Chapter 55

55

JJ

Michael's already hard features seem to turn to granite. "What is it Karma didn't tell me?"

Summer pales further. She looks up at Sinclair for help.

Lena slides closer to me and my fingers tingle. I want to put my arm around her and pull her into my side. But this time… This time, it's up to her to make the next move. If she wants me, if she wants something more between us, then she needs to take the initiative. Oh, how I hate to admit that. But if I want to have any kind of a relationship with her, I need to respect her wishes. I've been in enough negotiations to know when it's time to fall back; but holding myself back from her is the most difficult thing I've done in my life.

Michael curls his fingers into fists. "Is someone going to tell me what my wife is supposedly hiding from me?"

Summer bites the inside of her cheek. She clutches at Sinclair's arm. She opens her mouth but no words come out. Sinclair places his hand on hers, and that seems to help her. "Karma, she—" Summer shakes her head. "She?—"

"She what? What is it? What's wrong with her? Can somebody please tell me?"

Summer sways, and Sinclair pulls her closer.

"Anybody?" Michael turns to us. "Can you tell me what's happening?"

Lena glances at Summer to find she's buried her face in Sinclair's chest and is weeping silently. She pales, then tips up her chin. "Michael, Karma has a heart condition."

"Excuse me?" He stares as if he's not quite sure he heard right.

"It's true." Summer sniffles. She turns in Sinclair's arms. "She was born with a congenital heart defect that she has controlled with medication."

"I would have known if my wife had a heart condition, or if she were on any medication." Michael's scowl deepens.

"Karma hates talking about it to anybody. She doesn't want to be treated differently. It's why she didn't tell you about it."

His jaw tightens. "She doesn't hide anything from me."

"She did with this."

Silence descends. He takes in Summer's features, and must see the truth reflected there, for some of the color leaches from his features. "Is that why she's in there? I thought it was the baby, but it's her heart condition that's acting up?"

"It's both," Lena says softly.

Michael turns to her. "Explain," he says in a hard voice.

I don't know all of the details, but I've followed enough of the conversation to piece together what's happening. "If Karma's pregnant with a heart condition, it puts her life at risk."

Every muscle in Michael seems to coil in response. His shoulders bunch, and his chest rises and falls. He curls his fingers into fists, and takes a step forward. Lena shrinks back closer to me, when Michael sinks to his knees.

The lethal Mafia Don in his $7000 tailored suit digs his fingers into his hair and squeezes his eyes shut, while on his knees, on a floor covered with industrial carpeting.

"Oh, Beauty, why didn't you tell me?" His voice is anguished. My chest tightens. Not even I'm immune to the sound of a man's raw grief. Is this what love does to people? Does it reduce them to their knees, literally? While squeezing their insides like a car compactor?

Lena's breath hitches. I turn to find her watching me with a plea in her eyes.

Oh, no. No, no, no. I scowl at her. She glowers back at me.

I bunch my shoulders, and she digs her elbow into my side. "Go to him," she hisses.

"But you?—"

"I'm fine. He needs you. He's your friend."

I hesitate

"You should go to him, Jack." She searches my features. "Please."

Maybe it's because she called me by my name or because she said please, or perhaps it's the genuine concern in her features, and I'm a sucker who can't say no to the plea in her eyes. Either way, I rise to my feet and stalk over to Michael, and grip his shoulders. "Buck up, ol' chap. She's in good hands. Weston's the best in the continent and he's with her. He'll do everything possible to save her."

Michael's big body sways, but he doesn't reply.

"Hold it together," I say sharply. "She needs you. Karma needs you, Michael. You can't lose your shit. She needs your strength to get through this."

Michael's throat moves as he swallows. When he opens his eyes, a tear leaks from the corner of one. He doesn't bother to wipe it away. He shrugs off my hold and rises to his feet.

"It's my fault. I should have paid more attention. What kind of a man doesn't know that his wife is suffering from a systemic condition?"

"It's not your fault," Lena says from behind me at the same time as Summer. She turns in Sinclair's arms and exchanges a glance with my woman—I mean, my employee… I mean, the one who is my life. If Lena were in the same position as Karma, I'd... I'd do anything to save her. I'd give my life to make sure she's okay. I'd… want to hurt myself for not figuring out she was hiding such an important thing from me.

"You know how adamant Karma is." Summer rubs her hand across her face. "If she didn't want you to know, there's no way you could have found out, Michael."

Michael rubs the back of his neck. "She wanted another child so quickly, and I agreed. I thought it would be the best way for her to get over the grief of losing our first. I should have told her to wait a little longer. I should have asked to look at her medical records closely. I thought—" His features grow thunderous. "Her doctor would have known. Aurora would have known, and she didn't tell me."

"Are you sure?" Summer sniffles. "She wouldn't have had access to her medical records from the UK. There's no reason for Aurora to have found out unless Karma told her, and she wouldn't have because she knew Aurora would tell you. She was adamant she wanted this child, Michael."

