26. Adrianna
Adrianna
He is late. Luka is never late and he hasn't returned any of my text messages.
I dropped Layla off with Sam at the dance studio a couple of minutes ago.
Lacey is still not around. I have no clue what is going on with her, either.
I had such a great time with Layla this morning.
I don't know how Lacey could even think about giving that girl up.
There is no way I would be able to do it.
We were having such fun until my Dad called.
I don't know why I answered the unknown caller.
I have been waiting for a client to call me back about a deal on a house he and his wife wanted.
I told myself that was the only reason I answered.
But when Luka took the phone from me after my Dad had me in tears, I shut down on him.
I am sure he thinks it was because he told my Dad I should already have the Rizzoli name.
That wasn't the reason why, well, not entirely.
I was freaked out because, for the first time in my life, I wanted that too.
I know I love Luka. I don't know how he weaseled his way into my heart, but I know I can't live without him.
We haven't said those words yet to each other, but he has shown me in his actions that he loves me, too, which means more to me than he will ever know.
I had decided that no matter what happens. I am telling him today how I feel.
But now, I am second-guessing myself. Is there a reason he has ghosted me?
Has it gotten to the point that I am no longer the shiny new toy and he wants something better to play with?
Did he decide that our relationship wasn't worth the risk of losing the cup?
I shake my head. Stupid, Addy. You know Luka isn't like that.
I don't know what to do. I don't want to seem too attached or controlling by calling someone to have them check up on him. I don't even know who I would call. Would they even tell me if they knew he didn't want to see me?
Screw it. I pull out my phone to call CeCe.
She is the only one I know will not give me bullshit.
She will tell me exactly how it is, even if it is something I don't want to hear.
I am startled when the phone starts ringing in my hand.
For some reason, my brain stops, and ice fills my veins when I see Maddie's name on the caller ID.
We have talked before, but something feels very wrong.
"Maddie, what's wrong? Where is Luka?" I don't even say hi to her; I know something is wrong.
"Addy." I hear her choke through her sobs. "Luka has been attacked outside the arena. I called an ambulance. They aren't here yet. I don't know what happened. I can't stop the bleeding and he won't wake up."
Shit. Thankfully, Luka had given me one of the SUVs to take Layla to the studio, and I had just gotten in the car from dropping her off.
I start the car and head toward the arena.
"Maddie, you are doing great. Just keep the pressure where you can.
I am coming right now. Call me back if the ambulance gets there before me.
I am going to hang up so I can call his brothers.
You are doing great." I bite the side of my cheek to keep from crying.
Losing it now won't help her. I know I need to get to her as quickly as possible.
"Hurry, Addy." Maddie whispers and the phone goes dead. I fumble through my contacts while trying to keep the car centered on the road. I hit dial and put it on speaker, setting the phone in the cup holder so I could drive better. I push the SUV faster than I probably should.
"Addy, everything okay?" Liam's voice sounds far away but I can't bother with turning up the speaker.
"I can't really hear you well, but hopefully, you can hear me. Maddie just called. Luka was attacked outside of the arena." I can hear him curse and he yells to Mia to get her shoes on. "She has called an ambulance and is waiting for them now." I can't help but start sobbing.
"Addy, it's okay. He is going to be okay. Tell me what else Maddie said." Liam says, and I hear him tell Mia that Luka is hurt and they need to go. I can hear her start talking, but she is even further away. She isn't talking to him; she must be on the phone with someone else.
"She said—" I sob again.
"Breath, Addy. You can do this." Liam's voice is always so rough. He doesn't mean it to be, but that is just who he is. Who he was raised to be. But right now, his voice sounds like a hug. One I desperately need.
"She said she is trying to control the bleeding and he won't wake up."
"Oh my God, " Mia says. I must have connected with their car speaker.
"Where are you, Addy?" Liam's voice is more stern now.
"I am almost there. I told her to call me back if the ambulance got there before me. She hasn't yet." As soon as I say it, my phone beeps with an incoming call. "Wait. She is calling me."
"Connect the call to us all, Addy. I want to hear." Liam has his boss voice now. The sweet Liam is gone.
