Page 43 of Stalk (Assassin’s Kiss Duet #1)

Ren

M y bullet actually took Catherine Burdick down. A nice shot right in the middle of her stomach. Sadly, I’m certain she will live. Her staff will take her back to the house and fix her up.

Should have aimed a little higher.

Oh well. It still felt powerful to force the woman who has made my life a living nightmare fall down to her knees. That’s the last thing I see of the outside world before the airstairs come to a close, securing us inside. I can’t help but grin from ear to ear.

I look behind me, not knowing where Marco and Mattia are. But when I spot them, only a foot or two away, my smile falls immediately and every hair on my body stands at attention.

Mattia is slumped over in a chair, applying pressure to his right shoulder with one hand.

Both of Marco’s hands cover Mattia’s, and even with that amount of pressure on top of the wound, blood seeps through Marco’s fingers and drips down to his forearms. Cannella whines and paws at Mattia from the ground.

“Oh, my God! Mattia!” I fall in front of where he’s seated and place my hands on his knees. “Where are you shot?” I ask frantically.

Mattia is paler than normal. I don’t like it. The thought of losing Mattia— no. I can’t freak out on him now. Not after everything he’s done for me.

Despite looking pasty and with his blood spewing out, Mattia attempts a smirk. “Do not worry, tesoro mio. It’s a clean shot through my shoulder.”

“I’m sorry—but—you’re literally bleeding through Marco’s hands right now,” I say, my voice shaking.

Marco laughs, and I don’t understand how they can both act so nonchalant about this. “One of our staff members helping us on the way home is a, as you say, medic? She will make sure he is okay. Human body makes a lot of blood, Ren.”

As if she’s been summoned, a short young woman with dyed blond hair comes out from somewhere in the back of the jet, carrying a medical kit. She smiles at all of us and nods to me, then removes Marco’s hands and Mattia’s hand and begins to address his wound.

“This is Bianca,” Mattia says, a bit out of breath. “She does not speak English, but she is a very good nurse. One of the best. I am in good hands.”

Marco, who now stands beside me, bumps me playfully with his shoulder. “Your man will be fine.” He pats me roughly on the back. “Get rid of the worry on your face!”

I stare at Marco, then back at Mattia. “Both of you are being way too calm about this,” I mumble.

Mattia smiles and shakes his head as Bianca cuts down his shirt to better access his wound. “We have been shot before. Haven’t you?” Mattia rolls his eyes, as if to answer his own question. “Never mind. I’m assuming you haven’t.”

“No… and I’m hoping it will stay that way.”

Mattia beams at me. “I’m proud of you. You shot the wicked witch.”

I shrug as a small blush creeps up my neck. “It wasn’t fatal or anything.”

“Still.”

Marco sighs. “Let’s go home, yeah? No offense, Ren, but I’m sick of this city.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Me, too.”

Marco’s phone goes off, at max volume, and I jump in my boots, still on edge from everything. Marco fishes for his phone and then curses in Italian.

“It’s her, isn’t it?” Mattia asks.

Marco nods.

“No use in avoiding her.”

I look between them again, not having any idea who they are talking about. “Who?—”

But I’m cut off by Marco answering the video call. “Ciao, signora capo.”

A woman’s voice responds, and the only word I make out is Mattia. Mattia rests in his chair, looking up at the ceiling like a little boy who’s been punished. He catches me staring and mouths one word to me: sorry.

What?

“Let me speak to Ren,” the woman’s voice says, and I swear my heart skyrockets into the air at the sound of my name. Marco nods grimly and passes the phone over. I take it with a trembling hand, not having any idea what is going on.

On the screen is a gorgeous, middle-aged Italian woman, with hair as dark as Mattia’s. Her makeup is pristine. She smirks at me, her lips tilting upward.

“H-hello?” I ask when she doesn’t say anything.

The woman runs a hand through her long hair and watches me. “I look forward to meeting you, Ren,” she says with a very thick accent. “All I can hope is that you do not take after your mother.”

To be continued…