Page 44 of Reign of Fate
“Here.” Her voice is faint. “Ivo.”
“Baby, can you open the door?” I hear her groaning, but the door remains locked.
“I…I can’t,” she winces audibly, clearly in pain.
“I’m coming, Elisa. I’ll get you out.”
“Ivo,” she moans. Her breathing sounds heavy, more labored. “I love you.” Then, nothing but complete silence. I call her over and over, and nothing.
I ram my shoulder into the door several times, but it doesn’t budge. Raffaele pushes me aside. He’s thinking much more clearly than I am. “We’ve got to find another way in.”
Then suddenly, I hear the lock give. I open the door to find Elisa slumped against the wall, her face beaten and bloody.
“Shit!” I yell, scooping her up in my arms. She moans in pain. Raffaele gets on the phone with the doc to tell him to meet us at our house. I carry Elisa through the living room to find Ruggero on the floor. “Don’t kill him,” I tell Leno. “That’s my job.”
He sees Elisa, and his face grows hard. “I’m coming with you,” he says.
“Massimo, take Ruggero to the Underground,” Raffaele says, and precedes me out the door. Once we get in the car, Raffaele takes off his jacket and puts pressure on her wound, while Leno drives like a Formula One race car driver.
I hold Elisa tightly to my chest, kissing the top of her head. “Stay with me, regina,” I murmur in her ear. “Elisa, look at me.” Her eyes are already swelling shut, but she manages to open them ever so slightly. “I love you too. Do you hear me?”
“Hear you.” She can hardly be heard, and she passes out in my arms.
“Jesus Christ, this can’t be happening,” I say.
“Hold tight, brother. Elisa is a tough woman, and she loves you. She’s going to hold on with all she has,” Raffaele replies, attempting to console me.
SIXTEEN
This is Our Family
ELISA
“Why isn’t she waking up?” The sound of Ivo’s distressed plea penetrates the fog in my brain. “It’s been over twenty-four hours.”
“Mr. Avante, we gave a shot for the pain and to keep her calm, and her body needs the rest. We’ve kept her sedated for her to be pain-free. We’ve eased up on the medication, and she’ll be coming around soon. You need to be patient.” It must be the doc. I remember him from the time he came over to take care of Evangeline.
I hear Evangeline’s soothing tone. “Come on downstairs and eat something. You’ll be no use to Elisa if you make yourself sick.”
“I’m not leaving her,” Ivo replies, and then I feel him take my hand in his. He needs to eat. I find it a Herculean effort, but I open my eyes. I see the top of Ivo’s head bowed down as he presses his lips to the back of my hand.
“Baby.” My voice is raw and hoarse. I need water.
Ivo lifts his head to meet my eyes. “Hey, beautiful.” His fingers caress my cheek. “You came back to me. You scared the life out of me.”
I want to tell him I’m sorry, but all I can get out is “Water.” He puts a straw to my lips so I can suck in the cool liquid. I let it slide down my throat. Ah, much better!
“A little at a time,” the doc orders.
I glance up at him. “I hurt.”
“Give her something,” Ivo demands, his eyes filled with concern.
“I’d rather not. In Elisa’s condition, we should pace the medication and try to wean her off the meds as quickly as possible. There was no choice at first. I needed to get the bullet out and set her ribs, but it won’t be good for the baby,” the doctor says.
Did I just hear him say baby?
“Baby?” Ivo repeats, stunned.
