Page 31 of Ruined By Blood
I check the time—2:14 AM. Shit.
"Zoe," I say, lowering my voice. "Sorry to wake you."
"Are you though?" She laughs softly. "Since when does Enzo Feretti apologize for anything? Should I be worried?"
Despite everything, my lips twitch. I like my brother's wife. She calls us all on our bullshit.
"Just checking in," I say, moving to the window to look out at the dark line of trees surrounding the cabin. "Any word from Sterling?"
"At two in the morning?" She yawns. "Well, he hasn't knocked on our door with a bouquet and apology card, if that's what you're asking."
"Be serious."
"I am being serious. No news since Alessio's report earlier. He's been asking questions, but quietly. Paying people for information." She pauses. "Damiano thinks he doesn't want to draw attention to his daughter being missing. Bad for business."
My jaw tightens. Business. The same fucking business that left Sienna bleeding behind my fountain.
"How is she?" Zoe's voice softens.
I think of Sienna's eyes on me, her rigid posture in the kitchen, the way she almost—almost—smiled at my stupid shower joke.
"Scared. Not talking. But..."
"But?"
"But there's something there. Under all that fear. Something stronger."
I press my forehead against the cool glass of thewindow, watching my breath create small clouds of fog on the pane.
"Get some sleep, Zoe. And tell my brother to call me when he wakes up."
"Will do."
I end the call without responding.
The cabin feels too quiet. Even with Sienna just down the hall, the silence presses in. I pace the room once, twice, then pull up Alessio's number. He answers on the first ring.
"Little late for a check-in, isn't it?" Alessio's voice has that alertness that tells me he wasn't sleeping.
"What happened at the casino after we left?" I ask, keeping my voice low.
He sighs. "Chaos. Two drunk assholes got into it over a poker game. Regular high-rollers—the Harrison brothers. You know them?"
"Vaguely." I remember seeing them around, always flashy, always loud.
"Well, they had too much to drink, then started accusing each other of cheating. Words turned to fists turned to..." He pauses. "One of them pulled a fucking gun, Enzo. Right in the middle of the high-stakes room."
"Fuck." My hand tightens around the phone. "Anyone hurt?"
"One shot fired. Caught the older brother in the shoulder. Not fatal, but messy. Blood all over that new carpet Damiano imported from Italy."
I pinch the bridge of my nose. "The cops?"
"Here's where it gets complicated. Damiano's handled it, but he's having to grease a lot of palms. The shooting happened right as the news about Sterling's daughter started circulating. Bad timing."
I glance toward the door, thinking of Sienna just downthe hall. Every complication makes keeping her safe more difficult.
"Any sign Sterling knows she's with us?"
