Page 103 of The Don's Secret Heir

Fuck.I should have listened to him.

Beth stands up and leaves the room, shutting the door behind her.

Dario. Please come for me.

30

DARIO

By the time we get to Beth’s old playhouse, it’s nearly dusk and I’m worried they’ve already moved. But when I pull up behind the car I recognize it as Beth’s.

Giovanni steps back, letting me take the lead.

I draw my gun, ducking down into the entrance of the playhouse. It’s like a maze in there, winding hallways, little rooms with old dolls in them.

It’s eerie. I make my way through the rooms quickly and muffled words come through one of the doors.

“You just have to be quiet a while longer and then—hey! Stop that!”

“Let me go!” I hear Sonny break free from Beth and take off, crawling through the tiny rooms and between my legs as he makes his way to the entrance.

I want to bark at Giovanni to intercept him, but I don’t want to give away my position.

I slowly make my way to the bedroom door, where Beth’s words are coming from, but she bursts out of the room and knocks me over. I go down on my ass with a grunt and she climbs over me, toward another room.

I follow her, grabbing at her ankles but I can’t get a good grip.

“Beth, stop!”

“I’ll get to her before you can. She’ll be mine. You’ll see. Only mine.”

She’s babbling like a madwoman but it’s too fucking tight in here and I can’t get to her.

I crouch in front of the door, drawing my gun. I shoot while I have a wide shot, before I see her holding a syringe to Liana’s neck.

“No!” I scream out, the word desperate as Beth falls.

Liana’s gray eyes roll into the back of her head and she drops, covered in Beth’s blood.

“No!” I scream again, crawling towards her. I jerk the syringe out of her neck, tossing it to the ground as I put my arms up under her armpits.

I drag her out of the playhouse and Giovanni stands, holding Sonny.

He drops the kid gently on the ground and rushes toward me.

“You can’t go,” I gasp out, cradling Liana in my arms. She’s in and out of consciousness, her eyes focusing on mine and then rolling back into her head. “It’s always been you, Liana. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved. The only woman I ever will love. You can’t go, Li.”

Tears stream down my face and I can’t stop them no matter how I try.

“We have to get her to a hospital,” Giovanni rasps, and I nod, sniffling, uncaring that I’m still actively crying.

I scoop Sonny up in my arms, checking him over. He seems uninjured but he won’t stop crying. I put him in the backseat of the car and Giovanni puts Liana in the back with him.

Sonny cries harder, trying to take his mother’s hand.

I turn around, talking to her.

“Stay awake for me,belissima. Just focus on me. That’s right, baby,” I say as her eyes desperately try to hold on to mine. What was in that syringe?