Page 12 of Twisted Embrace

Three hours had turned into four and I was beyond antsy. The police had swarmed in as if the hospital was under attack, but once they’d found out who I was, they’d taken a statement and left without incident. At least our reputation as a powerhouse had found its way to New York.

I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off Joy, the tethering we shared now amusing. She wanted to loathe me, which was intelligent, but the fact she craved fucking me kept my interest piqued. Maybe I would indulge at some point.

Joy suddenly rushed toward the admittance counter, which forced me to glance in her direction. I headed for the counter, taking another sweep of the waiting room as I did so.

“Is anyone here for Lucia DeLuca?” the doctor asked as he removed a surgeon’s cap.

“I am,” Joy piped up first, tossing me another nasty look.

“Are you family?” he asked.

“I’m her brother.” My interjection was met with every muscle in Joy’s body tensing.

“I’m Doctor Blevins. I was able to remove the bullet, but your sister lost a lot of blood.”

“And the baby?” Joy squeaked.

His sigh forced another wave of rage into my system. “It’s too early to tell. The heartbeat is faint, but it would seem the fetus is strong. If they both make it through the night, mother and child have a good chance of making a full recovery. However, I’m concerned that there might need to be a premature delivery.”

“At six months? Isn’t that dangerous?” Joy prodded.

“Yes, but it could be the only chance for the infant’s survival. I’ll know more after I receive results from the tests taken. For now, it’s a wait and see.”

“Can we see her?” Joy pressed.

He shook his head. “She’s in recovery and in truth, she needs her rest. Perhaps in a few hours.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” I said absently, already thinking what my next move would be.

“Of course.” Doctor Blevins didn’t take any additional time, rushing off to whatever new crisis he had on his hands.

Joy lowered her head into her hands. I wasn’t a man who understood compassion for any living creature, yet I felt a twinge of something unusual. I shoved my hands into my pockets and moved in front of her. “Lucia is a strong woman and a fighter. She’ll pull through this.”

She said nothing for a few seconds, quietly weeping. But as she jerked up her head, the vile hatred of me returned. “I blame you for this. If she loses that baby, she will never be the same.”

I’d understood her the first time she’d laid blame. Someone who wasn’t in the life couldn’t understand risks would always be there, enemies clever enough to find a single weakness and exploit it.

Yet in my experience, there was almost always a reason behind being caught off guard and it usually involved the act of treachery. “You are going home now.”

“I have no phone. No keys. No identification. How the hell am I supposed to get inside my apartment?”

Smirking, I almost laughed in her face. “I assure you that my soldier will be able to get you inside without issue.”

It took her only a few seconds to realize what I was suggesting. “Aren’t you clever? Breaking and entering. A man with all the answers. If I can use a phone, then I’ll get the superintendent to allow me inside. Do you ever not break the law?”

I had no answer for her. At that moment, my mind was shifting to all the filthy, sadistic things I wanted to do to her.

As I motioned to Federico, she folded her arms, never blinking.

“What does the great Enzo Lazarro intend on doing?” she asked, although her tone indicated a demand.

In another surprise, I rolled my knuckles across her cheek, delighting in her reaction as the electricity soared through us both. “Now, princess, I go hunting.”

* * *

Joy

Hunting.

---