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They let me get too close to the door. Rocco is too stupid to realize what I’m about to do, but Roberto and Tomaso shout at him to grab me.
Too late.
I lunge out of the door and slam and bolt it behind me.
Then I hurry upstairs, find an emergency exit, and burst out into the sunshine. Where the hell am I? It looks like somewhere downtown, and I run toward the main road to get my bearings.
A bodybuilder comes out of the gym and heads for his car.
I limp after him, clutching my ribs and breathing hard through the pain. “Where’s Honor Memorial?”
The man turns and stares at me. From the looks of him, he looks like he enjoys cage fighting so he only seems mildly surprised by the state I’m in. “Lose a fight?”
“Nah, I won.”
He grins. “Good for you. But you should probably get yourself to a hospital.”
“That’s where I’m trying to go.” I pull one of my rings from my fingers. “Give me a lift to Honor Memorial and you can keep this. It’s white gold. I’m in a hurry.”
“You’ll get blood all over my...” He sighs and shakes his head. “Whatever. Get in and keep your ring. It’s only ten blocks.”
I get into the car, gritting my teeth against the pain and squeezing my eyes shut as black spots dance in my vision. I can’t pass out. Mia needs me.
“What time is it?” I ask as I feel the car start to move.
“Five to two.”
Fuck. Only five minutes before Mia’s appointment. She’s probably already inside, signing forms and doing God knows what.
What feels like an age later, the man pulls up outside an enormous building with Honor Memorial Hospital in foot-high silver letters over the main entrance. I push open the door and get out of the car.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“Good luck, man. Come train with me at the gym sometime.”
His voice disappears behind me as I limp up the path to the entrance. There are people everywhere, arriving at the door from various parking lots.
Then I spot her.
Mia.
Walking arm in arm with Rieta like her sister is giving her strength for what she’s about to do. My woman looks so pale. So forlorn. Even with her sister at her side, she has the devastated air of someone who’s all alone in this world.
The agony in my body is nothing compared to the pain that erupts in my heart. My poor Bambi.
I limp toward her, blood dripping from my nose onto the concrete. She catches sight of me and stops dead. Every footstep is agony, and it takes a thousand light-years, but I finally close the gap between us.
I drop to my knees before her and reach for her hand. “I’m begging you not to do this. Please, Bambi.”
Mia stares at my bruised and battered body, her eyes huge. Then she lifts her gaze to mine. “Laz?”
My split lip screams in protest, but I smile at her. “I’m so happy I found you in time.”
Mia touches my face, her fingers gently skimming my bruises. “What happened to you? Where the hell have you been?”
I swallow hard, trying to catch my breath. “It doesn’t matter. Just swear that you won’t go into that hospital. We can figure this out, you and me. Just listen to what I have to say, I’m begging you.”
She and Rieta exchange confused glances. “Okay, but it’s normal to get a checkup when you’re pregnant. If you want I can wait until next week, I guess?”
