Chapter Forty-Four Leo
Idon’t know how long I stayed in the chapel, just staring at the massive cross at the altar. I might’ve said a prayer or two. I might’ve lit a candle.
I still couldn’t bring myself to go back to Drea’s room. Seeing her like that was agony. The vibrant woman I loved reduced to a shell of her former self. A machine breathing for her.
Instead, I went back to the NICU to make sure they had followed my orders. When I arrived, a different nurse let me in. She bypassed the room with all the beeping machines and tiny bodies. Outside the door, Romano stood on watch.
I frowned at him. “I thought you were on duty earlier.”
“I was. I had to come back.”
“I see.”
When I turned to go, he said, “Mrs. Kavanaugh is inside with him.”
Caterina was here? She hadn’t texted that she was coming. I bypassed Romano to throw open the door.
In the corner of the small room, Caterina sat in a glider beside an incubator. Luca was against her chest with his head snuggled against her chin. A blanket was draped over them.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I demanded.
Caterina jumped at my harsh words and tone, causing Luca's tiny fists to flail as he cried out. “Hello to you too, Leo.”
“I asked you a question.”
“When did I get here? I think about an hour ago. Callum’s in the waiting room. He sends his love.”
“Caterina–”
“I know in times of trauma, a mother’s milk might not come in, and since I’m still breastfeeding Julianna, I brought a cooler of my overflow.”
When I continued glaring at her, Caterina said, “NICU babies especially need it.” She grinned down at Luca. “But I had no idea he would be such a big boy though. I can’t imagine how big he would’ve been if he got to cook another month.”
“I’m going to ask you one more time. What are you doing?”
“I think it’s pretty obvious I’m doing skin-to-skin.”
With a roll of my eyes, I replied, “Yes, I’m aware of that. I did read a baby book when I thought I was having a baby. My question is why?”
“Because Drea can’t, and from what Rafe has told me, you won’t.”
“I can’t even look at him, least of all touch him.” Jerking a hand through my hair, I added, “If it weren’t for him, Drea wouldn’t be in a fucking coma clinging to life.”
“Leo, you cannot blame Luca for what happened.”
“He’s the root of all my problems.”
‘I know you’re hurting, but you can’t allow yourself to give in to the darkness. Drea needs you, and so does he.”
“I can’t believe you just barged in here with your breastmilk and your skin-to-skin. He’s not even your blood!”
Caterina narrowed her dark eyes. “Unlike you, he doesn’t have to be a Neretti to have my kindness and my compassion.” Jerking her chin up at me, she added, “And my love.”
My lip curled at the word love. “You’re free to do whatever you want, but I’m sure as hell not touching him.”
Staring at me in horror, Caterina demanded, “Leandro, do you even hear yourself right now? Despite what happened between you and Drea, Luca is innocent.”
“I will not raise another man’s child.”
“He might not be yours biologically, but he can still be your son.”
“Do you think Callum would raise a bastard child?”
“If he wouldn’t, I would leave him.”
Nodding, I replied, “Exactly. He wouldn’t.”
“I can’t say what he would do. I would think if he loved me and knew my father had symbolically held a gun to both my stomach and to the head of the woman who raised me, he would find a way to swallow his pride and forgive me.”
“I’m trying to forgive her.”
“When she wakes up–” Caterina paused to give me a pointed look. “Not if, but when she wakes up, you might’ve found a way to forgive her, but she will never forgive you for treating Luca the way that you are.”
As I stared at Luca, I shook my head. “I can’t,” I choked out.
A nurse appeared in the doorway. Glancing between us, she asked, “Is everything okay?”
“Besides my brother being an unimaginable asshole, everything is fine,” Caterina huffed.
“Forget it. There’s no use trying to talk to you.”
Without another word to either of them, I stalked out of the room. When I got back to Drea’s room, I was glad to see Vittoria had arrived. She’d pulled a chair over to Drea’s bedside and was holding her hand.
Nodding at her, I pointed a finger at Rafe. ‘I want to talk to you.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Why did you tell Caterina I wouldn’t hold Luca?”
“Because you won’t.”
“She doesn’t need to know my business.”
“Your sister flew in from Boston to bring breastmilk to your son, and you’re being a little bitch about it?”
‘He’s not a Neretti!”
“I’m pretty sure his bassinet bears our name.”
“That’s just because Drea and I are still legally married.”
“I’m not listening to your bullshit anymore.”
“Whatever,” I mumbled as he started to the elevators.
He paused before turning around. “Maeve wants to come in the morning to see Drea. If she wants to visit Luca, I don’t want to hear you say a damn thing since he’s not your son.”
At a gasp behind me, I turned around to see Vittoria staring wide-eyed at me. Ignoring her, I stepped back inside the room. I don’t know why I suddenly felt territorial over Drea. It was so overwhelming that I took the seat Vittoria had been in.
I took Drea’s hand in mine. The sight of her naked ring finger sent a punch to my gut. I stroked my fingers over her knuckles.
When Vittoria came back into the room, I turned around, prepared to tell her I wanted to be alone with my wife.
But before I could, she said, “My youngest son was in a coma when he was just eight. He was always climbing trees and doing dangerous things. I think he gave me most of the grey hair I have.”
Vittoria took another step closer to Drea’s bed. “After a frisbee flew on the roof, he climbed up to get it, and then fell off. It was so touch and go while waiting for his brain to stop swelling.”
Shaking her head, Vittoria said, “I never left his side. Not for three days. I just kept talking to him. Telling him to wake up. Bargaining with him that if he would, I’d buy him a certain video game he wanted or all the candy he liked.”
“And then he woke up.” She stared into my eyes. “He told me that wherever he was, he could hear me talking. That my voice called to him, especially the parts about candy and video games.”
She placed a hand on my shoulder. “I tell you this to say, talk to her, Leo. Tell her all the things you’re struggling with. Even the bad parts. Make her angry if you have to. She’s just stubborn enough to wake up to tell you off.”
The corners of my lips quirked. “Yeah, she is.”
With a knowing look, she said, “I’m going to the chapel. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”
At my nod, she started out of the room. Just as she got to the door, I said, “Thank you, Vittoria.”
“You’re welcome.”