The Billionaire’s Destiny (Love and Destiny Trilogy #3)

CHAPTER ONE

Screech.

The car jerked hard to the right, and I clung to the handrest. What’s happening? We swerved into a new lane and raced toward the highway’s exit, still miles from the Marini Estate in Florence.

The partition was down in the car, and I called out to Zane. “What’s going on?”

“Rocco’s at the hospital.”

My heart jumped into my throat as fear rose in my veins. “Did you find out why?”

“No. I told Rick we’re on our way.”

We raced toward the Santa Maria Nuevo Hospital exit, as if desperate to outrun the fading sunlight. My eyes were locked on the road, but anxiety twisted inside me with every mile. If he’s at the hospital, he must be hurt, and it must be serious.

I lowered the window and craned my neck to see a way out of traffic as my mind kept coming up with the worst possibilities, and I had to stop.

Rocco always believed in faith, so I tried to hold on to that hope and trust that he was okay.

Still, every second made it harder to breathe.

The air felt thick with grief and shadowed by Luca’s death.

“I can’t lose Rocco, too,” Olivia croaked, sniffling beside me.

“We won’t,” I muttered.

Olivia’s fingers found her rosary, her lips moving in a silent prayer. I craned my neck, searching the road ahead and watching as traffic crawled near the exit. We slipped into another lane for the ramp, the hospital signs promising we were close.

“Don’t worry. We’ll get there,” Zane called back to us.

However, the traffic was at a standstill, with minutes passing before we could advance an inch, and more cars joined the road behind us, boxing us in.

The sidewalks were mostly clear except for tourists lined up outside galleries or seated outside the front of cafes. Maybe I could run ahead?

I bent down, retied the laces on my sneakers, and called out to Zane. “How about I jog there and meet you both in the emergency room?”

Olivia tutted. “No, that’s a bad idea. We all should go together.”

“Mrs. Marini’s right, Adelina. There could be a lot of press, and I’ve been ordered not to leave you alone.”

Zane’s warnings and Olivia’s worry couldn’t keep me still. “I’ll be fine. I speak Italian, and my father isn’t here. Please. I swear I’ll call if anything happens, but I have to go now.” My voice rose with determination.

Olivia touched my arm. “Calm down.”

“I am calm, and I’ll steer clear of the press. But Rocco’s there, maybe hurt or alone.” He needs me.

We sat unmoving as minutes dragged by.

I clenched my jaw. “I’m going.”

Olivia fidgeted with her rosary, and flicked her gaze at me. “Okay, Adelina. Go on ahead.” Her sudden shift caught me off guard, and I turned to see a gentle smile on her lips.

Buzz. My phone vibrated in my bag. I paused to check. Private number? A reporter again? I let it go to voicemail. “Zane?”

He exhaled sharply and unlocked the door. “Call me the second you arrive.” Ding. He held up his index finger and reached inside his coat for his phone. “Paul? Yeah.”

Not Rocco.

“See you there,” I called and climbed out, closing the door behind me.

I glanced both ways, then broke into a jog toward the sidewalk, my eyes fixed on the sign overhead: Santa Maria Nuevo Hospital 1.6 K.M.

I set off at a brisk pace, weaving down the sidewalk toward the hospital. A few blocks on, the reason for the gridlock revealed itself: two cars were tangled in a crash, and officers and tow trucks swarmed the scene. I fired off a quick text to Zane.

Adelina: Car accident. Police and tow trucks ahead. Almost there.

The emergency room sign, Pronto Soccorso, was in view. Through the glass doors, I spotted the reception and hurried inside.

A group of security personnel and hospital staff appeared. Everyone was moving around at once, blocking the front desk. One of the officers stopped and approached me.

“Signorina?”

I raised my brows. “Sì, ufficiale?”

“Signorina, quest’area è chiusa. Deve usare l’altro ingresso.” Miss, this area is closed. You must go around to the other entrance.

“Mi scusi, signore. Mio marito è qui e devo trovarlo.” Excuse me, sir. My husband is here, and I need to find him.

“Chi è tuo marito?” Who’s your husband?

I squared my shoulders. “Rocco Marini.”

“Marini? Rocco Marini?” His voice rose.

I cleared my throat. “Yes, Rocco Marini.”

He studied me, brows knitting as his gaze swept from my head to my sneakers. I glanced down at my plain pullover and jeans, suddenly self-conscious. Should I flash my wedding ring?

“Adelina?”

I spun around just in time to see Paul Crane making his way toward me. The officer caught sight of Paul, his expression shifting from stern to recognition.

