Page 56 of Savage Prince

“He was there, too. He didn’t seem too fond of you either.”

Antonio slows as the top of the boat’s canopy comes into view just over the ridge. ThankDio, we’re almost there. “Well, whoever the fuck did it, is going to die a slow, agonizing death.”

CHAPTER 28

THE UGLY TRUTH

Antonio

Circling the lake of my childhood home which now sits in a pile of ashes, the anger grows more powerful with each passing minute. Serena stands at the steering wheel, following the route I laid out, skimming the coast but remaining hidden from large ports. That house, Mariuccia, the memories, they were all that was left of my humanity. And some son-of-a-bitch stole that from me.

Worse, they nearly stoleher.

My eyes flicker to Serena as I stretch across the banquette, useless with this damned bullet wound still spilling blood. She’d offered to patch me up before we hit the water, but my only concern was getting as far from the blazing villa as possible. Her gaze is fixed to the pitch sky, while I can’t stop watching her. Neither of us have spoken much the past few hours as we circle endlessly. Whoever is behind this won’t linger in Como forever. We simply must wait them out. Then once I’m certain it’s safe, I’ll make my next move.

Normally, there would be no question. My gut says this is Dante Valentino; the timing is too perfect for it to be anyone else. And yet, Serena is adamant her father would never do this. In my experience, family, blood and loyalty doesn’t meanmerda.Papàturned on Raffaele, Raf turned onPapà.I’m not certain exactly how Giuseppe died but it could have been at the hands of my father. Either way, it all proves my point.

My thoughts spin, the anger churning. The arsonists could have just as easily been the Salernos or the Sartoris. Both had motives…

And how can Serena be so sure it isn’t the Kings behind this?

Dante is notil capo, no matter how hard he pretends to be. That title belongs to his brother, Luca, and if Dante didn’t make the call, then it must have been the younger Valentino. That attack was brutal, perfectly organized and left no trace of the culprit.

Once we were at a safe distance, I put the call in to my man at the Como police station. He’s kept me abreast of the situation, and as of now, they have nothing. I doubt they’ll ever find a single clue. Whoever did this was a professional.

I push myself up, forcing my body into a sitting position, and a groan hisses through my clenched teeth. Serena spins toward me, a look I was certain I would never see on the woman flashing across her face, illuminated by the sliver of moon overhead.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” I grit out, forcing myself to remain upright.

“You are the most stubborn man I’ve ever met.” Cutting the engine so the boat bobs on the faint current, she whirls on me. “You should have let me check your wound. You’re of no use to me if you bleed out.”

A rueful chuckle slips out, and I barely restrain from crying out as my ribs expand with the laugh, tearing at the wound justabove my heart. “Merda,” I rasp out, pressing the cloth more firmly against my chest.

“That’s it. I’m not going anywhere until you let me look at that bullet wound. And if you tell me you’re fine one more time, I’m going to throw you overboard.”

Before I can respond, she crouches down and rifles through the cabinets beneath the stern. She pops up a moment later with a first-aid kit.

“Lie down,” she barks.

I stare up at her wide-eyed as she looms over me. I’m not a man that’s used to taking orders.

“Don’t make me ask again, Antonio. That crappy cloth that you’ve been using to staunch the blood is soaked through. The wound needs to be cleaned, stitched up and dressed.”

“And you know how to do that?”

“No, you definitely picked the wrong Valentino mafia princess if you needed a surgeon.” Her eyes twinkle with a hint of amusement, the first I’ve seen since we ran from the fire. “But I can at least clean and bandage it. Then we need to get off this boat and find a real doctor.” She drops the first-aid kit on the gleaming mahogany, opens it and pulls out alcohol, cotton swabs, and bandages. “What about that doctor that came to the house for my ankle?”

Elena had of course sprung to mind, but after Mariuccia and Fabi… “I don’t want to involveDottoressaBergamaschi,” I mutter.

“Then we’re going to have to go to the hospital. The bandage will only be a temporary fix.”

“No.” I shake my head. “That will be the first place they’ll look. Whoever is behind this, will have to return to the house to confirm I’m dead. When they don’t find my body, they’ll search all the medical facilities. Somebastardoshot me in the back; that’s not something you usually walk away from unscathed.”

“In the back?”

I nod, even the faint movement pulling at the torn skin on my chest.

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