Page 57 of Reign

I look over at Libby and pray she’s passed out and didn’t catch a bullet or knife herself. Antonov isn’t moving, but now, neither is she, and she’s sprawled out on the floor still halfway on top of his dead body.

Shit, I’m pulled in so many different directions.

Thankfully, Nikita sees my struggle. He yanks me by my shirt and basically throws me at Libby. “I’ve got him,” he says in regards to Mateo.

I scoop Libby up and gently pat her cheeks, rocking her in my lap. “Libby. Come on, Princess. Wake up.” She’s covered in so much blood I can’t tell if she’s hit or stabbed or if it all belongs to Antonov. The woman went completely savage on him. His intestines are sitting mostly on the floor beside him. “Libby,” I whisper, holding my mouth to her ear and cradling her head. “Come back to me, Baby. It’s time to wake up. Just a little longer.”

She has a pulse and her heart is beating wildly. I need to get it under control before she has a stroke.

Her eyes flutter open but my relief is short lived.

“Dom, we have to get Diego help,now,” Camila says, starting to panic.

“Nikita, don’t draw this out,” I tell him. Sure, there are things I’d love to say to Mateo but he’s not worth any more of my energy. “End him.”

Endthis.

When the trigger is pulled, Libby squeezes her eyes shut tightly. She just became an orphan all over again.

“Dominic, we have to go.” The concern in Nikita’s voice spikes my fear for Diego. I can’t carry him and Libby out at the same time.

“Camila, can you help Libby, please? I need to help Nikita with Diego.”

She comes over and wraps her arms around Libby. My heart swells with love and breaks in pain all at the same time as I hear her whisper, “You did it, sister. You were so brave. Dom’s fine. You saved his life. Just hold on a little longer now, okay?”

Libby looks up at Camila, dazed and unblinking as I turn and reach for Diego.

~

NIKITA VOLUNTEERED TO get Diego to the hospital after calling in the clean-up crew. I guess being mafia does havesomeperks and with Antonov and Alexei both gone, Nikita is being restored to his rightful position as King of the Bratva. Ivan was all too happy to begin letting others know.

Camila went with Nikita, claiming she wanted Diego to wake up to a familiar face but I’m not so sure that was her only motive. We also aren’t sure Diego’s going to wake up.

Libby and I hosed off with the fish hose on the boardwalk before Nikita sent a car to pick us up. He also asked if we’d check in with Joelle who probably lost her mind shortly after she lost communication. She must have heard from Nikita though and been watching for us on the monitors because when we were dropped off, the garage door opened like last time.

She runs out to the car, tears streaming down her cheeks but as she registers the different car and starts scanning our faces for Nikita’s, I realize he didn’t call her.

I fling the door open, the first words out of my mouth, “Nikita’s alive. He’s fine.”

Her next question startles me not because of the words, but the concern and emotion behind them. “Where’s Diego? Is he okay?”

I take a deep breath preparing to deliver the news but as I try to find the right words, Libby gets out of the car and embraces Joelle.

“He’s going to pull through.” It’s the first time she’s spoken since I pulled her off of Antonov. “He took a shot to the chest just above his vest. He’s at the hospital now with Nikita and Camila. And he’s going to be okay.”

Maybe if she says it enough times, I’ll start to believe it too.

Joelle brings a trembling hand up to her mouth. Her presence as well as her need for comfort seems to have forced something inside of Libby to make a shift. Libby glances over at me. “Maybe we should stay with her until we have news and the others get back?”

“Please,” Joelle speaks up. “I don’t want to be alone.”

I’m fucking exhausted. Everything hurts. I’m scared for my best friend. I just want to hold my wife. But I’ve never been able to deny Libby anything.

“Sure, Joelle, we’ll stay but do you mind if we grab a shower? And a drink?”

“Of course, come in. I have clean clothes you’re welcome to change into, Libby, and I’m sure Nikita has some sweats here you can use, Dominic.”

I still bristle at hearing our real names come out of Joelle’s mouth. I haven’t had a chance accept that Mateo’s dead or think about what this means for Libby and I.

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