Page 89 of The Bonventi Rise
Gio's eyes meet mine, and I see understanding dawn in them. His gaze drops to my stomach, then back to my face.
"Jesus Christ," he mutters under his breath. We pull into the hospital, and I'm out of the car before Gio cuts the engine.
The fluorescent lights of the hospital burn my eyes as we rush through the sliding doors. The sharp smell of antiseptic fills my nose. I move past other people in various states of distress and make my way toward the emergency waiting area.
We reach the waiting room, and Gio tells me to sit.
"I assume you're not going to leave until we know," Gio says, removing his jacket.
I shake my head, my hands clutching his jacket as he drapes it over my shoulders.
"No, I can't. I won't leave him."
Gio nods, his jaw clenched. He opens his mouth to say something else, but the sound of hurried footsteps cuts him off.
Enzo and Livia burst into the waiting room, followed by a group of men I vaguely recognize from campaign events. Livia's eyes lock onto mine, and in an instant, she's by my side, wrapping me in a firm, sisterly hug.
"Oh, Alina," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "He'll be fine," she says, stroking my hair.
Over Livia's shoulder, I watch as Enzo, Gio, and the other men huddle in a corner. Their voices are low, but I can tell they're mad, with Enzo pointing and giving orders. I don't care to try and hear them—all I can think about is Marco, lying somewhere in this sterile maze of corridors, fighting for his life.
The emergency doors open, and a doctor comes out.
"Are you the family of Marco Bonventi?" the doctor asks, his eyes scanning the room.
Enzo steps forward. "I'm his brother. How is he?"
The doctor's face turns serious, and I feel my world tilt on its axis. "We've had to place Mr. Bonventi in an induced coma. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen. We're doing everything we can, but I need to be honest—his condition is critical."
"Jesus fucking Christ," Enzo says, running his hand over his forehead. Livia reaches out and grabs his arm, squeezing it.
"What are his chances?" Gio demands, his voice hard.
The doctor hesitates, and in his pause, I feel hope being ripped out of my chest. "It's too early to say for certain. The next few hours will be crucial. We're working to repair the damage and stop the internal bleeding, but you should prepare yourselves for the possibility that he might not make it through the night."
The room spins, and suddenly I can't breathe. Black spots dance at the edges of my vision as I gasp for air. I'm vaguely aware of voices calling my name, of hands grabbing me as I fall over.
As the darkness closes in, all I can think is,I'll never get to tell him he's going to be a father.
44
MARCO
Beep… Beep… Beep.
The sound pierces through the darkness, dragging me up from somewhere deep. The first thing I register is pain. A deep, throbbing ache radiates from every cell in my body. I try to open my eyes, but they feel heavy, like they're glued shut.
When I finally manage, harsh fluorescent light stabs my retinas. Everything's blurry, like I'm underwater.
Where am I? What the hell happened?
I try to move my arm, but tubes and wires hold me down. Panic rises in my throat. I groan, the sound rough.
"Mr. Bonventi?" A woman's voice, gentle but professional. "Can you hear me?"
"Water," I call out. My throat feels like sandpaper.
She brings a small cup with a straw to my lips.
