Page 33 of Her Dark Melody
No more Blue. No more life. Just death. Her would-be-killer stabbed her again, clearly becoming aroused by her pain.Someone…please help me…she closed her eyes, not wanting to see the triumph on hisface.
The shout. Closer this time. Now Dacre…no,notDacre. Another man, another…Franks…Carson Franks…yes…that was him…cursed loudly and began to stab her with more urgency. She raised a hand, trying to stop him. Whoever it was coming would be toolate.
God, a blow so hard that Franks had trouble wrenching the knife out of her. She could smell her blood, smell the rust and salt ofit.
Her attacker bent down and whispered in her ear as she gave into unconsciousness. “I promised I’d gut you, pretty girl, and I have. You won’t survive this…but if, by some miracle you do, I’ll do it again, and again, and again until I know, once and for all, that you’re dead.” He gave a throaty chuckle. “And then I’ll kill your husband andchildren…”
She had no time to scream before the emptinesscame.
Romy groaned now,hearing the scraping of a chair. “Sweetheart?” Her mom. She felt Magda sweep a hand onto her burning forehead. It felt nice, cooling andsoothing.
Momma?God, she hadn’t called Magda that in years, but all she wanted to do now was cry. These last few years with Blue, the kids, dealing with Dacre and Gaius, and now this…everything had happened soquickly.
“Oh, sweetheart.” Magda, tears swimming in her own eyes, dried her daughter’s tears. “It’s okay, we’re all here, we all loveyou.”
Blue.Romy’s mouthed the words, her throat tinder-dry. Magda helped her sip somewater.
“He’s just getting some coffee, darling. He’s been awake for twenty-four hours, hoping that since you woke up, he’d be able to talk toyou.”
Tired.
Magda nodded. “You will be honey, you’ve been through a tremendoustrauma.
Gracie, thetwins.
“Artemis has them at the moment. She and Juno have been taking turns looking after them. Romy, do you remember whathappened?”
She nodded determinedly.Carson Franks.Magda frowned. “You’resure?”
Romy nodded again. She gazed at her mother.Why?
Magda sighed. “He says he has an alibi, but I believe you, darling. We’ll inform the police. But don’t you worry about anything…Blue has been working with them, as well asAtlas.”
Atlas?
Romy saw her mother’s eyes cloud over. “Atlas is fine, sweetie…but Mateo…Mateo was shot and killed. We think he was mistaken forAtlas.”
Romy groaned silently, and began to sob, covering her face with her hands, inconsolable, and eventually Magda had to call one of the nurses. The nurses injected a sedative into Romy’s i.v. drip. “You need to relax, Mrs. Allende. Your blood pressure is a little high for myliking.”
Romy closed her eyes. Everything was such a mess. When she looked at her mother again, it was with anger. She managed to just croak, “Why isn’t Franks injail?”
“They’re working on it, honey. Now that you’re awake, it will be a big help and don’t worry about security. There are two huge guards outside your door, and the kids have a protection detail like they’re members of the Royal family. Which they are – to me, at least.” Magda half-smiled and Romy squeezed her handgratefully.
I love you,Momma.
Magda bent over and kissed her daughter’s forehead. “Get some more sleep, baby. The more rest you get, the better you’ll feel. I’m sure Blue will be glad you’re lucid. He’ll wait if you’re asleep when you comeback.”
Blue Allende walked slowly,heavily, up the stairs to Romy’s floor. Since Romy’s attack, he hadn’t had more than a few hours’ sleep, and it was taking its toll.Now Romy was…not out of danger,he thought,she’ll never be out of danger while Carson Franks is free.No, Romy was beginning to recover, and now that she was, he could start to think straightagain.
“Blue?”
He turned to see Atlas Tigri walking up the stairs behind him. “Hey, Atlas.” His anger at the man was tempered now that Romy was awake – Blue had guessed that it had been Romy who asked Atlas to keep Carson Franks’ threats quiet. It would be just like her, after all. Not wanting thefuss.
Besides, Atlas looked broken. Losing his twin brother, and worse, it being a case of mistaken identification…Blue didn’t know how Atlas was still standing. “How are youdoing?”
Atlas shrugged. “Like you, I suspect, some good days, most bad. If I didn’t have Ebony andFino…”
Blue clapped his shoulder gently. “I’m sorry, Atlas, about Mateo. I can’t tell you how sorry Iam.”
