Signed To The Mafia King - Chapter 53: Chapter 53

ALINA
The baby screamed in my arms, her small body trembling so hard I could feel it in my bones.
My heart pounded in my ears, but the noise around me was louder.
The woman was shouting as the bullet hit Ethan. I wasn’t even sure where, only that I could see blood staining his clothes fast.
Damn.
Ethan was still standing, though he was breathing fast, his palm pressed into his side.
Blood soaked through his shirt. For a second, he didn’t react, as if he was still trying to figure out where he’d been hit.
Then his eyes went dark like an ocean when a storm blew in. He looked suddenly like Luca, when someone had pissed him off.
“Ethan,” I cried, moving the baby to one arm and stepping closer to him.
The man was cocking his gun again. He was going to shoot someone else. I hoped it wasn’t the little girl.
Ethan’s fingers were stained red as he tried to keep standing, trying to keep the blood from pumping out.
The woman was sobbing now, bent on the ground, hands covering her mouth. “You bastard,” she choked out. “You could’ve hit my daughter.”
Her husband, or whatever the hell he was, was still standing, swaying slightly, his arm raised. The gun dangled from his fingers.
His face was red as he looked at her hatefully. He looked like he wanted to shoot her next.
Ethan’s hand moved toward his own gun, and I saw him pull it out with his free hand.
I shook my head. If they both started shooting, one of them would definitely hit the girl in my arms. “Put it back.”
His jaw clenched. “Alina… that bastard just shot me.”
“Put it back.” My voice was sharp, firm. I didn’t have the patience for his anger right now.
For a second, he didn’t move. Then, slowly, he shoved the gun back into his jacket.
I turned to see that while we were too stunned to react, Mikhail had been slowly creeping up to the man who was weaving around like he was drunk.
Mikhail didn’t need more instructions. He ran the last few steps and jumped on the man, who tried to bring his gun up and shoot again, but it was already too late.
He went down hard, his head hitting the hard, tarred ground. He wheezed, coughing hard.
I didn’t stay to watch.
I turned, holding the baby tighter, and ran inside, the woman hurrying to keep up beside me. I could hear Ethan's groans of pain as he followed.
The moment the door closed behind me, I grabbed my phone and called the clinic. Each of my father's clubs had a small clinic downstairs.
Anything could happen at any time, my father always said that.
I hoped Luca wouldn’t find out about any of this. I hadn’t told him where I was going before leaving the house. I was certain he would have me chained up if he found out.
Ethan stopped and shook his head. His face was tight with irritation and pain. “I don’t need a damn doctor.”
I shot him a look. “You got shot.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“You’re bleeding all over my floor. Now shut up.”
He looked down, like he was just now noticing the drops of blood staining the tile. Then he lifted his eyes back to me, unimpressed.
I didn’t care. “You’re getting treated, even if I have to tie you down.”
He looked like he wanted to keep arguing, but then he looked away and sighed wearily. His face was dark with pain.
I went into my office, and the woman held her hands out for the baby, but I shook my head.
She looked too weak to carry herself, much less the baby.
She sobbed harder, sounding desperately broken. “Please give her to me. Please.”
I handed her the girl, who sniffled and put her beautiful face into her mom's shoulder.
The woman sat in the corner and held her baby as she pressed kisses into the girl’s hair.
I crouched in front of her. “What’s your name?”
Her arms tightened around the baby. Her eyes were wide, rimmed with red. She swallowed, hesitated. Then, finally, she whispered, “Valerie.”
I nodded. Valerie sounded familiar. I was almost certain she was who I thought she was. “Who was he?”
Her breath caught. Her fingers trembled against the baby’s back. “My husband.”
I nodded. “And your daughter? What's her name?”
Valerie smoothed her fingers over the little girl’s curls. “Maya.”
Maya whimpered, her tiny hands relaxing on her mother's chest. She was now sucking restlessly on her thumb.
I exhaled. “Why was he hitting you?”
Valerie’s lips opened, but she didn’t say anything.
I sat on the couch across from her, keeping my movements slow. “Valerie, I need to know what’s going on. You didn’t even look surprised that he pulled a gun.”
Valerie made a stressed sound like she would start crying again. “Because I’m not. He took Maya from me,” she whispered. “Kidnapped her. I haven’t seen her in weeks. He said if I tried to leave again, I’d never see my kids again.”
My pulse jumped. “Kids?”
Valerie nodded, holding Maya tighter so that she whimpered. “He still has my son.”
I cursed under my breath. “Where?”
Valerie swallowed hard. “At our house. He wouldn’t let me take both of them, when I ran.”
Ran. The word hit like a punch. She hadn’t just left. She had run for her life.
I looked at the door as Mikhail came back inside. His shirt was stained with blood. “You said he took your daughter from you.”
She nodded, tears spilling over. “I left him months ago. He… he hurts them.” Her voice broke.
I inhaled slowly, forcing my voice to stay calm. “How old is your son?”
“Five.”
I stood. “Mikhail.”
He looked at me, then at Ethan, who was still standing, still bleeding, and let out a breath. “Doctor’s coming.”
I clenched my jaw. What was I going to do?
I winced. If Luca were here, this wouldn’t even be a discussion. He’d handle it, no hesitation. He wouldn’t need to ask questions or think things through, he’d already know what to do.
For a second, I wished he was here. Then I pushed the thought away.
I didn’t need Luca to handle anything.
A sharp knock on the door made me snap back to reality. It was the doctor.
A man in his forties stepped inside. He looked at all of us and saw that only Ethan was bleeding. The doctor walked over to him. “Where?”
Ethan groaned. “I told you, it’s not…”
“Sit.” I pointed to a chair.
Ethan rolled his eyes but obeyed, muttering something under his breath.
The doctor crouched, pulling out supplies. “Shirt off.”
Ethan sighed, but he tugged his shirt over his head.
Valerie gasped softly. I followed her eyes and wished I hadn’t.
Scars. So many scars. Some old, some newer. Lines, burns, even what looked like a bullet wound near his ribs.
I forced myself to look away. I was sure Ethan wouldn’t answer if I asked how. But where had he gotten all that?
The doctor worked quickly, cleaning the wound. Ethan barely flinched.
I crossed my arms. “You said it was just a graze.”
Ethan smirked, but there was no real amusement in it. “It is.”
Mikhail walked up beside me immediately as the doctor left. “I just found some information on her husband.”
I went around my desk and sat down, weary. “Who was he?”
Mikhail hesitated. “Riot Alvarado.”
The room felt like it shrank.
The Alvarado Cartel.
My stomach dropped. I had really gone and bitten off more than I could chew.
I turned to Valerie. She met my eyes and gave a small, broken nod.
The door banged open. Luca stood in the doorway, looking like steam was about to blow out of his ears.
“For goodness' sake, Alina, why is Riot Alvarado tied up in your club?”