5. Nic

5

NIC

I grit my teeth against the searing pain in my side. I have to ignore the pain and figure out what the fuck just happened. The driver's betrayal leaves me questioning the intent behind the ambush. Did he aim to kill me or Bella? Or was it a setup to kidnap Bella? Each possibility runs through my mind, along with possible suspects.

I press my hand against the wound, feeling warm blood seep through my fingers.

The pieces don't add up. If this was a hit, why target me on Rinella's turf? And why involve Bella? Unless… unless she's part of it. I glance at her, studying her profile. She looks terrified, but is it genuine?

"What do you know about this?" I demand.

Her eyes widen as she glances at me in shock. "Nothing! I swear!"

I want to believe her, but trust is a luxury I can't afford right now.

I have no doubt her father sees her as dispensable. He’d sacrifice her if it was in his interest to do so. But why? Is he making a statement against my father? That seems unlikely unless he was more pissed about my father’s not making an appearance than I thought.

A chilling thought creeps in. What if this is my father's doing? He's always been threatened by my growing influence in the family business. Could he have orchestrated this whole thing to get rid of me?

I run through my interactions with my father over the last few months. The tension between us has always been there, a constant undercurrent of rivalry and distrust. But this? Has his desire to kill me been as intense as my desire to kill him?

I close my eyes, memories flooding back. The way he's been pushing me out of key decisions lately. The hushed conversations that stop when I enter a room. The sudden insistence that I handle this seemingly mundane task of escorting Bella. Is that why he sent me here? To kill me away from his turf?

I have to consider all possibilities, including my father and Rinella perhaps working together. Or maybe it’s a rival family. But the pain in my side is intensifying, my head is throbbing, and my mind is feeling sluggish. I’m normally a sharp, tactical thinker in times of crisis, but right now, clarity is out of reach.

I press my hand harder against the wound, but blood continues to seep through my fingers. The dampness extends to my back and I realize that the bullet entered and exited my body. I have two holes. I think that’s good, although it sounds bad.

The world around me starts to blur, the edges of my vision growing fuzzy. My head lolls back against the seat. I want to give in to the growing darkness. I fight against it, forcing my eyes open. My life… Bella’s life depends on it. My body seems to have other thoughts as my strength slides away.

“You need to keep us on the road. Don't stop for anything. Understand?"

She nods, her knuckles white on the steering wheel. I sense her fear, but also determination. Good. We need that to survive. Even so, I can’t rely on her. She’s a sheltered Mafia princess. Her knowledge of this world, her connections to it, are limited. But I’m too compromised to be much good to either of us. I need help. I need to make a call. A call that could be traced.

“I need you to change direction. Head south.”

She glances over at me, her brow furrowed.

“Do it.” I don’t have the time or strength to explain all my decisions.

She turns her blinker on, moving toward the exit. When we’re heading south, I pull out my phone and call the only person I know I can trust in this situation.

The phone nearly slips from my grip as my hand is slick with my blood. I dial Max’s number. Massimo “Max” Giraldi is like a brother to me. His father worked for my father, so we grew up together. We both agree that my father is Caligula living incarnate. Gia’s mother realized the same, only too late to save her. But she’d had the foresight to make both me and Max promise to look out for Gia. She even made Max Gia’s godfather, despite the fact that he was only eighteen at the time.

Five years ago, Max left New York to work for my father’s organization in Las Vegas. I’ve never understood why he so willingly made the move since Gia continued to need protection, but I figure she’s more my responsibility than his.

“Nic. What’s up?”

“I’m leaking blood.”

“What the fuck?” His friendly voice morphs into concern.

“We were ambushed. The driver.” Jesus, why is it so hard to make my mouth work?

“Where?”

“Chicago. I’ve got the Rinella girl… on the run.”

“Fuck… I know a guy in Chicago?—”

“No. I can’t trust anyone. We’re going…” Fuck, where are we going?

“Jones, Michigan,” Bella says.

“Jones, Michigan.”

“Where?”

“There’s a cabin… We need a place to hide.”

