Chapter 241: Go to Hell

I heard her voice first.

“Cain… Cain… Wake up, Cain.”

Soft. Familiar. Cutting through the thick fog in my head like a blade of light.

Is she here? Is she calling me?

My heart slammed once, hard.

Then the voice changed—rougher, louder, panicked.

“Boss! Boss, WAKE UP—”

Not Leila.

Xavi.

I tried to open my eyes. Nothing happened. It felt like someone had poured glue under my lids and let it dry. Everything was black and heavy. My body felt distant, like it belonged to someone else.

Did I survive?

Am I still alive?

Fuck… I came back.

“Stop yelling his name like that,” Freddie muttered nearby. His voice was low, controlled, the way he always sounded when things were serious.

I tried again. Still nothing. My ears worked perfectly—I could hear every shift of fabric, every nervous breath—but my eyes refused to obey. The frustration burned hotter than whatever pain was lingering in my body.

Then Pedro’s voice cut in, quieter, almost careful.

“Will you tell him about Leila, Xavi?”

Leila.

The name hit me like a gunshot.

Something primal and violent surged through me. My eyes snapped open. The sudden light stabbed, but I didn’t care. I sat up so fast the world tilted.

“AHH—!” Pedro jerked back like he’d seen a corpse sit up.

Freddie and Xavi flinched too, but they recovered quicker. Their faces were tight, watchful. Not panicked. Just… waiting.

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

No sound. Not even a rasp.

I tried again, forcing air through my throat. Still silence. My hand flew to my neck, fingers pressing hard against the skin, searching for something—anything—that would explain why my voice had abandoned me.

Pedro leaned closer, eyes wide. “Boss… are you okay? Should we call the doctor?”

I parted my lips once more. The effort scraped uselessly against the silence. Mute. Completely fucking mute.

Xavi scoffed and waved a hand. “What are you calling the doctor for? Boss is fine. He’s awake, isn’t he?” He stepped forward and grabbed my wrist, gripping it tightly, almost grounding me. His eyes locked onto mine. “Don’t worry, Boss. Everywhere is protected. The whole place is surrounded by our men. You’re safe.”

Safe.

The word felt hollow.

Safe from whom?

The thought cut through the haze sharper than the pain still lingering in my body.

Last time I checked, I hadn’t broken the code. Not once. Jose was the one who’d crossed the line—his sister specifically. She was the one who killed Leila’s baby. The one who nearly killed Leila too. That blood was on their hands, not mine.

So what the hell did I need protection from?

Unless…

Unless something had changed while I was under.

I glanced past Xavi’s shoulder toward the window. The blinds were half-drawn, but I could still see the tense posture of the men stationed outside. Too many of them. Too alert. The kind of formation we only used when shit had already gone sideways.

War.

There was a war happening outside this hospital.

And if my men were surrounding the building like this… then the people coming for me weren’t just any enemies.

They were people who thought I was the one who needed to die.

I turned my head toward Freddie, studying his face carefully. The man was good at hiding things, but not from me. Not after all these years.

My body ached like hell—every breath pulled at something raw in my chest—but I forced the pain down. There were bigger problems right now. I was at war. And Leila…

Leila was nowhere to be seen.

The realization settled heavy in my gut. Of course. She must still be drowning in guilt over shooting me. That had to be why she wasn’t here. She probably couldn’t bring herself to look at me after putting a bullet in my body.

Although that was my fault, and I had my reasons, this is a tale for another day.

Freddie finally spoke, holding up three fingers in front of my face. “Cain, how many fingers am I holding up?”

I let out a low, frustrated sound—half groan, half growl—but no words followed. Of course they didn’t. My voice was gone.

I scanned the bedside table and spotted a notepad. Ignoring the sharp pull in my chest, I reached for it, fingers closing around the paper like a lifeline.

Freddie’s eyes narrowed. He pressed two fingers lightly against the side of my throat. “What? You can’t speak?” His expression darkened. “Shit.” He clicked his tongue in irritation.

“Should I call the doctor now?” Pedro asked again, hovering.

Xavi just stood there, nodding slightly, looking more confused than useful.

Frustration burned hotter than the pain. I yanked Freddie’s hand away from my neck and, without asking, pulled the pen straight out of Xavi’s shirt pocket.

I scrawled the words as fast as my hand would move.

Where’s Leila?

I held the notepad up so they could both see it.

Freddie’s eyes flicked to Xavi for half a second.

That glance told me everything.

I flipped the page and wrote again, harder this time, the pen nearly tearing through the paper.

WHAT! TALK TO ME.

Xavi opened his mouth like he was about to speak, then shut it again. He wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Madam—”

The door swung open before he could finish.

“I see you’re awake, Cain.” Dr. Smith stepped into the room, clipboard in hand, voice calm and measured. “You did survive. Your men were all scared for days.”

I recognized him immediately. Dr. Smith. The man who patched up half the mafia in Manhattan. He treated everyone—from low-level soldiers to the heads of the biggest syndicates. Officially, he was a doctor. Unofficially, he reported everything back to whoever paid him the most. He was like Freddie… just higher up the food chain.

I grabbed the notepad and wrote quickly.

Dr. Smith. Why can’t I speak?

He took the pad, scanned the words, then handed it back. “It’s not uncommon after trauma like yours. We’ll run a few more tests to determine the exact cause. For now… we’re just grateful you’re alive.”

I scoffed and wrote one word, harder this time.

We?

Dr. Smith gave a small nod. “Yes. The syndicate is interested in your recovery. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the whole of Manhattan is burning. Jose is claiming you ambushed him and tried to kill him and his sister. Your men are saying something else.”

“We’re saying the truth!” Xavi cut in, voice rising. “That bastard’s sister—”

I raised my hand sharply. He fell silent.

I gestured for the doctor to continue.

Dr. Smith cleared his throat. “Your men have been protecting you from Jose’s attacks. The II Capo hasn’t made a move yet. They’re waiting for you to wake up and explain your side of the story.”

“Well, he has to recover fully first, right?” Freddie interjected. “He can’t speak. Maybe it’s the shock from the gunshot.”

Dr. Smith nodded. “That’s likely. Once we run the tests, we’ll know more. For now, brace yourself. With your permission, I’ll call the nurses in.”

I gave a short nod, my mind already racing through everything he’d just said.

The doctor paused at the door. “One more thing. I heard the lady you brought to that party ran away after you got shot.” He gave a small, almost amused shrug. “Women. They tend to run when things get tough. She probably didn’t know what she was getting into when she met you.”

Xavi’s face hardened. “You can go now.”

Dr. Smith raised both hands in mock surrender and left without another word.

The second the door closed, I turned to Xavi.

I didn’t need to write anything. My expression was enough.

Xavi swallowed, then nodded slowly. “She ran away, Boss. She said… she wants nothing to do with you. And that you can go to hell.”

The words landed like another bullet.

I blinked once.

Leila said that?