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A steady beeping called me from the dark where I’d been lost for I didn’t know how long. I struggled to open my eyes and even the dim light of whatever room I was in was too bright.
After blinking several times, my eyes adjusted, and I was able to see the stark white and pale green decor of the hospital room. Luca sat in a chair to my left, slumped down, with slow, even breaths that only came with sleep.
There was a bandage on his head and bruises already forming along his cheek and sharp jaw.
"Luca?" I whispered quietly, not wanting to startle him, but he jumped anyway.
He scooted up in his chair and rolled his shoulders. "Hey, you're awake." His voice was gentler than I'd ever heard it. "How are you feeling?"
"Groggy and a bit confused."
Luca nodded. "Doc said that's to be expected. You have a concussion."
I nodded. "And you're okay?"
"Yeah.” Luca turned his eyes down, a look of despair painting his features. “The SUV mostly hit your side."
"How'd you get rid of Stefano’s men?"
"The cowards ran after the accident. I guess they thought it would be better to deal with Stefano getting mad at them for letting you escape rather than for causing an accident that put you in danger."
A horrifying thought came to mind and panic shot through my concussion haze. "The baby. Is the baby okay?"
A shadow crossed Luca's face and he moved to perch on the edge of my hospital bed.
I knew what he was going to say before he said it. My heart ached and I felt hollow inside. Tears came to my eyes, and I tried to blink them away. I shook my head violently from side to side. It made the dizziness and pain from the concussion worse, but I didn't care. No pain could come close to the pain I felt as my heart shattered.
"No," I choked out as my throat tightened and tears ran down my cheeks. "No. Luca, don’t say it. It can’t—tell me my baby isn't gone." My voice cracked as I barely choked out the desperate plea.
He didn’t have to say a word. Deep down, I already knew. Luca wrapped his arms around me and held me as sobs wrecked my entire body. I shook violently, only being steadied and anchored by his grip on me.
I cried and cried until I had no more tears and still Luca held me, letting me just be in the silence, soaking in his warmth and strength.
Suddenly, the quiet was broken by the door being thrown open wildly and I jumped as both of us turned toward the sound.
Luca leaped to his feet as Stefano stormed in, charging toward the bed with rage in his eyes.
"Stefano," I said in complete surprise.
"You," he seethed, wagging his disapproving finger at me. "You did this. You killed my child."
"What?" I was so shocked by his words that my brain couldn't even keep up. "We were in a wreck—"
"It's all your fault. You stupid, reckless, bi—" Stefano lifted his hand and while I would have usually moved to defend myself, the part of my brain in charge at the moment just wanted to curl into a ball and disappear.
I flinched but before his hand struck, Luca wrenched Stefano's hand behind his back and slammed him against the wall beside my bed.
He kept his voice low and calm but there was something eerie about the restrained fury behind his words. "You don't fucking touch her. And you don't talk to her like that either." I'd never heard his voice so lethal before and I found myself holding my breath.
"Let go of me. She is my wife and I'll do with her as I please." Stefano struggled to free himself, but it was no use. I wasn’t sure which was less relenting, the wall or Luca’s grip.
"Not anymore you don't. Not as long as she's got me by her side and I got news for you, I'm going to be by her side until she tells me otherwise."
Luca wrenched Stefano's arm a little farther and he hissed in pain.
"Now, you are going to leave this hospital and never contact her again. This farce of a marriage is over. Mira is coming home. Do I make myself clear?"