"Cazzo!" Michael's shoulders seem to swell. His biceps stretch his jacket sleeves. "If I had known how much danger she was in, I never would have allowed her to get pregnant."

"It's why she didn't tell you. She knew you'd have this reaction," Summer says softly.

"When she wanted to get pregnant so quickly after losing our first child, I agreed. I thought it was the best way for her to get over her grief. I never thought—" The tendons of his throat flex. "I never thought it would endanger her life. Never thought it would come to her fighting for her life. If something were to happen to her?—"

"Nothing's going to happen to her," a new voice says from the doorway. "Not if I can help it."

Michael swivels to face the new arrival. All of our eyes are locked on the man who steps through the doorway. I recognize Dr. Weston Kincaid from my investigator's reports. Like I said, I'm thorough when it comes to researching who I'm working with.

Michael prowls over to him. "How is she? Is she okay?"

"She's fine. She had a bad scare, but she's resting now."

"Is she going to be okay?"

Weston hesitates. "For now."

"What do you mean, for now? Is she still in danger."

"Being pregnant with her heart condition means she is always going to be in some level of danger. This time, she was lucky, and hopefully, there won't be any further episodes until she gives birth."

"And if there are—?" Michael's voice trembles. "What if?—"

"Let's not speculate, shall we?" Weston claps him on his shoulder. "For now, why don't you come back and take a look at your wife? And when you're done, why don't you come by my office and we can talk? We'll come up with a care plan for your wife to minimize the possibility of this happening again during her pregnancy."

"Thanks for seeing me home." Lena glances up at me from inside the doorway of the house she's currently occupying. A house I personally inspected to make sure it would be comfortable and secure for her. If I had security cameras installed around the perimeter, and I'm not saying I did, that's me watching out for her. That's all.

"Are you going to be okay?" I survey her features. There are dark circles under her eyes. Her cheekbones seem to stand out in relief. "When was the last time you ate?"

As if in response, her stomach grumbles. She laughs a little. "That wasn't embarrassing at all."

"Is there food at home? Should I order some for you? I?—"

"I'm fine, JJ. Really. It wasn't me who almost lost my child again."

Karma and the baby were going to be fine. Summer also wanted to meet with Dr. Kincaid, so Sinclair had gone with her and Michael. Karma's brush with death had changed the dynamics of the relationship between Michael and Sinclair completely. Summer wanted to be there for her sister, and Sinclair wanted to support Summer. Lena and I waited outside Dr. Weston's office as the three of them met with him.

When they came out, Summer informed Lena that Karma would stay in the hospital under observation. Michael insisted on staying with her, and Summer and Sinclair were going to arrange to have clothes and food delivered to him. Also, once Karma was better, she was going to move back into their rental near Summer's place. Karma and Michael were going to stay in London until the baby was born so Karma could also be near Summer.

Summer and Lena hugged, with Lena promising Summer she'd be over to visit. Considering Lena stays in a bungalow on the grounds of their home, that's going to be sooner rather than later. Oh, and I told Michael I'd be there in his corner if he needs anything.

Michael held my gaze, then ignoring my proffered arm, he'd hugged me. Huh? Apparently even a Mafia Don needs people around him in times of crises. He told me his brothers were on their way to keep him company in the hospital, but he appreciated the offer. Then, he turned to Lena and thanked her for being there for Karma.

As I left with Lena, I ran into Luca and Adrian, who were on their way to stay with Michael. Adrian was on his phone issuing orders—to his team, no doubt—to block out the floor and have security posted around it. The right thing to do. The Sovranos might be turning legit, but their past would always dog their heels. I should know. I harbored the same concern. And when it comes to my woman, I'll stop at nothing to make sure she's safe.

"Do you want to come in?"

I blink, glance down at the features which are imprinted in my retinas, on my brain tissue, in my blood cells, in every fiber of my body. The face that haunts my dreams and stalks my every waking moment. Also, because I can't resist pulling up the security app on my phone and watching the live feeds of her to reassure myself she's safe.

Yeah, my comment earlier about not resorting to the amateur tactics of having eyes on her? Disregard that. Turns out, when it comes to her, I'll do anything to keep her safe. If it had been her in that hospital, if it had been her who'd had that scare, if it had been her who'd have to be monitored for every single second of her pregnancy to ensure that she made it through safely and after, to make certain that she was okay… To be honest, I'm not sure how I'd be able to survive. The constant fear that something could happen to her, something that's out of my control, something I could do nothing about except watch her keenly, keep her as close as possible, lavish as much attention on her as possible… And act as if every day, every minute, every second with her is a precious gift I'll never take for granted.

"JJ?" She frowns. "Did you hear what I said?"

I open my mouth to speak, but my throat is too dry. My brain cells seem to have all fused together. My guts clench. A shiver grips me, and all of the pores on my body pop.

I must make a sound, for her gaze widens. "JJ, you okay?"

I bend my knees, snatch her up, and throw her over my shoulder.