Page 68 of His to Have
A few seconds later Teo entered the room, moving quickly, but still not saying a word. His expression was tight, and a bit homicidal.
“Teo,” I called out, hoping to calm the raging beast, and possibly get answers.
He kept moving, grabbing his pistol from the table and tucking it behind his waistband, then both of his cells, then my phone, and finally a small duffel bag I hadn’t seen tucked away in the corner of the massive bedroom. Rummaging through the items, he pulled out a few stacks of cash, some ammunition, a burner, and a set of keys, before tossing everything back in the bag except for two burner phones. Then he threw the duffle over his shoulder, and dialed a number.
He wasn’t ignoring me per se, because when he brushed past me, he paused briefly, pressed a kiss to my forehead, handed me one of the phones and asked, “Where’d you put your purse?”
Shit, I don’t know.
I looked at the small, off-brand flip phone in my hand with a number already programmed, while I tried to remember where I left my purse after the wedding. I didn’t want to take it to the reception with me since I didn’t have a use for it, but I also didn’t want to leave it completely unattended.
“I had one of the staff members place it with the bridal gifts in the other room down the hall,” I replied, glancing towards the closed door where I still heard several of Teo’s men approaching. “Do you wanna just slow down for a second and tell me what’s going on?”
“The house is on lockdown. No one in or out. You’re going to call Bash in just a moment.” He nodded to the device in my hand as he stuffed the other burner into his pocket. Heading to the bedroom door, he swung it open. “Aye, go get her shit from the family room,” he instructed one of his men.
“But it sounds like we are leaving.”
“We are, with our detail. No one else will be leaving, though,” he told me as he turned his attention to a man in a pair of thick-rimmed glasses, a loose button-up shirt, and a pair of dark khakis. “I need you to check her out before we leave.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked following Teo back into his room, then turning to the man saying, “You can go back outside.”
He paused for a beat, but his feet never stopped moving. A small bag in one hand, a stethoscope around his neck, his expression was just as serious as my husband’s. He didn’t say a word, only followed orders... my husband’s... not mine.
Teo grabbed a chair, pulled it out and demanded with his eyes for me to take a seat. Although I wanted to argue, and even went to move my mouth to argue, I didn’t. His expression saidplease,but his tone, stance, sheer weight of his presence, said don’t fight me on this.
I huffed, reluctantly lowering myself into the chair.
“The doctor here will make sure you haven’t been exposed to anything harmful,” Teo explained firmly, but his delivery was still gentle. “And then we will leave, head to the hospital, and then I need to put you somewhere safe.”
“Hospital! Safe? What’s going on?” I damn near shouted looking between the two men, knowing only one would provide answers. And right now he was focused on making sure I was safe, and nothing more.
“Mrs. Donatelli, how are you feeling? Any dizziness, dry mouth, stomach aches?” The doctor asked gently as he retrievedequipment from his small bag, completely ignoring the rising tension in the room.
I suppose he was used to acting like a fly on the wall rather than an active participant in a conversation that didn’t concern him. His only job was to provide medical advice. I knew this, but it still didn’t stop me from feeling frustrated by the lack of information.
“Amore.” The one word demand prompted me to shake my head and answer the doctor. “No, nothing like that.” Then I turned my ire to Teo, “Is there something specific I should be worried about?” I all but demanded.
“We have a situation,” he murmured, crouching in front of me, and resting his forearms on my knees. Then he exhaled sharply, showcasing the sharp angles in his jawline. “I’m handling it.”
“By keeping me in the dark?”
“Not in the dark.”
“You said we’re not doing this back and forth in this relationship and that all I needed to do was ask the right questions. So I’m asking. What exactly is going on, and why do I need to be checked by a doctor right now?”
Dark, intense eyes searched mine as he tried to gauge how I might react to his next words. If I could handle our truth. Because no matter what he tells me right now, it was a Donatelli problem, and I was a Donatelli.
“Two high-ranking members of the Vitale family were found dead just outside the estate. Don Salvatore Ricci, dead. He was found after the ceremony slumped in his car. And your father.” He trailed off, but his eye contact never wavered. “Is being rushed to the hospital as we speak. His condition... Unknown.”
It was as if all the air was sucked out of the room. My breathing slowed and my body instinctively tensed at the news. My father... the most hardened man I knew was possibly fighting for his life. The thought alone sent a sharp pang through mychest. I didn’t agree with every single thing my father did or even what he represented, but I loved my father. The possibilities of what triggered his hospital visit sent my mind on a downward spiral. It was no coincidence that three powerful men were dead, and another was apparently fighting for survival. Of course Teo didn’t let me spiral for long.
“I see the questions, and I’m getting answers.” His firm hands glided down my arms, smoothing the fabric as he adjusted my t-shirt. “All I need you to do is get checked out by the doctor so you can call Bash, and I can get you to the hospital.” I swallowed hard, still processing. “I’ll fill you in on the details once we are in the car. Can you do that for me, Amore?”
Of course that wasn’t a real question. The demand was loud and clear. He wanted me to comply without protest, trust him to handle the situation and get the answers we both desired.
Was that a hard task for me? Of course. My entire personality was built on questioning everything and refusing to blindly follow orders. Yet, in this moment, I knew I had to set aside my normal reactions and trust him with this. The gravity of the situation demanded it. So would I allow him to? Absolutely.
With a nod, I reluctantly agreed.
