“I can’t,” she replies.
“Yes, you can,” I insist. “The doctor will stay with him. He’ll let you know if anything changes.”
She glances at the door, debating whether to follow my lead. Finally, she exhales and troops across the hallway to her own suite. I feel like we should have a conversation about moving bedrooms. Now that we’re married and romantically involved, it seems only right that we should share a suite.
But I’m too tired to have that conversation now, not that it will matter now that I’ve put plans in place to keep her safe. So I let her go. She doesn’t look back before disappearing into her own room.
The next morning, I find Marlena in Brandon’s room. The doctor is asleep on the couch, and Marlena is sitting on the bed beside her brother. She’s reading a magazine, glancing frequently down at the sleeping man to her left.
I smile at her, crossing the room to kiss her good morning. She’s showered and changed, and the bruise on her cheek has gone from red to blue. It’s a reminder of how much I hate Andretti, and I renew my vow to kill him as soon as possible.
“We have to talk,” I begin, sitting down beside her.
She puts her magazine away, pulling her legs up to give me space. “The doctor says that he’s okay,” she answers the question I didn’t ask. “He just needs to sleep.”
“That’s good news,” I say.
“What did you want to talk about?” she wonders.
“I don’t think it’s safe here for either you or Brandon,” I explain. “So, I’d like you to go back to Italy.”
“Okay,” she answers despondently.
“I’ll stay here to take care of Andretti and Marcello,” I continue.
“You’re not coming with us?” Marlena asks, coming out of her fog long enough to realize that I’m suggesting we separate.
“No,” I say softly.
“But when will I see you again?” she persists.
“Marlena,” I respond, picking up her left hand and placing it in mine. The ring she wears presses against my palm, reminding me of the promise we made to each other, the commitment we made out of necessity, not love. “I know this isn’t something you ever wanted. I would understand if you decide to leave when this is all over.”
She looks at me like I’m speaking a foreign language. “Do you want me to leave?” she asks.
“No,” I say immediately. “But I thought that you were reconsidering.”
She opens her mouth to respond, and it feels like my entire future is hanging on her next words. But then her brother moans and shifts. She diverts her attention instantly, scooting closer to him. Putting a hand on his shoulder, she calls his name.
I realize that I’m going to have to wait. Family comes first, and even though I’m dying to hear what she has to say, I know I can wait.
I get to my feet, deciding to give them some privacy. On my way out, I wake the doctor to let him know Brandon is stirring.
CHAPTER 45
MARLENA
“Brandon? Brandon?” I call softly.
He doesn’t respond, but I can see his eyes moving behind his eyelids. That has to be a good sign, right? I barely notice that Francisco is gone, though it seems that we have a lot to discuss, but I can’t focus on any of that right now. I can’t even worry about how Brandon is going to make the trip to Italy in his condition.
The doctor comes up to the opposite side of the bed with his stethoscope. He presses it to Brandon’s chest and moves it around several times. Then he shines a light into Brandon’s eyes again, I assume checking for signs of the concussion. He investigates the bandages that are placed in key locations on Brandon’s body and finally gives me a hopeful smile.
“He’s doing well,” the doctor says.
“Is he awake?” I ask, wondering if Brandon’s sudden movement is significant.
“No,” the doctor responds. “But he’s better than he was yesterday. I’m going to start him on a saline drip. We have to make sure he’s hydrated.”
