22. Astor
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
ASTOR
“ I drew some blood, too, and my team is working on that now. I should have those results in the next hour or so. I’ll call you with those. Her blood pressure was also a little elevated, which could be from the stress, but she definitely has the flu.” He puts his stethoscope away and looks in his bag to retrieve some medications. “Give her this, the flu isn’t something we can really treat, but she can try the Tamiflu. If she has any more dizzy spells call me, but make sure she gets plenty of rest and fluids.”
“Thanks, Doc.”
“Of course, call me if you need me. In the meantime, I’ll call you with the blood work.” I show him out and go into the kitchen to call my dad.
“Son, everything ok?”
“Alessia has the flu, I’m not going tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow’s the only day and you get married in two weeks. She’ll be fine.”
“I said I am not going. Figure it out, send me pictures.”
“Yes, you are. I’m fine.” I turn around and Alessia is walking towards me with a blanket wrapped around her. I hang up the phone and engulf her in my arms.
“ Malyshka , why are you out of bed? You need to rest.”
“I’m fine, it’s just the flu. You’re not missing your tux appointment. Caro can come over while you’re gone.”
“No,” I say, peering down at her. “I can take care of you.”
“I’m fine, Astor, I promise.” I kiss the tip of her nose and she lays her head on my chest, or more like my stomach. She’s so fucking small.
“Are you hungry?” I ask
“Yes,” she replies.
“Go lay on the couch; I’ll make you something.”
“I can help.”
“Lay.” I push her toward the couch and busy myself in the kitchen, remembering her favorite thing to eat when she was sick growing up.
“How long was I out?” she asks, resting her elbows on the couch, staring at me.
“Four hours maybe. It’s late.” She yawns and turns back to the TV. I watch her and try to remember a time that I didn’t think she was the center of my fucking universe. Even when that piece of shit took her from me, she was still wrapped around me like a fucking anaconda.
Twenty minutes later, I’m waking her up again.
“ Malyshka , eat something.” She groans and sits up, her eyes settling when she sees the tray in front of her.
She sees the tomato and cheese sandwich with cheddar soup.
“You remembered?”
“Mhm. Eat.” I sit next to her, blowing the soup as I feed her a spoon full. I watch as she swallows and I fight the bulge that pushes against my shorts. She takes a bite of the sandwich and leans into me. Groaning.
“Good?”
“Yes, thank you.” She pushes the sandwich up to my mouth and I take a bite. She wipes a crumb from the side of my lip and I catch her thumb in my mouth, giving it a soft bite. “More?”
“No, you eat.”
“What time are you leaving tomorrow?”
“Noon. Why?”
“Caro is coming over; I need to study for finals. And I woke up to a million texts from our mothers about wedding food.” I lean over and grab my phone, putting it on speaker as it rings.
“Astor! My sweetheart!”
“Alessia is sick, do not text her until she’s well.” Alessia elbows me and tries to take the phone from me. “And pass the word to Eleanor, or I will.”
“Sorry, honey, I hope she feels better. We’ll figure it out when she’s all rested.”
I’ve barely put the phone down before a fist lands in my chest.
“And you’re keen on breaking your hand why?” I ask.
“I didn’t tell you that for you to tell them to leave me alone. I can handle it.”
“Well, now you don’t have to handle it.”
“Now my mom is going to think I want nothing to do with the wedding planning.”
She’s made it extremely clear that she doesn’t want this wedding, so I’m not sure why she cares what her mother thinks about it at this point. She flips the blankets back and carries the dishes into the kitchen. I watch her, but stay silent. She has a crease in between her eyebrows. She’s washing the plate for what seems like the fifth time when I wrap my arms around her waist.
“There’s a dishwasher, you know.”
“Cleaning helps me think...I guess I could just tell them to pick two of everything, that way there’s a variety of food options. Then it won’t seem like I’m blowing them off.”
“ Malyshka , you’re sick . You’re not blowing them off. And you seem a lot more invested in a wedding that you don’t want.” She dries the plate and faces me while she dries her hands.
“I didn’t want it. I’m still not sure if I do, but it doesn’t sound like the worst thing anymore.”
I lean down and kiss the top of her nose.
“Good.”
“Son, when you take over, there will be plenty of times where you have to choose to let someone else do the dirty work. Let someone else get rid of your problems. Maybe this is the time to learn that lesson.”
I’m trying on tuxedos while my father badgers me about not going after Miles again. Last night, my guards said that they saw a black SUV one too many times near the house. I also kept getting unknown phone calls and texts threatening me. The threats are nothing new, it comes with the territory. No one is stupid enough to actually try to make good on it; usually .
“Dad, he raped her. I am going to fucking kill him. And if his piece of shit father or their little fucking minions want to get in the way of that, I’ll kill them, too.”
“What I’m saying is that you can’t do it by yourself. We are one of the most powerful mafia families out there. Use your resources.”
“Xavier, if you don’t help him, I will. You know how angry I was with you for stopping him that day. You gave him more mercy than he deserved. He raped my daughter; Astor I’ll give you whatever the fuck you need to wipe that fucking twat off this earth,” Ander seethes. He was belligerent that day. I’d never seen him that angry, that out of wits. He’s always in control, but that day, when he saw his daughter being ripped from her body, day by day, it was enough to make him pick off half of Miles' family for hiding him.
“Ander.”
“No, Dad, he’s right. You’re worried I’ll get myself killed. I won’t. Don’t worry, your heir will be just fine.”
Justin pats my back and I know he’s silently telling me he’s there for whatever I need. I never have to question him, nor will I ever do it.
“Now, if we’re done here. I need to go get my fiancée a wedding ring.”