Page 7 of Ruined By Blood
"Easy," I tell her, tightening my grip to prevent her falling. "You're safe now."
Her fingers clutch at my shirt, surprisingly strong for someone losing this much blood. "Don't take me back," she begs, tears spilling down her pale cheeks. "He'll kill me this time."
"Who?" I demand, slowing my pace.
Her eyes start to roll back, consciousness slipping away. "Please..."
"Stay with me," I growl, but it's too late. Her head lolls against my shoulder as she goes limp again.
Noah holds the alley door open, glancing back at the unconscious woman. "Said anything useful?"
"Just begging not to be taken back to someone." I duckthrough the doorway, careful not to jostle her. "Whoever 'he' is, she thinks he'll kill her."
The black Escalade waits at the end of the alley, engine running. I slide into the backseat with her still cradled in my arms, her blood staining the leather beneath us.
"Hospital?" Noah asks, slipping behind the wheel.
I look down at the woman's face, pale as moonlight against the crimson of her dress. Something about her vulnerability stirs a protective instinct I rarely allow myself to feel.
"No. Take us to the mansion. And call Dr. Romano to be there."
Guilt claws at my chest, sharp and unrelenting. I saw her discomfort at the bar—the way fear shadowed her eyes, the tension in her shoulders. She'd been silently begging for help, and I let her walk away with that bastard.
I should have stopped her.
The car takes a sharp turn, throwing us slightly to the side. I tighten my grip, shielding her from the impact.
CHAPTER 4
Her body feels like nothing in my arms as I climb the sprawling staircase of the mansion.
More concerning is the way she trembles even while unconscious.
"Ginerva!" My voice echoes through the marble halls. "I need you! Now!"
I make it to the guest suite at the end of the east wing, the one furthest from the main family quarters. The door stands open as if waiting for us.
The housekeeper appears in the hallway, her eyes widening at the sight of the broken woman in my arms. Ginerva's face shifts immediately from shock to efficientconcern.
"Madre di Dio," she murmurs, but she's already moving, pulling back the covers of the bed. "Put her here, Enzo."
I lay the woman down as gently as I can, my hands coming away with more of her blood.
"The doctor is coming?" Ginerva asks, already gathering towels and a basin of water.
"Noah called Romano. He should be here any minute."
The woman whimpers, her eyelids fluttering without opening. The sound hits me instantly.It reminds me too much of Lucrezia after?—
I cut that thought off before it can form.
Ginerva's lined face hardens. She's been with our family since before I was born, and has seen the darkest parts of our world. Still, there are lines even in our business. Women. Children. Certain codes remain.
The doorbell echoes through the mansion, followed by brisk footsteps climbing the stairs. Dr. Romano appears in the doorway, medical bag in hand, face as impassive as always.
"Mr. Feretti," he nods at me before his eyes shift to the bed.
"Found her at the casino. Someone worked her over pretty good and left her bleeding behind the fountains," I explain.
