Page 7 of The Sicilian Heir
"Let's go get some coffee," Vito barked at Nick. The men headed out and we waited silently. Once the door closed, we both bowled over in laughter.
"What is his problem?" Rose gasped. I shook my head and it throbbed.
"I dunno, he has been in a bad mood since I was examined." I rolled over to Rose and sat next to her bed.
"How are you doing? I know this is a lot."
I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't want to say anything to piss her off, but she knew how I felt about the famiglia. I wanted no part. "I'm in pain and I really just want to get the hell out of Dodge." I had to be as honest as I could be.
"I could ask Nick if we could take you back to New York?" she offered.
"What would be the difference between there and here? If I'm around, I'll be in danger. If that big guy hadn't gotten the drop on me, I would have dropped his ass." I was well trained. He got lucky, but I wouldn't let it happen again.
"Well, I want you to know you have options even if it isn't exactly what you wanted." She was referencing my need to go back to Texas. Even though there was nothing there for me, it was still home.
"I know, thank you," I said humbly.
"I have good news, though, or at least I think it's good news. I'm not really sure," Rose started rambling.
I felt a nervous flutter in my stomach. "What?" I snapped.
"I'm pregnant," she dropped that bomb in my lap.
I stared at her blankly before the words really processed in my mind. "Congratulations," I choked out. I shivered with disgust, which didn't go unnoticed by Rose.
"What's your problem? I thought you would be happy for me," she snapped at me. Her tiny face was displeased.
"It's not that. I am happy for you. It's just… there's more that I didn't tell you," I whispered.
Rose leaned forward in her bed, trying to get closer to my lips so she could hear me. "What more? About Romano?" I nodded my head, gutted that I had to revisit the memories.
"They scraped me clean," I mumbled.
Rose scrunched her face in confusion.
I drew in a deep breath and explained, "I can't have children anymore. They took everything and didn't even give me time to heal before they started using me."
Rose choked on a sob. We both were crying. The men found us wrapped in each other's arms, sobbing our eyes out, hours later.
Chapter 5
Eunji
The men came back from their long coffee run and separated us. They were both bewildered, but when Nick asked Rose why we were crying, she clammed up. Of course, he leaned over her bed and whispered in her ear. She turned bright red but refused to budge. I knew he had threatened to spank her ass. He was always spanking her, and I knew about his proclivities since New Haven was so small. It was a cesspool for gossip. Vito wheeled me back to my room and lifted me out of the wheelchair.
"Vito," I called to him.
"Yes, little lotus?" He stroked my hair, and I could hear him deeply inhale behind me. Sometimes he could be such a creeper.
"Do you know where my knife is?" I hadn't been able to find it. I thought the hospital may have taken it from me, which distressed me greatly.
"I have it here." Vito whipped it out of his boot and handed it to me.
I let out a sigh of relief. I didn't think I would be able to recover well in this place without my knife. It made me feel safe. I slid it under my pillow, my body relaxing as it took its place there.
"Why were you crying, little lotus?" Vito was stroking my hair.
I let my head fall into his hard chest and tried hard to control my snuggling tendencies. It wouldn't do to lead him on. He was already way too possessive. If I started to show my interest in him, then he would only get worse.
