Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28

F our months later

Braxton

There were no beeps coming from machines like in worthless movies. There were no screeching carts coming in and out of the room, medical professionals frantic. There were two IV drips that made no noise.

Everything else, including my thudding heart was encased in silence. I stood by the hospital window, my hands in my pockets doing nothing more than staring out onto the full parking lot. The hospital was busy because it was considered the best in San Diego, which I’d demanded the ambulance driver head to even though it was fifteen miles further away. I knew the doctors. I knew the nurses.

Fortunately, I’d only needed them once for my own medical condition. Several served with me on various charity boards, our discussions over wine or whiskey eye opening. The medical profession was fucked, only those with money to burn able to demand the finest, the best, the most cutting-edge drugs, but no amount of money would keep me from providing the best care for…

Her.

The pronoun was easy to use at this point, less biting. Only there were two pronouns attached to the frail person lying in the bed completely unconscious. But I couldn’t think that way. Not now. Maybe not ever.

I heard footsteps as Valerio came up from behind, hesitantly placing his hand on my shoulder.

“Any additional news?” he asked after a full minute of neither one of us saying anything. Gage was actively making phone calls, taking the burden of attempting to get a lead on the person responsible off my hands. Family could be invaluable.

“Time will tell,” I said, almost shocked there was no emotion left. Maybe that was good since I’d gone into a rage, nearly beating two strangers to death for getting in my way. Right now, I felt nothing, although I knew another wave would surface at some point. “She’s in a light coma, the possibility of internal bleeding still existing and her vitals are erratic.”

He cleared his throat before responding. “And the baby?”

The baby. He had to say it, to make the little creature human. My little human. God. There were so many questions, so much to discuss with Jasmine but I wasn’t entirely certain I’d be given the opportunity. God didn’t owe me any favors. I’d done this to myself.

My arrogance.

My greed.

My lack of tolerance.

I rubbed my eyes, finally forced to blink given their dryness. “Another wait and see. At least forty-eight hours.”

I could tell by the way Valerio was sucking in his breath he was just as distraught as I was. Yeah, family could be tight when the chips were down.

“What about the driver? There were some witnesses.” I was preparing to make more demands even though I’d grilled the crowd hovering around her like vultures with the tenacity of a drill sergeant.

He didn’t say we’d been over it ten times. “The police took several statements, but the accounts were all over the place. A black SUV, a blue sedan. Hell, one bystander even mentioned a red Dodge Ram.”

“My money is on the SUV. The impact caused damage.”

“Whoever it was might just park the damn thing where it will remain until the heat passes,” Valerio reminded me.

Gage ended the call, groaning afterward. “If she arrived on a commercial flight then she used another name. I have a buddy in the aviation industry who’s going to check on private flights coming from Australia.”

We had no clue if that’s where she’d flown in from. In truth, it was highly unlikely. I’d gone to her country, her home. I’d grilled her mother, anyone on the staff. Either she was no longer staying there or she’d been hidden well. Either way, I hadn’t found a trace of her and I’d hired the best private investigators to do everything to locate her.

Including breaking the law.

“Anywhere else she mentioned visiting or wanting to go to?” Gage was pulling at straws but I was appreciative. The hours since she’d been brought into the hospital had been gut-wrenching. “Nowhere. I think she mentioned Paris once. Or maybe it was Milan.”

I could tell my two brothers were giving each other that knowing look.

“Let me see what I can do,” Gage said. “I need caffeine. Anyone else want a cup of coffee?”

“That rotgut shit?” Valerio hissed. “No, find a liquor store on your way back.”

The two of them could laugh and at least I could provide a waning smile. After Gage left the room, Valerio shifted in front of me, leaning his back against the window. I always knew when he wanted to chastise me by how quiet he was.

“What?” I hissed. “Say it.”

“What do you want me to say, brother? To provide a reminder you can’t go off halfcocked beating up the world? That you still have a business to run? That there’s nothing you can do but allow the medical professionals to do their jobs?”

I gritted my teeth. The nurse had taken a new round of blood what seemed like hours ago. Additional tests. Learning more. Right. Where the fuck were they with the results? Did they need to go to another goddamn city to get them? I made a note to purchase a lab for fuck’s sake. “I know that, Val, but I also need to do something or I’ll go mad.”

“How can I help?”

“How? You can help me hunt down the person responsible.” I slowly turned my head, studying the way his hard expression softened. In the last four months, things had finally started to quiet down, the DC news no longer covering the various scandals like rats consuming their prey. Still, the news that several important, prominent people were involved in keeping their own little black book, which had allowed them to blackmail and extort in their efforts to get to the top, had been all I’d heard about.

