𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐲 ✓

You

“What’s so important that couldn’t be brought forward in an email?”

“We should speak in your office.” Jerome gestures, hoping Kaiden will fall right into his trap.

“Fine, let’s get to it.”

As soon as Kaiden opened the door, a peculiar object – standing out from the modern décor surrounding it, caught his attention. The box which Jerome ordered Hannah to deliver sat comfortably on Kaiden’s desk, waiting to give him a surprise of a lifetime.

“Has anyone been in my office?”

“No-one besides the cleaners.”

“That box wasn’t here the last time.”

“Let me ask Thalia, maybe she forgot to mention it.”

Before Kaiden could agree, the men’s conversation was interrupted by a disturbing phone call.

“What, when did this happen?”

“Fuck, I’ll be right there.” Kaiden ended the call before clearing everything off his desk in one swift motion leaving the box on marble tiles with its contents exposed.

“What the fuck?”

“What’s going on and what are those?” Jerome questioned

“I don’t have time for this. Ask Thalia to get one of the cleaners to neaten up this place. There was an accident at the facility Nova was booked into, she’s injured and on the way to the hospital.”

“Wait, what?” Jerome played his part of the confused fool all too well – as if he hadn’t been keeping tabs on Nova and had just seen her. Although something did shock him – her being hurt.

Santa Maria Nuova Hospital

“Mr. Romano, I...”

“Where the hell is she?” Kaiden cut the man off.

“Doctors are with Miss Stratford as we speak.”

“I want every single person involved in this incident to be held responsible and you Mr. Cole better pray Nova will be alright otherwise I will destroy you and your institution.”

“Kaiden, check your phone.” Jerome interrupted the tongue lashing before him.

“What the hell? Johnny’s dead?” Kaiden gasped in disbelief.

“Says here that he was shot 12 times at the Brutali Fuorilegge Compound by a rival gang.”

“I heard about that and apparently one of his groupies in the facility did as well. That is how the whole anarchy started, she desperately wanted to get to him and unfortunately Miss Stratford and many others got caught in the cross fire.”

“I need to see my girl.”

A few hours later

“I told Johnny that he would pay for double crossing me, too bad he didn’t think that it would be with his life.” Jerome laughed with somebody over the phone until he saw Nova’s doctor across the room and made way towards her.

“Are you here for Miss Stratford?”

“Yes, I’m her business partner. The closest thing she has to family here.” Kaiden responded casually.

“Miss Stratford’s brain was deprived of oxygen for a few minutes and unfortunately we cannot assess the damage that this caused as she has been put into a temporary coma to relieve the swelling on her brain.”