Page 24 of Dark Desires
“Isabella.”
I take his hand and he squeezes it.
“Is she going to be OK?”
“That’s what they tell me. Doctors say that she hit her head hard. She’s lucky—injuries to the back of the head like that can be fatal.”
Ask me how I know, he seems to imply. Every now and then, I find myself wondering how much blood my dad has on his hands. But like always, I push the question aside.
“Come with me,” he says and guides me back to my room.
“Do you have any idea who might be behind this?” I ask as I’m settled back in bed.
Dad lets out a weary sigh. “If I had proof, I’d be dealing with it myself instead of standing here with a bunch of incompetent cops. But if I had to bet, I’d say it’s De la Rosa’s people. They’re trying to push their way in, and they’ll do whatever they can to weaken us. They were smart, though—none of the attackers spoke a word, likely not wanting to give away their accents. But I’m damn sure it was the Colombians.”
“But without proof…”
“Without proof, I can’t do a damn thing,” Dad says. “You can’t go to war just on a hunch.”
He signals Mario, who’s been posted outside my door. “Mario, I want a couple more men on each detail. And make sure the girls are protected twenty-four-seven. Whatever security we have in place, I want it doubled. Not a goddamn chance in hell this De la Rosa prick is going anywhere near my family again.”
Mario nods, his expression serious. “Understood, Mr. Mancini. I’ve already spoken to Alexei’s people. Stephania will have two Ivanov guards on top of ours. Alexei is making sure of it himself.”
Dad’s shoulders slump as if the weight of the world was pressing down on him, and he runs his hand through his thick, ink-dark hair.
“Good. It’s about time. He steps up to his responsibilities as her fiancé.”
“Right,” I say, the word coming out sharper than I intended. “Alexei, doing his husbandly duties. Perfect.”
My father sighs. “Isabella…”
I wave him off. “Don’t worry about it, Dad. It’s just been a long night. And I want to make sure my cousin’s OK.”
Before he can press me further, the room spins slightly, a wave of dizziness hitting me out of nowhere. What the hell is happening?
I lay my head back and close my eyes.
“You okay, Miss Mancini?” Mario asks.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” I blink to clear my vision. But I still feel shaky, and suddenly the whole night comes crashing down on me—emotionally, physically, every possible way.
My father’s face goes from concerned to alarmed in an instant. “Isa, you don’t look well. I’m going to call the doctor.”
“I just need a minute,” I say, but the words feel thick and heavy in my mouth. The edges of my vision blur, and the voices around me start to fade, melting into a dull hum.
My father’s voice, sharp with worry, is the last thing I hear before everything goes black.
When I open my eyes, I’m surprised to find Alexei there, looking down on me with that cocky smirk.
“Back from the dead?” he asks. “For the second time?”
I sit up. “What happened? And why are you here?”
“Someone had to make sure you weren’t going to pass out again.” His blue eyes flash as he leans forward. “I offered to keep an eye on you. Everyone was quite worried.”
“Well, don’t worry,” I reply, my tone sharp. “I’m perfectly fine now, so you can go play the doting fiancé and be with Stephania.”
There’s a flicker of something—annoyance, maybe frustration—but he hides it quickly. His jaw tightens, and he leans back in his chair, arms crossed, looking like he’s trying to keep his cool.
