Page 39 of On Ice

The cold and rain drained me too. I doze on and off, slumped against the ambulance wall. When we pull up to the hospital, the doors open and they take Marco first. I stay where I am for a few moments, trying to work up the energy to follow them inside. I stand on shaky legs and start to get down out of the ambulance.

When Luca appears in front of me, I stumble back into the ambulance. I’m so shocked to see him, I just stare at him. No one else seems to be around, and my throat is too tight to yell for help. When he extends his hand to me, I stare at it like it’s a rattlesnake.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Evan.” His smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “You need to come with me.”

Chapter Twelve

Luca

I’m alerted to the car accident by one of my informants, a paramedic called to the scene. She recognizes Marco and contacts me immediately. She doesn’t have much information, other than to say both occupants of the vehicle are alive. My first reaction to the news is relief. Of course, I’m glad Marco is alive, but shouldn’t I be disappointed that Evan is also still breathing?

But I’m not.

Ever since Marco left with Evan, I’ve been obsessing about contacting him to call off the execution. I can’t stop thinking about what a fucking waste it would be to kill Evan. It’s not logical to feel this way. Evan messed up badly, and he needs to pay for disobeying me. People who work for me can’t just say no. That’s not how things work in the mafia.

I assumed Evan was already dead.

But he’s not.

And I’m not mad about it.

The minute I got the call, I drove straight to the hospital. Time is of the essence. If I know Evan is alive, there’s a very good chance people like Vincent know it too. Vincent and the others are a very vindictive lot. If I want Evan tostayalive, I need to get to him before any of my illustrious associates.

When I arrive at the hospital, I park and head straight to the ambulance bay. I get there just as they’re wheeling Marco away on a gurney. He’s unconscious and surrounded by paramedicsand nurses, and I know he’s in stable condition. I’ll call the hospital later to get the updated details of his condition. I need to deal with Evan before I do anything else.

I head to the back of the ambulance, and that’s where I find Evan. He’s sitting like a statue, in the rear of the emergency vehicle. He’s covered in mud, and there are scratches on his face and arms. For a moment, I just stand there, drinking him in. I can’t explain the emotions flooding through me at the sight of him alive. Relief? Joy? It’s ridiculous. Foolish. But I can’t help it, I’m just so damn glad he’s not dead.

He stands and starts climbing down from the ambulance, but as soon as he sees me, he stumbles backward. The displeasure on his face is impossible to miss. I guess I can’t really blame him. The last time we were together, I ordered his execution.

I say the first thing that comes to me. “I’m glad you’re okay, Evan.” I try to smile but fail miserably. “You need to come with me.”

While I might be happy to see him, he is definitely not happy to see me. He stares at me as if I’m the grim reaper. His frantic gaze flicks past me, and it’s obvious he wants to run, but I’m blocking his escape route.

“Get away from me,” he hisses, holding out a hand to ward me off.

“Evan, I need to get you out of here.” I use a gentler tone because he looks like a trapped, wild animal.

“No,” he growls. “Why would I go with you?”

“Because I’m trying to save your life.”

His laugh is harsh. “That’s a joke.”

I glance around uneasily. “Look, I know you’re upset with me, but ifIknow you’re alive that means all my enemies do too. That’s very dangerous for you.”

“Youwanted me dead.” His voice is cold and accusing.

“I’ve changed my mind.” There’s no point denying what he said. I did want him dead after he pulled that stunt during the hockey game. But now, I want him alive. I need to find another way to handle the mess he made. It’s complicated, though, because he pissed off a lot of powerful, important people. I’ll figure something out, but the first thing I need to do is get him out of the public eye. “Come with me. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

He narrows his eyes. “Why would I trust you?”

Good question.

I search my brain for a logical answer, but I draw a blank. Realistically, he shouldn’t trust me. Ishouldwant him dead. His death would be the simplest solution by far. But remembering how depressing it was when I thought he’d been killed, I’d rather keep him around a while longer.

“Evan, I don’t want you dead anymore,” I say and then wince because that sounded better in my head. “But my associates do.”

“Then how does that work? If they want me dead, how can you keep me alive?”

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