“Done.” The doctor wheels himself away and snaps off his gloves. “For now.”

“We’re gonna hang on to you until the princess comes home. Then, whatever.”

The doctor unbuckles my arms. I can punch him in the face now. Instead, I fall to the floor like a sack of sticks and skin, landing a few inches from the brass drain in the middle of the room. Blood has gathered in the seam between the concrete and the metal. The shoes stepping into and out of my vision avoid it.

“Stay away.” Sarah’s not here, but I talk to her anyway. “Don’t come.”

Above me, the rack is lowered onto its frame and turned back into a bed.

“Stay away.”

Sergio puts his foot under my shoulder and rolls me onto my back.

“Hm.” The doctor’s sound is a little sharper, as if he’s satisfied.

“I know you’re worried about the princess. They told me about the hollowing thing, but honestly, women rebound from shit all the time. They’re like rubber. She’ll get over it.”

CHAPTER 4

SARAH

Tommy points the gun at my face, and I roll down the window with my other hand up to prove it’s empty. Junior motions for his father to lower his weapon.

“She’s all right, Pop.”

“Get her gun, then tell me.”

I put up both hands. “Take it.”

“Sorry, someone saw this.” He takes the pistol from my lap and hands it to his father. He starts a question, then his eyes go to the back seat. “How are—what the fuck?”

“Please, Junior, I need—”

“Is that Massimo Colonia?” He opens the door before I answer.

“It’s my brother.”

The car has one door for front and back. Junior pushes my seat forward, folding me at the waist, and crawls behind. The seat can’t fold all the way with me in the front. I grab the gun on the passenger side so no one else does before I get out.

“He’s shot.” Junior looks over his shoulder with an expression that’s part suspicion, part awe, and part are-you-fucking-serious?

“I know.” He’s going to ask who shot Massimo Colonia and under what circumstances.

“Junior.” Tommy still has his gun aimed at me. “Get out of that car.”

“Dad, get me my kit.”

“Don’t get involved. Do you hear?” Tommy gives up on keeping me in his sites and tries to pull Junior out.

“He’s in shock.” Junior pushes his father off. “Help me get him out!”

Tommy spins to me. “You brought this here?”

“I didn’t know where else to go.”

“Where’s Lucari?”

“Dad! It’s Massimo Colonia. We turn him away and they’ll come for us.”

“Fuck!” Tommy expels the curse as if it’s been stuck in his throat all day.

Tommy stretches butcher paper over the bread table before letting Junior lay Massimo on it.

“What happened?” Junior asks as he checks my brother’s vitals. “Dad. Linens. Now.”