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She stands there holding me together, even though I know she’s breaking inside too.
My brother could die. The only woman I’ve ever loved almost died. Our baby was put in danger.
It all happened because I failed.
I couldn’t take care of my family.
25
BRIELLE
The early morning sun is shining through the window as Dr. Carrigan packs up the portable ultrasound. He smiles at me as I clean the jelly off my lower stomach and get out of bed.
“Everything looks good and the baby is healthy. You’re doing fine. Although some of those bruises look rather nasty, they are healing nicely. I think that you could use some more rest and relaxation,” Dr. Carrigan says, fixing me with a stern look.
Salvatore chuckles, but the sound is hollow. He’s been crying on and off since the shower last night. When he was sleeping, he kept muttering about being a failure. Through the night, I held him, hoping that he would wake up knowing that he isn’t a failure.
“How is Matteo doing?” I ask, glancing over at Salvatore who swallows hard.
“He’s still asleep, but we haven’t sedated him since the surgery. He should wake up soon.”
Salvatore makes a strangled sound in his throat and rolls over in bed, pulling the blankets a little higher around his body.
For so long, he’s been so strong. It’s breaking my heart to watch him fall apart like this.
None of this ever would have happened if I hadn’t dragged them into my life. Everyone would have been living their lives the way they had been before I showed up.
Matteo wouldn’t be fighting to wake up right now if I hadn’t brought my shit into their lives.
“Thank you,” I say, dismissing the doctor before turning to Salvatore. The door shuts softly behind Dr. Carrigan as I lay down beside Salvatore.
I drape my arm over his waist and bury my face in his back, curving my body around his. His body shakes with quiet sobs and I don’t know what to do.
I never thought that I would see him crumble like this.
“Matteo is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. He’s going to get through this. You did the best that you could to keep us all safe.”
Salvatore shudders. “I didn’t do enough to keep him safe. I should have been with both of you. I would have been able to protect you. I would have stopped your mother.”
“There is no way that you could know what you would have been able to do. We made a plan that was meant to keep everyone as safe as possible. It worked to the best of its ability.”
He shifts away from me before getting out of bed. I watch as he heads to the door and opens it. Salvatore pauses for a minute, his shoulders stiff. After a second, he walks out the door and closes it behind him.
I sigh and run my hands down my face before sitting up in bed. I don’t know how to help him, even though I want to.
There is nothing I can say that is going to make this better. Matteo had damage to his lungs. While it was minor damage, he still isn’t awake yet. It’s causing some concern among the family, but the one it is bothering the most is Salvatore.
The door opens and Brennan walks in. He smiles when he sees me, though there is a bandage wrapped around his arm where he got shot.
“It’s good to see you,” I say, getting out of bed and going to hug him. “You should have told me that you were planning on flying out here and getting shot.”
“You would have told me not to do it,” he says, grinning as he hugs me tighter. “I had to be here. I can’t believe that your parents aren’t your parents. And they are alive. This whole thing seems crazy to me.”
“I know. I wouldn’t believe it either if they hadn’t dug into it.”
“And Sofia is your half-sister. Have you talked to her about it?”
I give him a sheepish smile as I take a step back. “Not yet. I’ve been avoiding her for the most part. I don’t think that’s a conversation I’m prepared to have with her yet. Her or my half-brother.”
