Chapter 28 Wake up call
Dante POV
I paused over the shiny object, still trying to make out what it was. I lifted it up, staring till I noticed that familiar sign.
"Fuck," I cursed, dropping it quickly like it burned my fingers. I turned around immediately towards the road, pulling my phone out as I got to the pavement.
"Call Nico," I commanded and the little squeaky voice said whatever gibberish it had to say before it began ringing.
It rang a few times, longer than it would normally take. It rang all the way to where it would normally ring off before it finally clicked.
His voice came through almost immediately. It sounded croaky, more like he was still half-asleep. "Don, everything alright? Strange to call by this time of the night."
I pulled the phone off my ears and glanced at the screen.
Shit. 4:35 a.m.
I must've woken him from sleep. "Mi scuso, Nico. Ma è urgente," I quickly said, realizing my mistake.
"What happened?" He said. I could literally picture him sitting up as his voice sounded sharper, more awake.
"Don't worry, Nico. I'll let you know, but I need a ride badly. Like right now."
The line went silent for a while, like he was considering his options. Then shuffling sounds came from the other end, similar to that of someone getting up.
"Where?" I finally heard him ask.
I nodded, even though I knew he couldn't see me. I pulled the phone back again and navigated through it quickly, popping out my live location.
"I just sent my live location to you," I announced to him as I thumbed the button.
He went silent again for another minute or two. "Seen. I'm on my way, Don."
I hung up and strolled slowly to the edge of the pavement. Then dropped down heavily on it as I finally had a chance to take a break.
I instantly regretted it as everything came rushing back now, like it was waiting for me to finally have a breather. My head began pounding more than before, the pains around my legs and joints stung now more than ever.
Even those injuries I hadn't noticed now stung.
But what the hell had happened? It wasn't an accident, I can't call it that. Nobody comes crashing into another car from the side of the road then begins shooting by accident.
It was almost like he was waiting for me to reach here. That was a deliberate attack. I closed my eyes and saw flashes of it. The blinding lights, the heavy bang. It was all planned.
Someone must have tipped off my route, the exact time I would be here. But who?
I couldn't remember encountering anyone else today. In fact, the only person I had been with tonight, besides Nico, was Issabella.
Could she be the one?
Could the sex have been her way of delaying to meet their time. The whole dropping her off at her place, her dulling and delaying.
Was it all a setup? That kiss, was it also a distraction?
I ran a hand through my hair in frustration, scattering it at once. My mind was racing with everything. It all made sense, it all seemed true. But there was no concrete proof, not enough to pin her and I always believed in facts, not thoughts.
Blinding lights drew near to me, alerting me immediately as I jumped to my feet instantly. But regretted it at once as my legs cried out in pain and my whole body, from my back and neck tightened painfully.
As the headlights drew nearer, I could make out the shape of a familiar car. It was just Nico's car after all.
I mentally slapped myself and made a mental note to wait for daylight before digging more into the events of earlier.
Nico jumped out immediately the car came to a stop. He skipped over to me in large steps. "Don, what happened? Where's your ride?"
I nodded toward the wreck off the road. It was getting brighter now, pieces of light slipped through from the sky as dawn broke forth. He squinted his eyes slightly though, then stepped down the path for a better look.
I followed him slowly, dragging my body along as the pain grew with every step.
He got close and cursed loudly when he caught the sight. "What in the burning flames of hell happened here?"
I took a deep breath as the weight of it pressed on me again. "È stato un attacco."
"An attack?" Nico asked.
"Some dude rammed me over from the side. Flipped over the car with me in it," I explained.
"How'd you survive?"
"My seatbelt actually," I started, walking around slowly. "I unhooked it quickly and dropped on my shoulders while he kept shooting at me. I found my way out and fired at him, practically chased him off."
"Woah. You caught sight of the guy?" Nico asked again.
I shook my head. "Fired from a distance while he ran off while I shot back. But it's a Romano."
"How do you know?" He asked, not looking at me again.
"His weapons carried their sign."
He nodded slowly. "Meno male che sei sopravvissuto."
"Barely. Feel like shit head to toe."
"You'll get treatment. Let's go," he said and turned, tapping on my shoulder slowly as he walked off.
I followed him but looked back at the car, the left over of it anyway. "I'll miss that ride."
He laughed slightly. "I'll get them to send another just like it next week for you."
I managed a small laugh. "Per me va bene."
I followed him and hopped in his front seat slowly, still baring the pains. He slid in behind the wheel and zoomed off immediately.
The ride went on quietly at first. Then I broke it. "Heard from Serena?"
"Nah," he replied. "Didn't actually get there. Went straight home from the restaurant."
We went still again. Then he asked me again. "What kept you at the restaurant anyway, Don?"
My mind went blank. I couldn't possibly tell him about Issabella or what we did. "Nothing. Just decided to relax a bit before heading back to the chaos."
"Mmm," he hummed. I could tell he didn't believe me, but he didn't push though. Thank goodness.
Minutes later, we pulled into my parking lot, then he killed the engine.
"Grazie per stasera, Nico. Apprezzo," I said after a minute.
"It's nothing, Don. We're family."
I smiled. "Be here later today?"
"Yeah. I'll be coming back when day breaks fully," he replied.
I nodded and stepped out slowly. My body still protested with every move. He zoomed off behind me.
I walked towards the entrance with very heavy steps.
But as I got closer up, I caught a figure sitting at the side of my penthouse. A shadow that sat still.