Page 93 of The Midnight Club

Chapter 4

MIDNIGHT

Florence.

Now.

Maceo Bartoli feltas if his eyelids were glued open. His eyes felt gritty and dry; his entire body felt frozen. The air ambulance that had flown him and Ori to Florence had been a godsend, but he could barely register anything else but the stillness of her. He had never known the meaning of the worddesolationuntil that day. He saw the horrified looks on the face of the paramedics, the look that passed between them that said, “We can’t save her.”

They had to pry him away from her so they could try. One of them pressed down hard on her torn belly, trying to keep the blood inside her body, he supposed. He felt numb. How? How in the few minutes between him filling the car and going into the gas station to pay had someone stabbed Ori so brutally, so mercilessly? Why hadn’t she screamed?

The police were kind; he supposed the only reason they hadn’t arrested him was that Ori had clearly been okay before he stepped into the gas station; she’d waved happily to the owner.

You saved me, again,he thought.I would give my own life to save yours, my precious Ori. Please hold on. Please.

They had rushed Ori into surgery, promising they’d try, but Maceo knew it was a long shot, that soon the surgeon would come out and tell him that they had done all they could, but she had been too far gone. He got up from the plastic chair he’d slumped into and walked towards the operating theaters, pushing through the restricted door. A nurse stopped him.

“Sir, I’m sorry, you’re not permitted to be here.”

Maceo looked at her wildly. “She’ll die. She’s going to die, and I want to be there for her. I don’t want her to die alone … I can’t, I can’t …”

The nurse, her face full of sympathy, held him as he began to sob. “Ori, oh god, Ori, please, please … this can’t be it,this cannot be the end…”

Kate Garcia layunder Lisander Duarte, kissing him, his cock plowing deep inside her as she moaned happily. Would she ever get enough of this man? God, now he was rubbing her clit … Kate came with a cry of ecstasy and Lisander gave a groan as he pumped his semen deep inside her. They were breathless by the time they had finished, stretched out next to each other, laughing and talking.

They had decided to stay in Venice for a few days after Maceo’s party. Kate had never been to Italy, and Lisander had set up some meetings for some designers while he was there. Yesterday he’d dropped her off with Lucia, Maceo’s friendly and fun assistant, and the two women had done every tourist spot Lucia could think of.

They were sitting in a smalltrattoriawhen Lucia smiled at her. “I remember doing this with Ori … God, was it really less than a year ago? So much has happened.”

Kate smiled at her. “How long have you two been friends?”

“A long time. Since college.”

“Ori’s really lovely.”

“Yes, she is...” Lucia smiled then her smile faded. “Considering what she’s been through in her life, it’s a damn miracle.”

Kate nodded, but said nothing. Lucia shook herself. “She speaks very highly of you too. I know she’d like to get to know you better, especially now that all the crap with Janek is over. She’ll always be grateful.”

Kate shook her head. “I didn’t do anything; Maceo was innocent.”

They sat in companionable silence for a while, then Lucia said in a low voice. “Who do you think killed him?”

Kate sighed. “I honestly have no idea, and I think I could care less. Tyson Janek was scum.”

“Agreed.” Lucia scooped the last bit of her gelato into her mouth. “Mm, heavenly. So, how are things with Lisander?”

Kate flushed red, but laughed. “Good. Very good. I do feel a little shell-shocked. His world is a lot bigger than mine ever was.”

Lucia grinned. “Yeah, that takes a bit of getting used to, even for those of us who aren’t romantically involved with one of the Midnight Club.”

Kate looked at her curiously. “You know, I keep asking Lisander about their boys’ club, but he just keeps saying that they’ve all grown too old for that nonsense.”

“Huh,” Lucia said, raising her eyebrows. “That’s a new one. I don’t think Maceo feels that way.”

Kate sipped her now almost cold coffee. “I’d like to know how they started.”

“I’ll tell you what I know, but obviously, it’ll only be from Maceo’s point of view, because he’s the one I heard it all from.”