Page 32 of Unworthy Ties
“The dead bodies, you mean,” she said, pulling herself out from under the bed.
“Yes, the dead bodies I just put on our floor.” I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the adrenaline beginning to ebb. “Look, I need to make some calls.”
It was the first time someone had tried to kill her. My stomach twisted into uneasy knots, knowing how close we had just come to death. If we had been in the living room instead of the bedroom, this could have gone much worse.
Gabriella crossed her arms. “I should be allowed to see. It’s my house too.”
I studied her face—the slight tremor in her lower lip was the only sign that she was rattled.
I sighed, knowing that stubborn tone. “Fine. But stay behind me.”
I led her down the hallway, positioning my body to block the carnage as we entered the hallway. Despite my efforts, she gasped when she saw the first man sprawled on the floor, his skull a mess of bone and tissue.
“Actually… maybe I’ll stay in the bedroom after all.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
I turned to find her leaning against the wall, face pale. The sight of violent death was something I was used to, but for most people, it was a shock to the system. I’d known this would happen. She might think she was tough—and she was, in many ways—but this was different.
“Come on,” I said gently, taking her arm and guiding her back to the bedroom. “Why don’t you text your dad and tell him we can’t make it? Just don’t mention the reason why.”
“Right. Sure.” She nodded mechanically, pulling out her phone with shaking hands.
While she texted her father, I walked back to the living room and stared at the bodies. Three men, all heavily armed, all dead by my hand. I stared at the one by the living room. His blood was seeping all over a rug Gabriella had picked out last month.
I picked up my phone and dialed Emilio’s number. He was one of my closest friends and one of the few people I could trust with this kind of mess.
“We had the night off, remember?” he said, not bothering with pleasantries. “Someone better be dead.”
“Three someones, actually,” I replied, keeping my voice low. “They busted down the door to my penthouse.”
A pause, then a long exhale. “Shit. Anyone you recognize?”
“Still need to ID them. Can you help me get a cleanup crew over here?”
“On it. Give me fifteen.” Emilio’s voice shifted to business mode. “Anyone else there with you?”
I glanced toward the bedroom. “Gabriella.”
Another pause. “Fuck, that’s not good. She okay?”
“Physically, yes. Mentally...” I ran a hand through my hair. “To be determined.”
Emilio cursed under his breath. “Alright, I’ll get someone to take care of the mess. You just focus on taking care of Gabriella.”
“Thanks, Emilio. I owe you one,” I said gratefully.
“Just stay safe, alright? And keep me updated,” Emilio replied before hanging up.
I walked back to the bedroom, where Gabriella was sitting with a blank look in her eyes. “Hey, it’s going to be fine.” I reassured her, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands in mine.
She looked up at me, her eyes filled with fear and confusion. “I don’t understand... Why would they come after us?”
I didn’t have an answer for her, but I had a sneaking suspicion it was because I was looking in places I shouldn’t be. “We’ll find out. I promise.” I pulled her into a hug, hoping that my embrace could provide some comfort amid chaos.
As we sat there holding onto each other, waiting for the cleanup crew to arrive, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air. But I knew one thing for certain—no matter what challenges lay ahead, I was determined to protect Gabriella and unravel the mystery of why our peaceful night had been shattered by violence.
Chapter 16
Rocco