I rushed to Paul’s side. “Do you know what’s happening?”

“Some,” he said, frowning. “Where’s Zane?”

“On the road with Olivia. I ran ahead to get here. Is Rocco okay?”

“He’s being treated—”

“Treated for what?”

He scanned the area. There were a few staff busy working, but we weren’t private. “Come. I’ll explain everything.”

I followed him to a family waiting room, where a security guard stood in front of it. Rick was inside and walked over to us. “Just spoke with Zane. I’ll tell the doctor you’re here, Adelina.”

“What happened at the lodge?” I asked.

He hesitated.

I tensed. “Rick?”

“I’ll tell her what I know,” Paul said. “Please tell the doctor his wife is here.”

Rick left without another word.

I turned to Paul. “So, tell me what happened.”

Paul seemed to carefully blank his expression. “Rocco was in a snowmobile accident with George near the lodge.”

I grimaced. “Snowmobile?”

“Yes. It was a two-seater; Rocco rode as a passenger with George driving. He lost control going over a ridge, and the snowmobile flipped. Both of them were thrown. It took time to rescue them because of the snowstorm.”

“He’s here now? So he’s okay? Can I see him?” I wrung my hands.

“They’re checking him over because he lost consciousness—”

“Oh, my God,” I cried, my voice breaking. From what I knew, prolonged unconsciousness was the result of a brain injury.

Paul touched my arm to refocus me. “Hold on, Adelina. Rick said it was for ‘maybe a few seconds.’”

“O-okay. But he was thrown from the vehicle. Does he have other injuries?”

“He also dislocated his shoulder, which they reset. He was conscious when they airlifted him here, and they are running tests. Let’s wait for the doctor before jumping to conclusions.”

I nodded and swallowed hard. “Is everyone else fine? George?”

“George is here. I only know he’s in surgery. Sorry. I wish I could tell you more.”

“No, Paul. You flew us here, and that was very generous.”

“It’s what Rocco would’ve done for me, if it was Nadia.”

That was Rocco; he’d rush to help anyone he could.

It was another reason I fell for him: his concern for everyone around him.

Images flashed through my mind of Rocco laughing and dancing with me at the concert in London, making love to me on the plane.

Neither one of us had any idea what would come.

Once again, I was reminded how quickly a life could change.

The door swung open with Olivia and Zane. Paul went over to tell her the same thing he told me.

“But why are they running tests? Do they think it’s serious? He’s going to be fine. Right, Paul?” Olivia asked, her voice strained.

“We’re waiting to hear from the doctor,” Paul told her, but even he wouldn’t promise.

She let out a sob, and I went over to comfort her, placing my arm around her shoulder. Losing her father Luca, and now having her son injured was a lot to take, and I sympathized.

“He arrived conscious, and they are treating his injuries. He’s strong and healthy.” I told her something we both needed to hear.

When she finally calmed, we stood apart staring at each other, like a tide retreating. Her threat on the plane was still heavy between us.

“…you want Jacob to keep his new home. If everything is turned over to Mr. Sears and the board of trustees, they can reverse all recent changes. Do you want Jacob to have a board of people deciding each quarter about his care?”

I harbored no illusions that Olivia wouldn’t hesitate to follow through with her threat.

Even though Rocco had told us that he wasn’t ready for children, his mother had trapped me…

and wanted me to betray him. And using the one thing that could make me waver was my love for my brother Jacob.

Her final card to play. Her ruthless desperation to get her way had left me unsure what to believe.

Olivia lowered her gaze, allowing Rick to lead her to a seat near the door. I sat with Paul on the opposite side of the seating area.

The terms of Luca’s new will, if valid, made it clear that Rocco could only access the fortune if we had a child together.

His grandfather wanted to ensure his family’s future mattered more than anything else.

Having a child had lingered in the corners of my mind for some time, a secret whisper I tried to ignore because it wouldn’t be fair to either one of us.

But as I recalled my rush to the plane and conversation with Olivia, a new worry sparked.

Did I take my birth control today? I tensed, rummaging through my handbag for my pills.

Lord Byron’s poetry, my phone, hand lotion, lip gloss. Nothing else. Where is it?

My mind drifted to the hours before the flight, replaying the whirlwind of the last day: the film premiere in New York with Cassidy, the rush to finish my illustration for Perchance to Dream Publishing.

Even if I missed one, I could always take another tomorrow.

Right now, all my attention was on Rocco, and I did the only thing I could do.

I sat there with my heart in my hands, waiting.