Page 30 of Lines Drawn
“I want to talk to Carter. Can't believe he…walked out on Dad or…what?”
Leandro shrugs. “Just what I heard when I came to relieve Hollis so he could sit with Ten. I think he's with Cole right now.”
I smile. “I hope Marcus and Keegan are okay with sharing custody, because I'm pretty sure Carter has found his Martelli.”
Leandro snorts. “Better all of you than me.”
I tilt my head as he urges Boston back onto the bed. Once more, she drapes herself over me, across my good leg, and her head rests on the thigh of the broken one. “Are you and?—”
“Yes, and I am not taking questions about him.”
I laugh, only to wince in pain. “Fine. Get my dad, and…whatever Benjamin is to me. Please.”
“Highly doubt Benjamin is going to want to leave Ignacio once the docs say it's okay to see him, but I'll do my best.”
“Thank you.”
“As long as it's not my shoulder you cry on, I don't care. But if he, or any other Martelli, gives you grief because it was your dad, and on your behalf, that Ignacio got hurt, I'll shoot them. Or have Boston eat them. Maybe both.”
“You're a good friend.”
“Gross.” He makes a face and pushes away from the bed.
When he leaves, the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness crashes over me and I allow more tears to fall.
I don't know what happened, why Dad did what he did, and the uncertainty of Ignacio’s prognosis has everything in me clenching in fear.
Maybe Benjamin will blame me. He already hates me. We were making progress, but this might have set our tentative friendship back. I'll be okay with that. So long as he doesn't try to keep me from Ignacio. I can't… I finally felt like I was getting everything I wanted—needed. I can't lose that.
A new wave of fear washes over me. Because there was one thing Leandro didn't mention, and I was too chicken shit to ask. What Il Padrone is going to do about Dad almost killing one of his…
Did I save him only to lose him like this?
“I’m so fucking glad to get out of there.”
“I can’t disagree with you, Antonio. Things are fucked.” I grunt as I get into the SUV. “But, technically, we should be going our separate ways on this…”
“Eh, we will. I just want to look around first.” He takes out the crumbled piece of paper, humming as he goes down the list. “This is…quite the wishlist of people he wants us to spy on.”
“Ya think?” I snort and shake my head. “Police Commissioner, Police Chief, Fire Chief, and a fucking state representative. Not only that, he wants their families watched.”
“I guess we can be thankful there’s no senator or congressman on the list. But yeah, this shit is fucked. I’m not even sure what to do about the state representative. I mean, he’s not in a position where he’d get constant protection, but I’m sure he’s got private security—at least, at home.”
“Do I want to know how much you’re aware of who would qualify for protection?” I ask suspiciously.
“It’s not nearly as many as you’d expect. And to answer your question…no. Although, if you really want to know, you could always talk to Keegan.”
“Huh. You…have a point. That I’m going to try not to think about.” I make it onto the highway without a problem, and I carefully keep my speed in check. Now that it’s open season on us Martellis and the Amatos, I can't risk doing anything to fuck us over. Even if this is fucking boring.
Antonio goes to change the playlist, but I swat his hand away. “Really? You drag me with you and I can’t even choose the music?”
“No. What you can do is give me insight into what the fuck is going on with the Family.”
“Ah. So…you wanted to gossip.” Antonio turns to stare out of the window, although we’re passing nothing of value.
Sighing, I promise him, “If you give me your perspective, you can change the playlist. Because, suddenly, we have Carter staying in our suite, bunking with Cole.”
“You should have led with that! I hate to say it…but we’re fucked. Look, I’ve never known Lio to be pissed at Il Padrone—aside from at the very beginning, of course. But he seems to have drawn a line in the sand over this whole Ignacio situation.”
