By Fate I Conquer: Chapter 30

The ringing of my phone tore me from sleep. Fuck it. What now? Couldn’t these fuckers deal with their shit without me for one night? I reached for my phone. One look at the caller ID and I swung my legs out of bed and turned the lights on. Serafina slept in the guest bedroom because she was angry at me. I took the call as I stalked out of the bedroom.

“What is it?” I growled.

Sirens wailed in the background of the caller, only interrupted by a loud crackling that I couldn’t place.

“There’s fire everywhere, and an attacker stabbed Greta.” My ears began to rush with blood, my heart pounding hard and fast. “I called our emergency team—”

“She dies, you die.” I didn’t return to the bedroom or go to the guest bedroom. I wouldn’t tell Serafina. There was nothing she could do. And if Greta died…fuck it, she wouldn’t die. I would not let her die. The last time we’d talked we’d fought. Fuck it. Fuck it all.

I stormed into Nevio’s room. He jerked up in bed, the knife he slept with brandished at me. I was surprised to find him here. He’d been going on a rampage these last two nights and I hadn’t tried to stop him. Fuck, I had tortured two debtors just to let off some steam and it wasn’t nearly enough.

“Get up.”

“What?”

“Greta was stabbed.”

Nevio leaped out of bed, staggering after me as I rushed into Nino’s wing. “Dad? Dad? What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Got a call that she was attacked.”

Ten minutes later, Nino was flying our helicopter toward Greta’s farm. Nevio stared at me with wide eyes. I knew the same unhinged look would be on my face as well. I could feel my control slipping. The only reason I hadn’t lashed out yet was that there was no one to lash out at and I needed to get to Greta first. I needed to protect my girl.

Whoever had hurt her would pay tenfold. If this was Luca’s doing because he didn’t want his son to be with Greta, I’d make peace with the Outfit, the Bratva, and whoever else it required to bring down the Famiglia. I’d burn them to the ground.

Soon the flashing lights of Las Vegas were exchanged by the flickering of all-consuming flames. The farm house and the barn were on fire, and so was some of the bushland. Illuminated by the fire eating away at the wreckage that had been the barn, I spotted four bodies.

Nino had to give the flames a wide berth as to not steer them up further and landed the helicopter on the other side of the property. I jumped out and ran toward my daughter. Nevio caught up with me and together we arrived at the scene of the attack. I fell to my knees beside Greta who looked lifeless as she lay on the ground. I scanned her quickly: two knife-wounds in her abdomen and a smashed knee. Corrado was putting pressure on the wounds. Blood had soaked the earth around her.

I cupped her head and bent over her. “Mia cara.”

“Greta,” Nevio croaked as he hovered beside us, then his eyes slanted to the stranger who was bleeding profusely from his legs. “Was it him?”

“We need him for questioning,” Nino warned as he sank down beside us, two medical kits in his hands. I stroked Greta’s hair away from her bloody forehead. It was shorter than it had been, burned off at places and a few small burn blisters covered her shoulders.

“Mia cara,” I said again, hoping to get a reaction from her. The heat was almost unbearable this close to the burning remains of the barn and the flames licked at my consciousness, eager to bring force memories I didn’t want to recall now. Memories that so far had marked the worst moment of my life—until today.

Greta’s eyes opened and took a moment to focus. I swallowed.

“You’re going to be fine.”

Nevio sank down beside her and took her hand. “I won’t let you leave me, you know that.”

She smiled weakly then winced and closed her eyes briefly again. Her chapped lips parted and she said something but I didn’t catch it from the crackling of the flames. At least the alarm had been turned off by now.

“You have to say it again,” I urged, leaning down to catch her words.

“Get Amo, please.”

I froze.

Nevio’s expression was stone as he leaned back, shaking his head. I gave him a warning look. “Greta,” I began but she touched my arm. “Please, Dad.”

I nodded, because there was no way I could refuse her wish, not when I wasn’t sure if she’d make it. Fuck. I wanted to be in her stead. I jerked out my phone and scrolled through my contacts until I found Amo’s number. I called him.

He picked up after the third ring.

“What do I owe the pleasure, Remo?” Amo asked in a hard voice but I detected a hint of worry behind the obvious mask.

I stared down at my daughter, covered in blood, surrounded by Nino and the doctors and nurses that had arrived by now, trying to stabilize her for the helicopter ride to a hospital. “My daughter asked to see you. She was stabbed and is fighting for her life.”

“What? Where?” I heard commotion in the background and another male voice I didn’t recognize. “What’s going on?”

“If this incident is in any way connected to you, you better think twice about setting foot on Las Vegas ground because I’m going to kill you as brutally as I can.”

“I’ll take the private jet. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Can I talk to her?”

