He wrapped his arms around my body. “Only if you stay with me.”
“Where else would I go?”
He tensed.
I tensed right along with him.
Because we both knew… eventually, I would go — and neither of us could stop it.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Sergio
I WOKE UP IN A COLD SWEAT. Probably one of the worst ways to wake up, in a pool of water that came from your body. I shuddered then tried to nudge Andi awake so she could at least shower.
“Andi,” I whispered, “wake up.”
She didn’t move.
“Andi?”
Still no movement. I felt for a pulse, like a complete psycho. Her heart was beating, but it wasn’t strong.
I hit my call button twice, three times. A nurse came walking in like she had all the time in the world.
“My wife!” I yelled. “She’s — something’s wrong! She has leukemia, and she’s not waking up.”
The nurse took Andi’s pulse.
I gritted my teeth, wanting to yell that I’d already done that.
She nodded then felt Andi’s forehead. “She’s burning up. Has she been sick recently?”
What was I supposed to say? “No, but she did survive an explosion and a fun day of being held at gunpoint, so it wouldn’t surprise me if her immunity is a bit low.”
“No,” I lied. “She’s been just fine, other than the dizzy spells.”
The nurse pressed a button on the side of my bed; two more nurses walked in followed by another nurse with a gurney. “Wait, where are you taking her?”
“Mr. Abandonato, you’ve been through a lot in the past day. Try to stay calm. We’re putting her in her own room, and I’ll be contacting the doctor on call. She’s fine, she’s breathing, she’s okay, but for now, I need you to concentrate on getting well.”
“But—”
“—for your wife,” the nurse said.
I lay back down and frowned when I realized, it wasn’t me sweating. It was Andi.
We were in a pool of her sweat. Not mine.
“Just try to stay calm.” The nurse patted my hand. If one more person gave me that pitiful look, I was going to lose my shit.
Thankfully, Nixon had chosen that perfect moment to walk in. “What the hell’s going on?”
“It’s Andi.” My voice cracked. “I think something’s wrong.”
I lifted my hands in the air to brace my head, but they were shaking so bad I realized it wouldn’t do me any good.
“Serg…” Nixon was immediately at my bedside. “…I’ll go with her, alright? Just try not to think of the worst. I’ll send someone to sit with you.”
“I’m not an invalid.”
“No…” Nixon let out a choke of laughter. “…but I know you. The minute she’s out of here you’re going to try to get out of bed and follow. Stay. She needs you to heal, alright?”
I said nothing.
“Serg… promise me.”
I gave him a curt nod.
Two hours later, and I still hadn’t heard from Nixon or from the nurse. I was ready to lose my mind.
Things got progressively worse when Phoenix, Chase, and Tex all showed up as reinforcements.
“Housekeeping…” Chase said in a high-pitched voice. “You want me fluff pillow?”
I chucked my pillow at the door just as he waltzed in with the coffee and food he’d promised everyone. I wasn’t allowed coffee on account my ass had been so dehydrated, but I did want food — anything to take my mind off Andi being in another room. Andi waking up without me. Andi thinking I wasn’t there.
“Shit.” I pounded the bed with my fist; my eyes filled with tears again. I’d never been an overly emotional guy — in fact, I’m pretty sure every single member of my family assumed I’d up and shot myself in the heart to keep from feeling any sort of emotion.
But with Andi? I found myself constantly on the verge of tears, always wondering if that last kiss would be the last, and trying to selfishly hold onto it as long as humanly possible.
“You look like hell…” Chase placed a small bag on my tray. “…which is why I brought you two muffins, muffin.”
“Call me muffin again.”
Tex made his way over to the bed and pulled out a chair. “Do it, Chase. I wanna see how fast he can move with three bullet wounds.”
I flipped them both off.
Phoenix was on the phone talking quietly in the corner. I nodded in his direction. “What’s with him?”
“Phoenix is having a hell of a time telling his wife that it’s not okay for her to participate in sparring with Trace while pregnant.” Chase took a giant bite out of his own muffin and shrugged. “I say good luck with that.”
Phoenix ended the phone call and gripped the cell in his hand, glaring at all three of us like it was our fault he couldn’t control his wife.
“Trace will go easy on her,” I said helpfully. “She’s not going to kick her or anything. The girls aren’t stupid, and you know Bee, she has too much energy. You tell her no, she’ll just keep asking until you say yes.”
Phoenix pinched the bridge of his nose. “Sometimes I forget how young she is… and immature.”
Tex snorted. “I don’t. That’s my sister you’re screwing.”
“Get over it,” Phoenix snapped then sighed. “Sorry, Tex, not your fault. I’m just worried about her.”