Page 92 of Tesio
She hurried to my side, trying to lift the blanket to check on me, while I exchanged a helpless look with the boss I’d spent my life working for, and his daughter, who looked far more approachable right now.
“Sorry. She’s a bit protective.”
“I see that,” Tori said, tucking her arm through her father’s, and dragging him further into the room.
The Don received a glare from his daughter, and cleared his throat.
“Ahem. I see you survived,” he said unnecessarily, and I caught hold of Jamie’s sleeve, as she started in his direction again. She opened her mouth, and I cursed, dragging her practically into my lap, so I could cover her mouth, feeling her teeth almost instantly.
“Please. Just shhh, please.”
“What my father’s trying to say, but seems to be too much of a mafia Don to admit, is that you both saved our lives. And we’re grateful. Right, dad?”
The Don briefly glared in her direction, then turned to look at me again. Some of the stiffness left his shoulders as he nodded.
“You risked your lives to save us, and I’m incredibly grateful, thank you. I’m still not clear on why you were there, although I think I can guess who blabbed.”
Blabbed. Sometimes he sounded nothing like himself, and more like one of us. It made me wonder how much of his stiffness was just for outward appearances. Maybe he’d been around Reacher and the others more than I’d realised.
“You’re welcome. I assume the shooter was one of Amato’s?”
His face tightened, and he gestured to the chair by the bed. I was still in an awkward holding pattern with my little pain, who was sharing less than a little amount of pain with me, with her teeth tightening on my fingers, and her weight pressing on parts of me that really didn’t need pressure right now.
I nodded, and he sat, while Tori took up position by the door, like a guard. I guess her part was said now, but what the hell would he come out with next? Even his thanks sounded like a spanking.
“The shooter?” I prompted, because for once I wasn’t willing to accommodate his frustrating silences.
“We believe it was a setup, yes. Retaliation will be swift, and incredibly bloody.” His eyes darted to Jamie for a moment, and I finally sagged, releasing her, and groaning as pain bloomed in all the wrong fucking places.
“Grease?”
“Tesio,”The Don hissed, almost like a recrimination.
“You know that’s not who he is anymore,” Jamie snapped, pressing the button for a nurse, as she started fussing over me again. I already knew I was bleeding again, and she’d have a hissy fit, and that was just going to annoy the Don even more.
“Was anyone else hurt?” I asked, as Jamie made a sound of dismay, and for some reason, slapped my chest, like I’d done something to offend her.
“Jesus, will you stop beating on me, woman? I was shot, remember?!”
The Don suddenly chuckled, and the rest of us froze. Was that a genuine chuckle, or the ‘I’m amused, because you’re all already dead’ kinda chuckle?
“It’s just a bullet-wound, Tesio. Man up.”
I laughed, and tried covering Jamie’s mouth again as she opened it to snap at him.
“Why don’t we go find a nurse,” Tori said then, gesturing to Jamie, who immediately turned to glare at the Don, then leaned close to me.
“Is this a trick so he can kill you?”
“Oh, I never get my own hands dirty, I assure you,” The Don responded, proving she hadn’t been as quiet as I’m sure she tried to be.
“It’s okay, go with her. Please. You know I need to talk to the boss.”
She fixed him with another glare, and I swear, every time she did that, he seemed to approve a little more.
After they left, he raised his eyebrows at me.
“You’ll have your hands full with that one. I like her.” That almost sounded like a possibility of survival, but who was I kidding? I still betrayed him, and that doesn’t go unpunished, no matter what happens after.
