Chapter Thirty-Seven
LOLA
Oh Lord. Nothing brings a girl thumping back to reality like Enzo.
His obsessive need to micromanage and hover, to fix and fuss, pushes the nightmare of the accident, the kidnap, and watching Gretchen get raped away.
And it is welcome this time.
Though, as he herds everyone from the car and into the fancy hospital in Manhattan with its bright lights, I find a sliver of frustrated gratefulness.
I smack him lightly on the thigh as he makes me sit in a waiting wheelchair—something I don't need—and hovers.
But being Enzo, he doesn't react. Instead, when the smartly uniformed orderlies pop out, he turns to them. "Are the doctors and the rooms ready?"
The hospital attendant holding an iPad turns to him. "Of course, sir. We've been ready since Mr. Marino called."
One of the nurses looks to Silas. Then she clears her throat. "I have word you can give us some information, Dr. Simon—"
His hand finds his neck, and he rubs it. "I'm not here, uh, working. This one is fine but needs to be checked over. So does the girl. Her wrist is hurt."
"And she's a concert violinist." I try to stand.
Enzo pushes me down with his hand on my shoulder.
I swat at him again. "I'm fine. Gretchen needs to be checked."
Then I look for her, but Gretchen is not there.
I notice Silas isn't wearing his hoodie.
He huffs. "She took off. But I'll find her. It's my favorite hoodie."
"What is wrong with you people?" I mutter as someone starts to push me inside.
They've already taken Lyndall.
She's just ahead of me. "Can you do wheelies with the wheelchair?"
Oh, to be that young and bouncy.
Silas sighs as he follows, along with Cade, Mario, and Enzo. "Nothing. I put a tracker in because I really love that damn hoodie."
"Silas or Simon, you're a 'doctor,' so get me out of here."
He glances down at me. Then he nods to where Enzo's talking to an actual doctor.
"Are you crazy, girl? Fuck, this is an exclusive private hospital used by people like Mario.
We prefer something less...flashy. But, you know, just as good.
Anyway, no. You're going in there and getting checked out.
Have you met Enzo? He's going to get his way, so just relax. " He rolls his eyes. "Jeez, women."
It's time that all the truths come out. Including who is who around here.
And is this even a hospital?
Because the iPad is the only registration that seems to be used, and the orderly spent all of two seconds typing. No cards were handed over, nothing like insurance, either.
And the place has staff but looks like no hospital I've been to. Even private ones seem like hospitals. This is more an antiseptic retreat.
"Are you a doctor? Because while I don't think you are, if you are or know one, I want you to find Gretchen, and—"
"Lola." He stops my wheelchair at the elevator and sends Enzo a look.
Enzo nods and follows his father and Lyndall in.
Cade remains with us, but he's texting on his phone.
I'm not really sure if he's actually texting or giving us some private space, but whatever. I'm grateful.
I glare at Silas, another big, fat liar.
He's not Simon.
Sure, I knew that. Or better, guessed that. But now it slaps me in the face.
Or I want to be mad at someone, and he's my only outlet.
"Simon."
To his credit, he only flushes a little. "Lola, I'm getting the feeling she was treated horrifically. I saw some scars. So, I'm guessing repeated rape and torture. But I don't think she wants to get checked out. They didn't hurt her—"
"They raped her."
"And now they're dead. I'm not sure a woman like that wants to share those facts with others and undergo what's no doubt to her a different sort of rape in here."
He pauses.
"No one here would judge her."
"No. No one would. But the examination...that might feel like that. She knows what happened." He pulls out his phone. "She's not far. I'll go find her. Set her up if you wish, or I might have to just let her go. But I can talk to her."
"I should—"
"And have Enzo murder me and show me my entrails? Of course, it'd be the other way around, but you get my fucking drift, right?"
"I—"
The elevator doors open.
Enzo steps out. "Stop stealing my woman. She needs to be checked over."
