“Share your location. I’m on the way.” I did as he asked and paced, waited, and tried to help until they threatened to arrest me. “Mr. Hughes, I understand how you’re feeling. But you’ve got to get out of the way and let us do our job. We’re almost there.”
Their sense of time and mine were completely different. I needed him out now. I needed to see him breathing in my arms. I couldn’t stand here and do nothing. I had to do something.
With my hands in my hair, I watched as they moved debris out of the way, trying to clear the path to the basement. I paced, analyzed, trying to figure out how I was gonna deal with this bullshit.
If Luca were dead, I would never recover.
I tried calling his number again, but it didn’t work. The call had gone to voicemail, and the sound of his voice tore me apart again, telling me he would return my call. If he were gone, I wanted to go with him. I couldn’t live without him now.
I lost track of time until a hand settled on my shoulder. Turning, I looked into the eyes that matched mine. They were full of sadness that I felt, but he didn’t hesitate. He pulled me into his arms, while I broke down and cried. “What am I gonna do if he doesn’t make it?”
He held me tightly and spoke into my ear. “Don’t think that way, son. Be positive. They’ll get him out.”
Time crawled by at a snail’s pace. It took everything I had not to help, but I stood by, like a sentinel watching. Waiting. Praying.
I called his number every few minutes, but eventually it went directly to voicemail. As I stared at my phone, I knew I had to face the possibility that Luca might be gone. That I might need to brace myself for what happened after this. I wouldn’t be able to stay here. I would need to go back to Europe.
For two hours, I paced and watched them bring in excavators and hydraulic equipment to move the debris. Pacing, pacing, pulling at my hair, and praying until they called for the paramedics. I took off running to the doorway until the fire chief and my father stopped me yet again.
“Mr. Hughes. Let them get him out. They need to assess him. Please don’t make me handcuff you.”
“Son, come on,” Dad said. “Let them do their jobs.”
“Just tell me he’s alive. Please. Just tell me he’s alive.”
The fire chief spoke into his radio, but the asshole walked away out of earshot. I watched as the world slowed down while he lifted it to his ear to get the response. I held my breath as he turned to look at me. “He’s alive.”
Tears filled my eyes as I dropped to my knees again. My body released all the anxiety I’d been holding. I’d never cried so much in my life until they wheeled him out, strapped onto a gurney. Covered in dust, his color wasn’t good, but the oxygen mask was giving him what he needed.
I ran to his side and took his hand. “Luca, love. I’m here.” I said, running beside the gurney to the waiting ambulance.
The paramedic tried to shoo me away. “Sir, we need to get him to the hospital.”
“I know that. I’m going with him,” I snapped.
“Sir, you can’t…”
“You will have to fucking arrest me to keep me from going.”
He looked over his shoulder at the chief, who gave him the okay. “Okay, you ride up front.”
“Why can’t I go in the back?” I knew I was pushing it.
He shook his head. “We need to be able to get an IV started. It’s a little cramped.”
“Axel,” my father said, “get in the front. I’ll meet you there.”
I whirled on him. “Find Decker and check on Edith. He’s going to want to know,” I said, before climbing into the front.
My father squeezed my shoulder. “I’ll find him. It’s going to be okay.”
When the driver climbed in, I turned and kept my eyes on Luca. For the first time in hours, I felt like I could breathe until alarms sounded from the back.
Chapter 41
Luca
My eyes were heavy as the murmur of conversation around me and the antiseptic smell began to register. I’d either made it out, or I was in heaven. Moving my eyes behind closed lids hurt, ruling out the afterlife, but the cool air blowing up my nose was a welcome relief. I tried inhaling deeply, only to cough until my chest hurt. Nope. I was still here. Thank god.
