GIO
As the call connected, a surge of frustration coursed through me. “I’m really not in the mood to talk to you, Sebastian. Your behavior tonight was beyond awful.”
From the other end of the line, a woman’s sobs punctuated the air. I immediately tensed, and Millie moved closer, sensing the gravity of the situation. “Harper?” I asked cautiously, signaling to Millie as I headed towards the exit. The biting cold outside hit us as we stepped out, Millie shivering beside me as she tried to keep up with my brisk pace. “What’s going on?” she asked, concern etched across her features.
“He’s dying,” Harper’s voice quivered through the phone.
I came to a sudden halt. “What do you mean? Let me talk to Sebastian.” My breath formed clouds in the frigid air, and Millie wrapped herself tighter against the cold. “I can’t. The Russians-they attacked us. It’s a bloodbath, Gio, a horrible bloodbath.”
My throat tightened. “Is Sebastian alive?”
Millie’s gasp mirrored the shock on her face as she leaned into me. “Gio?” She whispered, her eyes welling up with tears. I shook my head, my heart sinking as I realized the gravity of the situation. “Call Dario. Tell him to bring Gabriele,” I instructed Millie, urgency lacing my words.
Millie swiftly pulled out her phone and dialed the number as directed, her fingers moving quickly over the screen.
“He’s not breathing. Just a moment ago he was, but now…” Harper’s voice trailed off, heavy with despair.
If he had been breathing not too long ago, there was a chance he could still make it. Sebastian was a fighter. Millie nodded to me, her phone call completed.
“Harper, you need to perform CPR. I’m on my way. I have your GPS coordinates. But you have to get him breathing again, or it might be too late.” Gesturing for Millie to follow, I jogged towards my car, the urgency palpable. Millie matched my pace, and together we climbed into my Aston Martin.
“Give me your phone. I need to track Sebastian’s cell,” I told her, still holding my phone to my ear, though Harper had fallen silent.
“Harper?” I prompted, revving the engine. Static crackled on the line, and for a heart-stopping moment, I feared she had hung up. This could be her chance to escape forever. If Sebastian died, she would be free. But even my love for Millie wouldn’t prevent me from hunting her down if she allowed him to die for her own freedom.
“I understand that you believe Sebastian trapped you, that he ruined your life. But no matter your perception, he didn’t intend to make you suffer. In some inexplicable way, Sebastian loves you. You don’t have to take my word for it. You can continue hating him, but please don’t leave him alone now. If you help us save his life, I promise to grant you your freedom. I swear on my honor and my life. Millie is here; she’s my witness. You’ll receive money, a new identity, and even Outfit protection if you desire. It’s all yours, in exchange for saving his life.”
Millie’s shocked expression mirrored my own internal turmoil, but my focus remained on the road, following the directions Millie’s phone provided.
“Alright,” came Harper’s reply.
The surge of anger I felt was stifled by the urgency to save my brother’s life. “You need to perform chest compressions. Hard and fast. Don’t worry about his ribs. Thirty compressions, two breaths. Quickly.”
Throughout the conversation, I could feel Millie’s unwavering gaze on me.
“He’s not reacting!” Harper’s panicked voice reverberated through the phone.
“Keep at it,” I commanded, my voice steady despite the turmoil within me. The silence that followed was heavy, and my throat constricted further. Millie, sensing my distress, placed a comforting hand on my leg, her silent support a lifeline in that tense moment.
“We’ll reach you in ten minutes,” I managed to push the words past the lump in my throat, anxiety gnawing at me. “How’s Sebastian holding up?”
Another stretch of unnerving quietness, causing my muscles to tense. “Harper, are you still on the line?” I inquired, my worry deepening.
“Yes. Sebastian’s breathing has stabilized,” her voice finally came, carrying a hint of relief.
A rush of gratitude flooded through me, and Millie’s reassuring grip on my thigh tightened, her own breath shivering out in relief. “That’s a relief. Stay where you are,” I murmured, my gaze momentarily drawn to the rearview mirror, capturing the sight of Dario’s car gradually approaching.
“Don’t fret,” Harper’s voice assured.
Upon our arrival, the sight of Sebastian’s mangled car struck me like a physical blow. I slammed the brakes, flung open the door, and sprinted toward Sebastian’s motionless form. Collapsing to my knees beside him, I swiftly assessed his injuries. Blood matted his head, yet, as Harper had conveyed, his breathing persisted. Dario and Gabriele joined me, their presence a silent show of solidarity.
“I reached out to the Doc,” Dario informed me as he settled onto the ground beside me. Meanwhile, Millie was engrossed in conversation with Harper, who remained close to Sebastian as though her concern was genuine. Sebastian and I had always shielded one another from the world’s cruelties – a team against our father’s sadism, our mother’s despondency, and the threats that constantly loomed.