"Okay." I push the button to answer Maddie. "I have Liam on the other line, Maddie. Hold on." I connect the call.
"Maddie," Liam says, and I hear Maddie start crying. She is trying to catch her breath, and I push the gas pedal to the floor. I have to get there to him. I need to see him. "Madison, I need you to tell me what is happening. Where is Luka?"
"The paramedics are working on him. They are putting him on the stretcher now." She says, almost like she is a zombie.
"Okay. What happened?" Liam asks before I can say anything to her.
"I don't know. I was the last to walk out of the arena today. He was lying on the ground when I came out. He is bleeding and he won't wake up."
"Okay, you are doing great, Maddie. I need to know where he is bleeding from?"
"His head." She says and I almost black out. I pull into the parking lot and barely get it into park before I am turning it off and jumping out.
"I'm here," I yell into the phone and to Maddie, who is standing beside Luka on a stretcher as they walk toward the ambulance.
I run right into the stretcher and almost collapse on the spot. He is covered in blood and so pale. I grab his hand and squeeze.
"Luka, you need to wake up. I need you to talk to me." I tell him. I want to yell at him to wake up, but it comes out more as a whisper.
"Ma'am, you need to back up. We are putting him in the ambulance. You can't ride with us. You can meet us at the hospital." The asshole that is getting ready to get a fist to the face says and I grip Luka's hand tighter.
"The fuck I will. I am riding with him." I will climb on this damn stretcher if they don't allow me.
"Ma'am, I am sorry. If you aren't next of kin, you can't ride with us." The other kid says a little nicer as they keep pushing Luka into the ambulance and make me let go of his hand.
"Here." Madison pushes my phone into the nicer kid's hands. I don't even know when I handed it to her.
He puts my phone up to his ear and starts shutting the ambulance doors.
"I understand. Yes, sir. Yes, we are taking him there.
I will let them know." He hands me back my phone.
"I am so sorry Mrs. Rizzoli. Go ahead and get inside.
" He opens the back door, and I don't hesitate before I jump into the back.
I look outside the rig's window to see Madison crying and Coach Kincade come running up.
She turns and crashes herself into his chest and he pulls her toward his car and pushes her inside.
I can hear Liam's voice yelling from somewhere and realize he is still on my phone.
I put it up to my ear as I watch the kid hook Luka up to a bunch of things.
"I told the kid you are Luka's wife. Tell them that at the hospital also. Mia texted Doc. He is on the way there and will meet us all there. How is he?"
"I don't know Liam. He isn't awake. He looks bad." I start hearing a beeping and look up. Seeing his heartbeat on the machine calms me some. "He is alive, though. Looks like a head wound. Hurry up, Liam. I can't do this." I start crying and just let the tears fall. I don't even care anymore.
"I am coming, Addy. I will be there when you get there. You can do this. You love him. He loves you. That is all you need." Hearing him tell me that Luka loves me causes me to cry harder. I don't say anything else. I end the call and pray they are there when we pull in.
It feels like it takes forever to get to the hospital.
The whole time, I watched the kid in the back do different things to Luka.
He wraps something around his head to stop the bleeding and he keeps telling stats to someone over a radio.
I have never been in the back of an ambulance before, so I am not sure if it is all normal, but my guess is that Liam has called the hospital and put the Rizzoli fear into everyone.
I don't even care that Liam told them that we were married.
I thought I would freak out, but I didn't. I was grateful.
Grateful I didn't have to fight with anyone to be able to be with him.
Hoping that he will be okay and one day I can really become Mrs. Rizzoli.
"Two minutes out! " the guy in the front yells, and the kid in the back starts setting things on the stretcher beside Luka.
"Why hasn't he woken up yet? What is the matter with him?" I ask him, but he ignores me. We stop, and the doors fly open. An older man in a suit and a long white coat is standing there.
"Mrs. Rizzoli." He holds his hand out to me and helps me off of the rig. He leans down to me while they are pulling Luka out. "I am the Rizzoli Doctor. If you need anything or want to know anything, you come to me."
I nod to him. "He still hasn't woke up. I need to know why."
"Okay, let's go find out." We turn to follow Luka into the ER and Mia and Liam come running up. Mia instantly wraps her arms around me.