CHAPTER 9
Matteo
Taking Chiara to a hospital is a huge risk, but I don’t have a choice. If she loses the twins, my plan will go to hell. Not just because there’d be no heirs I could steal from Adriano, but also because it would get harder to control Chiara.
I need her to stay obedient and compliant. She’s sitting right next to me in the back seat of the car. There’s blood on her dress and legs. Is it already too late to save the twins? I’m not a doctor, so I don’t fucking know.
She’s getting pale, her eyes still wide and tearstained. Her trembling hands are clasped over her lap. She keeps sobbing and groaning.
At least she looks messed up enough not to say anything to anyone at the hospital. I wish I had some kind of deal with someone, but I don’t. There was no time to set that up because my father controlled everything. I haven’t even thought about it.
Fuck. I haven’t thought about so many things. I only wanted to get as far away from him as possible. Once I’m done with Adriano, I’ll handle it all, but for now, I have to deal with things as they come.
Just like I’m doing with this.
Will my father or Adriano find me? I doubt it. We’re headed to the hospital that’s nowhere near their territories. I don’t think anyone will assume I’d go there, or that Chiara would be with me. Even if someone finds out, they’ll be too late.
Or, once Chiara is fine—or even if she’s not—I can have someone send photos of her and me from the hospital to Adriano. He would assume we were checking on our twins. Even if she loses them, no one has to know. We can keep up the pretense long enough to get Adriano pissed off.
It’s a good thing I can adjust my plan to whatever I want.
Chiara shakes next to me, and I don’t know what to do. Wrapping my arm around her definitely won’t help. She’s already stressed enough.
Maybe I was wrong about her, and she’s weaker than I thought. Does she really love Adriano? I glance at her, and her gaze finds mine.
“It’s going to be okay,” I say, even though I don’t know why. “Just breathe and try to stay calm. Don’t forget what I told you. Don’t do anything stupid. I’ll shoot up that damn hospital if I have to, and I’m serious about it.”
“There’s only... one thing... I care about right now.” She hiccups. “And you know what... that is.”
“Yes. Worry about your twins. That’s the only thing that matters.”
Will she lose her mind if she finds out they’re gone? It looks like it. But if she’s busy being hysterical, she won’t be able to do anything else.
Everyone at the hospital will think she has gone mad with grief if she starts yelling something about me being a mafia boss who kidnapped her.
But I meant what I said. I don’t mind shooting up a hospital. Yes, it would make all the news, but my men and I would get out of there in time. I’d find someone to blame for it. Maybe Adriano. Actually, that’s not a bad idea at all.
Adapt. That’s what I’m going to do no matter what happens. I’ve been doing it my whole life, so it’s nothing new for me. Maybe I should thank my father for always throwing curveballs at me.
As soon as we reach the hospital parking lot, I push the car door open and jump out. My men are out of the car too, and one of them opens the door to get Chiara out just as I round the car.
“Hey, what the fuck are you doing?” I slap his hand away because he was reaching for Chiara’s thigh.
“Sorry, sir. It’s just... the blood—”
“No time for that.” I push him away and scoop Chiara into my arms.
She doesn’t protest, just clings to me.
The hospital staff rushes toward me.
“Help my wife,” I say. “She’s pregnant and bleeding.”
It’s better to lie so no one asks too many questions. We share the same last name anyway. I can’t believe my father let Adriano keep it and use it. But he would’ve done literally anything for his precious son.
As they take Chiara from me and put her on a stretcher, I sigh. My men come to a stop next to me. We need to find a quiet corner and wait.
I can’t lose Chiara from my sight for too long. Just because she’s distressed doesn’t mean she won’t try something, and I have to be ready.
If Chiara loses the twins, I guess it’ll be the first thing Adriano has lost in a while, and he won’t even know about it until I tell him.