Lifting my gaze from my brother to Harper, a surge of resentment coursed through me. The fact that I needed to persuade her to save Sebastian’s life ignited an anger I struggled to contain. “Get her away from here. Take my car, and escort her to our apartment.”
Her curiosity overcoming her fear, she ventured, “Where will you be taking Sebastian?”
“To the hospital. This goes beyond our Doc’s expertise,” I responded, striving to maintain my composure in Millie’s presence. However, my smile toward Harper held a chill that matched the ice in my tone. “Don’t worry. I intend to uphold my promise. Once I’m back at the apartment, we’ll ensure all the necessary arrangements are made to secure your freedom.”
Millie interjected gently, “Perhaps Harper would like to accompany Sebastian to the hospital?”
“No, she won’t. Assist her in collecting her belongings from Sebastian’s place, so that we can establish her new life before my brother returns home.” The mere thought of her proximity to Sebastian sent a surge of protectiveness through me; a sentiment that ensured she would never come near him again.
MILLIE
I carefully selected a handful of clothes from Sebastian’s wardrobe, though it felt oddly intrusive to sift through his personal belongings, particularly his underwear. These garments found their place in a small bag, alongside a couple of sweatpants, shirts, and socks. As I completed this task, I proceeded into his bathroom where I retrieved his toothbrush. My gaze lingered on Harper’s hairbrush, an abandoned memento of her presence. It was a stark reminder that Gabriele had driven her to a hotel she had taken up Gio’s offer. The gravity of her decision weighed heavily on my mind, and I couldn’t shake the memory of the way she had regarded Sebastian when she assumed no one was watching. With a sigh, I turned away, making my way back to the elevator.
Contemplating the situation, it seemed unlikely that Gio would ever truly forgive Harper, even if she had a change of heart. He remained steadfast in his belief that she would have allowed Sebastian to perish if he hadn’t intervened with his proposition. The animosity in Gio’s eyes towards Harper had been palpable when I saw him yesterday.
The elevator’s ascent returned me to our penthouse. There sat Gio, perched upon a barstool, a cup of coffee idling on the counter in front of him. His focus was drawn to his phone, but he looked up as I entered the room. Despite my arrival, the tension that furrowed his brow remained. Approaching him, I placed the bag beside the bar before slipping between his legs. He set aside his phone and cupped my face in his hands, his touch a mixture of comfort and concern. “Where is he?” he inquired.
“In the large guest bedroom,” I responded, observing the exhaustion etched into his features, shadows beneath his eyes.
“Soon enough, he’ll be back to his old self, driving me insane,” I offered, attempting to inject some levity.
A wry smile curved Gio’s lips. “He managed to resume that role the moment I picked him up from the hospital today.”
Searching his gaze, I commented, “You were incredibly worried yesterday.”
His fingers traced the faint scar on my throat, causing my collar to shift and reveal the mark’s origin. “You didn’t witness my expression when you were shot.”
“Back then, you didn’t lose me, and now, you haven’t lost Sebastian,” I reassured him.
Gio’s touch remained on my scar before his gray eyes connected with mine, brimming with unspoken emotions. “You took a bullet to save my life, while your sister seemed prepared to sacrifice my brother for her own damn freedom.”
I chose not to defend Harper, though I held a different understanding deep within me. Gio leaned in, pressing a kiss to my scar before trailing his lips along my throat, ultimately capturing my mouth in a passionate kiss. His moment of tenderness was interrupted by the shrill ring of his phone. With a sigh, he withdrew, glancing at the screen it was Gabriele calling. Gio answered and listened attentively before giving a curt nod. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” He ended the call, his expression a mixture of resignation and exasperation. “I need to attend a meeting with my Captains, plan our retaliation.”
His divulgence caught me off guard; Gio wasn’t known for sharing such details. It was clear that Sebastian’s presence was still unsettling him deeply.
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” I reassured him, attempting to impart a sense of calm.
Gio’s brows knitted together. “Both Dario and Gabriele are unavailable. I’ll instruct Dario to return as soon as possible, but that might take an hour. Leaving you alone doesn’t sit well with me.”
“I won’t truly be alone Sebastian is here.”
“Sebastian is wounded and likely unconscious.”
“Gio,” I asserted firmly, my hand coming to rest on his chest. “No one can access the penthouse without a code, and even injured, Sebastian is a formidable force. I’ll manage until Dario gets back.”
Gio stood and unholstered one of his guns, passing it to me. “Just in case.”
I refrained from mentioning my lack of experience with firearms as he planted a kiss on me before striding towards the elevator, his phone already against his ear. As his figure vanished, I surreptitiously concealed the gun at the small of my back. With Sebastian’s clothing bag in hand, I directed myself towards the guest bedroom, my apprehension growing. It had been seven months since his attack, and solitude with him felt unfamiliar and unsettling.