The cops glanced at Lee and holstered their guns. “Hey Lee, long time no see. Looks like you’ve got a situation here,” one of them said, obviously an acquaintance of Lee’s.

Lee lifted his chin. “This is my gun, and I have a concealed carry permit as you know. I am Mr. Falco’s driver and security guard. My client has been drugged and possibly sexually assaulted by this woman. I was with his wife when we arrived. She was naked, on top of him, while Mr. Falco was, and still is, unconscious.”

One of the cops came to the bed and evaluated my husband. He curled his hand around a speaker- looking apparatus on his chest, pressed a button, and spoke. “We need the paramedics sent up immediately. It’s all clear up here.”

“See, baby, you’re safe. Bianca can’t hurt you anymore,” I cooed, leaned forward, and pressed my lips to Gio’s temple.

Bianca was sobbing and rattling off her lies to the cops while I ignored her.

“We received a call after the first one from you Lee, that stated they heard a gunshot.”

“I did shoot the gun, but it was to keep her from running. I, too, have a permit to carry a gun and knew exactly what I was doing. She’s pregnant, so I didn’t want to accidently harm heror the baby by physically keeping her here until the authorities arrived.”

“I can confirm everything she said and go into further detail about this woman’s crimes.”

“What is he on?” one of the cops asked Bianca.

“How should I know? I didn’t drug him!” She shook her head frantically, lying through her teeth. “He had some drinks, we got intimate, and I didn’t realize he passed out. Then they arrived and threatened to kill me.”

“That is not how it happened,” I growled.

“No, it is not,” Lee confirmed. “Julianne forced Bianca to get off of her husband, put her clothes on, and wait for you to arrive. I can attest to Bianca being naked and on top of an unconscious man. Bianca tried to leave, and that’s when Julianne fired a warning shot, aiming for and hitting the lamp, not harming a soul.”

“She could have killed me and my baby!” Bianca screeched while putting a hand over her stomach protectively, really playing it up for the cops.

The elevator pinged again and one of the cops waved the two paramedics into the bedroom.

“We’ll take it from here, ma’am,” one of the paramedics said, easing me away from Gio, off the bed and out of the way. Instantly, they went into life-saving action, eventually lifting Gio onto a stretcher.

“I’m going with him, and I also want to press charges,” I told one of the cops.

“Ma’am, we still need to question you,” one of the cops responded.

I pointed at Gio who was being loaded onto the elevator. “I need to go with my husband. Follow me to the hospital, or I’ll go to the station after I’ve ensured that the man I love is safe.” I stormed into the elevator right before the doors closed, andI heard Lee say, “Don’t worry guys, I’ll answer everything and bring her to the station later.”

“Sounds good. Hope to see you at the next PD potluck. The chili your old partner makes sucks, man. You need to teach him a few things,” one of them joked. I hadn’t realized that Lee used to be a police officer.

The ride down the elevator, and then in the ambulance, was absolute torture. It felt like it took a hundred years to get to the hospital. The paramedics did their thing while I clung to Giovanni’s hand, alternating between kissing it and whispering prayers against his skin.

When we got to the hospital, we were immediately separated. A medical professional quizzed me on a bunch of insurance questions which I had to call Muriel to get. Then I was punted to a cold, bleak room filled with old, pink-fabric chairs and cracked linoleum that had seen better days. The scent of antiseptic filled the room and turned my stomach.

God, please let Gio be okay.

I don’t know how long I waited before a woman wearing a white coat with a stethoscope around her neck entered the room. “Mrs. Falco?”

“That’s me.” I stood up, my hands shaking so badly I held them both in front of me. “Is Giovanni okay?” I swallowed down the lump in my throat as my heart beat a million miles a minute.

She smiled gently. “He’s going to be just fine. He’s sleeping now. We pumped his stomach and performed a toxicology exam. The paramedics notified us that he may have been drugged and sexually assaulted so we proceeded accordingly. We should have the results of his labs soon.”

“Can I see him?”

“Of course. I’ll take you to him. He may sleep most of the day, but I’m sure he’d like to see a familiar face when he wakes. Often, with these types of drugs, the patient might not remember muchafter administration. Being in the hospital might surprise him,” she finished as we made it to a normal hospital room.

“When will he be able to go home?” I asked, thinking how I wanted to lie beside him in my bed and watch his chest rise and fall, safe within the comfort and protection of my own home. Our home now. I’d never step a single foot in that apartment again, and neither would Gio, if I had any say in the matter.

“We’ll keep him overnight for observation, and if all is well, he’ll be released in the morning.”

“Can I stay with him?” I croaked, reaching for his hand and holding it with both of mine. Instantly, the rapid-fire beat of my heart calmed down, simply by being near him. I sat in the chair closest to the bed and lifted his hand to my cheek, holding it there.