Page 93 of Mafia King's Forbidden Obsession

My eyes peel open as I blink harshly against the dim lighting overhead. My body feels too heavy. A sharp pain shoots through my chest, my muscles protesting against each movement as I struggle to get up. How long have I been sleeping?

I tear my gaze from the ceiling, scanning the room. Medical supplies are scattered around, and the IV pole is a few meters away from my bed. I'm in the stitch room… but how did I—

Suddenly, memories crash into me. Enzo. The strange men. Getting shot.

The door creaks open, and Elio strides in.

“Elio…” my voice cracks, dry, rough, and barely audible.

In an instant, he’s by my side, his face hovering over mine.

“Boss…finalmente sei sveglio(finally, you’re awake).” A look of relief crosses his tired eyes. “Let me call the doctor,” he says, and starts to pull away.

“Quanto tempo(How long)…” My throat feels like sandpaper. I have to swallow a few times to get the words out. “How long have I been out?”

Elio pauses, glancing back. “Sette giorni(Seven days),” the words scrape out, his voice low. “You’ve been drifting in and out the past two, so nine days in total.”

Nine days! I feel a headache coming on. I’ve been out for nine days? My chest constricts at the thought, but before I can fully process it, another cuts through my mind.

“What about Rav—” I start to ask, but Elio’s already gone.

In a minute, Elio returns with Doctor Taylor. I raise a brow in Elio’s direction at this but remain silent.

“Good to see you awake, Ezra,” Doctor Taylor says, as he stands beside me, reaching for his penlight. “Let’s check a few things…”

I endure the routine exam, my patience thinning out as Taylor examines my chest and other vitals.

“You’re recovering better than expected,” the doctor comments, adjusting the drip. “Although, you still need to rest.”

I nod slowly, but as soon as he leaves the room, my attention snaps back to Elio.

“Dov’è Raven(Where’s Raven)?” I ask, my voice sharper than before.

Elio stiffens. The lines of his face tighten as his eyes fall to the floor. The hesitation that flickers in his eyes tells me it’s bad.

“She’s… gone.” His voice is quiet, like he’s breaking bad news to a dying man.

Gone?

My heart stutters in my chest, a searing pain gripping me as I watch him. “Cosa intendi con ‘andata’(What do you mean ‘gone’)?”

Elio sighs, stepping closer to the bed.

“She escaped the day you were brought in injured,” he says, carefully.

I sit up quickly, ignoring the stabbing pain that shoots through my chest.

“That’s impossible!” I snap, my head spinning from the sudden movement. “Raven non se ne andrebbe così(Raven wouldn’t just leave like that).”

“Se n'è andata(She did),” Elio is gentle, even though his voice remains firm. “I spoke to the guards myself. She told them she was going to get medical supplies for your surgery, but… she never came back.”

The glint in his eyes shifts and I see the slight clench in his jaw. “We found the car she rode out by the side of the road,” he says, digging into his pocket.

My heart races as I watch his hand reappear with a small white card. “We found this in the car. She had help.”

No.

He hands me the card and breathing suddenly feels difficult as I collect it and scan it. There's a number in the center.Fuck.