Page 112 of Victorious Vice

“You could be in danger there. Let the police handle this.”

“My mom is going in the ambulance with him. I’ll follow in the car.” She sobs even harder, her voice breaking. “Vinnie…I’m scared.”

“Raven, do not go to the hospital. Please. Stay put. I’m sending someone for you.”

“All right.” She gulps. “All right, Vinnie.”

As I hang up the phone, my mind races, spinning different theories and outcomes. Bellamy is no saint. Any number of people could have done this, but doing it in his own home? That takes a lot of balls.

I open the door to the room where Mario and Serena are waiting. Mario instantly sits up straighter.

“What is it?” he asks.

“It’s Bellamy,” I say, straightening my jacket and turning for the door. “Someone took a shot at him.”

Mario’s eyes widen in surprise. “A shot? At Bellamy?”

“Yeah. I have to go.”

He narrows his eyes. “Your loyalties lie elsewhere, Vincent.”

“Damn it!” I nearly pull my hair out. “I’ll do my duty. I’ll take over the organization. You’re free now to be with your love. I’ve givenmylove up, but I have to protect her, Mario. I won’t let her end up like Serena.”

I leave then, hastily making a call to Elmo. “I need you to get on the horn and call your best man,” I tell him. “Closest to the Bellamy ranch. He needs to go pick up Raven. Then meet me at the secure location in San Antonio.”

“I’m on it.”

A moment later, I’m in the car with Fred and Elmo. “All set?” I ask.

“All set. Slade is on his way to her.”

“Slade?” I cock my head. “You sent someone named Slade?”

“He’s the best. He’ll get her there quickly and safely.”

“Good.”

“What’s up?”

“Someone took a shot at Raven’s father. Right in his own home. The cops are swarming right now, and I don’t have a clue who may have done this. All I care about is Raven. Getting her out of there.”

“I understand.”

My mind races as the car swerves through traffic.

“I hope Slade gets to her before the police lock everything down,” I mutter.

Elmo looks at me, a grim understanding in his eyes. “Don’t worry, Vinnie. Slade’s never let us down.”

Despite Elmo’s soothing words, my heart pounds like a jackhammer. Time seems to stretch and warp, every second crawling by at an agonizingly slow pace.

Eventually, we pull up to the secure location—an inconspicuous three-story building tucked away in a run-down part of town. From the outside, it looks abandoned—part of its disguise. Inside is a state-of-the-art security system and enough firepower to hold off an army.

As I step out of the car, Elmo reaches for his phone and reads a text. “Slade got Raven. They’re en route.”

Relief washes over me, but it’s short-lived.

“She safe for now, Vinnie,” Elmo says, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “Slade won’t let anything happen to her.”

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