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“You are out of your mind,” she said, but she was laughing. A quick knock came on the door.
“Yes?”
It was her guard. He relayed a message. Tiny was here, and Doc would be here in ten. She told him to make a tray with breakfast and coffee. Lots of it.
Then she told him to have Maria stay with Angelique, that she was not to come to the room. She glanced at the bed, and I realized she was worried about the sheets.
“I’ll get dressed,” she said, coming to stand by the bed.
“Damn Tiny to hell.”
She just shook her head.
“Are you feeling like you might pass out?”
“Yes. Give me mouth to mouth.”
She bent down to press a quick kiss to my lips and then scooted away too quickly.
“I’ll be right back. Do not lose consciousness!”
I smiled. I was feeling a bit woozy. But I liked it when she bossed me around. It was extremely ‘wifey’ of her.
Wifey . . . that had a nice ring to it.
I closed my eyes and took a little nap.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Francesca
“Vincent!”
I slapped his face lightly. Nothing. I slapped it a little harder. Still nothing.
The damned man was out like a light.
But he was breathing. He was alive. And if his friend Doc didn’t fix him, there would be hell to pay.
Italian style.
That meant bloody. Brutal. Creative. Wrenches and pliers. I would tell the bastard what was waiting for him, too, as soon as he got here.
I ran to the door and threw it open.
“The goddamn doctor had better be here—”
He was. At least, I think it was the doctor. He was standing with Pietro and Tiny carrying an old-school doctor bag, so he must be him.
The man looked like a criminal. He had long hair, a beard, and was covered in tats. But I had learned long ago not to judge a book by its cover. His eyes looked smart. He was calm, which was saying something under the circumstances. And technically, he was in a house of criminals, so he was more than welcome.
Hell, if Vincent trusted him, that was good enough for me.
As long as he fixed him.
He had to fix him.
I stepped aside and spoke with urgency.
“He’s unconscious. Fix him.”
“How long?”
“Moments. Less than a few minutes. Maybe two.”
“Did you try and revive him?”
Doc was at the bed, leaning over Vincent’s prone body. I had covered up his lower half, but he was naked as a blue jay. I was too worried to be embarrassed about what we had obviously just been doing.
“I slapped him.”
Doc looked over his shoulder at me with a look of shocked admiration. I glanced at Tiny and Pietro. They also looked awestruck.
“I slapped him twice.”
Doc let out a laugh. That was good. The man would not laugh if Vincent were dying.
“Is he dying?”
“No, but his blood pressure is low. He needs fluids. And he shouldn’t be moved for a few days.”
He gave me a look.
“That means all kinds of movement.”
I bit my lip. I may have blushed. Pietro coughed and excused himself. Tiny asked me if I minded if he stayed.
“Yes, please. Where is his brother?”
“Anthony and Michael will be here soon. You’ll hear them.”
That turned out to be a vast understatement.
Hear them we did. Two pairs of feet racing up the stairs through the house. Shouting. Cursing. Mostly in Italian, but still.
It was barely dawn. It was rude in the extreme. I rolled my eyes as they burst into the room like two handsome bulls in a china shop.
“That idiot!”
“I’m gonna kill him!”
“If you don’t mind, my daughter is sleeping,” I said mildly. But the truth was, I was pissed. I knew they were upset and worried, but where were their manners?
I knew for a fact that neither of them had been raised in a barn.
They turned in unison. His brother and cousin. Both nearly as handsome as Vincent. All three tall and well-built.
But they were healthy and Vincent was . . . not. I hated them in that moment. I couldn’t help it. I hated everyone who was well.
“I apologize,” Michael said with a formal vow. He elbowed Tony.
“I am sorry, Francesca. I hope we didn’t wake her.”
“It’s all right.” I sighed, forgiving them immediately. It was obvious how much they loved Vincent. I could not fault them for something I was also guilty of. “I’ve been calling him an idiot since he arrived last night.”
They both let out a surprised laugh as Tiny thoughtfully closed the door to the hallway. Out of all the Margarellis, Tiny was my favorite. Well, my second-favorite. The door opened again a moment later as the breakfast and coffee arrived.
Doc had finished setting up Vincent’s IV and looked around for something to hang the bag of saline from.
“I need a pole. Or a hook.”
I nodded and went to the door. I was pretty sure we had one of those. In our line of business, we had basic medical supplies in the house. If not, we could get one quickly.
