The phone feels like it weighs a ton as I dial Dr. Rossi. He answers on the first ring.
“This is Giovanna Marino.”
“Yes,” he says, voice flat as always.
“I need to do a DNA test, if that’s possible,” I manage. “To determine paternity.” Saying the words out loud is beyond humiliating.
“Yes.”
That’s it. Just ‘yes.’I swallow hard. “Okay. Good. Um, can we do that? Starting with the men connected to the kidnapping?”
“Yes.”
“Great.” I pause. “When will we have the results?”
“Do you want every negative or just the positive match?”
“Um, I guess if you don’t find a positive match within a couple days, then update me?”
“Okay.”
The silence stretches, heavy and awkward. Siena gives me a questioning look, and I shrug. “So I guess that’s it—”
“I need a fetal DNA sample,” he adds abruptly. “You need to provide a current blood sample.”
“Oh.” I glance at Siena. “Do you come here for that or—”
Siena leans in and whispers, “Tell him to meet us at Dragovari Tower. It’s closer to the Edge for Dr. Rossi, and you don’t risk Tommy coming home in the middle of everything.”
I nod, grateful for any reason to get the fuck out of this boring house. I relay the details to Dr. Rossi, and he agrees.
Siena rolls her eyes. “He’s so weird.”
“He is,” I agree, watching her toss the pregnancy tests into the trash and bury them under tissues. “Zero bedside manner.”
She laughs softly. “Years of surviving Aurelio will do that.”
A sudden pounding knock at the front door makes me jump, my heart slamming in my chest.
We trade a look. Then the knock comes again, louder and more insistent.
“Siena!” Matti bellows from the other side of the door.
She visibly relaxes. “Jesus Christ.”
“Siena, open the God damn door!”
She stands by the door. “Matti, I asked you to wait in the car.”
“The delivery guy came and went, and I haven’t heard from you. Let me in.”
“We’re fine,” she calls to him, rolling her eyes at me. She lowers her voice. “He gets like this. If something was actually wrong, he’d already be through the door.”
“God damn it, Siena. This place isn’t secure. You and the baby—FUCK! Let’s go!”
“I’m okay, Matti. Giovanna’s fine too.”
“Great. Then let me in.”
