Page 268 of Merciless Desires

We’d dress together slowly and make our way to the kitchen, where we’d either cook breakfast together or eat the meal Silvia had prepared for us based on Matteo’s request the night before.

I had a phone again, and I got regular updates from Gisella about Mamma. I had to pull the information out of her, offering to buy her things with Matteo’s money, but I knew she would tell me if something happened.

And she did. On a Tuesday.

“Amorina?” Matteo’s kiss along my throat stilled, his voice filled with worry as he watched me read the message Gisella had sent me at five in the morning.

G: Mamma is in the hospital. Let me know if you’re visiting. Annabella is tired and cranky, and I need to take her home, but I don’t want to leave Mamma alone.

“Mamma is in the hospital.” My throat was tight, and I tried to blink the tears away.

“Cazzo,” he hissed and tossed the blankets off us. “Come.”

The one-word command should have riled me to a stand, but I stayed on the bed, hugging my knees against my chest.

It must have been bad if the night nurse had felt Mamma needed to go to the hospital.

“Amorina…”

Matteo’s gentle whisper drew my attention away from the worries slamming around in my head. His warm hands pulled my arms from my legs, and he guided me up until I was sitting.

Matteo put one of his hoodies on me, something I hadn’t expected to be a part of his wardrobe. He was on his knees in front of me, his handsome face twisted with concern, a pair of black shorts in his grip that he slid up my legs.

He helped me stand, ignoring me when I told him I was fine, and walked me to the bathroom. I pulled my hair into a bun, brushed my teeth, and slipped against Matteo’s side as we left the bedroom.

I was glad Matteo wasn’t trying to tell me that Mamma was going to be okay. He wasn’t going to lie to me, because neither of us knew what was going on. Gisella hadn’t answered my texts or calls, which was only setting me further on edge.

So…I called Papà.

“Cara,” Papà sighed when he picked up. “How are you?”

I ignored his dumb question. “What room is Mamma in?”

Another sigh. “413.”

“Thanks for letting me know something happened. Always great to be kept in the loop.” I hung up and crossed my arms, flinching when Matteo slipped his hand between my knees to squeeze my leg.

“I’ll only say what you want to hear, amorina.”

I peered over at him, and he glanced away from the weaving traffic in front of us for a moment to smile softly at me. It was a genuine smile. A concerned smile.

“Tell me that she won’t die. Promise me that. Even if you break that promise…”

“I’ll never break a promise to you, amorina. She won’t die. Not yet. Not for a long time. We’ll need her around to look after all of our kids. We’re having four, remember?”

I snorted a laugh. “What happened to three?”

A grin spread wide across his face. “Three girls, and then our boy, remember?”

“You said two girls and then a boy.”

He tilted his head and pretended to think. “Hmm…no, I’m pretty sure I said three girls, amorina. Are you feeling okay? Your memory isn’t great.”

Matteo pressed the back of his hand against my forehead, and I swatted it away with a laugh.

“I love that sound…” He slipped his hand between my knees again, kneading my thigh. “I’ll never get tired of making you laugh.”

“You’re a total softie.”

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