Page 23 of Tainted Blood

“Connor went to get a wheelchair, but we’re waiting for the paperwork. They told me it would only be an hour.”

“Good. I don’t trust these people, and I’m already planning my revenge on that asshole. Did you hear what he said he did to Calista?”

“What did that pussy do?”

“He drugged her that night so she would be more compliant.”

“He’s on our ever-growing list.”

“Our?”

“Yeah, I get it. I’ve been where you are, and honestly, other than her connections to a man I don’t trust, there isn’t anything bad about the connections. We aren’t enemies with the Vitale Family.”

“We might be now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I caused her to lose her job, and like you said, she was crying and her terrible excuse for a bodyguard saw. If he tells her father, we might have a big problem.”

“Let’s worry about that another time. Besides, you’re planning to let your rabbit only run so far.”

“True. She’ll be caught soon.” I smirk.

****

Two hours later, I’m lying in the back of the SUV. Calista calls Claudia, and they chat on speaker. I listen to their conversation, hanging on every word like a lovesick fool. I’m kind of glad I refused the painkillers until we got to the house because I would have been passed out and missed the call. I love that she’s obviously worried about my safety. When she hangs up, my chest aches to have her by my side, but I’m not in the condition to take care of myself, let alone her. It’s probably for the best that she’s going out of town, although she doesn’t say when she’ll be back. If she takes too long, I’ll have to go get her.

“We need someone to watch over her,” I insist.

“She’s going to see her father, who is like us, but if it makes you feel better, I’ll send someone,” Jack says.

“Yes, it does. Dad could be out there, and if he even gets a whiff of my interest in her…” I can’t even think about the danger she’d be in. Damn it. Maybe Jack should have just taken her before he left.

“We’ll make it happen. Maybe we should have a talk with her father.”

“I will contact him.”

“I thought you searched for her,” Jack remarks, wondering how I hadn’t found her easily.

“The registration for the party was under a shell company,” Connor says. “We were paid outright, and then they added an extra thousand for the drinks at the table.”

They hit a bump, and I groan.

“Shit, sorry. Just try to relax. We can talk about this later. You’re supposed to take it easy, and we just pulled you out of the hospital.”

“It’s for the best, because they can’t be trusted not to flood air into my IV. You heard Calista. They fucking wanted someone to come for my ass,” I grumble.

“Still, you need to rest, so we’ll set up a spare bedroom for you and then you can sleep while we get everything together for your pursuit of Callie,” Claudia says, taking my hand and squeezing it.

“Thanks,” I sigh, doing my best to calm down. “I’d feel better if I had her number.”

“That’s fine. When we get home,” Connor says. I nod and close my eyes, letting my fatigue and the remaining morphine in my body take over.

By the time I wake up, we’re pulling through the reinforced gate at the estate. “We’re almost there. Are you hungry?” Claudia asks.

“A little.”

“I can make you something small. The notes said that you can only have a liquid diet for a few days.” They pull into the driveway and in front of Connor and Claudia’s home.

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