Page 223 of Ricardo

Two men.

Two men were waiting in my apartment.

Dante took them out.

The thought barely forms before I see his hand pressed against his side.

Blood spreading dark beneath his jacket.

My breath stops.

His face is pale.

“Dante,” I whisper.

He looks down like he has only just realized it.

Then his knees hit the floor.

Chapter Thirty

Ricardo

I call Dante.

It goes straight to voicemail.

I try again, then switch back to Julia.

No answer. No answer from either of them.

The city moves past the car windows in streaks of light and black glass, but I barely see any of it. Alessio drives too fast and not fast enough. Lorenzo is next to me, phone to his ear, voice low as he speaks to whoever the fuck is on the other end.

I don't care right now.

I try Dante again.

Nothing.

I call Julia again.

Nothing.

My grip tightens around the phone until the edge bites into my palm.

“Try the driver,” Lorenzo says.

“I did.”

“And?”

“He dropped them off, as planned.”

Lorenzo turns slightly, but he doesn’t say anything. Good.

Julia's voice comes through the speaker on my phone, friendly and pre-recorded, and something vicious inside me twists so hard I nearly crush the phone in my hand before the beep.

I end the call.