Page 102 of Third Degree

Tatum’s hands covered her mouth in shock as Julian placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

“Tatum, will you please wait here,” I asked, voice stiff. It was still hard to process everything. Being here in the hospital… seeing her like that…

“Yes, of course.” She nodded furiously.

“I need to fill Alex in on what is happening,” I told Julian.

“I’ll be right here,” Tatum confirmed. “I am going to call the girls to tell them what is happening too.”

Julian and I walked just outside the hospital doors. I refused to leave the hospital grounds in case the doctor came out and needed to tell me something, even as much as I hated it here.

We found a quiet corner with a bench away from any cameras and sat down.

“Let me call Romeo first.”

Julian nodded.

“How is your wife?” was the first question that came out of his mouth. It was laced with concern, and although I had suspected maybe he had somehow been involved, I could tell immediately it wasn’t him.

“She will make it.”

Another audible sigh of relief from the other end of the line only reconfirmed my decision that it wasn’t him.

“What do we know?” I asked him.

“Forty-four wounded, including your wife,” Romeo added matter-of-factly.

“None of them died?” Julian chimed in.

“None,” Romeo confirmed. “The shooter possessed a calculated intent. Although most of the bullet holes were concentrated within the club, the injuries resulted from stray bullets.”

The realization struck me; this was not a random mass shooting. It was a meticulously planned message targeting both me and the Gambini family.

Julian swiftly began texting Ricardo while Romeo provided a detailed account of the bullet trajectories, mapping out the impact zones.

Julian called Alex, who was already briefed on the shooting at the club.

“We need to figure out who did this,” Alex had demanded the moment he answered the phone. We were all on speaker.

“Agreed,” Julian murmured.

“With the shooter dead, we have—”

“What?!” I screamed, and when a few passersby turned our way, I went back to a whisper, but I was shaking furiously. “Who said he was dead?” I glared at Julian.

“One of the security members shot him, and before we could get him to the basement, he died.” Alex was silent as Julian explained what had happened.

“Fuck,” I growled and ran my hands in my hair in frustration.

“Papa,” Alex asked on the other line, “is there anything out of the ordinary today with Gianna?”

“What do you mean?”

“I am trying to think of what could have happened. Did she say anything that would possibly indicate who this was?” Alex pressed.

“Why do you think she was the target?” I asked. This time, the shake in my hands returned.

“Because it happened the night of your club opening. You were introducing her to the world as your wife. No one was shot dead, but the club was destroyed, including its reputation.”

---