“It’s true.”
“Even if it is,” I say, “he doesn’t need this. He doesn’t need another crisis on his plate. I’m already?—”
I stop.
But the thought doesn’t.
I’m already too much. Too complicated. Too expensive. Too everything.
Valerio must see something on my face, because he swears softly. “Savannah…”
But he still grabs his phone and dials.
I move toward him, panicked, possessed, but he turns his back to shield it.
“Boss, you need to come home.” A pause. “It’s not her. It’s?—”
I lunge forward, grab the phone from his hand, and hit the red icon before Riccardo can hear anything else.
Valerio stares at me, stunned. “Did you just?—?”
“Please,” I say, voice shaking. “Don’t tell him. I can’t ask this of him too.”
“You’re unbelievable.” He stares in disbelief. “You know he’d throw the whole city around for you, right?”
“That’s exactly the problem.”
He lets out a loud curse. “He will lose his mind if he finds out I let you run off alone.”
“I’m not asking you to let me go alone,” I say. “Just… don’t call him. Drive me instead. Please.”
He hesitates for a second. Just one.
Then he shakes his head and mutters, “He’s going to kill me,” before grabbing the keys from my hand and unlocking the car.
“Get in,” he says.
Relief hits me so hard my knees almost buckle. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me,” he mutters, starting the engine. “Thank me if we survive Riccardo after this.”
We speed down the driveway. My hands won’t stop shaking. I press them between my knees and try to breathe normally, but every breath feels thin. My chest aches. My head spins. I’m terrified and guilty and angry at myself for not handling things sooner. I should have fixed the insurance by now. I should have been more prepared. I should have been with her.
Valerio keeps glancing at me, like he’s checking to make sure I won’t break apart in the seat. “You should’ve waited for him,” he says quietly.
“I couldn’t,” I whisper. “It’s my mom.”
He doesn’t argue after that.
When we pull into the hospital parking lot, he slows. Too much. His eyes widen, sharp and alert.
“What the hell?” he murmurs.
But I’m already unbuckling. “Thank you,” I say again.
“Savannah, wait.” His voice goes hard. “Something isn’t?—”
I don’t hear the rest.
