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this person? Or people?
    “What do you want?” Her emotions were out of control and her voice reflected it with the cracking.
    “Don’t forget. No cops. We’ll talk soon.”
    Just like that, the computer voice was gone and she had a dial tone in her ear. Dropping her phone in her lap, she pinched her nose and groaned. It made even less sense now.
    Watchers.
    Never heard of them. Summons. Totally missed that.
    The door opened to admit two nurses. One approached her. “You okay, dearie? You’re a bit pale.”
    Her name tag read ‘Mary’ and Lexy shook her head. She was far from okay. “Not used to seeing my brother like this. I’ll be fine, thanks.”
    “We have to run some tests, why don’t you head to the cafeteria and get something to eat?”
    “I’ll be fine, I have some coffee.” There was no way she wanted to leave him. She settled back in the chair.
    “Very well.” They left her alone and did their thing.

Chapter Three
    Valentino walked down the steps to congregate with the rest of his family. Jaydee was ready to leave and most of the others were as well, himself included. He kissed his mother only to pause at the expression on Jaydee’s face.
    “What’s wrong?” Gio asked his wife.
    “Lexy said not to come.”
    “She probably has no wish for you to go all the way over there when all she’s doing is sitting at his bedside.” Gio kissed her.
    “No. Something’s wrong. She called me from a payphone.”
    Valentino felt a sliver of uncertainty skate up his spine. What had Lexy got herself into now?
    “Perhaps she forgot her phone,” he offered, truly not liking the fear on Jaydee’s face.
    Jaydee met his gaze squarely. “She’s a vet. It’s always with her. Always. ”
    Valentino could attest to that—she even brought it in the bathroom when she showered. It was an extension of herself.
    “What did she say, Jaydee? All of it?” Valentino put all his attention on her. Jaydee was one who could repeat verbatim what she heard.
    “She said she didn’t want me to come down. Things were hectic. Eugene has been in a coma since the accident.” A shake of her head. “She said she was being watched.” Jaydee gripped Gio’s arm. “She isn’t paranoid. Something is—”
    Her phone rang and she answered, “Lexy?”
    Jaydee became rigid and went off in Russian. He fought the urge to smack the phone from her hand to get her focus back on him and have her finish the story.
    “What do you mean, watched?” he interrupted.
    Jaydee pulled the phone from her mouth. “I don’t know. She mentioned a group who called themselves The Watchers.”
    Valentino had been to hell and back a few times. There wasn’t much evil he hadn’t faced. Or fear. It was child’s play compared to this moment when he realized The Watchers had Lexy in their sights.
    “What?” God, his voice sounded graveled. She continued talking so he reached out and removed the phone from her hand.
    “Valentino!” Gio snapped.
    Jaydee stared at him, shock evident on her face.
    “I need you to tell me exact, Jaydee. Gio, give me a fucking second.”
    His brother frowned but stopped his forward progress.
    She arched an eyebrow. “I just told you.”
    Reining hard on his swiftly eroding control, he held her gaze, allowing the emotion he typically kept hidden to leak free.
    “Anything else?” The words were bit off in a failing attempt to master his temper.
    “Give me my phone.”
    “Was. There. Anything. Else?”
    “Valentino, what is your problem?”
    He growled low in his throat and glanced around. His parents, brothers and Jaydee watched him. Shock and confusion were on each of their faces. Halyn had walked off with the kids.
    “Son?” His mother reached out to touch his arm.
    He knew he didn’t have a choice. Damn it, I wanted to keep them from this.
    “I know this group,” he said, exhaling heavily.
    “How would you know?”
    He speared Enzo with a look. “Because we’ve been hunting their leader for a long