“Because you’re in shock and I don’t want you to die too.”
“Like my sister?”her voice shakes and it’s not just because her teeth are chattering so hard.“And my dad?”
That’s not what I meant.
“I don’t want you to die like the rest of my family did,” I tell her and place my hand on her thigh.Her skin feels ice cold even through the thick fabric of her black pants.“Because I love you as much as I loved them.More than some of them.And I can’t lose you too.”
She gives me that shocked look again and she’s right too.I have no idea why that came out of my mouth.But it did and it’s the truth.
Not the best time to say it, though, the look on her face is plainly telling me that.Though maybe her eyes aren’t quite so scared, and her teeth aren’t chattering so badly anymore.
“And what?That’s supposed to make me feel better?”she asks.“You got a funny way of showing your love… keeping me locked up… killing my family…” her voice breaks and I’m sure she’s about to start crying.But she’s stronger than that.
She visibly steels herself, pulls my jacket over herself and sits up straighter.“There was a time when I thought I loved you too.When I wanted you to be my family.But that’s all gone now.”
I could say that I think she’s lying—which I hope she is—but Ferro has just pulled off the highway and I have to concentrate hard not to crash as I follow.
We’re about halfway back to his mansion, so I have no idea where he’s going.Until he pulls into the vast parking lot of a huge hospital just off the highway.St.Peters.
We’re gonna need that guy’s help to get out of this.To send Chiara away from Heaven’s gate, and to keep us from getting locked up for bringing in a woman who’d been shot.We’ve stirred up a lot of police attention with everything we’ve already done to secure Ferro’s dream of becomingcapo dei tutti capi.That might just remain an unfulfilled dream after today.
I should keep driving, get as far from Ferro as I can if I want to hold on to my own dream and any hope that it’ll one day come true.But I park right at the entrance through which Ferro, Lorenzo and Chiara just disappeared.
Gianna is out of the car before it even stops, running full speed to the hospital door.I follow more slowly.Like a man walking to the gallows.Which this very much feels like.My last walk as a man with dreams.Because I think my curse got tired of waiting for me to get everything I want back before cutting me down.Or maybe this is Goldie’s curse striking me down.
Either way, nothing good waits for me beyond those sliding doors of St.Peter’s hospital.
But I do hope something good waits there for Goldie.And that seems like enough for me too right now.
She doesn’t want anything from me, but I can give her this.A chance to be with her wounded sister.A chance to say her final goodbye.
I’m hoping that’s not all she’ll get.But the concrete leading to the hospital doors is slick with Chiara’s blood.
Chapter35
GIANNA
Everyonein the waiting room of the hospital, some fifty people, are on their feet staring at the blood-soaked Ferro and the stocky man by his side.Ferro is arguing with a nurse.She’s about half his height, but it looks like she’s winning the argument.
“You’ll have to take a seat, Sir,” she’s saying.“You can’t come in.Someone will be with you shortly.”
I run right up to Ferro and get between him and the nurse.
“Where’s my sister?”I ask him.
He blinks like he’s having trouble focusing on my face.
“They took her in… they’re making me wait outside… but I’m her husband… I should be allowed in.”
For such an imposing man, he seems very small right now.Inconsequential, even.
“Oh, for God’s sake,” I mutter and run right thorough the sliding door which lead into the ER proper.
The nurse is yelling at me to stop, that I have to wait outside for a doctor to call us in.But I hardly hear her, and I’m sure as hell not going to wait out there while my sister dies alone in here.
The ER is a vast space, full of people, doctors, nurses, gurneys all rushing somewhere or being wheeled there.Some people are yelling, some are screaming, some are being put in their place by nurses and doctors that sound fed up with everything and everyone.And there’s beeping.So much beeping my head is spinning, and my ears are ringing.
I have no idea where I’m going, and more nurses are trying to stop me, but I pay them no attention.It’s like I’m being pulled somewhere by an invisible rope.It’s a room filled with many people, all crowded around a hospital bed.All I see of my sister is the ridiculous green gown hanging off the sides of the bed.
