Page 190 of A Second Dawn
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Dr. Smith says. “I’m here for your final check-up before you’re being discharged.”
Claudette gets up, squeezing my good hand. “I’ll leave you to it. See you before you leave.”
The tears want to fall already, but I swallow them down, not wanting to lose it in front of the doctor.
“So how are you today, Ella?” Dr. Smith asks.
I chuckle. How honest should I be?
Chapter Fifty-Three
Ella
Iwalkintothewaiting room assigned to us, followed closely by Roberto and another muscle-packed guy called Franco assigned to protect me.
Tiero has been on the phone all morning, taking care of God knows what and finalizing our trip back to Sicily. He wanted to stop over in Chicago, but changed his mind after he talked to his cousin.
Maximo assured him he would ‘take care’ of the guy who switched the IV. I have no desire to find out what that entails.
How has this become my life? Tiero better get us out of this soon.
Aiden and Claudette are talking in the corner. None of Tiero’s men are here, seemingly all assigned jobs.
“Please wait outside,” I tell my escorts.
They exchange looks, debating if that’s okay. They’ve been told not to leave my side.
“I’m in here with my friends, and there’s only one way in and you’re going to guard it. So what’s the problem?” I ask, annoyed. I’m so not in the mood for this.
They share one more look. Franco shrugs his shoulders.
“No problem,” he says, stepping outside with Roberto following.
Claudette stands and comes over to hug me. “Do you want some privacy?”
She knows I was dreading having to tell Ade I’m engaged to the man he loathes so much. Judging by his downcast gaze, he seems to know already.
“Thank you,” I tell her. “After I leave, can you keep an eye on him?” Guilt is already consuming me, and I wish there was a better solution to all this.
“I think he’s planning to return to Atlanta.”
Of course he is. He has a job that needs him. He’s put everything on hold for me, and how am I repaying him? By breaking his heart.
My emotions are welling up already, and I take a moment to calm my racing heart.
“You’ve got this, darling,” Claudette says. With a playful slap on my butt, she leaves the room, and I’m alone with Aiden for the first time since our argument.
Unsure how to proceed, I slowly walk over to him. He stays seated, his forearms resting on his thick thighs, his wary eyes following me. They hold so much sadness, it shatters my heart.
I sit down quietly beside him, drawing my legs up close to my body. There’s a heaviness in my chest, making it hard to breathe.
The silence is thick between us. It feels unnatural… weird.
“Ade, I’d like…” I begin.
“I hear…” he says at the same time.
We both don’t finish our sentences, chuckling uncomfortably.