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Three hours in the SUV and we pull up at a small motel. It's out of the way and at least fifty miles away from where I live. In all the time that I'd spent in the small fixer upper house I'd never once traveled this far away from the town.
"You think this is far enough for us to get some rest?" I ask as Chance and I get out of the truck.
"No, it's not but it'll have to do for the night." Vitto grumbles and shakes his head as if he's trying to clear it.
I look him over, and I notice him swerve slightly as we walk toward the reception area. Something is wrong with him but he's trying to hide it from me.
"Are you okay?" I ask and I jump back as he snaps his eyes in my direction.
"You don't need to be worried about me. You need to be focused on yourself and the baby. I've already told you once that I'm fine." He grumbles angrily.
I wasn't prepared for the sudden whiplash of his mood.
I keep my mouth shut as we get the room from the attendant who reminds us that if we want to get cable we needed to pay an extra fee. I'm not here for the cable. We just need someplace warm and safe. This place wasn't both but at least we didn't have to worry about freezing to death in a small hunting cabin.
Vitto and I walk up to the room and I flop down on the bed with Chance the minute we get in. Vitto on the other hand goes about checking the room for different ways we could get out or enemies can get in. He places a few weapons, where he got them I'm not sure, around the room and then he pulls the chair and sits with his back against the wall and his leg against the door.
His eyes are trained on Chance and me but he doesn't say a word. I can feel the tension rising in the room but I'm not sure what's got him in such a horrible mood.
"You going to tell me what's going on? You were fine while we were driving but now it seems like you are pissed to have to share the same room with me." I unhook the baby from my chest and after rearranging a few pillows lay him on the soft bed.
"There's nothing going on." He barks but I'm not just going to let this go.
I take a few steps closer to Vitto and I can visibly see his muscles coil up as if he's ready to attack. When did I become a threat to him? He can take me out at any moment. I don't understand why he's so on edge.
"Vitto, whats wrong?" I ask and take another measured step.
"Get away." He growls. Except he's not looking at me he's looking off to the side. My eyes follow his gaze but I don't see anything but the otherwise empty room.
"Vitto?" I take another step forward this time looking over his face and it's only then that I realize how much he's sweating. It's chilly outside and he hasn't been doing anything too strenuous for him to be sweating like this. "What's going on." I press my hand to his forehead and yank it back once I feel how hot he is.
"Don't touch me!" He swipes at my hand but it's too late. I'd already moved my hand. His reflexes were shit right now.
"Vitto, where are you?" I ask trying to gauge how far gone he is.
"What the hell does it matter?" He grumbles and I watch as his eyes roll back in his head for a second before he springs them back open again. This is much worse than I thought. Without thinking I grab hold of his arm and try to pull him from the chair only to have him scream in agony before he dry heaves and shakes hard.
The gunshot.
With more care, I peel back his shirt and look down at the gunshot he suffered the night he found me in my house. The one that was meant for me. It's bright red, oozing pus and there's a distinct smell to it. It's infected.
"Oh my god. Vitto, why didn't you say anything." I ask as I let my hands hover over the wound. This isn't something I can fix here. Not something that I can just wash up and it'll get better. From the look of the skin around the wound, this infection was already in his blood.
"Needed to get you safe. Baby. My son. Safe." He mumbled and let his head fall back against the wall again.
"We're safe but you need help. We need to get you to a hospital." I say out loud but I already know what he'd say. The hospital is off the table.
"No hospital." He groaned and put his foot back out in front of the door, still doing what he can to make sure Chance and I are protected, "Just let me die, then run."
"Let you die?" I balk and press a hand over my mouth. There's no way I'll be able to do that. He may have brought this craziness back into my life but he's also protected me in more ways than one since the minute he exploded back in my life. I can't let him die. I need to find him help, but where?
Almost as if the cosmos heard my prayer, the phone in Vitto pants starts to ring.
I pull it out and answer, "Hello?"
"Where is my brother?" A gritty voice demands.
Brother?
