Disclaimer: The characters belonging to Janet Evanovich are used strictly for entertainment purposes.

A/N: Sorry this is late. I had surgery yesterday and I wasn't able to prepare much ahead of time because it was only scheduled a week ago. There are seven chapters left and they WILL be posted before the end of the year, but until I am further in my recovery, I can't promise more than two chapters a week. Next week might be less, but I'll aim for two. I'm sorry about this, but it's a very painful recovery for me and I'm having to type lying down with my laptop because I can't sit up, yet. I wasn't anticipating this much pain, unfortunately. Thanks so much for your patience and continued support. It is a promise that this will be finished by the end of the year. You can count on it.

…

Chapter 23

Fiery pain ripped through my shoulder. I grunted beneath the weight of Adriano's body and shoved with my good hand. He didn't budge. If he was still alive, he was unconscious. Even with two good arms, I didn't think I had the strength to push Adriano off.

I took a deep breath, held it, braced both hands on his shoulders, and shoved him for all I was worth, crying out in pain. A bit panicky, I panted and tried again, yelping when white hot fire shot down my arm.

"Okay," I hissed to myself. "Legs." I drew in another deep breath and held it while hoisting my lower body up. I was able to raise up my hips and twist them, but not without consequence. The pain in my shoulder increased tenfold and I was panting and sweating from the effort.

Adriano slipped to the side, but I needed a break and collapsed back down onto the tile. Now he was fully on my top half and half on my lower half. I gritted my teeth and shoved up again, bouncing to shift him over further and yelling out when the sharp stab of pain hit me again. This time, he shifted over enough that I was able to roll onto my bad shoulder, which hurt like a bitch, and pull my arm out from under him.

It took a minute for me to catch my breath, but I'd done it. All of it. Stopping Adriano in the first place, then getting myself free from him. He'd bought the Camila act. He was so conceited and thought so little of her, that he believed she wanted to kill herself to make him happy. I shook my head. One crazy dude.

I scooted back away from him on my butt and then looked at my shoulder. I could only see a bloody mess and swallowed against bile as it rose in my throat. I would not get sick right now. Then my eye caught a small paring knife on the floor behind me. It was covered in blood. I hadn't seen a knife in his hand, but had Adriano grabbed it and stabbed me? The red stain on my back was spreading, so I knew I needed to get out of here and have it looked at. Good thing I was wearing a red dress and it wasn't strapless. Between the wound on my back and Adriano's blood all over my front, I was sure I looked like a horror movie extra. Crap, I had to change. There was even a trail of blood from his body to my feet from scooting. Yuck.

I moved my foot over and nudged Adriano. He didn't stir. I wanted to make sure he wouldn't come after me no matter what, so I stood up and pushed him over with my foot, using the kitchen island to balance myself.

The stream of blood coming from his chest wound was substantial. His eyes were open, unblinking, his face twisted into an angry scowl. He'd used his last breath to try to kill me. Sobering thought. I shuddered. Taking a life wasn't the best option for me. Ever. If I'd had a choice, I would have chosen a lot of suffering for him instead. Ranger style.

I wanted to get out without getting caught again and started thinking up a plan. Suddenly, the conversation between Adriano and Dr. Spreng jumped out of my memory. Ronaldo, who I hoped was cell-phone guy, was driving him home. He might be returning. Then again, he might think Adriano would kill me and leave. What if he came back to clean up the mess? Had he moved Marco? One thing was crystal clear. I had to get out of here fast and hope there wasn't another guy lurking around somewhere.

I didn't know what Adriano had done with my own clothes or shoes. I got up slowly and ran to the room where he'd had me restrained, ignoring the squishy sound coming from my bare feet, and looked in the closet. Nothing there. I looked around for a trash can and found a trash compactor in the kitchen. Nothing in there, either. I decided to stop wasting time and get the hell out of Dodge, shoes or no.

At the door, I glanced over to the spot where Marco had been, not looking too closely at the wet patch left behind. I wished Adriano hadn't killed him. He was a good man and didn't deserve it, no matter how much he'd pissed me off at first. I'd make sure Ranger notified his superiors of what happened. Hopefully, they'd search and find his body so he could be buried properly. It was all I could do for him now.

