Page 15 of Declan's Dove

“No. No. We’re fine.” I’m driving as fast as I can without drawing attention to myself. I don’t need to get pulled over on the way to the mob boss’s house.

“My friend, Dr. D’Angelo, has been attacked and I?—”

“Attacked? By whom? Where is she now?” His voice is terse and filled with concern. He moves the phone, but I hear a muffled conversation making out a few curse words in Italian.

“I don’t know exactly. She said they were bikers. She’s not sure. Look …” I say exasperated. “I offered to call Kayce, but Emilia is afraid her place may be being watched and Kayce is the one they were meant to send a message to.”

Vincenzo growls.

“She’s alone in her safe room waiting for me to arrive and bring her here,” I rattle off, driving down the long, windy road toward his large mansion in the mountains on the remote edge of town.

“Will you help me?” I practically beg.

“Of course, sweetheart. How far away are you?”

“About ten minutes.”

“All right. I’ll have the helicopter fueled and ready. It will be faster. We will be in the air within the hour.” He says it so calmly my shoulders sag with relief.

“Thank you. I don’t know what I owe you for this, but I’m grateful for your help, Vincenzo.”

“You’re welcome, Violet,” he says. “We’ll discuss payment at a later date. For now, drive safely and we will go retrieve your friend and bring her here for medical care.”

“She can’t go to the hospital, Vincenzo. Whoever hurt her may still be watching her.”

“Then my men will handle the situation when we arrive. There will be no witnesses if that’s your concern.” I’m pretty sure Vincenzo just told me he would murder anyone on site, and he says this as if it’s a normal day at the office. Nothing for me to worry about.

“No. I mean, they could find where she’s gone through those records.”

“She has a job here at the hospital already. Would they not track her here anyway?” He sounds frustrated, and maybe confused. “It doesn’t matter. She’ll be under my protection from here on out. If they come for her, they’ll find me.”

“I don’t know what she’s going to do about the job. She took time away from Oakridge to settle her affairs in Baron’s Edge.”

“Affairs?” Vincenzo’s tone is low and gravelly.

“Yes. Her old practice. I’ll talk to her about the job. She knows she can’t keep it. Not now.” I take in another deep breath. “I don’t know who these men were, but I know she needs to lie low for a while just in case her f—” I catch myself before I let the word slip. “It’s not my business to tell. Just know she needs to be well hidden for a while until we can figure out who sent those men to hurt her. Just—Please Vincenzo. She helped me when no one else would. I owe her this.”

“Hmm. And now you’ll owe me.”

Ominous much?

“Whatever it is, I’ll work it out.” I sigh, knowing there’s no other way. Hesitantly, I make another request. “I have one more favor to ask.”

“Depending on what it is, I may be able to help.”

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, gripping the steering wheel. “My son needs to be kept safe. I’m leaving him in the care of Declan O’Malley?—”

“You trust him? The biker? With your son?” Vincenzo cuts me off. He doesn’t sound concerned, more surprised.

“Yes. I do.” It’s the truth. “Declan has been good to both of us. I know he would protect Carter with his life if it came down to it. And my son trusts him. Which means Carter will obey Declan if shit goes sideways. So, here’s where I need the favor.”

Deep breath. It has to be this way.

“I need you to make sure the Kings cannot find any information about me, my son, or my husband. If they connect the dots—if something happens to me and they go digging—it will alert my husband and put Carter’s life at risk.”

“You’re putting yourself at risk by returning to Baron’s Edge. Do you not think your Declan will be angry to discover you went back to the place you ran from? Flaunting your existence like a red flag to a bull?” He sounds angry with me.

Why?

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