Page 130 of The Silence Lies

“I was just doing my job.”

Her hand pauses, no longer allowing her gentle ministrations to soothe me. For a beat, we’re frozen in the dark, only the soft moonlight casting shadows behind her. I can’t see her face, I can’t make out the expression on it. But when she starts to move away, I know I fucked up.

“Right,” she says, clearing her throat as she sits up. “Of course, your job.”

Realization starts to sink in as I think about what I said. I don’t know why it came out like that because I never meant it in that way. Even though it is my job, I would never have done anything different. I would have taken that bullet a million times over for Bianchi, regardless of my position here.

“Sera…”

She moves off of me, sliding out from the covers to stand. She’s so fast that I barely have time to register what’s happening.

When I do, I try to move. I try to get out of the bed; anything to stop her leaving me. “I didn’t mean it like that, Sera.”

The piercing silence is even more painful than the gunshot wound.

“Where are you going?”

Her feet pad towards the door. Without even turning around, she throws an order over her shoulder that is devoid of all emotion. “Get some rest, Gio.”

“On a scale of one to ten, how do you rate your pain?”

I level the doctor with a glare. If he’s referring to my physical pain, it’s near non-existent. If he’s referring to the fact I haven’t seen or heard Serafina for a week, that shit is agonizing. I didn’t think her absence would hurt so much, but with the way things escalated and then abruptly ended, it stings more than when the doc pulled that bullet out of me.

“Zero,” I answer through gritted teeth.

He raises a brow in question, but he doesn’t look like he’s going to fight me on this. It’s the last thing I need right now, too. All I want is to get a goddamn shower and feel normal. I’ve got a new dressing on the wound. And after checking the stitches, it’s good news that I’m healing well. Though I could have told him that myself last week.

I’m itching to get back to work, back to doing my job and, more importantly, being by Sera’s side. I know she’s in good hands with her crew, but nothing beats an extra pair of hands.

“I’d still like you to take it easy, Giovanni. I don’t want you tearing any stitches. No strenuous exercise or—“

“Sure,” I snap, pushing up from my bed.

“I’ll let Donna Bianchi know that—“

“No,” I cut him off, turning on my heel. I look down at the man. He’s short in stature, ancient in age, but the look in his eyes tells me he has enough experience with this side of life. “I’ll tell her myself.”

With a firm nod, he starts packing up his equipment. Once he’s left, I sit and ruminate over what I’m going to do next. It’s two in the afternoon, and judging by how quiet it is, I’d say the time for laying low is over.

I run through the motions of showering—careful to avoid the dressing—while thinking about where I might find Sera. The first thing on my mind when the doc came to see me was Sera, and now it’s all I can focus on. Sure, the doc giving me the all clear is a positive, but the fact I get to see Sera is much more appealing.

She can’t avoid me now, either. The ball has been in her court for the last week, and she hasn’t returned the volley. It’s my turn to steal it for myself.

Once I’m suited up, I snag the keys from the key box in the hallway of Sera’s place. I have no idea where I’m going to find her, but if she isn’t here, there are very few places she’d be. I’ll start with the most obvious one: her club.

The ride down to the city isn’t very long. My building excitement blended with my apprehension makes the journey fly by, and in no time at all, I’m pulling into the underground parking lot of Haze.

The dim glow of lights brightens as I enter. It’s a stilted welcome for anyone arriving, a sense of foreboding sitting in the air. This is where Luca killed one of The Vultures in cold blood, the place where Sera decided enough was enough. The pool of blood is long gone, but the sense of empowerment still lingers.

I head towards the elevators, punching the button for the top floor when I’m inside. It’s a steady ride up to the top, and I can already hear Sera’s voice from the corridor.

Steadying my breath, I march towards her office. I have so much on my mind, so much I need to say to her. The way we left things has only cemented the fact that I need to be around her. She’s the breath of life I need, the spark to light my candle so that I can see through the darkness. The haunting thoughts of my daughter have clung onto me like insidious claws, and it’s time to shake them away.

I push through the door, locking eyes on Sera, who has her phone pinned to her ear. She takes one look at me before she hangs up, stepping around her desk immediately.

In less than three strides, I eat up the distance between us. It’s now or never. I have to tell her how I feel. I have to tell her the truth.

“Gio—“

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