“I’ll come?—”

“No. I need you to dig around and figure out who’s trying to kill me… or Bella. I’m flying blind here.”

“I’ll reach out to informants. I know a few Outfit guys. I’ll see what they might have heard.”

“I have to consider it’s inside.” I glance at Bella, not wanting her to know I suspect my father. Not yet, anyway. “I need you to find an excuse to return to New York and look out for Gia. Make sure she and the kids are safe."

There's a long pause on the other end of the line. Too long. It’s weird. "Max?”

"Yeah, I'm here," he says, but there's something off in his tone.

I frown, a flicker of doubt igniting in my mind. Max has never hesitated to have my back or Gia's before. Why now?

"Gia and the kids could be in danger."

“Yeah, of course. I’ll find a reason to return to New York. What about you? You don’t sound good.”

“It’s bad. I need to know you’ll be there for Gia.”

Again, a long pause. “Of course.”

“Listen, I need to get rid of this phone, but when I get a burner, I’ll reach out.”

“You'd better. Don’t be stupid, Nic. I’ve got your back.”

“Thanks, man.” I end the call with Max, a nagging sense of unease settling in my gut. Something's off, but I can't afford to dwell on it now. We need to keep moving.

"Pull over," I instruct Bella, scanning the roadside for a secluded spot.

She guides the car onto the shoulder, casting worried glances my way. "What are you doing?"

“Do you have a phone?”

She blinks at me, then shakes her head. “No.”

At first I don’t buy it. What nineteen-year-old girl doesn’t have a phone? But then I figure her father took it from her. It’s a tried-and-true power move to take the phone of people you want to control.

I force myself out of the car, gritting my teeth against the pain. Every movement sends fresh waves of agony through my body, but I push through it. I've got to stay focused.

I limp to a nearby ditch, my phone clutched in my hand. With a grunt of effort, I hurl it as far as I can into the overgrown grass. It's a risk, leaving evidence behind, but keeping it is an even bigger danger.

Stumbling back to the car, I collapse into the passenger seat, breathing heavily. It occurs to me that along with my phone, we could be tracked by the car.

“Head to O’Hare,” I tell Bella.

“The airport? That’s back the other direction.”

“Fuck…” Does she question her father like this? “Do it, Bella.” I know I’m off my game, having us backtrack. I just hope we can get somewhere safe until I can recuperate or die.

Bella hesitates, her eyes fixed on the bloodstain spreading across my shirt. "You're hurt badly. We should find a hospital.”

"No," I cut her off sharply. "No hospitals.”

"But you need help," she insists, her voice tinged with genuine concern. I don’t know that she trusts me, but I suspect she knows she needs me. If I die, she’s out here like a sitting duck for whoever is behind this.

I turn to look at her, really look at her for the first time since this nightmare began. There's fear in her eyes, yes, but also a strength that surprises me. It also gives me hope that she won’t fall apart as all this plays out.

“What I need is for you to take us to O’Hare. After that, we head west to…”

“Jones. They have a ski resort there. My friend’s family has a cabin.” Her repeating the location again is a sure sign that my injury is affecting my memory.

“Right. Jones.”

With a nod, she puts the car in gear and pulls back onto the road. I close my eyes, giving in to the fatigue for a moment.

“Niccolo.”

A hand pokes me, pokes my wound, and I yell out as the pain is like a hot poker. “Fuck! What?”

She flinches. “We’re at the airport.”

I look around, realizing I was out for a bit. “Go to long-term parking.”

She does as I ask, but I can see wariness. “Are we flying somewhere?”

For a moment, I consider putting her on a plane to anywhere. But if she’s the target, she’ll be in danger wherever I send her.

“No. We’re getting a car.” I scan the lot. “Find a spot next to a nondescript car. Nothing fancy. Black or blue or silver.” I point. “There.”

She pulls into the spot.

“Can you get your bag?” At this point, I’m not sure I’ll be able to break into the car, much less hotwire it and transfer her suitcase.

“Are you stealing a car?”

