Page 76 of Savage Vows

He traces the neckline, and his phone rings again.

“I understand if you need to answer that.”

Through the dress, he cups one of my breasts. “No chance.”

The bedroom door bangs open, shattering our private moment. Nash strides in, his hand on his gun, face pale, his eyes sharp. Chiara and two other men follow, their faces grim.

Frozen in place, I look at Matteo.

In an instant, he has me behind him, protecting me from whatever is going on.

“Boss. Something’s happened.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Matteo

Nash’s voice is tight, no-nonsense. For a moment, he hesitates, his gaze flicking to Alessia before meeting mine.

“What happened?” I keep my voice low, calm, cutting through the tension.

“There’s been an attack.” Nash pauses just long enough for the weight of his words to settle. “The Don’s convoy was hit on the way back from the Braes.”

Our country club.

Around me, everything stills. My mind spins as I process the information, but outwardly, I don’t move, don’t flinch. “A hit?” I demand, my tone hardening.

He doesn’t respond.

“How bad?”

“A parked car detonated as they passed. It wasn’t his vehicle, but the blast was close enough.” Nash exhales slowly, his voice heavy with the gravity of the situation.

Which means we don’t know if my father was the actual target or not. But right now, that matters little.

“He’s alive, sir. Critical condition. He’s been transported to the hospital.”

The words hit my gut as if they were a physical blow. I clench my jaw, feeling the muscles tick with the effort to stay composed. “Casualties?”

“His driver and two guards in the follow car. A mother in a nearby car. Others are shaken but stable.”

Nash’s gaze never wavers. “Could be random.” He shrugs. “Unless someone knew the convoy’s route.”

I drag my hand into my hair and curl my fingers into a fist at the back of my neck. The weight of the news hits me harder than I expected, even though I’ve prepared for this moment my entire life.

This isn’t the first time my father has faced death and I’ve been forced to deal with the consequences, but it’s no easier now than it had been then. Maybe it’s worse because I know everything that’s at stake.

Alessia moves, coming to stand at my side. She gently places her fingers on my arm, and her silent presence gives me comfort.

“I need to get to the hospital,” I say finally, my voice like steel. “I need eyes on him.”And I need some fucking answers.

“We’ve got four vehicles ready,” Nash says, already anticipating my next order.

Meaning the first to leave will be a decoy with a follow car. The SUV I will be in is likely already waiting near the back door.

“The compound’s secure. We’ve doubled the perimeter.”

No doubt Hawkeye Security, the company we’ve hired for extra support when needed, is patrolling the nearby neighborhood.