I opened the door, but then realized I had nothing to protect myself with, so I ran back to the kitchen and grabbed the gun from the floor. Satisfied, I ran back to the door and took the stairs as quickly and quietly as I could with the excruciating pain in my shoulder. When I got to the exit, I stuck my head out carefully and looked around the alley it opened up to. I saw no vehicles or people standing in the immediate area. I slipped outside and walked to the right along the narrow walk toward the front of the building and peered around the corner. Ronaldo wasn't there, but he could return any time, so I decided to skirt around in the opposite direction and avoid the front of the building.

Bushes at the back made the journey difficult, but there was enough space that I could squeeze between Adriano's building and the wall directly behind it. Stones underneath killed my bare feet, but I tried not to shout or mutter as I stepped on them. There'd be bruises for sure and probably some cuts.

When I finally reached the corner, I was relieved that alley was also empty and hobbled to the front corner. I peered around that side and saw an older man walking the opposite direction. Now or never. I turned around and went back in the opposite direction down the alley away from the building. At the next corner, I slipped out onto the cobbled street and walked as quickly as possible on my injured feet. I didn't turn around, but kept my head down and the gun tucked into the flowing skirt of the dress. I pressed onward through my pain and embarrassment over my appearance. So what if someone saw me? What was so bad about a woman with bare feet and blood all over her dress and arms? At least my dress was red. I could feel the stickiness and my skin itched where some of the blood started to dry.

A car approached from the front and passed by. I ignored it, but then I realized it had stopped and now idled at the curb just behind me. A car door opened and a man called out, "Signora Rubiano?"

I ignored him. I couldn't be sure who Ronaldo was, or what he looked like. He may not even be cell phone guy. I wasn't going back to that loft. If Adriano was still alive by some miracle, he'd just have to go on to hell without me.

Footsteps running up behind me pumped my fear up to stark panic. I started running, trying to get away. I didn't want to be caught. I didn't want to die. I wanted to find Ranger, get my shoulder fixed, and find our kid. In that order.

"Mother of God, what happened to her? Signora Rubiano, please stop. I won't hurt you. I'm trying to help." I recognized the voice, but I didn't know if it was a Stephanie memory or a Camila memory. I couldn't take the chance.

I ran harder, but the footsteps came closer and closer until they ran past and a man stopped in front of me, hands out to grab my good shoulder and my waist on the injured side. "Signora Rubiano, stop. Let me help."

A bestial sound rose up in my throat and I twisted away from him, pulling up my gun and noticed there was someone else behind me. Now, trapped between the two men, I turned so the men were at my sides and angled the gun back and forth between them. "Please, let me go."

"Do you remember me? I am Alfredo. I work for The Signore."

Alfredo. The butler. I really looked at him this time and recognized him immediately. I felt weak with relief, lowering the gun to my side, and said, "Alfredo. I thought you were someone else."

"How did you get here?" He looked around and I took my first real glance of the area. It wasn't bad in terms of aesthetics. No trash that I could see. Cobbled streets, tall, ancient buildings around me, mostly homes. There were a few people walking and a couple of small groups up ahead.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, wary that he'd suddenly showed up right now. I tightened my grip on the gun and got myself ready to raise it up again if necessary.

His companion walked around me and stood next to him. He was expensively dressed in a pair of black Versace jeans and a gray t-shirt with the Versace logo across the chest. I also noticed a silver Rolex on his wrist. Alfredo smiled slightly and motioned to the man. Where Alfredo was short, dark hair, dark eyes, and darker in complexion, this man was taller, lighter, with light hazel eyes and lighter brown hair. "This is Paulo … my partner. We live close to here."

I sent Paulo a decent attempt at a smile despite the pain in my cheek. "Nice to meet you, Paulo."

His deep voice didn't return my greeting, but said, "You are in pain, will you allow us to help you?"

Now that he'd drawn my attention to it, the pain overwhelmed me and I felt dizzy. I tried to answer him, but began weaving on my feet.

"Let's get her to the car!" Alfredo said, worried. "The Signore will be upset if she is injured further."

Strong arms lifted me up and I was floating with clouds drifting rapidly overhead. I turned my head and looked up at Paulo. "Thank you."

"Rest, signora."

I did. Fell asleep so hard I didn't know what happened. Voices interrupted my sleep. I felt sharp pain that pulled me from my dreams a few times, but then immediate relief followed and I went back to sleep. When I finally woke, it was to the dual throbbing in my shoulder and cheek. I moaned lightly.

