Page 135 of Disarming Caine

“Surgery?” Flashes of memory came back to me. The Scott house. Samantha’s fingers in my back. Two gunshots, but I’d only seen one muzzle flare. “Is Jimmy in custody?”

“He is.” Janelle joined them at the edge of my bed. “And he’s not going anywhere else anytime soon.”

“Or ever.” Miller rounded to the end of the bed. “We’ve got a recording from Sam’s phone of your discussion about David and Olivia’s murders. Video feed from the hotel of him, providing something to David to spike Sam’s drink.”

Janelle added, “We’re waiting on a tox screen to find out what they gave her, but the top guesses only last a couple days, max. We’re also working on bank and phone records. I have a feeling we’re going to find a string of connections between him, the Scotts, and Parker Johnson. Sam suspects Jimmy was the one tipping them off about every solid lead we had.”

Samantha’s thumb rubbed circles on my hand, and she kept her speech soft. “I’m also guessing he’s behind the missing ballistics from my hotel.”

“Alright all of you,” said Steve, in his doctor's voice. “Tony needs some sleep.”

“When will I be discharged?” I asked.

“Probably this afternoon. Once we got you into surgery, we found the damage wasn’t nearly as bad as feared. You got damn lucky, man. The bullet nicked your brachial artery, but it’s mostly muscle damage to your right biceps. We’ll go over it in more detail when you’re more awake.” He frowned at me. “I’m told you’re planning on flying to Italy tomorrow, but I need to nix that. Give it an extra day or two and I’ll get in touch with a hospital over there for the rest of your care.”

I nodded. More time with Samantha and an excellent excuse for delaying work.

Steve patted my shin and walked to the door with Janelle.

Miller’s face was tight. “Sam, can I have a minute?”

She looked at me, and I nodded.

“I’m not going anywhere, bella. For real.”

Once she was out of earshot, Miller came to my side. “I told you to look after my girl, and it looks like you did a damn good job of that.”

“She’s all that matters.”

“But let me be clear with you.” He lowered his voice, nostrils flaring. “She’s my little sister in every way but blood. And if she comes away from one more visit with you with more scars, we’re going to have a problem, you and I.”

“I understand.” I was too tired to threaten him back, but he was right anyway. Tonight started with the Scotts thinking I’d pay money for her ransom, and ended with them dead, and us almost as well.

“Good.” He gave a slight nod and left the room.

The door closed behind him and Samantha turned off the light, leaving the glow of the machines as our only illumination. Her brows pinched together as she neared the bed and kicked off her boots. Clenching her jaw, she waved at me to make space. I inched over, breathing through the pain in my right bicep with each movement. The original stitches felt pleasant compared to this.

I extended my left arm, and she crawled into the bed, nestling against me. She trembled as her hand eased onto my chest, avoiding the bandages and sling.

Hot breath hit my neck as she rattled out, “Don’t you ever do something like that again.”

“Shh, Samantha.” I held her as best I could, while her shaking deepened.

“When you went down—” Her breath hitched and she gripped so tight, a pulse ran through my injured upper arm. “Oh my god, I was so scared.”

This was Samantha, the woman I loved. So strong, so brave, so stubborn. In complete control in a high-stakes moment but overwhelmed when the emotions flooded out afterward. And now chastising me, in a desperate attempt not to let me see her break down.

“Do you remember when we were strolling along the Lungomare in Napoli, and you stopped that purse snatcher?”

She chuckled, the slight bounce piercing through my injury. “Don’t go there, Ferraro. It was hardlychased. He was within crutch distance.”

“I told you never to do that again and you told me—”

“‘Next time, you’ll have to be faster.’” She leaned her face to look up at me, those stunning eyes red-rimmed and bloodshot. I must have been a far worse sight than her.

“Well, bella, I was faster this time.”

“You just needed to be the hero?”