“We were almost there before we found him, Luc,” she said. “I thought things would settle afterwards but it feels like we’re barely treading water.”
“Look at me.” Mia brought her eyes up from the bed to my face. “I need you. I never gave you empty promises, princess. We’re almost there,” I repeated. “But while I’m in here, I need you to first and foremost look after yourself. No additional stress, Mia. We’re making sure we meet this second kiddo of ours.” Her hands went to her stomach. “Lydia will move in to help with Link. Dom, Dante, Michael.”
“You can’t move in your entire—”
“Watch me.” This was not a joke. Mia wouldn’t lift a finger unless she had to. “Secondly, I need you to head this family for me.”
Mia looked panicked at the words. This wasn’t how we’d planned it. This wasn’t the dream that had been laid out before her. “Luc—”
“I can only do so much from here. Dante will look after the most of it. Emilio will be here tomorrow. Business will be sorted but I need you to keep face,” I clarified. I was far from asking Mia to take the vow and walk into the office every day. I needed her to take up the position at the head of the family the way we had intended without me by her side for the time being. “We can’t show an ounce of weakness now.” I was a selfish prick who was asking for too much, but I wanted it all. We’d put it all on the line and we had it if we could just hold ourselves together a little bit longer. “Can you do that for me?”
Mia looked at me long and hard and for the first time I didn’t fear her saying no because I knew she wouldn’t. This was what she wanted, and Mia had proven to be just as twisted as I was. It was what made her attack Xavier. She could have run after leaving the stables. She could have left without a word but there’d been an opportunity and she grabbed it with both hands.
“Whatever you need,” she whispered.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Dante
“He’s not as pristine as you might remember him,” I said, walking down the hallways without looking up. I was more familiar with the hospital and the rooms than I would have liked. “I mean, he’s still himself. Looks a little rough, but you understand, right?” I was met with silence and sighed. “You’ll see,” I mumbled and pushed open the door to Luc’s room.
I’d never been more relieved than when Luc came around from surgery. He looked completely broken, sporting burns all over his body but the worst of it was his leg. It’d been trapped under the scorching wood after the rafters and roof fell in. The damage was extensive and now we knew that it wouldn’t heal.
Mia was sat in a chair at Luc’s bedside, listening to him intently, hanging onto every word he said to her. I wasn’t sure she should be up and out of bed, but Mia had put up a fight every day to come and see Luc. She hadn’t been allowed to see him straight away, waiting two days as they both went through post-operative checks with the doctor. The only reason Mia didn’t lose her shit was because of the baby, and the only reason Luc hadn’t was because of the pain medication. Now, they were inseparable again.
“I brought a visitor,” I said, breaking them out of their little bubble.
“Link!” Mia cried, eyes growing wide as they locked on Link in my arms. Walking over to her, I sat on the arm of the chair, unsure whether she’d be able to take her chunk of a son with the one semi good arm that she had. Not that I was about to tell her that. “My baby,” Mia whispered, leaning over and kissing every visible inch of him. Link had already paid her several visits, but we’d waited for Luc to gain some strength before putting father and son together.
“Mia, you’re going to smother him,” Luc said, but he watched them with a smile on his face. The first full smile he’d cracked since waking up from surgery. “Hand him over.”
“You’re going soft, boss,” I teased Mia as she looked up, eyes glistening, and I handed Link over to Luc, who could hold him more securely than Mia. “Thought it was about time cub got to see his dad again.”
Judging by the look on Luc’s face I’d made the right decision. It would be a beautiful picture, the three of them huddled together, if it wasn’t so tragic. The burns and the monitors and the grips that were a little too tight as if worried about losing each other. Like something might come along and tear them all apart.
I played my part in doing what I could to make sure that wouldn’t be the reality. I’d forgone sleep to keep things running tightly. Paulo had been dealt with quickly and discreetly after a short hunt. The coward had tried to make a break for it. Back at the hospital, every day, I led the tiny congregation of myself and Mia in prayers and every day she’d cried. I wasn’t sure if she’d stop when it came down to this. Mother was the role that Mia placed above all else.
“Have you been behaving for Lydia?” Luc asked his son.
“Apparently good as gold,” I reported.
“I don’t believe that for a second,” Mia muttered in return. “Lydia’s already covering for him, so I have no chance in keeping him grounded.”
“Katia, Rosalie and Tori have all pitched in.” Mia’s back straightened at the mention of Tori, and I swallowed. “Sorry, boss. I should have checked. I can tell her not to—”
“It’s okay,” Mia said, relaxing again. “Luc told me that she let you know where Gabe was heading. She was there when it mattered.”
“Yeah.” I felt my mouth run dry and I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. I hadn’t brought up Tori or our situation to either of them, trying to find the right time.
“What’s wrong with you?” Luc asked, clocking on to my fidgeting.
“I, uh...” I rubbed the back of my neck nervously, and Luc narrowed his eyes.
I’d always planned to bring Link to the hospital today, but I’d brought something else with me, hoping that the baby would soften the blow. However, now that I was faced with the prospect of actually asking the pair, I felt a little nervous. There was no guarantee they’d agree.
“Spit it out, Dante,” he said. I’d have been pissed at him barking orders if I didn’t once think I’d never hear this dickhead yell at me again.
“Luc,” Mia chastised him. “What’s wrong, D?” The worry was etched all over her features and I realised that she must have thought there was another nightmare waiting for them. We were still dealing with the police and doing what we could to make sure it didn’t get passed on any higher up. The situation did not look good and it wouldn’t be a quick cover. Xavier still managed to fuck us all over, even from the morgue, but we’d get a handle on it. It would just be a long and careful game.
