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“Where’s my mom?” I said, not looking at him.
He named a private London hospital. The sort I could never afford. The sort that royalty and famous people probably used. Hadn’t some Hollywood actress given birth there?
A half-sob came out of my mouth suddenly, embarrassing me.
I covered my eyes with my hand, tears leaking out, hiding them from him. Mom would not be with me when the baby was born. They wouldn’t allow a tetraplegic into the room. But at least she was alive. A few minutes ago, I had feared she was dead.
“Hey,” he said gently, parking the car and pulling me into his arms, cradling the back of my head with his big hand, kissing my temple. “Everything is going to be okay now. I promise.”
It felt so good to lean my head against his chest. To just be held by someone telling me they would take care of everything.
I wiped my tears and shook my head. “Sorry, I never cry.” I hiccupped.
“In the last twelve hours, your friend has been killed, you’ve been questioned by the police, and you’ve been attacked by thugs. You have every right to cry.”
“And kidnapped by a mobster,” I mumbled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I shook my head. Angrily wiped away my tears that kept leaking, even though I wanted them to stop.
“I don’t want tocry. I want to catch the bastard that did this. And I want to see my mom. Right now!” My voice was shaking as I turned to glare at him, certain he would refuse.
But he nodded. “And after that, we’ll go shopping.”
I scowled. “No, thanks!”
Did he really think that buying things was going to make me feel better?
He chuckled. “I said I would find the killer, remember?” he said gently. “And my plan involves you looking the part.”
I frowned. “You really have a plan?” My eyes widened. “Then you must suspect who might have hurt Dolly? Who is it?”
He shook his head. “I have no idea. But I know how to find out.”
“You must have some idea. Why was she in your apartment? How did she get in? Why would someone kill her there?”
I chewed my lip. What if his plan uncovered it was Toby? What if he thought I’d been in on it?
“I want to know those things too.” His eyes narrowed, the quiet anger in them sending a shiver down my spine. I understood suddenly why people were afraid of him. I would certainly not want to be his enemy.
“What plan?” I asked.
“You will see. And it involves you being my fiancée.” He took my hand and gently slid his ring back onto my finger. The touch of his slightly calloused finger sliding over mind made me catch my breath.
He tilted up my chin to make me look at him. “Don’t take it off again, carissima.”
I nodded.
Chapter 13
BETH
He drove me to the hospital that he had put Mom in. It was nothing like my usual experience of hospitals with Mom. Instead of being harassed and short-tempered, the receptionists were smiling and relaxed. One of them actually showed us all the way into Mom’s bedroom.
Her private room instead of a noisy ward full of other ailing patients. With bright sunlight streaming in through the large window, and flowers and a fruit bowl and soft luxurious sheets on the bed.
