Page 26 of The Gambler

“Baby, did you see the girl in that picture today?” He was still speaking to her like they were having a normal conversation and not discussing her conversation with his dead sister.

“Alice.” Her soft voice sliced through his gut, this was real, this was happening.

“How did she…” He couldn’t go on, it was too much for now. Later he’ll take it out and think about it, for now she needed her rest and he needed to get shit done.

“Where’s her medicine doc?”

“It’s right here.”

“Give it to her and then you can sit downstairs with gramps in case she needs you when she wakes up.

“I have to…I’ll be downstairs with your grandfather.” What the fuck was it with people today? That’s the second time he had to glare the doc into submission.

He poured her another glass of water and gave her the pill the other man had given him. She took her medicine before curling herself around him and holding on tight. He held her close to his heart and whispered softly to her, until she drifted off again. “Sweet dreams my flower, I love you.” Shit, he hadn’t said that to anyone in a million years. It felt good, felt…clean.

He had a lot of shit to do before the day was done. He had no doubt that Bonata knew about the hit and rescue by now and he wasn’t about to wait for them to come after him again, he was taking the fight to them. Now he had to deal with the fact that his woman is talking to, and seeing his dead sister. And he still didn’t know what she was trying to tell him about the senator.

His boys were waiting for their orders when he made it back downstairs, and to fill him in on what they’d found. While he’d been busy looking after her and dealing with her fuckwit mother, they’d been trying to find Petridis’ hideout and where the Bonatas were at this moment.

A hit like this had to be carried out simultaneously; he wasn’t planning to just end the head of the family. His aim was to wipe out every member, from capo to the fucking pizza delivery boy. Anyone who had any part of fucking with his baby was living on borrowed time.

“Okay, please tell me you found that fuck.”

“Uh you’re not gonna like it boss.”

“What, he skipped?” Lily livered fuck, even if he went to hell he’d go find his ass.

“Nah, it’s worst, somebody got to him first. We think Bonata finished him. Word is it was because of your…Jenna.”

“How’d they do ‘im?”

Garrett made the sign of a shot to the head.

“Fucking slackers, he got off too easy.” He personally would’ve cut his throat and pulled his fucking tongue out of his neck the fuck.

“What about the others, where they at?”

“Senior is holed up at his place in The City, Junior’s at the beach with his wife, and the others are pretty much bunkered down planning their next move.”

“Why the fuck would he have all his goons on one job?”

“Uh boss, I think they think you’re nuts.”

“Your point?” Garrett hid a grin as his boss moved on.

“We leave the best here with Jenna and gramps…”

“I’m coming with you boy.”

“No I need you here.”

“Stef…”

“She’s here, you’re here. I would leave Garrett and Jameson here but I know you’ll never agree, you hired them to do a job, trust them to do it.” He knew the old man would have a hard time with this, letting him go into battle alone. His fear has always been outliving his son and his grandson.

Andros walked over to the old man and clasped him behind the neck so he could whisper in his ear. “I trust no one else with her, I need to do this, please stay here. I’ll be safe, I won’t take any chances.” Five minutes it took the old man to nod; stubborn fuck.

“Okay boys, who we got on the middlemen and the son?”