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Great. Just the person I wanted to hear from on vacation. “Sorry, Mom. I thought you were—”
“Your father is in the hospital. He had a heart attack last night.”
I close the door of the bathroom. “Oh?”
“Johnathan! Your father just suffered a heart attack and all you can say is oh?” she yells. “No one’s been able to get ahold of you for hours. I need you here now.”
“Mom, I’m not in New York, but I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“What do you mean? What else could you possibly have to do that’s more important?”
“I have a life, you know.”
“If your father dies without you being here, I’ll never forgive you.”
The line goes dead. I drop the phone on the counter and splash some water on my face. The countertop is cool on my palms as I grip the edge of the sink and stare at my bloodshot eyes, nothing but fear looking back at me. There’s no way that the old man can croak now. Not before I cancel this whole business deal with the viper queen. I glance down at the blinking screen to see several missed calls and texts from various people. The whole idea of dealing with any of this makes me want to crawl back into bed with my mystery woman and restart tomorrow. But life has other plans for me as my phone vibrates with another incoming message.
I make my way back out to the room and immediately admire every inch of her. That dark hair falls around her body as she snuggles deeper into the sheets. What I wouldn’t give to make her mine for more than a night. I shrug back into my clothes with a heavy sigh. Maybe I should leave a note or something. If my old man wasn’t trying to die on us, I would totally slide back in for seconds. But I think better of it and choose to slink out the door. Better to leave as a mystery guy than as anyone else. Especially for her sake. The last thing I need is to ruin someone else’s life with my family’s drama. No matter how much I loved last night, she doesn’t deserve to be tangled up in my fucking mess. I pick up my shirt, and a clutch purse comes tumbling out, a cell phone thumping loudly to the floor. Crap. I look back, expecting her eyes to shoot open, but she still lays asleep as if nothing happened. Good. The last thing I need is to explain any of this right now.
I slide her phone on the nightstand and throw the clutch on the chair. Goodbye, mystery girl. I can’t help but steal one last look before shrugging on my shirt and walking out the door. So much for a vacation.
* * *
The hospital hallwayis silent as I’m led to my father’s room by one of his men. Apparently, they requested the whole floor to be cleared out for privacy. Leave it to my dad to flaunt his wealth even at the end. The door opens, and I’m frozen at the sight. Wires and tubes stick out of my dad from every angle. The pompous asshat that I expected to see is now just this frail-looking raisin being held up by tubes. Is this really my dad?
“Johnathan.” My mom leaps up from her seat. “You sure took your sweet time getting here.”
“I was on a plane, Mom. It’s not like I was in Jersey.”
“Of all the times to be out partying.” She scoffs.
“Oh, like I knew the old man was going to have a heart attack the moment I left.”
“Can we have the room for a moment?” My dad’s voice is low but strong.
My mom instantly shuts up and nods. “Of course.”
She follows a few other men back out of the room, glaring at me as she closes the door. As if I’m so privileged to be alone with him.
“Come here.”
He doesn’t move much because of the wires, but as I inch closer, I brace for a slap out of habit.
I kneel by his bed. “What’s up, Dad?”
“I’m sorry, Johnathan,” he whispers. “I tried it get out of it, but I failed.”
My heart goes into a sprint. “What do you mean?”
“Leo and his daughter. They’re more dangerous than I thought.” He wheezes, the monitors beside him rising sharply. “Whatever you can do to get yourself out, do it.”
“Dad?” My hands shake as he coughs violently. “Dad, what are you saying?”
“The business is in your hands now, son.” He grabs my hand in his. “Do whatever it takes to keep safe.”
His coughing continues, and I press the emergency button by his bed. The monitors continue to beep around me as his coughing slows.
“What are you talking about? Is this about money? Dad?”
