In my foggy state, the most important thing escaped my head. “Wait! My baby. What about my baby?”
“I was wondering when you’d ask. Your baby is fine. Nothing was near her since you got shot in your shoulder. You’ll need to play it easy for the rest of your pregnancy, but she will be okay. Speaking of, with your consent and an NDA we should fly your midwife to Philadelphia to continue your prenatal care. I’ve spoken with her charge nurse from when she worked here for a reference. She’s an impressive young woman.”
All that information is fantastic, but my brain holds onto a small detail. “She?”
“Oh shit, I fucked up. Did you not know? Stella said you were working with a midwife, but your blood results and the ultrasound showed you’re having a girl. Honestly, I’m happy foryou, the last thing this world needs is another man. Are you happy?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m happy. Do you think I can see the ultrasound? With all of my visits being at home, I’ve never seen her.” Her. I’m having a baby girl.
I’ve never seen Dr. Rossi smile, but a corner of her lip tips slightly up before she speaks. “Of course.”
Dr. Rossi sets up the machine and lifts my shirt, spraying blue liquid on my stomach before looking for her. Before I know it, the steady thump of her heartbeat appears on the screen. Dr. Rossi points out every part of my baby, including her head, feet, hands, and that she is definitely a she. I suddenly wish Alessandro were here, despite what happened.
“Do you want me to call anyone? Your family? Mr. Shoots-A-Lot?”
“Yes. To all of them. Don’t call my family yet. I need to see Alessandro first.” She gives me a nod before exiting the room, I’m assuming to call Alessandro. How am I going to feel once Alessandro gets here? Yes, he shot me. Yes, he intended to shoot Nonno. But I love him and I’m carrying his baby. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Chapter 60
Alessandro
20 Weeks Pregnant
“You dumb son of a bitch. How the fuck could you have shot her?” Genos been saying the same words for days while Luci lies in a hospital after I put her there. Dr. Rossi updated me when she got out of surgery, confirming Luci and our baby are both okay. We’re now waiting for her to wake up. In the meantime, I’m stuck in Philadelphia in timeout.
Another phone call comes in the middle of Geno yelling at me and my heart nearly stops when I see Dr. Rossi’s name on the screen.
“Geno, I have to go.”
“You hang up on me and I’ll come to America myself and—” I cut him off and answered Dr. Rossi’s call.
“How is she?”
“She’s awake and wants you to come to Wyoming, even though I don’t know why. When my second ex-husband shot me I cut off his hands so he couldn’t do that again.”
She started working for me when her second husband introduced us. Since then, he’s moved six feet under and she’s moved on to husband number three. Or is it four? “Your ex-husband shot you because you had a knife to his throat.”
“Potato, patato. Are you coming here or does Geno still have you in timeout?”
This woman. “Yes, I’m coming.”
I’m on the first flight into Casper, speeding to Luci after threatening the man at the car rental place when he wasn’t going fast enough. I pull up outside of the hospital, slamming the car into park and rush in the direction of the nurse’s station.
“Where is she?” The nurse yelps in response to my sudden outburst when I slam my hand into the desk.
“I-I’m sorry, sir, who are you here to see?”
Deep breath, Alessandro. “I apologize for my outburst I’m here to see Luciana Bonacci. I’m her fiancé.”
“There’s no fiancé listed here. Do you mean her husband?”
Fucking Aldo. There’s no reason to put Elio on that list since he’ll never come here. I slam on the desk again making the nurse jump back. I know I’m seconds away from security taking me away when I notice her hand scraping against the underside of the desk. “No! She’s mine! Now tell me where she is!”
“Stop throwing your dick around and follow me. Maggie, you can call off the angry mob he’s with me.” She recognizes theimportance of the situation when Dr. Rossi appears around the corner and I follow her back into the hallway leading to Luci’s room as she grumbles to herself.
Dr. Rossi shows me into her hospital room. I freeze in the doorway when I see Luci. She’s is sitting in the bed, shoulder wrapped up, holding her belly with a hypnotizing glow on her face. I’ve never been so guilt-ridden in my life. I shot her, the woman carrying my child.
“Alessandro.” Her soft voice is mesmerizing, and that alone is what helps me move from the spot I’ve been in.
