Chapter 2 - Welcome to the Contini Family
Three weeks later, Wren could walk twelve steps with assistance.
She hated every one of them.
“Again,” Rafael said.
Wren glared at him from the hospital corridor.
“You sound exactly like your mother.”
“That’s insulting.”
“You should hear what she says about you.”
Rafael stood beside her walker.
“Eleven steps.”
“Twelve.”
“You dragged your foot on twelve.”
“That still counts.”
“It does not.”
“You’re not my physical therapist.”
“No. I’m considerably more expensive.”
Wren laughed despite herself.
That was becoming dangerous.
Rafael had stayed every night.
He took calls from the hallway.
Signed papers from the corner.
Argued with doctors.
Once, when a nurse lifted Wren too quickly and made her cry out, Rafael had stared at the woman until Wren snapped, “Stop terrifying hospital staff.”
“I said nothing.”
“That’s the problem.”
Isabetta visited every Tuesday and Friday.
On Tuesday number three, she arrived carrying chocolate.
“You look terrible,” Isabetta announced.
“Good afternoon to you too.”
“You’re too thin.”
“I’ve been shot.”
“That is not an excuse.”
Wren shook her head.
“You’re impossible.”
“And alive.”
The humor vanished.
Isabetta sat beside her.
“So are you.”
Wren looked down.
Isabetta touched her hand.
“I remember falling.”
Wren’s pulse quickened.
“What?”
“You moved toward me.”
Wren said nothing.
“You didn’t hesitate.”
That wasn’t true.
She had not moved intentionally at all.
“I need to tell you something.”
The door opened.
Rafael walked in.
“Doctor says Thursday.”
Wren frowned.
“Thursday what?”
“Discharge.”
She brightened.
“Finally.”
“You’ll be transported to the estate at noon.”
Her smile disappeared.
“Excuse me?”
Isabetta looked delighted.
“I approved the south wing.”
Wren stared between them.
“You renovated part of your house?”
“Ground floor,” Rafael said. “Hospital bed, rehabilitation equipment, private nurse.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I have an apartment.”
“Third floor. No elevator.”
“How do you know where I live?”
Rafael ignored the question.
“Your shower is barely wide enough for you while healthy.”
“You inspected my shower?”
“My security team did.”
Wren pointed at him.
“That is insane.”
Isabetta shrugged.
“Rafael has always been invasive.”
“Ma.”
“She should know.”
Wren crossed her arms and immediately regretted the movement.
Pain flashed across her ribs.
Rafael’s face tightened.
“Stop.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re pale.”
“I am naturally pale.”
“You’re going to the estate.”
“No.”
His voice lowered.
“That wasn’t a suggestion.”
Wren looked at Isabetta.
“Control your son.”
“I stopped trying when he was twelve.”
Rafael stepped closer.
“You can barely stand.”
“I can recover in my own home.”
“Who helps you at night?”
“I’ll manage.”
“Who takes you to appointments?”
“I’ll call a rideshare.”
“Who changes the dressing you can’t reach?”
Wren’s mouth closed.
Rafael continued more softly.
“You protected my mother.”
The lie stabbed her again.
“We protect you.”
Wren swallowed.
“For how long?”
“Until you don’t need us.”
“That could take months.”
“Yes.”
“What about rent?”
“Paid.”
She stared at him.
“You paid my rent?”
“Six months.”
“Rafael!”
“Fine. Twelve.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Isabetta laughed.
Wren rubbed her forehead.
“You people are impossible.”
Rafael crouched so they were eye level.
“Come home.”
Home.
The word landed strangely.
“It’s not my home.”
His gaze did not move.
“It can be.”
---
The Contini estate looked different when Wren returned.
The shattered sunroom windows had been replaced.
Security doubled.
Steel gates stood at every entrance.
Her new room was larger than her entire apartment.
“This is ridiculous,” she said.
Rafael stood in the doorway.
“You hate it?”
“I don’t know how to exist somewhere with three sitting rooms.”
“Only two.”
“That does not help.”
A young nurse entered.
“Ms. Ashby, I’m Claire.”
Wren smiled.
“Please tell me you’re normal.”
Claire glanced at Rafael.
“Define normal.”
“Fair.”
That evening, Wren found Isabetta sitting in the restored sunroom.
“You shouldn’t be here alone,” Wren said.
“Neither should you.”
“I’m twenty-eight.”
“And moving like you’re ninety.”
Wren lowered herself carefully onto the sofa.
“Who attacked you?”
Isabetta’s expression hardened.
“Not me.”
“Then Rafael?”
“The attack was meant to send him a message by killing me.”
“Who?”
“We believe Vincent Marchetti.”
Wren knew the name.
Rafael’s primary rival.
“So the danger isn’t over.”
“No.”
“Then why bring me here?”
“Because this is the safest place in Chicago.”
Wren looked at the replacement glass.
“History argues otherwise.”
Isabetta smiled faintly.
Then her face softened.
“My son has not slept properly since that day.”
“That sounds like his problem.”
“He blames himself.”
“For what?”
“For bringing danger into this house.”
Wren looked toward the hallway.
“He barely noticed I existed before.”
Isabetta lifted one eyebrow.
“You truly believe that?”
Wren frowned.
“He never spoke to me.”
“My son knew which coffee you drank.”
Wren blinked.
“What?”
“He knew you hated lilies.”
“How?”
“He had them removed from this room after you sneezed through an entire therapy session.”
Wren stared at her.
Isabetta smiled.
“Rafael notices everything.”
Wren’s stomach tightened.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you saved my life.”
There it was again.
The lie.
Wren stood too quickly.
Pain caught her.
Isabetta reached for her.
“Wren?”
“I’m tired.”
She made it halfway to the door before Rafael appeared.
He took one look at her face.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re shaking.”
“I said nothing.”
He reached for her.
Wren stepped back.
“Stop treating me like I’m made of glass.”
His hand froze.
“I’m trying to keep you alive.”
“You don’t know me.”
“I know enough.”
“No, Rafael. You know what you think I did.”
Silence.
His eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?”
Wren’s heart hammered.
This was the moment.
Tell him.
Then a guard entered.
“Boss.”
Rafael turned.
“What?”
“We found the vehicle from the attack.”
His entire demeanor changed.
Cold.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
“Where?”
“South Side warehouse.”
“Anyone inside?”
“One man.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
Rafael looked back at Wren.
Something dark entered his eyes.
May you like
“Not for long.”
---
