Page 64 of His Dark Vendetta

Her eyes locked with mine, and instead of looking through me, recognition snapped into place. She laid her palms on my chest.

“There’s so much blood. That’s what they keep saying. There’s too much blood.” She squeezed her eyes shut, and tears poured down her cheeks. “She’s losing too much blood. She’s not going to make it.” Her body convulsed.

“Dio.” I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed. Her arms folded between us, and she rested her forehead on my chest.

“It’s okay.” I ran my hand up and down her back. Her body trembled beneath my touch. “You made it, remember? You’re here. Right now. You’re with me. And those assholes are gone. Finished. They can’t hurt you. I made sure myself. You’re safe with me.”

She released a sob and clung to me. I glanced over my shoulder.

There was a lot of blood, and the rain made it look worse. As drenched as we were, the blood had spread across his shirt. But the dark splotch over his stomach was unmistakable; a bullet entered there.

Siobhán started to cry, soft, quiet sobs.

I rested my chin on her head. “I know, baby. I know.” I cradled her head in one hand and ran the other up and down her back. “Dom’s going to be fine. I promise. Vito’s going to get him all stitched up. He’ll be okay.” I kissed her hair and let her cry.

“When’s the last time you fed?” Vito asked behind us.

“I dunno… Last week?” Dom’s speech slurred.

“Stay with me, kid. Luca!”

I looked over my shoulder. Dom’s shirt was gone. The wound in his stomach was almost closed, but blood poured down his arm from his shoulder.

“We got a bleeder,” Vito said. “Musta hit an artery, and it’s still in there. At least the one in his stomach went straight through.”

“Oh, yeah,” Dom grumbled. “Felt fucking great.”

“You’ll be fine, but you’ll heal a helluva lot faster if you fed.” Vito glanced at me. “He’s lost a lot of blood.”

I pursed my lips and nodded. I pulled back and held Siobhán by her shoulders. “Where’s Mia?” I asked, gentling my voice.

She stared at her fingers tangled in my shirt.

“Siobhán.” I tipped her chin up. Her eyes were glassy and haunted. “Hey, baby, come on now. I know you’re stronger than that. Where’s Mia?”

“Mia…” She swallowed. “She went to her car to—to get something. Rocco went with her. She didn’t want to go alone. They should be back.” Her eyes searched mine. “There’s so much blood…” Her bottom lip trembled. “His stomach…”

I pulled her back into my arms. “I know, baby,” I whispered into her hair and kissed the top of her head. “I know.”

The door opened, and Mia walked in followed by Rocco.

“Dominic!” Mia shouted. Her eyes darted to me and Siobhán, then back to Dominic and Vito.

“Dom needs a Source, Mia,” I said.

“Yes, of course,” she said flatly and dropped her umbrella and her bag. She took off her jacket and tossed it on the couch.

“I’m going to need someone to hold him down while I remove the bullet,” Vito said.

Siobhán whimpered, and her shaking turned violent.

“Rocco,” I said and nodded toward Vito. “Help him. I gotta get her out of here.”

“You sure do,” Vito said with an edge he didn’t want me to miss. “One hand on his shoulder, one across his legs, capisce?”

Rocco followed Vito’s directions, and Dom rested his head against the mirror and closed his eyes.

“I’m not gonna ask why she’s here,” Vito said. “Don’t wanna know. But get her out of here.”

---