Page 99

Jazzy grabbed his hand. “The doctor said it could take twenty-four to forty-eight hours.”
He didn’t want to think of what else the doctor had said. Of how, after the first forty-eight hours, the chances of Mary waking up would become slimmer with each passing day.
They had been in the hospital all night—Jazzy, Gio, and Tommie—sitting in Mary’s room. He’d sent Tommie home with Zoe a few hours ago. His little girl was a mess. She’d even left Spidey with Mary, so he could protect her.
“Could you give us a minute?” He needed to be alone with her. When they left the room, he scooted closer to Mary and grabbed her hand. He closed his eyes and relived the past few hours.
Damon had knocked Decker out cold and carried him away before the authorities had arrived. His parting words to Hector were that he’d have the knife, hammer, and chainsaw ready. If Mary didn’t wake up soon, Hector was going to take him up on his offer. Over and over again, for every day his wife lay in a hospital bed, fighting for her and their baby’s life.
“Please wake up. I’m lost without you. Our house is empty, just like my heart. Let me come home to you again. Please, come home again.”
There were a million things he wanted to tell her. He wasn’t good with words. He wasn’t a flowery guy who knew what to say to make her believe he loved her. But he vowed to himself, if she made it, he was going to spend the rest of his lifeshowingit to her.
That became his new mantra in the hours that passed. When the sun came up, introducing a new day, he was startled by a voice.
“Hector?”
Mary looked at him through half-mast lids, sounding groggy.
“I’m here,mi vida.” He kissed her hands, biting back the tears.
“You called me your life.”
“I did.”
“About time,” she grumbled.
He chuckled; he couldn’t help himself. She was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay.
A nurse showed up, then another one. Then a doctor was called in, and Mary got picked and prodded.
Hector stood back, peace settling over him, and called Kristoff. “Finish it,brother.” He didn’t ever want to hear or see Decker again.
His life as he knew it, of darkness and rage, dealing with blood and gore, was over.
EPILOGUE
About six months later
Mary had always imagined giving birth as a beautiful and miraculous happening. She would be home when she had her first contractions. Hector would slowly drive over to the hospital. He would be by her side every second, telling her she was being so strong, that he was proud of her. A few hours later, she would give birth to a perfect little girl. Unlike the screaming woman she had seen in a video, Mary would give birth with dignity.
In reality, it happened while cooking for Kristoff, with Hector out of town. Her water broke in the middle of her kitchen, right on top of the shoes of a Russian crime boss.
She stroked her belly.
And that, peanut, is the story of how I ended up in the hospital with your Uncle Kristoff.
Your uncle looks like he needs a drink. Badly.
“I bet you regret coming over for my panna cotta now.”
It was their little secret. Hector could never know. Despite him tolerating Kristoff in their life, he was adamantly against his brother eating even a morsel of her prized dessert. She had no idea why. He was fine with her serving Kristoff anything else.
“Regret doesn’t begin to cover it.”
She glared at him. “I’m the one being tortured by contractions and you dare speak of regrets?”
“I’ve been tortured before. It was no big deal.” Unlike being here with you, his eyes seemed to say.