Silas shakes his head. "You know they'll never let me pretend I work here again."
Enzo shrugs. "Dad set this up, not you. And you only wish you could pretend to be a doctor here." He slaps Silas on the back. "Keep polishing those dreams, okay?"
Silas shoves him. "Asshole."
Cade doesn't even lift his eyes from his phone. "This is an exclusive hospital. And I'm betting a number of staff and most of the patients are packing. So, don't give anyone a reason to shoot either of you."
I narrow my eyes at Silas. "What are you, anyway? Are you a PI?"
"I—"
"No, you're shit at that. Just a lackey, then. For Cade and Enzo?"
Cade lets out a laugh, and Enzo snickers.
"I'm part of the same group as Cade and Enzo." He looks at his phone. "I'm going now. I'll find your runaway maid."
Enzo approaches me. "We need to get you and Squish checked out."
Silas frowns. "What the fuck is a Squish?"
Cade looks at him. "His name for their kid. She's knocked up." He winks at me. "Congrats."
Silas nods. "Well, Squish is a terrible name. You sure you want to do that with him? Have a baby? You think he's bad now? Just you wait..."
"Fuck off, Si," Enzo snaps.
Silas laughs. "Congratulations, Lola. Screw you, Enzo."
He turns, waves, and walks out the door.
"Come on." Enzo jabs the elevator button and pushes my chair inside.
I have no idea where the worker has gone, but I don't really care. All I want to do is go home, snuggle, and sleep with Enzo wrapped around me.
Any problems we have can wait, and they're only background noise. After everything, I know what is important. A good man, loyal, one who will love, protect, and kill for me. One who will care for Squish and be mine. That is what I want.
And that is what is important.
I think it's what I have, too.
I blink back sudden, burning tears.
"And... that's my cue. I'm going to see Jack and then go home to my wife."
The doors shut, and Enzo leans against the wall, watching me. "He's right, you know."
"Who? Cade? What is he right about?"
"No, Silas." He isn't smiling. Not even grinning. In fact, he looks at me intently. "I will be that bad, probably worse."
I sigh, take his hand, and kiss it. "I know. I'm counting on it."
"You are?"
"Yes."
The doors open, and before I can say a word, I'm whisked off as Mario walks in. And just like that, even without meaning to, I'm leaving Enzo and his dad alone.
The doctor checks me over, peppers me with a million questions, and then takes blood tests, temperature, and gives me a long lecture and list of what I should and shouldn't be doing.
Of how much sleep I should get, of what I can and can't eat.
Tips on exercise, diet, and when I can reintroduce things to my diet.
Lyndall wheels herself in when I'm getting the ultrasound.
"OMG, looky. She's really definitely a Squish.
I don't think you should call her that. But maybe her second or third name.
Like Lyndall Squish Marino has a ring to it.
.." She grins. "My wrist isn't broken, just sprained, so it hurts.
They injected me with a drug for the pain and for swelling, and it's wrapped. See?" She waves her hand around.
Then she flops forward and says in the loudest whisper known to man, "Do you think they gave me the wrong dosage? I think I'm high..."
The door bursts open, and a nurse comes in. "There you are. Come on, into bed with you."
He reaches for her wheelchair.
The wheelchairs are electric, so she hits some switches and takes off, making the nurse jump out of the way.
"No way, you can't catch me."
"Get back here," he shouts, taking off after her.
Oh, Lord have mercy.
Thank goodness for normalcy.
I sit in the luxury waiting room upstairs as Lyndall laughs like a maniac while Enzo joins in the chase to bring her back to rest for a couple of hours.
The doctor told him the drug will settle, but they gave it because she was clearly trying to hide her pain. Her bandage is to be kept on to stop her from trying to play too early.
Knowing Lyndall, the bandage will be off the moment she thinks her hand is fine.
The magazines are high-end glossies, but I'm not in the mood to read, and the newspapers with all their dire headlines are the last things I want to dive into.
