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I balance the diary against his back, and start writing. When I am done, I tear out the page. As he straightens and turns to me, I slip off my ring, wrap it in the page and hand it over to him. "Give it to him when he wakes up," I tell him.
"Karma" he whispers, "what are you doing?"
"What is right for both of us."
"He took a bullet for you," Christian walks toward me, "and you are leaving him?"
"Just give him the letter, Massimo," I plead, "please."
Massimo hesitates.
Christian glares at me.
Seb and Luca walk over to surround me.
I firm my lips, "Your new Don will not be happy that you refused to help his wife."
"Our new Don will be even less happy if we let his wife leave," Christian points out.
I turn on him, "What’s between my husband and me is our concern and no one else’s."
He winces, "Karma, don’t do this."
I turn back to Massimo. "Take it." I jut out my chin, "It would be a lot worse if I left without his having this letter. He needs to read this, Massimo."
He draws in a breath, then reaches over and takes the letter and the ring from me.
I move back a few steps, take in their faces. These men whom I have come to regard as family. I glance at Luca, who jerks his chin in my direction. Even Luca, who helped me escape…then helped me return to my husband…Yeah, they are each impressive in their own right. And together like this…it brings home just how strong they are as a unit. The strongest, most impressive of them all is my husband—the one who I am going to leave.
A hot sensation stabs at my chest…and it’s nothing to do with my heart condition. Damn it, I am going to miss them. Guess I didn’t realize how much I’ve come to regard myself as one of them, and now, I am going to have to leave them. Tears prick the backs of my eyes and I turn away.
"What about Andy?" Adrian calls out after me.
I pause, "Tell Michael to take care of him."
Turning, I walk out of the room. Out of the hospital. Out of his life.
35
Michael
"You let her what?" I try to sit up but pain lances through my wounded side. I gasp, lay back. Sweat beads my temples, and my muscles protest.Cazzo!I am as weak as a newborn. I draw in a breath, then another, wait until the pain subsides somewhat.
"You could take painkillers," Christian points out.
"And allow myself to be knocked out again?" I snap, "No, thanks." Besides, it’s better this way. The pain keeps me from slipping back into the tiredness that threatens my limbs. I glare at the faces of my brothers. "Not one of you thought of stopping her?"
"Of course, we did," Seb retorts. "Not that she was going to listen to us."
"Besides, as she took great pains in pointing out, she is the wife of a Mafia Don, who wouldn’t take kindly to us using coercion to have held her back," Massimo adds.
"So, you let her walk?"
"We didn’t have a choice,fratellone," Luca murmurs.
"Cazzo!"I glare at the lot of them. "Five grown men, and she found a way to outwit the lot of you?"
"She also left this," Massimo pulls out something wrapped in a piece of paper and hands it over.
