“Let’s get you into bed.” She pulls the covers back for me. “I’ll bring you some water and Tylenol.”
I utter my agreement as I curl up in the comforter, but almost as soon as she leaves the room, I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.
43
ANGELO
“What is it?” I glance at Mariella briefly before I get distracted by the incoming message on my phone.
Between searching for Ray’s hidden stash of notes and information on Aegis, my men have been busy texting me updates. I also have two more meetings in the city this afternoon, and I’m irritated that my sister called me back here—and even more so that she wouldn’t tell me why.
“Your wife is sick,” she snaps.
That captures my attention.
“What do you mean?” I look up at her.
“She has a fever,” Mariella says.
“Is it a virus?” My gaze drifts down the hall to our bedroom door.
“Yes. It’s an emotional terrorist named Angelo.” She glares at me. “You have to stop treating her like she’s nothing more than a fucking baby incubator for you.”
Those words sting, and it pisses me off because she knows what’s at stake here.
“I don’t think she’s just a baby incubator,” I grit out. “You know what the treaty entails. This isn’t a goddamned fairy tale. It’s business.”
“And you’re a goddamned liar.”
“Watch your mouth,” I warn her.
“You can’t let go of what happened,” she huffs. “You’re so hell-bent on revenge you haven’t even considered that maybe Abella had a good reason for doing what she did.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “What do you know?”
“Ask her.” She gestures down the hall.
“She won’t fucking tell me. That’s the problem.”
“Well, maybe if you quit being an ass?—”
“Mariella.” I drag in a breath, trying to find my patience.
“You have no idea how strong she’s had to be.” Mariella’s voice cracks. “She’s carried enough pain for one lifetime. She doesn’t need it from you, too.”
I swallow, turning away as tension settles in my chest. But Mariella isn’t finished. She fires off one final blow.
“Mom would have wanted you to fix this.”
I start down the hall, and Mariella trails after me.
“Love you, asshole.”
“Love you too,” I mutter.
When I crack open the door to the suite, I pause on the threshold. Abella’s in bed, teeth chattering as she shivers in her sleep. She’s buried in the comforter and still can’t get warm. The sight of her so unwell punches me in the gut. I don’t fucking like it.
“I just gave her some Tylenol,” Mariella whispers from behind me.
