the energy. I can barely even open my hands.

Hands grab me, pulling in all directions and I don’t have the strength to resist. I’m shunted back and forth like a piece of meat and while a distant voice in my mind screams at me to do something about it, I can’t.

I just … can’t.

“Boss?” Anton’s familiar voice drifts toward me, and I finally crack open my eyes, glimpsing a light blue sky and then Anton’s sweaty, dirt-streaked face. I want to thank him for always being by my side. For taking care of me and never doubting me. For giving me such unwavering loyalty.

My lips don’t move.

“You’re gonna be okay, boss!” Anton says distantly. “We’ll get you to a hospital!”

The blue sky vanishes and a white ceiling takes its place as I’m loaded onto something. Anton is gone, and the crash of doors closing is muffled to me.

I’m tired.

I close my eyes.

Is this it?

Is it finally going to be over?

I yearn for peace. Deep down, it’s been my only goal ever since I lost Gianna. I crave to be with her, and yet loyalty kept me alive and eager for a decent death.

An explosion isn’t a bad way to go. I survived one. I’m pretty sure that’s all the luck you get.

My mind drifts, keeping the pain at bay as things touch my face and something sharp pricks my arm.

In my mind, I dream.

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