cold and pale. When the doctor stripped her down I saw the stab wounds on her legs. They didn’t show any mercy. Tears prick at my eyes, but I will them down. It’s all because of me. 'Cause I couldn’t keep my dick in my pants.
Jax is downstairs playing with Gino. I’m glad the two of them hit it off. Jimmy brought some remote-controlled monster trucks over, and the kids are crashing them into each other. He keeps asking for her, looking around all worried. Ma’s got it taken care of though. I’m sure as hell not letting him see his mom like that. I don’t want to scare him. I have to protect the little guy as best I can. Luckily Paulie’s the only one those fuckers managed to hit, and it was only his leg. Doc took care of that with some quick stitches. A few days off and some whiskey will have Paulie good as new.
“What you need to be worrying about is De Luca and his gang.” Pops' voice rings out through the office.
They fucking got away. They were waiting, ready to ambush us. But they didn’t expect the numbers. They fled like the cowards they are. We got one of theirs. But you can’t question a dead body. We know their territory though. We know where they hang out. It’s fucking over.
“If I’d been there I would’ve told you guys to split.” Jack decides to chime in again. Silence greets him. He’s not the boss. He knows it, and so does Pops. But for some reason, my father lets him get away with that shit. “Someone always needs to be outside.”
“If we’d split up, they wouldn’t have run. But then we wouldn’t have had the numbers.” I finally look back at him. “I made that call, and I’m fucking good with it.” I sit forward in my seat. “Pops was there,” I look at my father, “and if he wasn’t good with it, he would’ve said so.” My father nods once in agreement. “If we’re going to go in for the kill, it’ll be on our terms. We were only there to get Becca. Nothing else.”
Pops squeezes my shoulder and walks around to sit at his desk. He sinks into the leather wingback chair and then clasps his hands and rests his elbows on the mahogany desk. His fingers steeple and the tips rest at his lips. “We had to lay low because of you, Jack. We don’t now.”
I shake my head. “I’m not ready. I’m not going anywhere until I know she’s alright.”
“Since when do you come on hits, Dom?” It’s not a question. Well, that’s not quite the question he’s asking, anyway. He knows there’s no way I’m not going after them. But I never have before. I don’t work the streets. I have my own business. I’m only in this family because he runs it. I have my bookie business, and that’s good enough for me. I work the familia’s books and that keeps me in, but that’s it.
“Things change.” I can’t look him in the eyes.
A knock at the door interrupts us. “Enter,” Pops says, pausing a conversation I’m not really sure I want to have.
The doctor walks in and gently shuts the door behind him. He’s an older man with short white hair and pale blue eyes surrounded by well-earned wrinkles. His glasses make him look distinguished even if he is wearing faded jeans and a thin V-neck sweater.
This isn’t the first time he’s been here, and it won’t be the last. Nearly a decade ago, his son got into problems with a gang on the west side. He begged my father for help. Pops knows a good man when he sees him. That, and it’s nice to have a doctor available for house visits on short notice for cash payments.
“She’s stable and from what I can tell, her injuries are purely external.”
“Is she going to be alright?”
“She’ll be perfectly fine.”
“Did they-?” I can’t finish the question. I swallow thickly and search his eyes. He knows what I’m asking.
“The rape kit came back negative.” I cringe at his answer but nod my head and let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I’ll never forgive myself for what they did to her. But I am relieved to know they didn’t abuse her like that. She deserves better. She sure as fuck deserves better than me, but after what happened, I can’t let her go just yet. They know