Page 35 of Dagger in the Sea

“That motorcycle—” I gulped in air. “Did you see that motorcycle?”

“Si.” Alessio grabbed Adriana whose eyes stayed on me, not wanting to let go. Alessio took her and brushed past me, and I staggered.

“Turo!” shouted Adriana, looking over Alessio’s shoulder, eyes wild. She fisted Alessio’s shirt. “Don’t leave him here! Don’t!”

A thick arm wrapped around me like a stiff belt, a hand at my chest, holding me up. Luca steered me toward a black Porsche Cayenne manned by a security guard who held the back door open. Alessio and Adriana climbed inside.

“Come.” Luca picked up his pace, leading me toward the car. “We have to get out of here. Now.”

I shoved him off me. “What are you talking about?”

He grabbed my arm again. “You are coming with us.”

12

Turo

The heavy doorsof the Porsche thudded closed, and the sudden stifling interior of the crowded SUV made me lightheaded. Alessio, Adri, and me in the back, the driver and Luca up front. Gennaro and his bodyguard were in another Cayenne in front of us. We tore out of the parking lane and zoomed down the road, police sirens blaring in our wake.

Luca tossed me a first aid kit from the front seat, and I got the box open, tore at gauze, an antiseptic wipe. I glanced down at Adriana who sat in between me and Alessio. Dull eyes brimming with water, pressing her lips together against their trembling. She was visibly upset, but not hysterical. No, she was clamping it down, holding it in. Trying to control it. Something told me this wasn’t new to her.

Not even an hour ago she’d exuded a breezy self confidence, sexual allure, radiated glamour, but now, now she was a terrified and withdrawn girl. A girl whose body shuddered against mine. Had those bullets been meant for her?

Her hands curled into fists in her lap. My hand slid over hers, my thumb stroking over her cold flesh. She let out a ragged breath, her hand turning, clasping mine.

Alessio leaned forward toward his brother. “What the fuck was that?” he bit out in Italian.

I winced at his sharp tone. My skull ached, the blasts still echoing in my head. That pitched wave of screaming, everyone crouching, scattering like rodents played over and over again in my brain, in my bones.

Alessio and Luca argued, Luca spitting out a torrent of seething Italian at his brother and Alessio firing back. It was all too quick for me to understand, but I recognized the name of another Naples family. Did a rival family follow them to Greece?

Alessio slid back against the leather seat. “We weren’t even supposed to be here tonight, but you insisted, Luca.”

“I heard it was a great club, I wanted to see for myself,” Luca replied, his voice colorless.

“This cannot be happening. Not now, dammit!” Alessio rubbed a hand down his face.

“Have you pissed someone off since you got to Greece?” I said.

“We piss people off all the time,” replied Luca calmly, his gaze sliding to mine. “And you?”

“Me?” I asked.

Had Valerio told the Tantuccis about my killing Med? Were they out for me all the way here across the Atlantic? Slightly melodramatic? Not really. Nowadays, families were huge organizations that had multinational business relationships. Anything was possible.

Alessio’s narrowed eyes darted to my and Adriana’s hands clasped together. “Who the fuck are you to even open your mouth?” His sharp voice split the air. “Why is he here?”

“Alessio—”Adriana wiped at her face. “Turo saved my life and yours.”

“Yes, so he did.” Alessio focused on Adriana, his tone now considerably softer.

Her hold on my hand remained tight. “The gunshots, the sounds, the screaming…just like…”

“No cara, no,”Alessio murmured. “This was different.”

She’d been through a gun assault before? Because of Aliberti? Who the hell was she, really? She clamped her eyes shut, her hand in mine remained cold, stiff. She was doing battle with memories of the past and sensations of the present. A grim twist remained on Alessio’s mouth.

“I can’t getPapaon the phone, and I really don’t want to try again if someone is tracking us.” Luca smacked his cell phone on his thigh, releasing a wave of Italian curses. “We must leave Athens. Now. Tonight.” Luca’s jaw muscles flexed, his hard gaze drilling holes into me. “You will come with us.”

---