Page 94 of Heritage of Fire

I chuckle. “Luna, you were injected with a hallucinogen, had a head injury, and just rappelled a ship for the first time. You havezeroreason for embarrassment. I’m beyond proud of you.”

She flushes a deeper shade of poppy and shifts uncomfortably. Has she ever been told by someone that they’re proud of her?

She looks around the room, absently poking at her IV. Her eyes move to the window, gaze far off. When she sniffs, I reach for her chin and turn her head back toward me. She avoids my eyes as tears fall down her cheeks.

“You’re safe, Luna. I promise.”

“My sister? Has anyone heard from her?”

I shake my head. “Salvatore has gas station camera footage of her being dropped off outside the city. According to him, after that, she hasn’t made contact with your parents. I’ve had Igor corroborate this. The gas station was right there, but it seems like she opted to avoid it.”

She wipes at her tears. “Where could she have gone? Do you think she’s okay?”

“I’m not sure. She may have run, Luna.” I wish I could offer her more.

She nods, swiping more tears away, but they keep coming.

“My father—he refused the demands. In the moment, I knew it was just him being loyal to the Cosa Nostra, but—it hurts, Nik. It makes me feel like I’m worthless …”

My chest constricts and I wish I could hold her. “Stop. You’renotworthless. Salvatore made a decision he’s going to have to live with for the rest of his life. Don’t let his error fall on you. When the next generation of Cosa Nostra leaders take over, and he’s left in a nursing home alone, hewillregret it.”

She blinks her tears away, nodding, and nuzzles my hand when I bring it to her cheek.

“Thank you for coming for me. I?—”

The door opens and a nurse with pink scrubs comes in, smiling at Luna. “Look at you awake. I need to take some vitals and do some checks before the doctor comes in.” She glances at me, then to the door.

I roll my eyes—I’m really getting sick of this. “I’m her husband. I’m staying.” It comes out as a growl, and the woman’s face pales. Still, she peeks at Luna to collaborate, and that I can respect.

Luna nods at the nurse, and I move out of the way as the plump woman proceeds to fiddle with her IV, take her temperature, and check her blood pressure. She brings Luna a cup of water and opens the blinds. Moonlight trickles in along with the city lights.

“The doctor will be in shortly, and we’ll see about getting you discharged tomorrow,” the nurse tells her with a smile. She looks to me. “She’ll need to be monitored at home for a while.”

She takes in my suit pants and gray button-down that technically belongs to Luka. Hence why it’s squeezing the living daylights out of my biceps—I wouldn’t tell him that, though.

“Is that going to be a problem?” she asks.

“Not at all.” I cross my arms and move back to Luna.

The nurse gives me a look like she doesn’t believe me for a second, and I wink at her as she leaves the room. Laughter bubbles out of my wife. I let it soak in, relishing the sound.

After the doctor comes in several hours later and clears Luna for discharge tomorrow afternoon, I run down to grab the dinner I ordered for us.

“Hope you’re up for pizza,” I say, heading back into the room.

Luna is sitting up in bed, her hair now pulled up into a bun. Immediately, I zero in on her wet lashes, and it takes all thewillpower I have not to demand to know what’s wrong. Gritting my teeth, I close the door and set the two pizzas plus breadsticks—I know how much she loves those—on the rolling hospital cart near the bed.

“Yeah. I’m pretty hungry.” She smiles. “I don’t think my parents are going to come by.”

Come by the hospital? I sure hope not. I don’t want Salvatore anywhere near Luna after the way he screwed her over.

“More pizza for us, then.” I grin, and her eyes light up. I fumble around with the paper towel holder and bring a stack over while Luna gently opens the bag of breadsticks. I watch her under the guise of getting my own pizza slice, as she holds a breadstick to her lips and closes her eyes. For a second, I wonder what she’s doing, but then she lets out a long sigh. Smiling, she opens her eyes, along with her mouth, and takes a bite.

Good girl.

I gather my four slices and move to sit in that damn chair again. When I shove half a piece in my mouth, Luna laughs with her mouth full.

“What?”

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