Justin Sinclair’s name and that of his family had been shamed, people in their government turning their backs on the situation. However, I’d learned Justin had been a bit player, used more than being the user. Not that it mattered at this point. He was dead.

“I can try but we need to do this methodically and only after you learn about Jasmine’s prognosis.”

“Are you handling me again, Val?”

“Someone needs to, or you’ll end up in prison.”

He wasn’t necessarily wrong. I was ready to kill someone with my bare hands. “Anything to protect the woman I care about.”

“I know this is too little too late,” he told me. “But it’s good to see you caring about someone. I wasn’t certain if it would ever happen.”

I was so bone weary I couldn’t come up with some ridiculous answer. Maybe the rage was starting to return.

Valerio’s phone rang and I shook my head. “All business.” I wasn’t being kind.

“Maybe I put out a few feelers to try and satisfy your request. Give me a minute.”

I certainly didn’t need to be terse with my brothers, but I’d never felt so helpless or hopeless in my life. The memory of her face, the wheezing as she’d tried to speak would forever be ingrained in my mind.

Another reason I would have no issue making good on my mental threats to the person responsible.

I’d fucking kill them.

Hands.

A knife.

A gun.

A machete.

I wasn’t going to allow her injuries and the danger to our baby to go unavenged. As he walked from the room, I took another deep breath. Being alone with Jasmine was both necessary and horrifying.

My heart was heavy, which affected my stilted movements, but I returned to her bedside, gently pulling her hand into mine. There was so much I wanted to say, so many emotions running through me that just being able to say them was more difficult than almost anything I’d done. Maybe I was a cold-hearted man.

Some would call me a king.

Yes, I had all the money in the world, but Valerio had been right after all. Without someone to share in the spoils of war and happiness, wealth meant nothing. I brushed hair from her face, loathing how pale she was. As I brought her cold fingers to my mouth, a single tear rushed past my lashes.

I wasn’t a man prone to crying. That wasn’t in my makeup, but the sadness was overbearing. “I’ll hunt them down, baby. Whoever did this will pay dearly.” Maybe it wasn’t the best thing to say with her unconscious state but my need for revenge was the main thing keeping me going.

She was breathing on her own, which was an improvement from when she’d been brought in, but the doctor remained skeptical. I hated that the professionals were so close-mouthed. I knew why. They didn’t want to get my hopes up.

“I love you, little koala. I adore our child and I promise to do everything in my power to protect and make you happy.” I only hoped the promise wasn’t being made in vain.

It had been far too long since there’d been any update. I couldn’t stand the silence. I would learn the latest.

Or I’d beat it out of the doctor.

“I’ll be right back. Just rest.” I hoped she could hear me and was able to take comfort in my voice. Who knew with these things.

As I walked out, I wasn’t certain my legs were working properly. I had a list in mind of anyone potentially responsible but at this point, the few I’d been able to come up with didn’t make much sense. What I was certain of was that the hit and run had been based on the ugly situation with her father. But who would follow her here? I had to consider the fact she could have been living in the States, trying to hide. I couldn’t blame her.

I moved to the nurse’s station and almost immediately, both women behind the desk appeared frightened. They’d been party to my wrath when Jasmine had been brought in. “Where is Dr. Myers? I demand to talk to him. Not any of his flunkies. And if he left, you better make sure he gets his ass back here.”

One of the nurses picked up the phone, the other offering a sweet smile. “Mr. Royal. Try and remain calm. We’ll find him.”

Yeah, they’d better.

I walked away, slamming my fist against the corridor wall. Yep. The anger was returning. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Valerio was smiling. I watched as he paced the floor, finally ending the call. As he headed toward me, he had a strange look on his face.

“Tell me you found something,” I told him.

He took my arm, trying to pull me away. I jerked it until he gave me a hard look. “What I’m about to tell you doesn’t give you a license to go off the deep end.”

“Oh, please. At this point, I need to do something or I’ll go crazy.”

“Maybe so but you’re not doing a goddamn thing without Gage and me backing you. Got it?”

“Just fucking tell me.”

He glanced over his shoulder as if anyone cared what we were talking about. “Your first instinct might be right.”

I narrowed my eyes, trying to keep my patience. “What the fuck are you talking about?” Hell, I’d spouted off so many names of possible enemies I couldn’t remember half. That’s what you do when you’re in a state of rage.

“Guess who headed out of their lair?” I’ll be damned if the man wasn’t grinning.

However, I was about to rip the smile off his face.

“Fucking get on with it.”

“Santini Demage.”