A chair scraped and someone stood beside the very soft bed where I lay.

"Stephanie, it is Seppe. Are you in pain?"

Seppe? I opened one eye and looked at him. "Ranger," I croaked.

Seppe nodded. "I am sorry. I could not reach him at the hotel. I've sent some of my people to look for him, but they have been unsuccessful."

I rattled off Ranger's cell phone number—the old one because I hadn't memorized the new one—and he punched it into his phone. It would go through to Tank, which was nearly as good. "Call that number. His friend will notify him." It didn't occur to me that I was ordering a mafia head honcho around, but he didn't seem to mind, so I didn't worry about it.

"Of course." He turned to someone in the room. "Phone this number and ask signore Mañoso to come to my home. Tell him we have Stephanie." Turning back to me, he reached out and took my hand in his. "Now, do you need any medication? Any pain?"

I nodded. "Please, no drugs. I don't want to be out of it. Ranger will have questions for me."

He smiled. "I have questions, too, little one."

"Want to know where I was, right?"

Seppe released my hand and sat in a chair at my bedside. "It would be a good start."

I took a deep breath and settled into the soft pillows under my head. "Adriano kidnapped me and also, uh, Luca." I'd almost said Marco. Somehow my brain was functioning enough not to give up his identity. His cover hadn't been blown, yet, and I didn't want to be the one to blow it. Besides, how would I explain that to Seppe?

Fury hardened his features. "Did he try to kill you?"

"He did, but I got him first."

Surprise mixed with pride replaced the anger. "You did? Is that why you had a gun?"

I nodded again. "Shot to the chest." I hesitated a second and said, "He shot Luca."

"Is he dead?"

"I don't know, Seppe. He was on the floor a long time; didn't move. Before I shot Adriano, I noticed he was gone, but I don't know if he got up or if someone moved him."

He nodded. "I wish you did not have to do all of this, but at least you have put that demon to rest. Now you will not worry." I thought about Harry and wrinkled my brow. "And you will not have to worry about Orlando. I will take care of him."

I relaxed and smiled a little, but lifted my head slightly when there was a sharp rap on the doorframe. The man with Seppe's phone poked his head in with an apologetic look. "I am sorry, sir. Signore Mañoso demands to speak with Stephanie."

"Of course." Seppe took his phone from the man and handed it to me, then turned his head to gaze out the window.

"Ranger."

"What happened?" He was in no-nonsense mode and I knew it was because he was stressed. For Ranger, that meant he sounded incredibly pissed off. Good thing I knew him so well.

"Got a few minutes?" I relayed the story of what had happened from the time of the kidnapping up until I woke here in Seppe's house. I told him I thought 'Luca' was dead and he asked me to give my condolences to Seppe, but his tone suggested he'd handle the information on his end. Since we didn't know how secure the call was it was all we could say about it for now.

"You're okay?"

"Oh, you know me. A little bumped and bruised, but still kicking. How long were we gone?"

His voice sounded constricted when he answered. "Nearly six hours. I'm on my way, be there in twenty."

That sounded about right given the fact that I didn't know how long I'd been out after the guy injected me and how long I'd been out here since arriving at Seppe's. I hadn't noticed the time of day earlier when I ran into Paulo and Alfredo. "See you soon."

"Love you, babe." He hung up and I hadn't been able to tell him I loved him, too, but I knew he knew it. It was nice to hear him say it when he didn't have to.

I handed the phone back to Seppe. "He says he'll be here in twenty minutes."

Seppe raised an eyebrow. "That is an ambitious goal."

I smiled fully and groaned at the pain it caused. "He'll make it."

"No doubt." He stood up and gave my hand a squeeze. Then he helped me swallow a couple of pills that had magically appeared since I'd been on the phone. He promised they wouldn't make me sleepy, but would help with the pain and I nodded. When I was settled into the bed again, he said, "Rest. I will bring him here when he arrives."

"Thank you, Seppe." I yawned and leaned my head back, falling to sleep immediately. Recovery always knocked me out, even without drugs.

…

Lips on my forehead tugged me out of sleep and I opened my eyes and met Ranger's. He looked angry, worried, and happy to see me. "Rough day," he said. He ghosted his fingers over my battered cheek and then stroked my hair, clenching his fist in it gently.

