Page 143 of Jake's Angel
Avery’s eyes snap back open. “Where is she?” she asks as the machine’s beeping starts to grow faster.
“She was arrested at the scene.”
“She’s in jail?” Avery’s shoulders relax and I hate that what I’m about to tell her is going to upset her.
“No. She was let go.”
“What do you mean? How?” Her eyes are huge with shock.
“Club business,” Gabe answers in a gruff voice behind me. “All you need to worry about is resting up and getting better.” She studies his face, then nods before closing her eyes with a deep sigh.
There’s a knock on the door and Vincenzo walks in. He has Santiago place a bouquet of flowers on the table near the window. I sit in my seat while he and Avery visit for a few minutes. He keeps the conversation light, talking about Antonio and how he misses her. How he’s found a new love for puzzles.Avery’s smile brings warmth to my chest. I’ve been praying I’d get to see her smile again.
When I saw her lifeless body on the ground, my world stopped on its axis. All I could think of was getting her out of there and to the hospital. The images of Gabe holding Maggie as life slipped from her kept pulling me back to a dark place. The thought of having to let Avery go, after finally getting her to agree to be my forever, felt like a three-hundred-pound weight slowly crushing my chest. I couldn’t let her go. I wouldn’t. I won’t.
Seeing her here, like this, though she’s in pain, is worth every bullet we spent. Vincenzo’s men went back in after we left the warehouse and torched the place.
Cusenza was reported missing and has yet to be found. He and Eleanor are in the wind.
Thomas was taken to the basement, where he and Pop had a thorough conversation. He’s been down there ever since. Gabe reserves the right to hold off making any decisions on his fate until Avery has fully recovered. He’s spent almost as much time as I have here at the hospital. Neither of us sleeping much in these uncomfortable chairs. He wants to get her home, get some rest, and then maybe he’ll decide on his brother’s fate.
A new doctor, a woman, comes in to check on Avery. Gabe and I take a step back, giving her room to work. She isn’t dressed in scrubs like the rest. She looks like she has just come running in from a workout or something. She’s wearing yoga pants and a hoodie under her white lab coat, with her hair up in a messy bun.
“I’m Dr. Emilia D’Angelo. I’ll be overseeing Avery’s care.” She reaches to shake our hands.
“She was awake for a few minutes, but she slipped back to sleep,” I offer.
“Yeah, uh, it’s normal with cases like hers,” she says, as if catching her breath. “She may be in and out for a few days. Herbody is working hard to heal itself and the most important part of the process is rest.” She looks down at the chart, makes a few notes, then scans the room.
Parisi looks the woman over from head to toe, his lips curling. “I didn’t know yoga pants were standard issue for hospital attire, but I must say, I think it’s a good choice. Much more flattering than those scrubs,” he says, as his eyes slowly peruse the doctor once more.
She narrows her eyes at him. “They are when you get paged during a yoga class and have to leave to check on a patient who was brought in by a mix of leather-clad and suit wearing thugs with a gunshot wound.” She glares at him, but Parisi makes no move to back down. Instead, he steps into her personal space, getting closer and says, “If you need a lesson in stretching techniques, Gattina, I’d be more than happy to teach you a few things.” She holds his stare, not backing down, but ignores his comment, speaking to the room instead.
“Perhaps since she’s opened her eyes, we could trim down on the number of visitor and guards we have camping out in the waiting area?”
“I’m not leaving,” both me and Gabe say in unison. Just then, Liz walks in, hearing our boisterous decline of the doctor’s request.
With a sweet smile and tender eyes, Liz tells the doctor, “You’ll have to excuse them, dear. My granddaughter here is very special, and as you can see, she has a very large family who cares about her.” Then, turning her burning glare at all of us, she says, “Gabriel. You and Jake stay and keep an eye on our girl. The rest of the men should go home to their families.” She raises an eyebrow at him. He smirks and nods, appeasing the doctor for the moment, knowing good and well the guys won’t leave without his say so.
“Good. That would make some of our other patients and their families feel a little more comfortable,” Dr. D’Angelo states. “I’ll be back to check on her periodically. In the meantime, if you need anything, please let the nurses know.” Parisi makes no move to get out of her way until she glares at him and huffs her breath, rolling her eyes. “Excuse me.” He smirks at her and lets her pass.
“I will leave two of my men. One outside the entrance and one here in the waiting room. They will blend in.” Not likely. “I would feel better if you would accept their presence until Avery is ready to leave the hospital.”
“We appreciate the offer,” Gabe says.
“I’m not asking, Gabriel.” Vincenzo says flatly. “Miss Elizabeth. It was lovely to see you.”
He watches as Liz approaches Avery’s bedside and takes her hand. She’s sniffling as she cups Avery’s hand in hers. Gabe reaches around and hugs his mother’s neck, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“She’s all right, Ma. She’s going to be okay.” Gabe wraps his arms over Liz’s shoulders, kissing her temple. She sniffles and turns into his chest. He holds her while she sobs. Once she’s done, she pulls back and wipes her face with the back of her hand. “Gabriel? You have to make sure they’ll never be able to hurt her again.” He understands what she’s asking without saying the words, but it’s Vincenzo who answers.
“All parties involved will be dealt with appropriately,” he confirms. She looks to Gabe, who nods, letting her know he speaks the truth.
“Then you boys let her rest and bring her home.” She points around the room at each of us. “And you,” she says, pointing at me. I grab my chest as if she’s wounded me with an accusation. “You pulled your head out of your ass yet?” The room eruptsin laughter and Avery stirs, scrunching her face at the sudden noise. “Shh. You idiots. She’s sleeping.”
“If you’re asking if I’ve claimed her as mine, the answer is yes.”
She looks at Gabe. “And you gave your blessing?” He shrugs his shoulders. “Good. The only other man I’ve seen love a woman so hard was you with our Maggie.” Gabe smiles down at her and gives her another hug. “Now, as for the rest of you, get the fuck out. Shoo. Come on. Out. Out. Out.”