Page 119 of Spark

Please, just be free.

For me.

She cried out again, hands flying over her phone in a frenzy of messages.

No!

Not without you!

I love you!

I’m not leaving you!

Without a word, she grabbed her keys and bolted for the door, determined not to let him leave her now. She heard Matty call from behind but she was already flying down the stairs. She heard the phone chime again but refused to read it. He wouldnot convince her to stay away, to be free—not without him free with her.

Suddenly, she stopped. Parked next to her old car was Aurelio’s bike, his helmet perched on the seat. Without hesitation, she jumped on, throwing his helmet on. She opened the small compartment where he hid the keys and found them. Turning on the bike, she took off, faster than she had ever gone.

Chapter Forty-Five

Roaring into the parking lot, Mia threw the helmet off and tucked it under her arm, racing back into the ER. The same nurse was behind the desk, another man talking to him. Mia moved to the side, trying to catch his eye. He looked at her and raised a finger, smiling.

Mia shifted her weight impatiently, unable to contain her urgency. Finally, she stepped forward.

“I’m sorry, but where is he?”

The nurse cleared his throat, apologizing to the man at the desk before focusing on Mia.

“He is not allowed visitors,” he said simply.

“What?” she replied, her face twisting with disbelief and rising anger.

“Ma’am, he is a wanted criminal, and the police are on their way,” the nurse said calmly, genuinely sorry. Mia’s tears fell freely now.

“Please,” she begged. “I need to see him. I promise I won’t break him out or anything. I just need to know he’s alive.” The nurse hesitated, then glanced beyond her. He nodded toward the hallway to the right and winked.

“Thank you,” she mouthed, moving toward the door. She heard him quietly say, “Ma’am, you can’t go back there,” but she was already slipping into the ER, a small smile on her lips. She wiped her eyes, determined to find Aurelio.

Curtains closed off various beds as Mia rushed through the ER, peeking behind them for any sign of Aurelio. Finally, she heard his rumbling voice telling a nurse he was fine. She leapt on the curtain, pulling it back quickly. There he was, face bruised, a bandage on his nose and over one eye. A large purple bruise marred his cheek, but he was there—sitting up in the bed, hospital gown on, a blanket pulled to his hips.

“Mia,” he breathed, his expression blank, eyes wide as they met hers.

“Hello, handsome,” she replied, smiling, her heart racing. She moved further into the room, setting the helmet on a counter to her left. Aurelio laughed, his face breaking into a smile before grimacing, a hand going to where he had been shot.

The nurse glanced between Mia and Aurelio, unsure what to do. She was young, maybe twenty or twenty-one, and smiled shyly at Mia.

“Hi,” she said, waving to get Mia’s attention. “He is not allowed visitors,” she said, smiling sadly.

“Please,” Mia insisted. “I can’t leave him.”

“Well,” the nurse replied after a moment of consideration, “just be quiet and no funny business. Those are fresh stitches.” Mia nodded, and the nurse slipped out, pulling the curtain closed.

For a moment, they just breathed, eyes locked on each other.

“Are you real?” Aurelio finally asked, his voice filled with disbelief. “Really here, beautiful?”

She laughed. “Yeah, like you could keep me away.” She moved to the edge of the bed, their fingers interlocking as she gently sat on the edge. Aurelio stared at her, his eyes filling with tears as he took in her face. He lifted his hand from hers, cradling her face with a cool touch that felt so different from the warmth he usually radiated. He brushed his thumb under her eye, wiping away her tears.

“God, I love you,” he said quietly. Mia leaned closer, resting her forehead against his.

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