Page 141 of Wicked Rivals

“You lost a lot of blood,” he said.

“Are you… umm…”

I couldn't remember my question.

Haziness muddled my thoughts, like I had to force them through a thick fog before my words could come out.

The one thing that came through loud and clear?

The pain. I would take the pain, though. All of it. Because it meant I had lived to see another day for my son.

Stefano asked and answered my question.

“A universal donor? Yes.”

Sweet mother of Christ, was he trying to hold back a smirk?

“Squeeze my hand, Val,” he added, “until the anesthesia takes you under again.”

I blinked, not able to manage even a nod.

But where was Enzo?

“My son?”

“Our son… is safe in his room, cleaning up. I didn't want him to see this, to see you hurting like this. He’ll be back soon.”

“Okay,” I whispered.

If nothing else, I approved of the way Stefano had handled that part of the whole mess.

I absolutely did not want Enzo to see me like this.

I didn't want to see myself like this.

So I just shut my eyes while the doctor pushed the anesthesia into my arm.

Then I drifted away again.

When I woke from the anesthesia, Stefano had me tucked into his bed and surrounded with his expensive down pillows and silk sheets.

I didn’t know how long I’d been out, but the plush mattress made me want to sink in deeper and go back to sleep.

My arm throbbed like crazy, though, and hunger pangs burned the lining of my stomach.

I needed food and painkillers. And an enormous glass of water. The impossible dryness in my throat brought a new kind of agony, adding to the miserable mix.

With more effort than it should have taken, I wiggled myself to the edge of the bed, got to my feet, and stumbled to the door.

My head spun, and my vision blurred. I braced myself on the doorframe for a minute before I could stand straight and focus my eyes.

Only then did I realize I wore the same Neiman Marcus robe from my first night in Stefano’s house. How long ago had that been? Two nights? More?

Gathering myself together, I pulled the sides of my robe around me, tied the belt, and opened the door. Then I made my way down the hallway, keeping one hand on the wall so I didn’t fall on my face. Every step made my legs tremble, and the dizziness increased. I stopped several times to catch my breath.

I didn't know how long it took me to get downstairs, but at least I didn’t run into anyone along the way. The journey literally left me in worse shape than when I’d started out.

But I couldn’t just stay in bed.

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