Page 80 of Doll's Eye

“Can you move?”

“I think so. Hold on.” I see her push the guy off her and then put her fingers to his neck, checking for a pulse. “Got a live one!” She has the audacity to try and lighten the mood with humor.

Shaking with rigorous rage, I lean my upper body over the edge of the broken window and reach down for her. She hisses when she gets up to her knees and goes to reach her arms up but quickly snaps them back down with a look of pain on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“My ribs are definitely broken, and possibly my arm too.” She moans in pain and falls to her butt.

“Well, suck it up and give me your fucking hand,” I snarl, patience long gone.

“Oh, let me just hop to it,” she sasses. “Give me a fucking second.” She gets up on her knees again. “Can you at least throw the key down so I can uncuff myself? It’ll make this a hell of a lot easier.”

“Should’ve fucking thought about that before you decided to try and kill yourself.”

She glowers up at me in response and is quick to realize I’m not fucking around. So, she ungracefully gets up to her feet andlifts her elbows so I can scoop her up from under her arms. When I begin to lift her, she chomps down on her bottom lip and whimpers some.

“Is everyone else okay?” she murmurs as I cradle her and begin making our way to the vehicle still in one piece and right-side up.

“Like you fucking care?”

“Just asking,” she mutters, refusing to look at me.

She doesn’t deserve a fucking answer, so I don’t give her one. Let her sit and wonder. Even though I’m infuriated and want to fucking kill her, I’m gentle with her as I place her into the car.

Vinny didn’t look good when I passed him, but he’ll have to stay back to clean up his fucking mess because it’s he who let it happen. He knew to keep a close eye on her.

As soon as I’m settled in next to her, we’re on the move, and I call the doctor to demand he meet us there as I tune out Alessia’s ragged breathing. As soon as I hang up, I uncuff her wrists. She’s not going anywhere for a while.

Pulling up to a stop in front of the estate, I gently cradle her in my arms again, and she has the nerve to fucking chuckle. “This totally backfired on me.”

An avalanche of words tumbles from my mouth, their content lost to me in the heat of the moment. I have never been so angry in all my life and never thought I could be so angry ather. I thought I could lock her inside my bedroom, removing anything and everything that could be used as a weapon, but her complacency has pushed me beyond my endurance. She wants to act like an insolent ingrate, then I’ll deal with her the same way I would a prisoner, until she’s begging for me to restrain her to my bed instead.

“Wait, where are we going?” I don’t answer. “You’re not really going to keep me down here,” she says as I descend thebasement stairs. Her voice is hoarse, and she’s obviously in a lot of pain since she’s not struggling against my hold.

“Until you come to your senses.”

“And by senses?”

“I mean, until you’re ready to behave.” Meaning begging and pleading because that’s what it’ll take for me to let her out.

“Then I guess this is home sweet home for me.”

One of the things I love most about her is her ferocity, but does she have to be so fucking bullheaded? I can’t tell if her lack of fear of death comes from courage or a belief she’s untouchable.

After the doctor’s assessment, I help her change into some clean clothes. Broken ribs, a broken arm, and a shit ton of knots, bruises, and cuts up and down her body. But she’ll live. Doc gave her some pain pills, and as soon as I got her settled into her tiny cot, she passed out without any more of her caustic sass. The woman’s tongue is the most wicked thing I’ve ever had to tolerate. But I do because she’s still mine. My love for her remains in every bone and blood cell in my body, no matter how tempted I am to kill her.

“How is she?” Komodo’s voice rings out when I close the door to Alessia’s cell and slide the lock into place.

Heading over to his cell, I crank the latch and open it. Gesturing with my arm, he walks out. “She’s home, and other than the consequences of her actions, she’s safe. I’ll help you get out of the country.”

Some in my position may want to tie up loose ends, but Komodo, although not entirely ethical, is straightforward and reputable. Completing every job with discretion and immediate precision. He’s still useful.

He claimed that if he had taken the hit on Alessia’s head, it would’ve caused him more grief than to disobey The Organization. I call bullshit. I know I am not an enemy you want, nor are the Bonetti’s, but everyone knows there is no goingagainst The Organization. Whatever his ulterior motive may be, I couldn’t give two fucks, because Alessia is alive and now home.

So, I sit and have a drink with the man. “You do understand that they will not just forget about her.”

I nod as I stare at the condensation forming on the glass in my hand. Even though they failed to eliminate Alessia, and she has returned to De Luca territory, they won’t cease their efforts to send more for her.

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