Page 45 of Cherished Union

She nods. “I’m so tired,” she continues to whisper. “I want to sleep, but I can’t leave her.”

“Don’t,” I snap, fear running through me. “Don’t go to sleep. I need you to stay awake.”

“Okay,” she replies softly, still rocking Viviana in her arms.

“Dove, let me see your face,” I demand, and she turns to me, her eyes red, puffy, and filled with tears. Matty was right. The laceration on her face is deep. It starts at her nostril and cuts jaggedly across her face, stopping just before her ear. “You’ll be okay,” I tell her. “We’ll get the wound cleaned and stitched.”

She nods but her eyes are vacant. She’s in shock, grief, and pain.

“Boss,” Cody calls, and I turn to him. The anger burning in his eyes is reflected in the rest of my men’s eyes. They’re out for blood. Viviana was ours—ours to protect. She was family. I know that the Masters did this, and when I find out which cunt it was, there’s going to be hell to pay.

“I’ll be back, Dove. Stay awake,” I instruct, tightening my arms around her. Needing to hold her for a second longer, to know that she’s alive and she’s here.

“Okay, Hay,” she replies, an automatic response.

I get to my feet and go to Cody. “Boss, we’ve got a problem. Your parents’ house was hit also. Your sister is injured, but your parents are fine.” There’s a slight hesitation in his voice.

“Any casualties?” I ask, already knowing there is. “Who?”

“Killian.”

My gut clenches, my knees tremble but I lock them as I swallow hard. My uncle. Fuck.

“Rocco doesn’t know about his sister.”

“I’ll tell him,” I reply, knowing if the tables were reversed, I’d want to be told by him. Cody nods, relief shining in his eyes. “Find out where that ambulance is.” He hands me his cell phone and walks away.

I move back to Ade and stay close to her, needing her to be in my line of sight at all times. I call Rocco, needing to know how badly Jade has been hurt.

Never did I think there would come a time when Jade wouldn’t be my priority. She’s always been the one I’ve protected at all costs. She’s the one I’d drop everything for if she needed me. But right now, she’s not the one who’s my priority. That’s Addie.

“Yeah?” Rocco answers tersely.

“How is she?” I demand to know.

“She’s okay. The shattered glass didn’t hit anything major. How’s Ade and Vivi?”

I swallow hard, knowing that this call is going to fucking suck. “We’re waiting for the EMT’s to arrive. Addie’s got a deep laceration on her face…” I trail off. How the fuck do you tell your brother-in-law that his thirteen-year-old sister is dead?

“And Vivi?” he questions, his tone hard.

“I’m sorry, man, she didn’t make it.” I look down at my wife, who’s still rocking her sister in her arms. “Her throat was cut by broken glass. She was dead before I even got to her.”

Silence spreads between us. “I’m sending Elio and Dario to you. They’ll meet you at the hospital.” He pulls in a shuddering breath. “When Jade’s patched up and free to leave, we’ll join you. I’m sorry for your loss, Hayden,” he tells me.

I clench my jaw. “And yours, brother,” I murmur.

“Is Ade able to speak?” he asks, worry filling his tone.

“You can try,” I say as I crouch down next to her. “Dove,” I whisper so that she can hear me. “Rocco wants to talk to you. You think you can do that?”

She nods. “Yeah,” she replies softly. She takes my cell from me and puts it to her ear. “Roc,” she cries as she sucks in a sharp breath. “Okay. Yes, he’s right here. He’s not letting me out of his sight.” Her body shudders as she cries harder.“È morta, nostra sorella è morta.”

I know very little Italian, but I know that sorella is sister and morta is dead. She’s telling him about Viviana.

I sink to my ass again and pull her into me, her body shuddering with every breath that she takes.

“è mio marito, non mi avrebbe mai fatto del male,” she spits in Italian, her body tensing as she sits up. “Hayden gives a shit, Rocco. Maybe you should take a leaf out of his book.” She ends the call and passes me the cell phone.

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