Page 49 of Mafia Daddy Next Door

Unfortunately, my heart doesn’t want to listen to my head where she is concerned.

17

BRIELLE

Iwake up the morning after killing half a dozen people with a pounding headache and the steady heartbeat of my baby. As I open my eyes and look up at the fluorescent lights on the ceiling, I run my hand over my stomach.

After the beating I took, it could be considered a small miracle that the baby is alright and none of my bones are broken.

I may be littered with bruises, but those are the least of my worries right now.

Salvatore snores in the chair beside the bed, his arms crossed and his legs stretched in front of him. The cartel doctor who saw me last night wanted to keep both me and the baby at the hospital for monitoring. Salvatore insisted on staying with me.

There is a part of me that wishes he had left last night. I don’t want to have to look at him and know that this is all that will ever be between us.

I might matter to him, because I carry his baby, but he doesn’t love me. If he did, he would have said it yesterday.

It crushes the little piece of me that is falling for him.

“Good morning,” the doctor says as she walks into the room and shuts the door behind her. “I have your discharge papers here. You need to fill them out and then you’re good to go. If there is any strange pain or bleeding in the next few days, I’ve also written down my personal number.”

“Thank you,” I say as I take the stack of papers and sign them with the fake name I was admitted under. The doctor winks at me and hands me the slip of paper with her number.

“In case you need it.”

The doctor disconnects the machines before handing me a glass of water. I sip the water as she checks over me one last time before nodding.

“You’re good to go, Miss McMann.”

“Thank you for all that you’ve done,” I say as she heads for the door. I glance over at Salvatore. “Especially for coming in early. I didn’t want him awake and getting in the way while I’m trying to get out of here.”

The doctor laughs and Salvatore shifts slightly, groaning as his eyelashes flutter against his cheeks.

She leaves the room as Salvatore opens his eyes and sits up. He glances at the paper in my hand before running his hand down his face.

“How are you feeling this morning?” he asks as he stands and stretches. “What was the doctor doing in here?”

“I’m good to go. Signed the discharge papers.”

He leans over and cups my cheek gently, careful not to press on the bruises. His thumb drifts along the dark circle I know is beneath my eye. His hand drops to his side as I flinch away from him.

His touch is just another reminder of what I can’t have.

I’m not going to keep letting myself get wrapped up in him only to be disappointed every single time. They say that is definition of crazy. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. It’s time I gain my sanity back.

“You look like you haven’t slept at all. Are you sure that you want to leave instead of staying here another day? You could get some rest. We could go to the Russo estate tomorrow.”

I shake my head as I swing my legs out of bed and stand up. It feels like I’m going to fall to the ground but I steel my spine and hold myself upright. I can’t let him know that I’m struggling.

“Brielle, be reasonable about this. There is nothing that says we have to leave right now. You’re bruised and exhausted.”

“You would be exhausted too if you killed a bunch of people yesterday and then had nightmares about it all night. I just want to get out of here, Salvatore. Please don’t ask me to stay.”

He looks at me for a moment longer, his gaze searching mine. Finally, he nods and takes a step back.

“Alright. We’ll go now, but if we need to go back to the doctor, you have to tell me.”

Matteo walks into the room, wheeling a wheelchair in front of him. “The doctor said you have to leave the hospital in this. I thought I should be the one to break the news to you in case you try to kill her too.”

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