Page 19 of Running

A soft ding echoes around the room. I pull my phone from my pocket, as does Ricco and Bosco. It sounded like a text alert. It’s not me. Doesn’t look like it’s Dad or Bosco’s either. I look to Elena who is looking at her phone. Her brows are furrowed. Something has her riled up again.

Bosco leans in and kisses Violet's cheek. “Hopefully not for long.” She tilts her head as she continues to look at him. “I have a surprise for you.”

A knock at the door has us all turning to it. Massimo gives a nod then moves aside to allow an older man and woman to step into the room. Elena’s grandparents. Her mom's parents.

“Violet?” Asks her grandmother hesitantly.

Bosco gives a kiss to Violet’s knuckles before moving back so she has a clear view of the door. “Mom, dad?”

“Oh sweetie, we thought you were dead,” cries her mom.

Elena's phone flashes again. “Shit.” She whispers and pockets the phone. “Hate to interrupt, but hi. I'm Elena, I'm your granddaughter. It’s nice to meet you. I need to steal Bosco for a minute.” She nods to the door. Quickly she moves to it. So do Bosco, Ricco, and I. We gather into a circle. “Did your doctor have you look into room 418?”

“No, why?”

“Fucker.” She takes a breath. Pinching the bridge of her nose. “I flagged him as having possible links to the Cartel. I was right, and he’s about to make a move.” She pulls her phone out and presses a few buttons before pulling up an image of a hospital break-room. A man dressed as a nurse and a man wearing a hospital gown are pulling guns out of a bag.

“Son of a bitch.” whispers Ricco. “How many others?”

“None, yet. They didn't know we were here. I covered mom and I's tracks.”

“Not good enough. If we found you, it safe to say they did too.” I let my anger simmer to the surface. I thought Elena was smarter than to get caught up with the Cartel. Especially with how she reacted with Santo’s transgressions.

Her hand flies quickly and smacks me in the back of the head. Oh how I want to throttle this beautiful frustrating woman. “You found what I wanted you to find. Like the glass of milk and half eaten sandwich for DNA. The pictures of me as a kid. What about all the red lights you hit? Did you not get suspicious that none of your lights went yellow before switching?”

“That was you!” Barks Ricco. She smiles at him.

“Fine.” I concede. For the moment. “You covered your tracks and it’s just a coincidence that they found you now.”

“No, not coincidence. I knew there was a chance that Santos had suspected we were in town. The fucker has been chasing us for twenty years. I had researched every hospital within a hundred miles. My system flagged a Cartel man at 80 percent of them.”

“So how did they know it was this one? And why now?” I ask.

“Really dad, this is your future Underboss?”

“Shut up.” I growl and give her a good shove with my shoulder.

“Enough flirting you two.” Barks Ricco.

“We aren't flirting.” We say at the same time. Ricco and Bosco exchange a look. One Elena doesn't like but doesn't have time for. If she only knew.

“Any who. The variable that changed, was you guys. The Don of the Italian family, and a pack of guards going through the front door of a hospital isn't exactly discreet. Even if you own it.”

“Fuck. Why didn't you warn us?” I growl. Playfulness gone. We have work to do.

“I fucking did. Why the hell else do you think I told your Doc to watch 418?”

“That could have meant anything.”

Her eyes flash daggers at me. “Well I couldn't exactly scream hey doc, Cartel in 418, go shoot him, now could I?”

CHAPTER TEN

Luca

I'M GOING TOthrottle her.

She may be my future wife, but someone is going to have to stop me from killing her first. There is no way I am putting up with her smart mouth and sarcasm for the rest of our lives. Even if she is hot as fuck.

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