chapter 147

Elijah Smith...

I was just as shocked as my dear wife was when I received a call from Jacopo Nicolo, the man we thought we had just buried less than an hour ago.

I stared at the screen as Jacopo struggled to keep himself on his feet. On the call, his voice sounded rough and tired, and I instantly knew the man had been through it. But I did not expect his condition to be this bad.

All he said was that he needed my help, he was hurt, he needed someone to pay the taxi driver, and that he needed a place to stay.

The first thought that entered my mind was to wonder why my house was turning into a hotel. Housing Cilvia, Connor, the Vipers and now Nicolo... I didn't mind about the first two, but the last two bothered me. That was, of course, until I saw the condition Nicolo was in.

He slammed his hand on the gate, hoping to get someone's attention so they would let him in.

I gave the gate guard a call before he could turn the man away.

"Let him in and help him to the house." I ordered, as