Page 24 of Twisted Obsession

‘She’s unconscious, caused by a hard blow on the back of her head. I’m still at the hospital with my family, and your brother is also here.’

‘Salvatore?’

‘No, Gabriel.’ His tone hardened.

‘Oh God! I’m so sorry. If you hadn’t been with me, you might have been there.’

‘None of this is your fault. Apart from the worry you caused me by not answering the phone I left with you.’

‘I should have answered the phone.’ I spoke my thoughts out loud.

‘Yes, you should.’

‘I won’t do it again.’

‘No, you’re right, you won’t, Giovanna.’

‘What are the doctors saying?’

‘No one has given us anything concrete. She has a few more tests to go through today before we’ll know more.’ His voice remained hard. ‘There’s something I do know,’ he offered.

‘Yes,’ I encouraged.

‘I will kill the man responsible for our pain. I’ll extinguish his life and make sure that he will never again be the cause of pain to those I love.’ His voice sounded distant, as if I was listening to a stranger talking to someone else.

‘Dante.’ I all but whispered his name once again, hoping he could feel my empathy. ‘I just don’t understand how such a lovely afternoon has turned into all this.’

‘That is the way of the family, Giovanna.’

‘Family?’ I questioned with a loud tut following. ‘My papa, for all I know, still hasn’t come home. My nonno is dying, andI’m not allowed to even hold his hand to help his passing. And I expect when I move from this room my mama will still be asleep after taking drugs for her nerves. I don’t like nor understand the way we do family,’ I admitted.

‘I’m not sure any of us do. But it’s what we are.’

But it’s what we are. He had hit the nail on the head, however much I disliked the statement, I knew it to be true. ‘I know.’ My head dropped in resignation.

‘But it was a lovely afternoon, amore mio. We met again. I for one take some happiness from that.’

‘I do too.’ I couldn’t help the ghost of a smile as it swept across my mouth.

‘From now on you will answer when I call.’ It wasn’t a question, but more of a demand. One I was happy to accept.

‘I will.’

‘Good girl. Now, I need to go, the doctor is expected out soon and hopefully he will have some positive answers about Mia.’

‘Okay.’ Reluctantly, I agreed our call would have to end. But just before I lost him, I gripped the phone tight with both hands, needing him to feel the sentiment behind my words. ‘Dante, I hope he does. I really hope he does.’

‘Me too,’ he sighed, releasing his evident pain. ‘I will call soon, be ready.’

‘Yes.’

‘And remember, Giovanna, just who you are and who you belong to.’

‘I’ll remember. How could I not?’ I sat up straight on my bed as I spoke, all at once finding the words I wanted to tell him. ‘The second my eyes first rested on you; it wasn’t about you. When my eyes found you, I saw all of me. I understand I already existed, but without you in my life I wasn’t whole. There’s no coming back from that feeling, Dante.’ I shook my head slowly, ‘I know I’ll never be the same. My life will never be the same.’

Silence met my acknowledgement.

‘Giovanna De Luca, you are mine.’ His voice finally rang out strong and true.

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