62. -61- #2
The door slammed behind me with such force it almost fell from its hinges. A few people stared at me with surprise written all over their faces. I wasn’t a man who lost control easily, but this time, I didn’t care who saw it.
As I entered Aryna’s room, my stomach dropped. The bed was empty. I checked the bathroom. Under the bed. The wardrobe. Nothing. She had a habit of disappearing, and I knew every hiding place she’d claimed as her own, but this time, she wasn’t there.
My bodyguard Sasha and Melody helped me look for her, but we came up empty-handed. Just when I was about to call the hospital security to start the official search, my phone rang.
“She’s in your brother’s room, Doctor,” the nurse said. “Your niece and mother are there, too.”
The boulder fell from my chest, and relief washed over me. I was truly worried that Aryna had run away. Without thinking, I hurried to the VIP wing. I had to hug her and ensure she knew I would never let her leave the hospital with Social Services.
I placed my hand on the knob and flinched when the door opened. My mother, in her long gothic black dress with lacy sleeves and a wide skirt, blinked at me in surprise, but her dark-painted lips instantly stretched into a genuine smile.
“Hello, darling,” she greeted, moving to the side so I could walk in. “Everyone said it would be impossible to see you today. Big crash or something.”
“Yeah.” I nodded, scanning the room for Aryna. I found her sitting on Malin’s bed beside Zara, holding cards. “It’s okay now.” I smiled at Mom, noticing her cheeks had finally taken on some natural color. “You look good, Queen.”
“Thank you.” She gently caressed my shoulder. “But I can’t say the same about you. You should rest.”
“I’d love to,” I exhaled, nodding at her to follow me outside. Only when we were in the hall, and the door was closed, did I speak again. “My colleague discharged Aryna. She is supposed to leave with Social Services today.”
“Not with you?” She raised an elegant eyebrow, pulling her phone from her huge black purse.
“I received a letter yesterday, but I haven’t read it yet.” I shrugged when she rolled her eyes. “I don’t know if they accepted me.”
“There’s no way they rejected you, love.” She smiled at me encouragingly. “But let me make some calls to stop the drama from entering the hospital. We don’t want the girl to witness you sending people from Social Services to hell.”
A grin stretched my lips, and I leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Love you, Mom.”
“Of course, you do.” She waved her hand nonchalantly, but I knew it warmed her heart. We didn’t show her much love recently. “Anyway, Matilda Santangelo is inside.”
“What?” I turned to her with my hand on the knob.
“She came an hour ago to visit Malin,” Mom replied, biting her lower lip. “I didn’t know they were…” She paused, as if trying to find the right term. “Friends?”
Her questioning look demanded an answer I didn’t have. Malin’s life and, more importantly, his privacy were his business. He refused to discuss it since our father forced him to break up with Amelia. I had nothing to say on the matter.
Leaving my mom to handle Social Services, I entered the room full of giggles and happy faces. Even Malin smiled, which was as rare as snow in a desert.
“Hello, lovelies.” I approached the bed with a huge grin, intending to hug Aryna, but she wiggled away. I frowned. “What are you doing?”
“Playing poker,” Zara replied, showing me her cards.
“Hey.” I smiled softly at Matilda, who sat in the corner, away from the girls, but surprisingly, she smiled back. The girl hadn’t smiled in months, maybe years.
Blinking away the shock, I returned to the conversation.
“Poker?” My brows shot up, and I looked at my brother, who shrugged nonchalantly. “Valeria will rip your head off,” I said to him quietly, sitting beside him. “You know how she feels about cards.”
“I won’t be the one to tell her.” He blinked innocently. “It’s our secret, right, girls?”
They both nodded excitedly, oblivious to the trouble this could cause.
“Malin,” I exhaled, shaking my head. “Don’t teach them this.”
“We were taught to keep secrets at three,” he grumbled, folding his cards and lowering his voice so I could barely hear him. “Don’t forget who Zara is. One day, you will all thank me.”
He was right, as always. The world Zara entered seven months ago was ruthless to the innocent and unprepared. But I still considered our training too much.
“Just don’t teach her shooting yet,” I mumbled, casting a wide smile at Aryna when she looked at me curiously.
“Have you heard the news?” Malin changed the subject rapidly, probably because Zara had already held a weapon and I would strangle him for it if he confirmed it.
“What news?” I asked, helping Aryna to make a decent combination. “I was in the OR all day.”
“Valeria is expecting twins,” he revealed with a grimace when my mouth fell open in surprise. “She cried here for two hours, panicking. Mom used all her magic to calm her.”
“I gotta call Zyon.” I fished my phone out of my scrubs. “Fuck. How could I miss this?”
“Be glad,” Malin grumbled, dealing the next hand.
“Don’t be mean.” I pressed the phone to my ear. “She went through hell. Of course, she’s scared.”
“She’s overreacting.” He handed Zara her cards. “That’s hormones.”
“What do you know about hormones?”
He flashed me a “shut up” look, and I laughed. Zyon didn’t answer, so I sent him a congratulatory text, noticing a few messages from Nina.
Wifey: Miss you, hubby ??
Wifey: Fuck, that crash is terrible. Hope you’re alright.
Wifey: I checked the cameras. You’re not alright. There’s blood everywhere!
Wifey: Text me when you can. I’m planning a nice dinner and a surprise for you.
That was the last text, and my heart shot up into my throat. My gaze fell on Aryna as the realization settled deep in my bones. I hadn’t told Nina about Aryna, about the adoption, about anything.
Oh-oh, the demon sang in my head. Good luck, husband.