Page 71 of A Sinner's Saint

“Seven months ago,” she tells him before turning back to me. “Where’s Elena?”

“She’s following us to the hospital,” I say, “with Dash.”

“I don’t need a hospital. I’m fine. It was a momentary weakness. That’s all,” Cammi says.

“Miss De… Taylor, you’ve experienced some sort of arrythmia. We can’t release you until a doctor has run some tests,” the paramedic explains.

Thank fuck.Like I’m going to let her walk out of the hospital without finding out what is going on with her and how to fix it.

I follow the hospital attendees as they wheel Cammi into a private room in the ER. The paramedics relay all the info they have collected to a doctor before disappearing through the door.

“Miss De Bellis, I’m Dr Hart, the attending cardiologist. I hear you’ve experienced a similar cardiac event in the past?” An older guy with a pair of huge black-rimmed glasses introduces himself.

“It’s Miss Taylor. And, yes. Once. But I’m fine, really. They’ve already done all the tests up in Sydney. They couldn’t find anything,” she says. “Can I go home now?”

“Fuck no,” I cut in before turning my glare on the doctor. “Find out what’s wrong with her or I’ll make sure you can’t get a job at as a GP in this town.”

“Vin.” Cammi’s eyes widen as she glances between us. “He doesn’t mean that. I’m sorry.”

“He does mean that,” my brother’s voice booms as he walks into the room. “Giovanni De Bellis.” He holds out his hand to the doctor. “What’s happening with my sister?”

“Mr De Bellis, I’m Dr Hart. I’m going to run a few tests and see if I can find out what’s going on with Camile’s heart.”

“Thank you, Doctor. Money is no object. Run every test and call in all the specialists. Whatever it takes.”

“I’ll be right back. I’m keeping her overnight while we run through a list of possible causes.”

“Sheis right here andshegets a say in this,” Cammi says.

I step closer to her bedside before whispering, “Just let them do the tests. Please, Cammi.” I’m not above begging her to stay and let the doctors do what they have to do.

“Fine,” she grits out between her teeth. “But cut out the wholeI’m a De Bellisbullshit. We both know I’m not and you don’t want me to be.”

“Thank you,” I say, ignoring that last part, because nothing could be further from the truth. I can’t give her my last name. That doesn’t mean I don’t want her to have it. I turn to Gio. “Thanks for coming.”

“Of course. What happened?” he asks me.

“She just fell over. Had no pulse and wasn’t breathing. I gave her CPR until the paramedics arrived,” I give him theCliffsNotesversion.

Gio steps around me to speak to Cammi. “This has happened before?”

She nods her head. “Once. But it’s really not a big deal.”

“Your heart stopping is a big fucking deal, Cammi,” I tell her, my voice louder than I mean it to be.

“Vin.” Gio cuts me a glare, and my mouth snaps shut. When he looks at Cammi again, his eyes are softer than I’m used to seeing them. “Ignore him, sweetheart. He’s a little… distressed right now. When did it happen before? What hospital did you go to?” Gio asks her.

Cammi lists off everything she can remember. My brother thanks her before stepping outside the room, telling us he is going to speak to the staff.

“You don’t have to stay,” she says to me.

“I can’t leave.” I mean that. I physically can’t walk out of this room. What if her heart stops again and I’m not here?

“Sure you can. You’ve done it before. You even made it look easy.”

I see the hurt in her eyes. So much fucking hurt. “You think it was easy?” I laugh. It’s not funny. And the sound is more manic than amused.

“It couldn’t have been too hard.” Cammi looks away from me, staring at the wall on the opposite side of the room.

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