I furrowed my brows immediately. “Please. I’ve been watching him like a hawk. I went to Australia, for fuck’s sake, and confronted him.”

“Which wasn’t in your best interest.”

I pushed away from the wall, doing my best to calm the fuck down. “Whatever. That man was placed into a difficult position when his buddy was killed. He couldn’t stay in the protected position he’d been able to with Justin. He’s been investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the CIA for wire fraud.”

“Maybe so but I had a report he’s in this country and in fact, in California.”

The news was almost exciting, yet I remained in disbelief. “Bullshit. Whoever told you that crap is wrong.”

“Yeah, well, I told the guy to get photographs as proof. But he’s trustworthy. I believe him.”

“Then what the fuck is he doing in town?” I doubted the man would come here to hunt her down. Although he had been promised her hand in marriage. There was a tremendous chance many terrible things had occurred that I didn’t know about.

“You’ll laugh at this. Would you believe there’s a conference of sorts for mafia leaders?”

At this point, I’d buy almost anything. “Where the hell is this happy little event occurring?”

“Long Beach.” He waited for my reaction. “Don’t worry. One way or the other I will confirm he and his crew flew in but just think about the possibilities.”

“Maybe he got wind she was on the move, heading to see me.”

Valerio nodded. “It’s entirely possible. We also have no idea what kind of promise Justin made to the man. Including in his will.”

I hadn’t thought about that possibility. “I need confirmation.”

“You have it,” Gage said, appearing out of nowhere. “A little bird told me earlier that Santini had been sighted. I forced the man to confirm. Take a look at this.” As he handed me his phone, my blood boiled.

He was standing outside a quaint-looking Long Beach hotel with the notorious mafia Don of Los Angeles. The bastard was smoking a cigar, a smile on his face. “You can’t be serious.”

“Very. There’s some coalition that’s formed, although no one knows a damn thing about it. I guess you are invited only if you’re mafia scum.” Gage was grinning.

I had no idea how to respond other than the man certainly had the prime opportunity to take his bride once and for all. When I noticed the doctor taking long strides down the hospital corridor, I stiffened.

This time, Gage provided comfort by pressing his hand against the middle of my back. “Take it easy.”

Easy.

That was the last thing I could do. I bolted forward, charging like a lion. Fortunately, Dr. Myers didn’t seem daunted or worried in the least. We’d sparred, had a few drinks together, and had gained a mutual respect for each other.

He threw out his hand just as I closed the distance. “Mr. Royal. Take a deep breath.”

“We’re talking about the woman I love and my child.” Other than with Jasmine a few minutes ago, I hadn’t made the statement of how I felt out loud.

“I understand and I wish I could provide you with better news. We’re going to continue to test for any signs of internal bleeding. With the blunt force trauma from the vehicle, all Ms. Sinclair’s vitals need to be monitored carefully. There is damage to the spleen, so I’m having her prepped for surgery.”

“And the baby?” Valerio asked.

I knew the man’s souring expression well enough. “I’m not going to mince words. The fetal heartbeat isn’t strong. However, if both Ms. Sinclair and the baby make it through the surgery then the percentage of their survival will be higher. If you’re a praying man, I’d head to the chapel. I’ll keep you informed.”

“How long will the surgery take?” Gage pressed.

“With no complications, a couple of hours.”

A couple of hours. It was enough time that I’d go mad. I couldn’t say anything. I closed my eyes, doing what I could not to become more emotional that I already was.

“Hang in there, Mr. Royal. We’re doing everything we can.” While I considered David a friend, I couldn’t relax, couldn’t breathe, and wouldn’t until she was out of danger.

“Thank you, Doctor. We appreciate the update,” Valerio answered for me. Ordinarily I would be furious with him for doing so but not this go-around. I had no words left in me.

Except for one. Maybe two.

Hunting.

Extermination.

“Come on. You need something to drink,” Valerio suggested.

“I picked up something on my way back,” Gage said quietly so as not to draw unwanted attention. But he pulled out a bottle of whiskey from his jacket pocket.

I was in the worst mood of my life, capable of committing murder, but I truly appreciated both men being here.

“Come on. Let’s find someplace to relax. There’s a nice patio no one seems to know about,” Gage continued.

I nodded. “First things first. I want every step of Santini’s itinerary determined, the number of soldiers he brought with him noted, and for fuck’s sake, search for that goddamn damaged vehicle.”

“Don’t underestimate me, brother.” Gage was grinning. “I’m not as innocent as I look. Everything is already in motion and I assure you that everything about that fucker’s life will be dissected.”

“Good.” Then I’d hunt, capture, and kill.

I’d been right all along.

I was a very bad man.