Page 97 of Ruined

"Pardon the intrusion,signorine," she says with a warm smile. "I'm Ginerva." She sets the tray down on a small tablenear the window. "Doctor said you might be hungry after your ordeal."

The smell of the food makes my stomach growl embarrassingly loud. I haven't eaten since... I can't even remember.

"Thank you, Ginerva," I say, genuinely grateful. "That's very kind."

She fusses with the arrangement of the dishes. "It's nothing special, just some simple food to get your strength back. The soup is cook's specialty—chicken with pastina. Very good for healing."

"It smells wonderful," Jessica says, already eyeing the tray.

Ginerva gives us a motherly nod. "If you need anything else just ring the bell beside the bed. Someone will come right away."

After she leaves I take a sandwich and bite into it. The simple combination of bread, cheese and ham tastes like the most exquisite meal I've ever had. I close my eyes for a moment, savoring it.

"I need to go," I say suddenly, setting down the half-eaten sandwich. "I need to see Noah."

Jessica looks up from her soup. "Evelyn, you barely ate anything. And you heard what the doctor said?—"

"I can't just sit here while he's..." I can't finish the sentence. The image of Noah bleeding on that concrete floor flashes through my mind.

Jessica studies my face for a long moment. "You care about him, don't you? Even after everything."

I don't answer directly. "Alessio promised to take me to the clinic."

My sister sighs, then reaches across to squeeze my hand. "Be careful, okay? I just got you back. I don't want to lose you again."

I stand in the doorway, torn between staying with Jessica and rushing to Noah's side. That picture of his blood flowing from his body into the stone floor won't leave my mind.

"I'll be back soon," I promise, kissing Jessica's forehead. "Try to rest."

Alessio waits for me in the hallway, his expression grim but professional. He leads me through the mansion's winding corridors and out to a sleek black SUV parked in the circular driveway.

Once we're inside the car Alessio starts the engine and pulls away from the estate. The gates close behind us with an ominous clang.

"What about Michael?" I ask, breaking the heavy silence. "Did you find him? Is he okay?"

Alessio's grip tightens on the steering wheel and he keeps his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "We haven't found him yet."

My stomach drops. "What do you mean? Wasn't he there? In Ivan's house?"

"No." Alessio shakes his head. "We searched every room. There was no sign of him."

I press my hands against my face, trying to process this information. "But Ivan had him. Jessica said they were both taken."

"Your sister confirmed she saw him initially," Alessio says, his voice careful and measured. "But they were separated early on. We have men looking for him now."

"This is my fault," I whisper, staring out the window at the passing streetlights. "All of this is because of me."

"No," Alessio says firmly. "This is Ivan's doing. And Ivan is dead now."

The words should comfort me but they don't. Michael is still missing. Noah is fighting for his life. And Jessica... Jessica has been traumatized because of my choices.

"How bad is it?" I ask, changing the subject. "Noah's injury?"

Alessio's face remains impassive. "The bullet hit him in the chest. That's all I know."

I close my eyes, remembering the blood spreading across Noah's shirt, the way his body crumpled to the floor. I'd been so angry with him, blamed him for everything, and now he might die because he came to save me.

The clinic's antiseptic smell hits me as soon as we walk through the automatic doors. Alessio leads me through the bustling E.R. toward a private waiting area. My heart hammers harder against my ribs with each step.

---