The door opens and three nurses rush in, and I step back from the bed, letting them check him over. Alfonso comes in, his face hard and expressionless for a moment when he sees my father awake.
“Frank,” he eventually says politely. He places the coffees down on a table by the door and goes to my father. “You’re okay,” he says.
“Yes,” my father replies, shooing the nurses away. “Who found me?” he asks immediately.
Alfonso’s back goes stiff, and I watch as his jaw ticks in annoyance. “One of the Novello sons. Youngish kid. I called the ambulance for you and we’ve been here all night—isn’t that right, Natalia?”
Frank and Alfonso both turn to look at me, their expressions serious.
“I believe it was another man that called the paramedics, if I’m not mistaken.” I bite the inside of my cheek so I don’t unleash the barrage of anger I feel toward Alfonso right now. He’s lying, and worse, he’s trying to get me to help him lie. “Wasn’t it a friend of the Novellos that called them?”
Alfonso looks furious with me, and for the first time I’m actually fearful of him. What will our marriage be like? How will he punish me if I go against him once we are wed?
“The Novello brothers,” my father says, his expression neutral. “Get them here, I want to talk to them.”
“Talk to them?” Alfonso questions, his tone perplexed.
“Thank them personally for saving my life,” my father adds.
Silence drops between us all—anger, resentment, jealousy. We’re all adults here, and yet it feels like we’re in a schoolyard.
“Of course, Frank. I’ll get right on it for you.” Alfonso turns to me, coming close. His furious gaze bores into mine and I force myself not to move as he leans in and kisses both of my cheeks. “Not long now,cara mia.” And then he leaves.
My father watches from the bed, his expression still blank. He’s not the sort of man to ever go back on his word or to change his mind. Once he makes a decision, he sticks with it. That’s how he’s achieved so much in life, from backyard gambling to million-dollar drug deals. My father knows people and he knows how to get the best from them.
“Where is your mother?” he asks, interrupting my thoughts.
I hesitate but realize that there’s little point in lying to him. “I don’t know,” I finally answer honestly.
He sighs heavily. “Go home and get some sleep, Natalia. Check she’s okay for me.”
“I don’t want to leave you.” I move closer to his bed and sit down next to him, my eyes imploring not to send me away.
“I know, but your mother, she’s fragile, delicate—she needs you right now. Go and make sure she is okay and then bring her back with you later. The doctors will be coming in soon, no doubt. There’s nothing else you can do right now.”
I nod and kiss his cheek. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
He cups my face in his large hands and stares at me. “My daughter, you have grown into such a beautiful woman. I hope you know that I only ever want the best for you. Wealth, security, respect. You deserve the world and the stars combined.” He sighs and I notice real emotion on his face. “You are my one true love, daughter. Everything I do I do for you.”
Tears prickle my eyes again. “Father?”
He kisses my cheeks once more. “Go, go find your mother, make sure she is okay.”
I nod and leave, more confused than I’ve ever felt before.
When I return later that afternoon, I have my mother with me. She’s barely sober, but she puts on a good show. It seems that even after the party finished last night, she continued drinking until the early morning.
We walk down the long corridor and I frown as I see several men in suits outside my father’s room.
“I told you he was fine,” my mother slurs. “Always working, even on his deathbed.”
“Mother!” I snap, and she looks at me in shock because I never raise my voice. “He’s not on his deathbed. He’s going to be fine—not that you would know, since I’ve had to drag you here.”
Her mouth opens and closes in shock before she finally pulls herself together. “You’re right. He’s the cat with nine lives. Nothing short of a miracle will finish that man off.” She storms forward and I stare at her in shock.
I’ve always known my mother was unhappy, but this week is opening up so many wounds, it seems, and from those wounds, secrets are spilling free.
Donny, my father’s head of security, is standing at the door with the men I met last night. I recognize them immediately; how could I not? All three were attractive. Tall, broad, wearing expensive suits. The one that had been flirting with me stands up straighter when he sees me, and I can’t help the blush rising to my cheeks. There’s no denying his attractiveness, or the wildness that simmers just below the surface. It intrigues me, pulling me in. My entire life has been sheltered, and I think this man would show me all the things I have been missing out on.
