Page 63 of Craving Revenge

Because the hospital belongs to the Cosa Nostra, Simone informs us, “It’s a routine check-up for Rocco Jr.” She gestures to the bed. “Please sit and take off your shirt, Mr. Vitale.”

Lorenzo helps me, fussing around me like a damn mother hen, and it has me snapping, “I’m fine. Go have a cigarette.”

“You sure?”

I jerk my head in the direction of the door. “Go.”

Dr. Milazzo comes in right after Lorenzo leaves, and for the next twenty minutes, I sit and stew while the doctor cleans the wound and gives me stitches.

“You should stay overnight for observation,” the good doctor says.

While I put on my shirt again, I shake my head. “You know that’s not going to happen.”

“It was worth a try,” he mutters. “How’s Yuki doing?”

“Fine. She’s reached her goal weight.”

“That’s good to hear. I’ll come by the house tomorrow to check on both of you.”

I pat Dr. Milazzo’s shoulder. “Thanks for patching me up.”

“Let me get some painkillers for you to take home,” he says when I walk toward the door.

“Don’t worry about it. My mother keeps my medicine cabinet stocked.”

When I shrug my jacket on, Dr. Milazzo exclaims, “You need to be careful, or you will pull the stitches!”

Shoving my gun back into my chest holster, I walk out of the room while saying, “See you tomorrow, Doctor.”

Lorenzo’s been waiting in the hallway and pushes away from the wall. “How are you doing?”

“Pissed off.”

“I’m talking about the wound.”

“I’m fine.” When it looks like he’s going to say more, I shake my head. “It comes with the territory. You won’t be able to stop every bullet that comes my way.”

“Yeah, but I can at least die trying,” he grumbles.

After we get into the SUV, Lorenzo holds the round out to me. “I got it from the seat. There’s something carved into it. I think it’s Japanese.”

I take the round from him and inspect it. Wanting to know what it says, I pull out my phone and take a photo of the inscription. Checking with Google, I smile when a translation pops up.

“Revenge for the Yakuza,” I read out loud.

Lorenzo’s eyebrows lift as he steers the SUV out of the parking area of the hospital. “Seriously? They left a calling card?”

While he drives us to my parents’ house, I ask, “Would the Yakuza really be this stupid to try to take me out?”

“I don’t know. It sounds shady to me.”

“Why would Tanaka go through with the whole peace deal and wedding only to take a hit at me a month later?”

Lorenzo shakes his head. “Maybe someone’s not happy that you married Yuki, or they're trying the fuck with the peace treaty?”

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to get some answers from the shooter.” I let out a sigh as I look down at my ruined shirt. “If my mother sees me like this, she’s going to lose her shit.”

“We’ll smuggle you into the cellar, then you can get a shirt from your dad.”