A Fall of Water
Page 91

“Where is Benjamin?”
She cleared her throat. “I contacted Emil Conti’s people. He’s out of police custody now and on the way to the hospital.”
There was a long silence on the phone.
“He killed one of the men who attacked them?”
“Yes. Maybe… maybe both. There was a lot of blood at the scene and—”
“Where was it?”
She frowned. “Where?”
“Yes! Where did this happen?”
“Near the train station. Why—“
“I will take care of this. I’ll find you at the hospital later.”
And Tenzin hung up the phone.
Beatrice arrived at the hospital a half an hour after the sun set. She struggled to control her fangs amidst the smell of blood that permeated the building. The sour antiseptic smell helped. Dez had been put in a private room at Matt’s insistence, and she could see two armed guards standing outside. They were probably Emil’s men. They nodded at her respectfully as she entered the room.
There were lines and IVs and monitors beeping, but her friend was smiling and flowers filled the room. Matt was sitting next to her, looking quietly furious and Dez was patting his hand and speaking in a low voice. She turned when Beatrice entered.
“B, I’m fine. Look.” She pointed to the monitors. “The baby’s fine. Told you growing a human was my superpower. I must have a uterus of steel. And the doctors have been awesome. And both my heroes are with me now. No one is allowed to freak out.”
Beatrice had barely noticed a pale Ben sitting in a corner of the room. He lifted his hand in a small wave, but didn’t attempt a smile. He was staring at Dez like there was no one else in the room.
She halted and pushed back the bloody tears of relief she couldn’t let herself cry. “You’re awesome, Dez. I’ve told you a thousand times.”
“Good.” The small woman in the hospital bed looked around the room with a glare. “Now tell everyone to take a chill pill and let me sleep. And this is no one’s fault but my own. Ben warned me it was a bad idea, and I went ahead anyway.”
Matt growled at her. “Dez—”
“Don’t even start again. I know you’re pissed at me and everyone is freaked out, but I’m fine.” She looked around the room at all of them. “I am fine. The baby’s fine. And if I’m going to have to sit my ass in a hospital bed for the next month or so, at least I’m in Italy. I’m betting the hospital food is way better here.”
“Dez, I just…” Beatrice gave up and walked over to her best friend, being careful not to jostle the network of wires and tubes that were attached to her. “I was so scared for you,” she whispered.
Matt spoke in a low voice. “Beatrice, I want to talk to you.”
She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the handkerchief in her pocket. “Right.”
“In the hall. Ben?” Matt stood and pointed to the chair he was vacating. Ben jumped up and went to sit beside Dez. Matt patted Ben on the shoulder before he walked out of the room.
Dez looked at her with worried eyes. “Don’t be mad at each other. He was really worried, B. He was pretty frantic.”
“I deserve anything he throws at me.” She patted Dez’s hand and stood.
Matt was pacing in a small waiting room down the hall. He didn’t even glance up when she entered.
“If she didn’t have to be in the hospital for the next month, I’d have her ass on a plane and out of here so fast your head would spin, Beatrice De Novo.”
“I know. I would, too.”
“Don’t!” He spun on her. “I know she’s your friend, but that is my wife! Do you understand me? My wife and my child and no amount of money or friendship or loyalty is worth the kind of hell that she has been put through, no matter how much she’s trying to play the cheerful fucking patient right now!”
“Matt, I know. I would never, ever put her or the baby in danger. You know this.”
He kept pacing, glaring at the ground. “Conti’s people are on her until the baby is born. After the baby is here and the doctor gives the okay to travel, we are out of here. I don’t care what you need or where Giovanni is. Do you get that, B? We’re out of here. She is my priority, and I will not have her in danger again. Thank God Ben was there. And just so you know, when we go, I’m taking him, too. He doesn’t need to get mixed up in this any more than he is. He already… he had to—”
“I know.” She walked toward him. “You’re not getting any arguments from me, Matt. I wish we’d sent all of you back weeks ago.”
He was still pacing, but she could see his reason returning. “Conti knows what happened? I’m assuming, since his men brought Ben back and his people have been stationed out there for the last few hours. His human security guy left me a message, but I haven’t called him back yet.”
“He knows. And Tenzin knows. I called them both. They all know how much Dez means to me. How important she is.”
Matt paused in his pacing and looked up at her. His arms were still crossed, but she saw the anguish in his eyes.
“She’s my life, B. She’s everything. I can’t… Nothing can happen to her, do you get that?”
Beatrice nodded and walked over to him. Finally, he reached his arms out and embraced her.
“I get it, Matt. Trust me, I get it.”