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The doctor’s face softened a fraction, and she smiled. She was older, with smile lines embedded into her face. She looked like she enjoyed her life and was happy. I wanted that. Not for me, necessarily, but for Mari. I wanted her to grow old enough to show her life on her skin in more than just scars. “She is.”
Thank fuck. I drew in an intentionally slow breath and let it out, feeling the tension holding Grey, Nate, and me together loosen.
“We’ll give her whatever she needs to heal at home.” Confirmation that Mari was alive took the edge off my panic, but the walls still felt like they were closing in. All I could think about was how easy it would be for someone to sneak in and take her out. We needed to get her home and out of easy access as soon as possible.
Greyson shoulder checked me, pasting on a strained smile for the doctor. “What he’s trying to say, Dr. Grant, is Mari’s a figure who isn’t safe in the open. We need to get her somewhere secure.”
The woman—Dr. Grant, apparently—didn’t budge an inch. In fact, she crossed her arms and glared at us. “I’m aware who she is, but she’s not going anywhere. Your wife just had surgery. She needs at least a few days to see if she’ll even wake up on her own. After that, we’ll have to make sure there’s no chance of sepsis or any other infections. Move her, and risk her recovery.”
Nate answered before Greyson or I could snap. “We’ll figure it out. For now, we need to speak to your head of security and whoever runs the place. There are things we’ll need to do before we let anyone near her again.”
“You’re not going to stop me from taking care of my patient.” Dr. Grant leveled a glare my way, and I was actually impressed. How many people glared at someone in the mafia? The doc had a spine of steel.
“No,” Nate replied patiently, “but we are going to do whatever it takes to make sure our girl is protected. That includes vetting and securing the best staff for her care and moving her to a private area that will ensure we can not only monitor her efficiently but will remove any danger from the rest of your patients. Does that work for you?”
Dr. Grant stared at us, and I wondered if she was trying to think of a way to throw us out that wouldn’t have us breaking down the doors. Joke was on her; there was nothing she could do to keep us out. Finally, she nodded. “That’s fine.”
“Can we see her?” Grey rasped, and I could see the sweat beading against his temple. He was in pain, but with Mari out, we were the Marcosa leaders. Neither of us could afford to show any weakness.
The reminder that we were the only things standing between her and a coup from the other families straightened my back. If they needed to see strength, I’d be a fucking statue until Mari was ready to take over again.
“Third floor. I’ll let the charge nurses know to extend visitors passes to all three of you, but she needs quiet.” Dr. Grant’s eyes were planted firmly on me, like I was the troublemaker. I didn’t blame her.
“We’ll be on our best behavior,” I promised.
She didn’t respond to that. “I’ll send the people you need upstairs.”
“Thank you,” Nate said, shaking her hand. She did the same to Grey and me, and then the good doctor was gone.
“She’s alive,” I breathed, still a little awed. It didn’t seem real after the night we’d had.
“She’s alive,” Grey agreed.
“Let’s get to her, then.”
Moving like we’d done it a thousand times, Nate and I boxed Grey in, giving him what little support we could offer in public under the guise of guiding him while he was on his phone.
“Moore and the others are coming up. They’ll get the background checks done and clear out her current floor. Then they can find a way to separate her from everyone else.”
Nate cleared his throat. “There’s a private ward near the top of the building. It’s older and slated for renovation soon, so it’s probably available.”
Grey side-eyed Nate. “How do you know that?”
Nate shrugged and leaned forward to punch the elevator button, only for it to open immediately. “I watch the news, just like everyone else.”
Grey mulled it over while we stepped inside and hit the button for Mari’s floor. He glanced at Nate again like he wasn’t sure he believed him, but by the time the elevator stopped again, Moore and his crew were headed up to check it out and Nate was trying and failing to hide his smile.
Smacking him upside the head, I led us into the hallway. “Don’t be so fucking smug.”
“Of course not,” he said with false solemnity. “It’s a totally normal occurrence to know something Greyson doesn’t.”
For his part, Grey didn’t interject. He straightened himself to his usual stick-up-the-ass posture and strode down the hall like he wasn’t hurting at all.
“We’re here for my wife, Mari Andrews.”
The nurse’s head popped up, eyes wide. “Right, Dr. Grant called up. She mentioned…multiple husbands.”
The nurse, Deborah, took her time looking us over, and by the time she was done, I was sure she’d have no problem leading one of us to an empty closet or a break room.