Greta peered up at me hopefully. Gritting my teeth against an onslaught of emotions I was fully unprepared for, I held the phone to her ear.

“Stabbed, twice, in my abdomen,” she whispered. “I don’t think I can. This feels like dying.” I took her hand.

Nevio shoved to his feet and went over to Greta’s attacker. I motioned at Savio to keep an eye on him. He slammed his foot down on the man’s ankle a few times but I focused on Greta.

She closed her eyes, and nodded. “I love you too.” She shuddered and lowered her hand.

I squeezed her hand but she didn’t react. Her chest kept rising and falling but she’d lost consciousness.

When I’d found out what had gone on behind my back in my own territory, I had been furious. I always knew what was happening in my territory. Maybe I’d turned a blind eye to the truth because I didn’t want to see it.

Greta loved that fucker Amo Vitiello.

“It’s on him. Amo Vitiello. He’s the reason for this, I just know it!” Nevio snarled, covering his face with his hands and shaking his head wildly.

“If she dies,” he snarled, eyes gleaming with despair.

“She won’t,” I warned.

“We’re ready!” Nino shouted, and he and a doctor lifted Greta on a stretcher. I stayed by her side as we headed for the helicopter. Nevio jogged after us, expression conflicted. I could feel his bloodlust, his need to destroy Greta’s attacker. I got it. Fuck, I wanted to rip him apart piece by piece.

“There’ll be time for revenge later. Now Greta needs us.”

With a last look at the attacker, Nevio hopped into the helicopter. Savio, Massimo and Alessio would make sure the attacker was taken to Las Vegas where he’d spill all his knowledge and die an excruciating death.

An hour after we’d arrive in the Camorra hospital, Serafina came rushing in. She was in her pyjamas, her hair a mess, and her eyes red from crying. I caught her before she could storm into the operation room where Greta was undergoing surgery.

“Where is she?”

“She’s in surgery.”

She hammered her fists against my chest, eyes desperate. “You should have woken me!”

“You couldn’t have done anything.”

Serafina hit my chest again then she sagged against me. I touched the back of her head. On occasion I wondered if I possessed a heart. In moments like this I knew I did, but it only beat for very few people.

Fabiano caught my gaze over Serafina’s head. “How is she?”

I took a deep breath. “She’ll pull through.”

She had to survive.

Serafina and I sank down beside Nevio who had his arms propped up on his thighs and was staring at the floor, ignoring everything around him.

“I’ll return to the mansion for additional protection. Call me once you know more.” Fabiano headed back out.

Five hours later Nino came back out of the operation room. He’d kept an eye on the doctors to make sure they did everything in their power to save Greta. His face didn’t bode well. I rose to my feet, my chest constricting.

“She’s stable,” Nino said but I knew that was the good news. “Due to the severity of her injuries the doctors had to perform a hysterectomy. The knee will need another surgery but it’s uncertain if Greta will be able to dance again.”

Serafina let out a desperate sob and sank down into the chair.

Nevio shoved past Nino and went into the operation room. A minute later he returned, paler than I’d ever seen him. “Someone will pay for this.”

He stalked outside, shortly after I heard an enraged shout.

Serafina peered up me. “How much more blood does have to be spilled for this madness to end? Isn’t it enough?”

“It’s part of this business. And if this is linked to the Famiglia plenty of blood will be spilled.”

She shook her head as if she didn’t know who I was, which was fucking ridiculous considering blood spill had always been my favorite pastime. “Remo, our girl is fighting for her life. Do you even realize what she lost? She won’t ever carry a child, might never dance again. Do you really want to take Amo from her as well? This is cruel, even for you.”

Serafina’s words hit me like a sledgehammer. “For Amo and Greta to be together, more blood will have to flow, trust me. Luca will have to make a bloody statement that he’s been too comfortable to do in a long time. It won’t be pretty. Many will die. This bond will come with a price, Angel, and many more will bleed for it.”

Serafina gave a tight nod. “As long as it’s not Greta’s blood, I don’t care, Remo. You always told me you wanted Greta to take her own fate into her hands. You always despised women that accepted their fate. Greta wants to be with Amo. Give her this. She’s suffered enough.”

I bent down and kissed Serafina’s forehead. “I’ll think about it for you and for Greta, but now I’ll have to spill the blood of Greta’s attacker and he’ll meet my cruelest side.”

Serafina gave me a strange smile. “I hope he begs for mercy and you won’t grant it.”

I brushed my lips over hers. “You know me.” I straightened and risked a glance into the operation room where the doctors and nurses were getting Greta ready to be wheeled into the wake-up room. Seeing her pale, still face my heart clenched tightly. Tonight had been a close call and too much had been lost. “Watch over our girl.”