Page 134 of Deception

“You fucking assholes! What’s going on?”

Adriano points and I look back to see the doctor pull open Alessandro’s blood-soaked shirt, revealing the vest, two bullets lodged in the Kevlar. Then he unstraps the vest and Alessandro gasps, shooting up, clutching his chest.

“You’re a shit shot, Ciro!” he grunts, wincing.

That’s when I notice the wound up near his shoulder, the source of all the blood.

“Uh, you mean an excellent shot! That shit was surgical. I had to make it look real while shooting you in the chest. Only spot I could hit for authenticity without killing you.” His grin is proud, like a kid winning first place.

“I’m about to kill all three of you if you don’t tell me what the fuck is going on. Right. Now.” I’m on my feet, backing the three of them toward the wall.

“Whoa!”

“Take it easy, Isabella,” Adriano raises his hands. “We had to pretend to kill him to save all our asses.”

“Oh. That makes perfect sense,” I mock, huffing back to the couch and plopping down, glaring at my lover who is still sitting on the floor. Aless hides a smirk, still holding his arm as the doctor cleans the wound. “Don’t even look at me right now. You probably told them to do it, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, it’s his fault!” Ciro cracks open a beer, tossing one to his twin and chugging it. “Doc, what do you think? Good shot?”

“There’s no such thing as a ‘good’ gunshot wound, you dolt. But it went straight through. Didn’t damage too much. Should have use of the arm again in a few weeks.”

‘A few weeks?!” Alessandro gripes, rising and moving to the dining room table to get stitched up. I follow him with my vengeful glare.

“What do you need it for? We’ll just be traveling. Ciro can carry your bags.” Adriano teases, accepting a beer of his own and pounding it back.

“You believe this shit, Tomas? They want me to do your job,” Ciro quips.

“That’s not my job,” Tomas snips back, resuming his post by the door.

“Could have fooled me. I saw how full your SUV was downstairs. You let Angelica bring the whole house with her?”

The thick-necked, strong-jawed man keeps his eyes straight ahead, but I swear I see him blush.

“Is anyone going to fill me in on what the hell happened tonight?” I cross my arms, trying to stay mad. But I keep looking over at Aless, my heart tugging at me to cave and throw myself into his arms.

“Short version, Dom outmaneuvered us.” Adriano slouches over the counter.

“Longer version, he got our goose pretty good,” Ciro chirps.

“It’s ‘got our goat,’” Ero sighs.

“Nah, Aless is pretty good, but not GOAT material.”

“This is going to be a long trip.” Alessandro grumbles, hissing as the doctor pushes the needle through again.

“Trip?” I perk up. I’m letting it slide that no one seems willing to fill me in about Dom and the family. Each of them is cagey, worked up. They need time to process the loss.

“We’re getting out of the country for a little family time. Mourning, you know,” Adriano explains. “Alessandro’s funeral is in two days.”

“Where?” I can’t help asking.

“Italy, the old country.”

“Aless was always a sentimental fool.” Ciro wags his eyebrows. “Or at least that's what Dom thinks.”

My lover rises from his chair, striding purposefully over to me, pulling me up. We embrace, holding tight, savoring the moment.

“What do you say, Isabella?” Aless gazes down into my eyes, his weathered face more stunning than anything I could imagine. “Will you disappear with me?”

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