"Yeah." I couldn't say anymore because my throat closed up. I closed my eyes so he wouldn't see the rush of tears invoked by emotional overload. The time with Adriano had been difficult, but my underlying worry had been over Ranger. Finding me gone again without a trace would have been a hard pill to swallow. I imagined the reason Seppe's men couldn't find him was because he was out interviewing everyone he could find to get information. Personally and passionately. I hoped there were no unnecessary broken bones here in Italy because of me.

When I thought I was under control, I looked up at him and nearly lost it again at the expression on his face. A quick glance at the room showed me we were alone. He leaned down and touched his forehead to mine, leaning on arms propped on either side of my head to keep the weight of his body off me. "I lost control today."

I reached up with my good arm and traced my fingers over his cheek. "Quite the admission."

"Stephanie." Yikes, serious discussion. "I've already said I'm not impenetrable."

I bit my lip and nodded.

He pulled back and looked at me steadily. "I told you before that I need you to be safe." His eyes closed briefly in a moment of struggle, and I loved him even more for showing it, if possible. "It's goes beyond that now."

My heart broke at the raw edge to his voice, for all he'd gone through over me, past and present. I kept silent because I didn't want to interrupt him. This sharing thing was new and I didn't want to break the spell.

"Starting over isn't an option any longer. You're the part of me I can't shut off."

"God, I'm so sorry, Ranger—"

He kissed me gently, interrupting my words. "I'm going to need permanent options to find you going forward. This can't happen again."

"Okay." He looked into my eyes, staring, seeing that I meant it. Whatever I had to do to make him feel secure about my safety, I'd do. I trusted him to let me have my independence, too. "You know me, I just want a say in what we do."

"Always." We kissed then. He slid his arm under my good side and lifted me, balancing both of us with one hand on the bed. This was as close to clinging as Ranger could ever come. His breathing grew erratic and he broke off the kiss, burying his face in my neck.

"Fuck," he said. I felt him tremble and his hand dug into my back, not painful, but enough pressure to know he was fighting something deep inside. "Forget what I said. You're not leaving my side for the next ten months." One for each I'd been gone.

He lowered his voice so only my ears could hear his next words. "It's probably a good thing I don't have to deal with Marco." Probably. He'd never handled it well when one of his men lost me and there had still been animosity between the two of them. Hearing his name made me sad. Ranger felt the shift in my mood and pulled back enough to look at me. He whispered, "They're searching for him. Will call me if they find anything."

I nodded. "Thank you."

There was a knock on the door, a quick, quiet staccato against the wood.

"Come in," I called.

Seppe cracked the door open and looked in before entering. "You slept like the dead."

I gave him a weak smile. "Yeah, sleep has never been a problem for me."

Ranger sat up and took my hand to allow Seppe room to speak with me.

"I never asked before. Did you call a doctor to come fix my shoulder?"

He smiled. "No, Paulo is a doctor. He cleaned and stitched your wound. He also said an X-Ray may be necessary." At my frown, he explained. "Only to be sure the bone and cartilage did not sustain any damage, but he thinks only the flesh was damaged."

"Please tell him I said thank you. Alfredo, too."

"That I will do," he said with a nod.

"We'll stop at the hospital on the way back to the hotel," Ranger said and then shifted so he faced Seppe. "There's something you both should know."

"What?"

He glanced at me and then looked back to Seppe. "She never had a tumor."

"Orlando." At least we didn't have to explain anything.

"Oh, yeah. They used this electronic zapper thing on my brain to make me forget everything."

Slowly, Ranger turned to look at me and Seppe took a step closer. "When did you find out?"

"Today. They did it to me again."

"What?" Ranger sounded exactly how I imagined Death would sound if I met him in a dark alley.

I explained everything to them about the doctor and the machine, that Adriano had learned who I was during my delivery, and what he said about Harry. I didn't go into detail about my conversation with Camila. I'd save that for later when Seppe wasn't around. It'd be hard enough to explain that to people I knew and trusted, let alone someone I'd only met one other time, even if he had a hand in helping me at one of my darkest hours.

"You didn't tell me this on the phone," Ranger said.

"I was a little out of it. Besides, this stuff is easier in person."

He nodded once, accepting my answer and Seppe said, "Right under my own nose." More to himself than to us. I figured Harry was in for a rude awakening. Then he turned to Ranger. "What will you do now?"

"Harry."

"I will be part of that trip." No nonsense.

Ranger gave him a single nod. "Best option."