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“It’s Mikhail,” Evgenii says suddenly. “He’s been coordinating these attacks, I know it.”
I am instantly annoyed. Evgenii just wants to blame Mikhail because he’s jealous I went on a date with him.
“You have no proof of that. Mikhail isn’t stupid enough to attack the Volkovs and Sorvinos. He wouldn’t declare war against the strongest families in New York.” I shake my head.
Evgenii frowns. “You don’t know what men like Mikhail are capable of.”
“I think I know Mikhail better than you do,” I snap.
Evgenii clenches his fists, and Alessandro walks to the bottom of my bed. “Go get yourself something to drink and calm down.”
Evgenii relaxes and nods, looking at me one last time before leaving.
Alessandro looks at me meaningfully. “Stop letting your emotions cloud your judgment. I mean it. You’re letting them get the better of you.”
I’m about to say something when he picks up my chart. I panic. “Alessandro, I…”
“You’re pregnant.” He puts the chart back. As he walks to the door, I worry, thinking he’s leaving and that’s it, but he shuts the door and sits on the edge of the bottom of my bed.
“You’re not far along. I assume you would have told me eventually.” I feel contrite.
“I just wanted to sort out my own feelings on the subject.” I’m trying to keep emotion out of it, but I care deeply about what Alessandro thinks of me.
“You can still tell me things like this, Shirls. I won’t judge. I mean, with the drama our family goes through, this is minute. The women in our family are pretty crazy,” he gives me a small smile. “But you should probably tell the father of your child. Every man deserves a chance to prove himself as a father and to dote and love on his children.”
I glance away from him. I want to tell him who the father is, but I can’t. He’ll think I’m a fool. “I just want to work out what’s best for the baby and me before I do that.”
Alessandro breathes heavily and pats my leg gently. “Evgenii is a lucky man to be able to start a family with you, so think about it carefully before you make any harsh decisions.”
He stands up, and I want to ask him how he knows, but of course, he knows. Everyone probably knows. I swallow hard and rest back against my bed, closing my eyes.
An hour, maybe a little more, passes when another light knock at my door disturbs me. I open my eyes to Evgenii with his arms full of flowers and balloons, and a giant stuffed get well soon panda bear.
“Pandas are your favorite, so I hunted this little shit down. You should name him, he’s cute. Well, cuter than me, at least.” He laughs at his joke, and I offer him a smile. He straightens my blanket and my IV and adjusts my pillow, fussing over me something terrible.
“How are you feeling now? Do you need more pain meds because I’ll hook you up? How is your pain level?”
“I just want to go home,” I sigh. “I’m sore and tired, but I’d prefer to rest at home.”
“You should stay here until they clear you,” he says protectively. “You don’t want to go home too soon, and they might miss something.”
A firm knock at the door draws our attention. Mikhail is standing in the doorway with a massive bouquet of roses, and before anyone can say anything, Evgenii has launched himself from my side toward him, tackling him to the ground.
I try to sit up, but my body is stiff, so I know I’m not going to separate them. I hit the call nurse button, but nurses and security are already rushing to the fight that has now spilled out into the hallway.
They manage to split the men. Evgenii is nearer to me, so I glare at him. “Go calm down while I speak to Mikhail.” It isn’t a request, and although he looks reluctant, he gives Mikhail one last glare before slowly walking away.
Mikhail straightens his clothes and runs a hand over his hair before walking to me.
“Sorry, he’s on edge.” I give him a hesitant smile. “How did you know I was in the hospital?”
“News travels fast among families,” he smiles and scoops up the bouquet of roses. He sets them closer to me than Evgenii’s flowers, and I know he’s trying to assert dominance.
I rest back and fold my hands over my lap. “I imagine so, but I didn’t think I’d be that important to warrant news.”
“You’re important to me,” he smiles, sitting on the edge of my bed.
I give him a stern look before I soften. “Are there any leads as to who it could have been?”
