“Ari,” he called.
“Mr. Palazzo, I’m Dr. Bruce. Everything is going to be alright. You were shot in your left shoulder, but we successfully removed the bullet and you’ll recover quickly.”
“I don’t give a damn who you are. Where’s Ari?”
“The woman in the cafeteria was shot in the chest. It was dangerously close to her heart, and surgery was touch and go for a while, but she made it through. The next forty-eight hours are critical. She has a fifty percent chance of survival at this point.”
Rafe sat up in the bed and started ripping out the lines attached to his arm. There was no way in hell he was lying in this cold hospital bed while Ari was somewhere else fighting for her life.
“Mr. Palazzo, I highly recommend you stop now. There’s still a chance of infection setting in if you don’t stay here to be monitored.”
“I don’t give a damn about infection. Take me to Arianna Harlow this instant or I’ll make sure you never work another day as a doctor in this town or anywhere else,” Rafe shouted.
The doctor looked at him for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders as if to say ‘it was Rafe’s funeral’.
“Fine. Follow me.”
Rafe rose from the bed and had to pause for a moment as the room started spinning. The doctor didn’t dare advise him on his weak condition, and just stood in the doorway waiting for Rafe to orient himself.
When the world stopped spinning, he took one slow step in front of the other. He wasn’t happy at all with the hospital gown they’d placed him in.
“Once you get me to her, have a nurse fetch my clothes,” he commanded. The doctor simply nodded.
They walked down the hallway and reached the elevators. Once inside, the doctor pushed the button for the fifth floor, and the rising car made Rafe nauseous. He fought it down, but felt relief when the car stopped moving and he was able to step out on an unmoving floor again.
He followed the doctor through double doors and around a corner, then felt his heart nearly stop when he saw Ari lying helplessly in a small bed with all kinds of wires sticking from her pale skin.
“She’s stable for the moment,” the doctor said as he looked at her charts. “I’ll have your clothing sent up right away.”
Rafe didn’t acknowledge the doctor as he collapsed in a chair and gripped Ari’s warm hand. He tried telling himself he was only concerned since he was the one who’d led her to the cafeteria in the first place, but he knew it was a lie.
Somewhere along the line he’d developed feelings for this woman. Once the emergency was over, he would push those feelings far away and lock them up. He had no room for emotions in his life. He wouldn’t even dare think about love and happy endings. This was about control. He needed to own her so he could gain control back in his life. That was all it was.
He leaned his head on her bed and fell asleep while still clasping her hand. Without the stream of pain killers entering his IV, his arm was throbbing and his head felt like a construction worker was remodeling his brain. Sleep was a welcome relief.
“Rafe. Where am I? What happened?”
Rafe snapped awake at the scratchy sound of Ari’s fear filled voice.
“Ari. How do you feel?” he asked as he tried to wipe the fog from his brain.
“Like I was run over by a train. What happened? Why am I hooked up to these monitors? Why does my chest hurt so bad?” she questioned as her frightened eyes gazed at him.
“You were shot. I don’t know any details yet because I haven’t left your room, but I’m damn well going to find out who the man was and why the hell the hospital didn’t stop him before he got to you.”
“My mom?” she asked as tears filled her eyes.
“She’s fine, Ari. The nurse came in a few hours ago and said she made it through surgery without a hitch. They didn’t want to frighten her after her surgery so she thinks you’re just catching up on some much needed sleep right now. I will personally go see her in a few minutes. I just wanted to make sure you were okay first.”
“Thank you. You didn’t need to stay here with me. I know how busy you are. When can I see her?”
“It will be a little while because you’re in in the ICU right now, and you can’t leave for at least another day. You were shot in the chest and had major surgery. It’s amazing how well you’re doing.”
“Please, I need to see her,” Ari begged.
“Ari, you won’t do her any good if you collapse at her feet and die. You need to rest and take care of yourself before you can possibly take care of her.”
“Then please go to her. Please tell her that I’m okay and I’ll come to her as soon as they’ll let me.”
“Okay, I’ll go now.” Rafe leaned over and gently kissed her lips before he stood up and walked from the room.
It didn’t take him long to find Ari’s mother’s room. She was lying in the bed with her eyes open when he stepped through the doorway. At least he had his clothes back on and wasn’t entering the woman’s room with nothing but a paper thin gown.
“Ms. Sandra Harlow?”
“Yes, that’s me. Can I help you?” It was almost eerie how much the woman looked like Arianna. They both had the same delicate high cheek bones, straight nose, and petite frame. They even had the same hazel colored eyes. The biggest difference was where Ari had long brown curls, Sandra had short blond hair with the beginning streaks of grey running through it. She was still a stunning woman.
“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but there’s been an accident with your daughter. I want to assure you that she’s doing fine, but it will be a couple days before you’re able to see her,” he said, making sure to keep his tone reassuring.
“Ari? What happened? I need to see her now,” Sandra said as her monitors indicated her increased heart rate.
“Ms. Harlow, Ari is fine, but both of you just came out of surgery, and neither of you can move right now. You need to focus on getting better because Ari will need you to be strong,” Rafe said as he sat down and took her hand.
Her frightened eyes met his, and he was relieved when the monitors indicated her heart rate starting to slow.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Ari’s friend,” he lied. He couldn’t exactly tell Ari’s mother that he was the man who planned on using her daughter and then dumping her when he grew bored. He somehow didn’t think that would go over too well.