Born in Blood Collection Volume 1 - Cora Reilly Page 0,338

love and marry that special boy.”

An image of Romero popped into my head, and a swarm of butterflies filled my stomach.

“I remember that look,” Mother said softly. “There is someone, hm?”

I blushed. “It’s silly. He isn’t even interested in me.”

“How could he not be? You are beautiful and intelligent and come from a good family. He’d be crazy not to fall for you.”

I’d never talked to Mother like this, and I felt incredibly sad that it had taken cancer for us to be this close. I wished she’d been that kind of mother before, and then I felt guilty for thinking something like that. “He’s not someone Father would approve of,” I said eventually. And that was a huge understatement. “He’s just a soldier.”

“Oh,” Mother whispered. She had trouble keeping her eyes open. “Don’t let anyone stop you from achieving happiness.” The last few words were barely audible as Mother slowly drifted off to sleep. I slipped my hand out from beneath hers and stood. Her breathing was labored, raspy, and flat. I could almost imagine how it would stop any second. I backed out of the room but didn’t close the door. I wanted to make sure I would hear it if Mother called for help.

I headed toward the staircase where I almost bumped into Father. “Mother will be happy to see you,” I said. “But she’s just fallen asleep, so you will have to wait a bit.”

He loosened his tie. “I wasn’t going to your mother. I have a few more meetings scheduled.”

“Oh, right.” That’s why he smelled like a perfume shop and why his suit was wrinkled. He’d spent the morning with one of his whores and was probably on his way to the next. “But she’d love to see you later.”

Father narrowed his eyes. “Did you call your sister? Luca called me this morning to tell me he and Aria were on their way to Chicago to visit your mother.”

“They have a right to say goodbye.”

“Do you really think they want to see your mother like this? Your mother was once a proud woman, if she were still in her right mind, she wouldn’t want anyone to see her in this pitiful state.”

Anger bubbled up. “You’re embarrassed by her, that’s all!”

He raised a finger in warning. “Careful. Don’t take that tone with me. I know you are under a lot of pressure but my patience is running thin at the moment.”

I pressed my lips together. “Are Aria and Luca still coming, or did you forbid them from visiting?” I didn’t mention that Gianna would be visiting as well. He’d find out soon enough and then Luca would hopefully be there to calm him down.

“They’ll be here in the afternoon. That’ll give Luca and Dante the chance to discuss business.”

That’s what he worried about? Business? His wife was dying and he didn’t give a shit. I nodded and left without another word. Half an hour later I watched my father leave the house again. There had been a time when I’d looked up to him. When I’d seen him in his black suit and thought he was the most important person in the world, but that hadn’t lasted long. The first time he raised his hand against Mother, I knew he wasn’t the man I thought he was.

* * *

Aria, Gianna, and Luca arrived two hours later. Matteo had stayed in New York. Not only because Luca needed someone he trusted there, but because Gianna’s encounter with Father would be explosive anyway. If Matteo were there as well, someone would die.

Aria and Gianna hugged me tightly in greeting. “How are you?” Aria asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s hard to see Mother so weak.”

“And Father acting like a jerk isn’t helping,” Gianna muttered.

Luca gave me a small nod. “I’ll wait in the kitchen. I still have a few phone calls to make.”

I had a feeling he only wanted to give us time alone with our mother and I was grateful for that. I almost asked him about Romero but then I stopped myself.

I led my sisters upstairs. When we stepped into Mother’s bedroom, shock flashed across their faces. Even I, who kept her company every day, was shocked every morning when I saw how broken she looked, and the smell was horrible as well. The nurses cleaned the floor and furniture with disinfectant twice a day but the stench of decay and urine still covered everything. It even seemed to cling to my clothes and skin, and