Surrender (23 page)

“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.

“What’s your name?” she asked with the same suspicious tone her daughter used. It was so similar that it made him smile.

“Raffaello Palazzo. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Harlow.”

She looked at him with confusion for a few moments and then her eyes widened.

“I’ve heard that name before. Some of the nurses have spoken about you. Are you the same gentleman that has done so much for this hospital?”

“None of that matters, Ms. Harlow. What matters is that you and Ari both get better.”

“I see you like to avoid questions about yourself.” Rafe smiled again at her direct tone. He had a feeling that his mother and Sandra would get along great. He’d have to make sure the two of them never met. He could see a lot of headaches for him if that were to happen.

He only wanted Ari to satisfy his needs. He didn’t need their family members trying to make it anything other than that.
Rafe didn't need them to know one another at all.

“I just wanted to let you know what happened to Ari, but I need to get back to her now,” Rafe said with discomfort.

“You didn’t say what happened. You only told me that she was doing fine after surgery,” Sandra pointed out. Rafe really didn’t want to be the one to tell the woman that her daughter had been shot, though he didn’t see a way to get out of it.

He took a deep breath and explained
the shooting incident in the cafeteria. Her eyes widened, and her pale skin turned even whiter, but she managed to keep herself under control as he explained the events of the day before.

“It’s a good thing you were there,” she finally said after a long pause.

“I was the one who insisted she go there in the first place,” he replied guiltily. The self-recrimination was eating at him.

“I’d say that’s a good thing, as well, Mr. Palazzo. My daughter hasn’t been taking the best care of herself lately. I’m grateful you were there and amazed you managed to get her to eat. I’ve been trying to force food into her all weekend. If you’ve known Ari for any length of time, though, you must know how stubborn she is.”

Rafe smiled at Sandra. He agreed fully with her on that point – her daughter was beyond stubborn and a downright pain in the ass. It was just too bad that he enjoyed that quirk in her personality.

“She certainly is, but I’ve managed to bend her to my will on occasion,” he said with a wink.

“Hmm. That’s interesting, Mr. Palazzo. Will you keep me updated on how she’s doing until the doctor lets me see her?”

Rafe shifted in his seat. He wanted to spend as little time as possible with
Sandra. For one thing, he found himself enjoying her company, and that wasn’t good. For another, it would be far harder for him to have the type of relationship he wanted with Ari if her family members were involved.

He’d been taught to respect family, and if he knew Sandra, and then bound her daughter in a sex contract, it would eat at him. The situation continued to become more complicated with each passing day. He wished he could cut all ties – he wasn’t ready to do that just yet.

“I can make sure the nurses keep you informed.”

“Oh, I’d much rather hear from you personally since you’ll be with my daughter,” she said as she looked at him with hurt eyes.

Damn it!

“I’ll keep you informed, Ms. Harlow,” he conceded.

“Thank you, darling, and you can call me Sandra. We’ll be seeing each other often over the next few days.” Rafe looked at her in surprise. There was a spine of steel beneath her weakened body. She was clearly letting him know that he’d better update her more often than he’d been planning.

“Well then, get some rest, Sandra,” he said before standing and walking out her door.

Instead of heading right back to Ari’s room, he stepped outside the hospital and let the cool breeze slap him in the face. What in the hell was he doing? He was starting to get in way too deep at this point.

What he should do was call his driver and leave right now. It was time to cut ties with Ari
and her mother
. It was time to hire a new girl and get his life back to normal. He shook his head as he stood there undecided.

“Raffaello Palazzo, you are in so much trouble.”

Rafe groaned as he turned toward his sister who was gazing at him with her foot tapping and fire blazing in her eyes.

“Hi, Lia.
How are you?” he said with resignation.

“I’m pissed. That’s how I am. I can’t believe you were shot and you didn’t bother to call us!”

“Mom’s going to have your head on a platter, you know?” Rachel piped in as she walked up and threw her arms around his waist. “We’ve been so worried.”

“I’m fine,” he promised, feeling guilt
consume him.

“Well, we better go find mom. She’s furious with you,” Rachel warned.

“Where is she?”

“In Ari’s room.
That’s where the staff said you’ve been all night. When you weren’t there, Lia and I came searching for you, but mom was sure you’d return so she waited there. I think she just wanted to be with Ari. She seems to like her.” Rafe didn’t like the tone of his sister’s voice. He in no way wanted them trying to turn this arrangement he was planning with Ari into more than it was.

Rafe’s heart picked up speed as he turned back to the door. He
really
didn’t want his mom and dad spending more time with Ari. This was quickly spinning out of control and he felt as if he were free falling.

“Oh, Arianna, you poor little thing.”

Ari turned to find Rafe’s mother and father walking through her doorway. What were they doing in her room?

“I’m fine,” she automatically responded.

“You are far from fine, darling. I simply can’t believe you were shot. I am furious with my son for not calling us at once. Poor Rafe was shot, you were shot, and he doesn’t even bother to call his own mother,” she said as she sank down in the chair next to Ari’s bed and grabbed her hand.

“Rafe was shot?” Ari gasped.

“You didn’t know?”

“No. He didn’t say anything. I really don’t know a whole lot. The last thing I remember was feeling like I was punched in the chest and then seeing blood on my shirt. Everything went dark after that. The doctor said I was very lucky the shot didn’t enter an inch to the left or I would’ve been dead. I’m incredibly grateful that if I had to be shot, at least it happened in a hospital where they were able to operate immediately.”

“You sweet little thing.
I’d be a lot more grateful if neither of you had been shot in the first place. How terribly tragic this all is. A brand new mother was killed – her new baby left in this world without a mama. Two others were taken too soon from this world, as well. I know it’s selfish of me, but I’ve been so worried. The thought of losing my Rafe rips a gaping hole in my chest. It would be unimaginable. I’ve been so worried about you, too. I know we don’t know each other well, but you’re such a sweet little thing, and knowing you were hurt just breaks my heart.”