Page 104 of Hot Momosa

“Hey buddy, how about you let Uncle Gabe hold you for a few minutes while I talk to the doctors?”

He lifted his head at the mention of doctors. “Mommy sick?”

“Yeah, mommy’s sick, but she’s going to get better soon.” I motioned to Gabe.

My mother cut him off and rushed forward like a five-feet-nothing linebacker. “I’ll take him.”

Gunnar stared at her for a heartbeat before grabbing my face and turning my head toward his. The little guy tried to whisper, but he ended up sounding more like Michael Keaton playing Batman. “Who is that?”

I didn’t want to get into this now. I needed to see Dahlia more than I needed air, but as always, my mother had forced my hand. I got it. I did. I would have bulldozed my way to the kiddo, too.

“This is your Nonna Evelyn.”

He wrinkled his brow, having no idea what nonna meant.

“Grandma. She’s your grandma. Rocco and Ella call her Nonni or Nonnina.”

“No-nina.” His lips curled into a devilish grin. “Yes. Nina?”

Laughing, my mother held her arms out to him. “Come. There are books on the table over there, and I just might have some toys in my purse.”

Gunnar turned to me and raised his brows. “Can I, Daddy?”

“He calls you daddy.” Evelyn covered her mouth with her fist and closed her eyes tight. I recognized the expression. If someone didn’t do something fast, she would burst into tears, and I might never get out of the waiting room.

The little guy seemed to pick up on her stress and clung tighter.

Gabe stepped forward and held his arms out to the boy. “Come on, Gunnar. Let’s see what trouble we can get into.”

He leaped from my arms and wrapped himself around my brother like an overgrown spider monkey.

Thank, God.

I hauled ass out of the room with abso-freaking-lutely no idea where I was going other than away before Gunnar changed his mind or my mother started the water works.

Shanna caught up to me near the nurses’ station. “Slow down. I want to talk to you before we see Dahlia.”

Nodding, I pulled her to the other side of the hall and out of the way of the staff. “How bad are their injuries?”

“Enzo was lucky. One bullet grazed him, and the other missed his heart by an inch.” Her voice cracked, but she tightened her jaw. “Dahlia was very lucky. She’ll be discharged tonight with a superficial gunshot wound.”

The words lucky and bullet didn’t belong in the same thought. “What the hell happened?”

“Someone killed Elise Meriwether, aka Elle McGuire, near the back entrance of the restaurant.” She balled her hands.

“You two were gone for hours. If Harry’s ex was dead when you got there, why hang around?”

“Because I owed it to the victim to tell the authorities what I knew.” Her voice hardened.

“Right. Sorry. I’m still trying to piece this all together.” I drew her into an embrace. “How are you feeling…physically?”

“Fine, but don’t say anything about the pregnancy in front of your mother. We were waiting until Christmas to…” She pulled away, turned, wiped her eyes, and drew a deep breath. When she turned back around, she wore a stoic expression.

That’s one hell of a cop face.

“Dahlia and I were questioned about Harrison, the stalker, and the governor. Has anyone contacted Waylon Calhoun?” Shanna leveled me with a stare.

“Not yet. I wanted to know what had happened and her status.”

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