All Chapters of The Cost of Saving Him: Chapter 41 - Chapter 48

-Mina- I don’t remember any dreams or nightmares, just the warmth from Frankie beside me. We never moved, never got dressed, just fell asleep, which didn’t last long. Frankie was the first to wake, his phone ringing. I ignored it, trying to tune it out, figuring it was business until he sat up fast, yelling. “What the fuck do you mean, Vinny? Who was stabbed?” I opened my eyes, sitting up beside him, grabbing his clothes off the floor. I handed them to him, which he took, getting dressed as he hung up the phone.“Get dressed, Luca got stabbed.” My heart stopped. I just sat there, frozen in place. I didn’t notice that I was holding my breath until Frankie told me to breathe. “Mina, breathe. He is going to be okay. Hopefully. Tony told Vinny to give me your address and to scoop you. Ironically, here I am. Get dressed.” I grabbed my night clothes and got dressed. “Why do I need to be there?” Frankie turned and looked at me as I buttoned my last shirt and headed to my room to change. “

-Luciano- When he stabbed me, I froze, and so did time. For a second, I thought this was it. I was hit. But just as he whispered, Mina and my family were next, Max, being the monster I raised him to be. Jumped on him, ripping his throat to shreds. Tony and Eno kept shooting. The intruders were horrified as they watched Max mauled their buddy, leaving the best window to injure or kill most of them. Within moments, the house was cleared out, and blood stained the kitchen and hallway. Eno ran and grabbed the emergency kit, cleaned and patched me up. “What do you want us to do now, boss?” Tony walked up, the soldiers in tow. “Do a perimeter sweep, call and check with Frankie and Joey. Make sure they are safe.”Max walked up to me, head low, “What’s wrong, man?” I rubbed his back where I noticed a lump. “Them assholes got you, huh?” I moved his fur around to check for any wounds when I suddenly got dizzy. I started to collapse when Tony grabbed me, “Whoa, boss. You need to rest.” I shoo

-Mina- Once we got back to my flat, Frankie cut the car off, and we sat in silence for a few moments. My leg was still warm from where his hand was. “Well, I am not leaving any time soon. I can stay out here-” I cut Frankie off. “No, you can come inside. If it isn’t safe, you shouldn’t be out here alone.” He looked at me, his expression was not serious, but he wasn’t smiling. “Honestly, if I come in, I won’t want to keep my hands off you, and I know he has surveillance in there.” I looked down at my hands. He had a point. That would be one way to get the drama started early. “Just take them down. I don’t want them in there anyway.” He let out a small chuckle. I never lifted my head, just kept staring at my hands. I know I was practically inviting him inside and giving him the green light, but in reality, I don’t need or want the camera. “I thank him for the thought, but I don’t want that kind of help. It’s too invasive.” I looked at Frankie, who was smiling, “I can do that for you

-Mina- Corey and I talked until Frankie got back. I never told him what Luciano had said. It would set Corey off. He was the brother I never had, the one dad swore I needed sometimes. Frankie walked in and smiled, both hands full of bags. “What all did you get, jeez man?” Corey laughed, walking up to him to help. They walked back to the pantry, and Corey stopped, “Wait, where is the door?” I laughed, moving the shelf. “Holy shit. You mean to tell me it was there this whole time?” I nodded, and we walked upstairs. Once we got inside, Corey walked around checking the place out, “Whoa, these books, Mina.” He came out with a book about sculpting. “That’s what I said.” I smiled. I wish Lola were here to share the same excitement. Then another painful bit of reality hit. I wasn’t worth the risk. Maybe that’s why so much happens to me, all the time. I sat down and watched as Frankie pulled stuff out of bags, “I got everything you could think of, honestly. And some other things, I hope th