"Oh." The deep voice draws me from my thoughts.
I go still.
I know who it is. Even if I hadn't heard it since I was young, I'd still recognize it.
Mario Marino's voice is etched into my nightmares.
Mario, the catalyst of Dad's downfall and eventual death.
This time, I find it hard to blame him for it all, even as I hate him.
He must have been in pain over the affair.
If he knew about it then.
But I remember the fight he had with Enzo, and it's hard to believe he didn't know.
It's just why he kept a child that wasn't his that remains a mystery.
I don't look at him. "Enzo is helping to corral Lyndall."
The scent of herbal tea reaches me.
"This is for you. Enzo's mother had terrible morning sickness that would hit her at all hours. Ginger tea was the only thing that helped. And ginger candies."
He offers me a mug.
I take it from him because I don't know what else to do.
It smells divine. The ginger soothes me just from the scent, and I appreciate the pieces of actual ginger in the mug.
"Thank you. How did you know?"
"Lyndall was worried when we left. She said something about you being... And you have a glow. Like his mother did." He shrugs and paces the room. "This place is like a damn hotel. Whatever you need, they have."
I suck in a breath.
I know I need to say something.
"T-thanks for helping Enzo save me," I say, sounding awkward.
The unspoken words hang in the room like a dark cloud.
The fact that he hates me by proxy. The fact that his daughter is really my father's.
As I glance at the proud, hard man, I get how humiliating it must have been. To pretend.
"It was nothing." He stops, pretending to study a painting on the wall as he bounces on his toes. "That fuck didn't touch you or Lyndall, did he?"
"No—"
He turns, eyes like Enzo's burning into me.
"Lourdes. Lola... I'm sorry for being such an asshole to you.
What happened between me and your father had nothing to do with you.
And I know it was wrong of me to take my issues out on you.
If someone did that to my kid, they'd be six feet under.
So, my apologies. He might have fathered her, but I'm the man who loves her.
She is my daughter. I'm just...not good with girls. "
He breathes out, sweating slightly.
"Thanks. But maybe...maybe the person you should be speaking to is Lyndall." I take a sip of the hot tea.
Before he can answer, Enzo wheels Lyndall in.
"She needs a little time here, then she can go home. As can you." He looks between me and his father. "All okay, Lola?"
"Yes. He got me tea." I show Enzo.
Lyndall scowls at Mario. "I don't know what to call you."
"Whatever you want. Dad is fine, but..."
She sniffs and rolls her eyes.
Mario looks at Enzo. "I can stay, drive her home. I just..." He again paces. Then he stops and turns. "I just think we need to talk, me and Lyndall."
Enzo shrugs. "Up to you, kid."
She lets out a hearty sigh and then a yawn. "I need a rest, but yeah...it's okay. I think we do need to talk."
"Well, Lola, I should get you home. Get you settled." Enzo kisses my nose and wraps an arm around me.
We make our goodbyes and leave, walking down the hall.
Enzo pulls me closer.
"Enzo..."
"I'll get you settled, pampered, and then... we should probably talk too."
"I think so." I move a little closer to him.
Maybe I should still be angry with him, and I might find that I am a little, down the track or tomorrow. But it's I can handle it because I understand him. And I get why he wanted to talk to his sister first.
Enzo is a man of depth, of codes and paths he believes in. It would have been hard to drop all that on his sister if he knew for sure. If he didn't...I more than get that one. Look at me and Squish.
Waiting for the right moment.
That's us.
We both did the same thing over different events and for a similar reason. Waiting for the facts and the right time.
His arm squeezes me a bit. "Just so you know, my overprotectiveness probably isn't going anywhere for the foreseeable future."
I laugh. "Your constant need to know every tiny detail about what I'm doing is kind of growing on me."
"Weirdo."
"I know. We freaks have to stick together."
He smiles and kisses me, soft and long, like it's the beginning of something.
Now all we need is to get this next conversation behind us.