Page 62 of Prideful Union
“Luca,” I say, patting his back. “You need to stay right here while I call your sister.”
“Why?”
“Because my ankle is broken. I need someone to take me to the hospital, and you’re drunk, so you can’t drive.”
“I don’t want her to see me like this.”
“Tough luck. I just saved your life. You need to talk to your sister. Don’t go anywhere.”
He remains curled into a ball as I call Lucia.
Then I remember—she’s mad at me. She might not answer.
And I’m right. She doesn’t. I sigh and instead call one of my men to come pick me up. Lorenzo is good for it.
He arrives within a few minutes and helps Luca and me off the roof and into his car.
“What the hell went on here, boss?” he asks, driving us to the hospital. Luca is beside me in the backseat. I’m not letting him out of my sight for anything.
“It doesn’t matter. Just keep quiet and drive.” I look over at Luca, who’s staring out the window, lost in thought.
I make Luca stay with me while the doctor checks my ankle. When I have to go in for an x-ray, I tell the nurse to keep an eye on Luca. “Don’t let him go anywhere,” I tell her in a low voice. “He just tried to kill himself. I don’t want him going off by himself.”
She nods, reassuring me she’ll watch him.
Once I’m done with the x-ray, Luca is still there.
“Good news,” the doctor tells me. “You don’t need surgery. We just need to rest your ankle and put a cast on it.”
Everything goes by pretty fast, and then I’m given the clear to go home. Lorenzo drives Luca and me back.
Luca looks guilty as he helps me out of the car. “I did this,” he says, nodding at my ankle.
I start walking with the crutches to my door. “You did. But it could have been worse. And you’re alive. That’s what matters.”
I say goodnight to Lorenzo and head inside.
Giulia is pacing the foyer when we come in. The moment she sees Luca, she runs to him and hugs him. “You’re ok.”
“Yeah, I’m ok,” he mutters, hugging her back.
Lucia appears at the top of the stairs and gasps when she sees Luca. Just like her mom, she rushes to him, throwing her arms around him. “Luca. I was so worried.”
“I’m starting to get that.” He hugs her, too. His eyes slide to mine over her head, and I hope he knows I was right—he does have people who love him.
When Lucia pulls back, her eyes land on me. They widen when they see my cast. “What happened?”
I don’t want to lie to Lucia again. She deserves to know the truth. “Luca?” I say, looking at him. “Do you have anything you want to tell them?”
The two women look back and forth between Luca and me.
Luca sighs, dropping his head. “I … Santino saved me.”
“Saved you from what?” Giulia asks.
“I … tried to kill myself.”
Giulia lets out a cry, covering her mouth. Lucia just looks shocked.