“We can’t stay in this one.” I open the door and drag myself out. My body feels like it’s being held down by lead weights.

"We can't just take someone's car!"

I turn to her, my jaw clenched. "It’s this or we hijack a car because I’m not going to let those motherfuckers kill us.”

Her lips tremble, but she holds it together as she gets out of the car and goes to the trunk to retrieve her bag.

"Keep watch.” I walk around the car, feeling underneath for a key box. To this day, I don’t understand people hiding spare keys on their cars, but right now, I’d thank God to find one. When I don’t find one under the car, I check the license plates, and thank fuck, there’s one. Not that I can’t break in and hotwire a car, a skill I learned at twelve years old, but keys make life so much easier.

I decide to make one more move that can give us more time if cops are called. I pull out my multi-purpose knife and flip open the screwdriver. I take off the plates and move to another car a few spots away. I switch the plates.

Then I hand the key to Bella. “You still need to drive.” I’ll be honest, I’m not sure how I’m still upright.

She bites her lip. “I’m not a thief.”

“Would you rather be a thief or dead? Because right now, that’s your choice.”

Terror crosses her face, and only then do I realize that she thinks I’m threatening her when what I meant was whoever sent the hit is still out there. But I don’t clarify that. If she’s afraid of me, it will be easier to manipulate her. I roll my shoulders, feeling bad for having to be like that, which is weird. I’ve never felt guilty at taking care of life and death business before.

She climbs into the car and I get in on the passenger side. “Now we go to the cabin.”

She starts the car, and when we’re back on the Interstate, I let out a breath. I lean back against the seat. The pain grows again as that adrenaline wears off. The full extent of my injury is becoming harder to ignore.

“Why is this happening?” Bella’s voice breaks, and something inside me cracks at hearing it.

I wish I had an answer for her. I wish I could tell her that everything will be okay, that I have a foolproof plan to keep us safe. But the truth is, I'm as lost as she is.

“I don’t know yet, but as long as we stay ahead of whoever did this, I’ll find out.”

Bella nods, but I can see the fear in her eyes. She's trying to be brave, but she's in way over her head.

A pang of guilt twists in my gut. This girl, barely more than a child, has been thrust into a nightmare she never asked for. She should be worrying about college applications or first dates, not fleeing for her life with a bleeding mafioso.

I want to offer her some comfort, some assurance that I'll protect her. But how can I promise that when I can't even protect myself? I’m well aware that I’ll likely bleed to death before we leave Illinois.

“Listen,” I start, searching the glove box for a piece of paper. Next I hunt for a pen, which I find in the center console. I write down Max’s number. “If something happens to me, call this number. Ask for Max. Tell him… tell him everything."

Her eyes widen. “You do know?—”

“I don’t, but I trust him. If I can’t protect you, he’ll be your best shot.”

She stares at the paper and then back on the road.

“You can’t call your father?—”

“I can call Ava.”

I want to shake sense into her. “No. She’s a Rinella?—”

“She’s a D’Amato now, and they’re good people.”

“Who have an alliance with your father.” It’s striking that she doesn’t defend her father. She must know the type of man he is. Well, of course she does. Her father arranged for her to marry my sadist father.

“Max is the only person we can trust right now. Promise me you’ll call him.”

Her jaw tightens. Her fingers flex and then wrap around the steering wheel. I have to admit, this girl has grit.

Finally, she sucks in a breath. “I promise.” I don’t know if I believe her, but I don’t have much choice.

I lean back, exhausted by the effort. It's not much of a plan, but it's something.

My vision blurs, and I can sense my strength draining away rapidly. I try to fight it, knowing I need to stay alert for Bella's sake, but it's a losing battle.

"Bella," I mumble, my voice barely audible. "Keep… driving. Don't stop…"

I struggle to keep my eyes open, to give her more instructions, but the darkness closes in fast.

“Oh… and call me Nic.” The pain recedes as unconsciousness takes hold. My head lolls to the side, and I slip away, leaving Bella to face our predicament alone.