Page 48 of Chaos & Corruption

He claps a hand to my shoulder, giving it a powerful squeeze.

“One minute. Say your piece, then you and I are going to confession.”

His hand drops away from my shoulder as he glances back at his daughter, his nostrils flaring at the sight. Then without another word he steps out of the room, leaving me alone with Victoria.

I drag my fingers through my hair and reluctantly make my way to her bedside. I’ve never been good in these type of situations, always questioning myself, wondering if I’m saying or doing the right thing. If I talk to her, will she hear me? If I touch her, will I cause her pain?

There’s no protocol.

No right or wrong answer.

All I know is that the last twenty-four hours have proven that I gotta live in the moment and go with my gut because tomorrow is never guaranteed.

Drawing in a deep breath, I reach out, my hand trembling slightly as it finds hers. That’s when I notice the cuts on her knuckles. I hope that means she fought, that she gave the cocksucker who put his hands on her, hell.

“Hey, beautiful,” I rasp, bringing my gaze to her face. “I’m no good at this…at expressing myself, but I don’t want to piss your father off. I think you’re a lot like him. Tough as nails, always fighting for what matters most to you—consequences be damned.” I pause, biting the inside of my cheek as I take in the bruises covering her olive complexion. “I love that about you. You see injustice and instead of turning a blind eye like the rest of the world, you stand tall, and you fight. You become the voice of the people who lost their battles, people like your grandfather and Mila. I knew you wouldn’t be able to let this shit go, that you’d stop at nothing to uncover the Scorpio Society, I just wish you would’ve waited for me because I would’ve never let anyone hurt you. But don’t you worry, you may have started this thing, but I promise you I will be the one who finishes it.”

I lift her hand and bend my head, pressing my lips gently to her battered knuckles. For the last couple of years, football has made me one of big men on campus, but I never felt bigger than I did when I walked the halls of Stonewall holding Victoria’s hand.

I lay her hand on the bed and take a step backward. I don’t want to leave her. I want to crawl into that bed and hold her until her body heals. Until I can stare into those mis-matched eyes of hers and tell her how I feel.

“Minute is up.”

I turn around at the sound of Mr. Bianci’s voice and nod.

“Yeah, it sure is.”

Eighteen

Alex Reggiano

Mr. Bianciand I step out of the Intensive Care Unit, and all the people crowding the waiting room stare at us. Somehow it looks like there are even more people than there was before, and I suppose that’s because the bikers who followed the Escalade have now made their way inside the hospital and line the walls.

What was it that Riggs called them—thecalvary—yeah, that’s it.

I wonder if they will be following us to Mr. Bianci’s confessional. I’ve been contemplating how much I should share with Victoria’s father, but if these guys are joining us, then there really is nothing to contemplate. They’ll kill me if they think I’m withholding any information.

I stop walking and turn to Mr. Bianci.

“Would it be okay if I used the restroom first?”

He studies me for a moment, crossing his arms against his broad chest as his blue eyes narrow.

“Make it quick.”

I jerk my chin, my eyes darting around the corridor for the bathroom.

Mr. Bianci must catch on that I have no fucking idea where anything is because he clears his throat and says, “Down the hall, hook a right. Don’t make me come looking for you, Alex.”

I give him another nod.

“I’ll be quick.”

It’s a boldface lie, though and as soon as I’m out of his line of sight, I start jogging down the hallway, frantically searching for a way out of the hospital.

“Hey, slow down!” A nurse shouts when I knock into one of the rolling carts in the hallway. Bed pans go flying, but I don’t heed the warning. I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to get back to Stonewall before those sick fucks try to cover their tracks and the guy who beat my girl gets away with it.

God must be on my side, because after another quick right and a sharp left, I spy the main entrance of the hospital. My pace quicks as the glass doors slide open, but my Nike’s come to a skidding halt when Mila walks through those doors.

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