Page 33 of Fierce Hearts

Starting with Meredith.

CHAPTER9

SOFIA

Iwoke to the smell of coffee and the sound of someone puttering around in my kitchen. For a disorienting moment, I thought it might be Grayson for some bizarre reason, and my heart leapt before reality crashed back. Meredith. She'd stayed over after our impromptu girls night with dinner and ice-cream, refusing to leave me alone.

I'd managed to avoid telling her the truth, but she knew me well enough to see I was struggling. So she'd stayed, keeping me company through a night of mindless TV and too much wine, before we both crashed in my king-sized bed like we used to do in college.

"Morning, sunshine," Meredith called when I shuffled into the kitchen. "Coffee's ready."

"You're an angel," I mumbled, accepting the mug she handed me. "You didn't have to stay over."

She waved away my words. "Please. Leo's buried in meetings all day anyway. Besides, you've been there for me through everything." Her green eyes, so like her brother's, studied my face. Of course I was thinking of Grayson right now. Like I didn't have enough on my plate.

I'd told him we couldn't be anything more than friends because I wanted to stay out of that world. How cruel life was.

"You sure you don't want to talk about what's bothering you?"

I took a long sip of coffee, buying time. "Just work stress."

"Sof, you're hiding something. Please, you can trust me." She picked up her own coffee as she leaned on the kitchen island. Her brows were knitted together, and I drew in a deep breath.

I could share something, a reason that would hopefully be enough.

"My cousin Marco died. I found out not too long ago," I murmured over the rim of my mug. I wasn't going to say it was the day after her wedding. She'd be annoyed I'd not told her sooner, that I'd let her go off on her honeymoon and not shared my distress.

"Oh Sof, I had no idea. I'm so sorry." She set her coffee down and stepped over to wrap me in a tight hug. "I know you were close."

"We were, but the family had enemies." I held her tight, fighting the sting of tears in my eyes, refusing to let them fall.

"Wait… he was…" Meredith pulled back, unwilling to say the word, and I nodded.

"Jesus, I'm so sorry, Sof. Is it being investigated?" she asked quickly, still holding my arms comfortingly.

"It's been handled by the family."

"Right. Fuck, that's messed up. I'm sorry." Her eyes were full of sympathy, of her need to look out for me, just as I'd done for her.

"Thanks. It is what it is though. I need to get ready for my shift. Keeping busy is what I need right now."

"Right, of course. Want me to swing by after you're done? We could grab dinner. I could get more wine?" She was quick to offer her comfort, and I couldn't help but hug her again with a smile.

"Thanks Mer, but I might work late," I said with a heavy sigh. "Rain check?"

She didn't look convinced as I pulled back, but she nodded anyway. "Call me if you need anything. Anything at all. I'll be here right away."

"Of course." I bobbed my head, and we had our coffee and toast in silence before I headed upstairs to get ready. Meredith was calling her driver to let him know she was heading out shortly, and she'd be gone by the time I was ready to leave. She rotated between two body guards, Roman and a younger man, Jackson. Both incredibly loyal to the Donati family.

She was as safe as she could be.

I got ready for work on autopilot. The routine was comforting—shower, scrubs, sandwich in a bag, hair pulled back in a practical bun. Normal things. Safe things. For a few hours, I could pretend my world wasn't imploding.

The ER was busy when I arrived, which was exactly what I needed. No time to think about uncles and arranged marriages when there were patients to triage. I threw myself into the work, moving from room to room with practiced efficiency.

"Sofia, I need you in Trauma 2," Dr. Patel called out as I finished documenting vitals for an elderly man with pneumonia.

I hurried to the trauma bay where paramedics were transferring a young woman from a stretcher. Blood soaked through her clothes, and her face was pale with shock.

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