LOGINI spent the last hour and forty minutes stuck on a jet listening to Shen talk about his non-profit organization. Between that and fighting the urge to drop the word 'fuck' every five seconds to keep our deal, my head is actually pounding.Matteo kills the engine the second we pull up to the USC Medical Center. I’ve been calling Diana’s phone for the last twenty minutes, but it just rings until the voicemail responds to me.My foot is tapping a hole into the floor mat of the car.Last time I was here, Diana blocked me from coming inside. She’s terrified of her mom seeing me, but I’m about two seconds away from giving her a heart attack if she doesn't walk through those doors right now. I’m not leaving this place without my woman, but the logistics of getting her out of here fast is starting to look messy.I pull up her inbox and start typing.***I’m about to give you yet another jumpscare if I don't see you outside already. I’ve got good news, baby.***I hit send and It marks as deli
~~~CAIRO~~~I’m sitting on the gravel floor that’s murdering my knees, smelling incense that’s giving me a headache, while some guy in a robe tells me to 'find my center and breathe’.My center is currently in a shitty California hospital being harassed by a prick! I don't need to breathe, I need a needle and a vein. NOW. My calves are literally cramping and my back is stiff. As if that isn't enough, there’s a bug. A tiny, insignificant, green-winged piece of shit crawling up my neck.I want to swat it. I want to crush it into the gravel.But every time I even twitch a muscle, the old monk at the gate cracks one eye open like he’s got a sixth sense for my impatience.“Stillness, Cairo,” the old man whispers.“For fuck's sake, Monk!” I hiss, my teeth clamped so tight I might snap a molar. “The sun hasn’t moved an inch. I think your roof is higher than it was ten minutes ago. Are you bastards moving the temple or what?”He doesn’t answer. He actually goes back to looking like a lawn
~~~DIANA~~~Eden’s car creeps to a halt in front of the hospital entrance like he’s trying to stretch this nightmare foreverThe silence in the car is now freaky as hell. Just the two of us breathing this toxic, suffocating air.My fingers are digging into my thighs from anxiety. I haven’t taken a single normal breath since last night.I’ve got the emergency pills in my purse. I snuck out to grab them while Eden was in the shower last night.I know exactly what he’s planning for me today and there is no way in hell I’m letting that happen.The second he steps out of this car I’m throwing those little white saviors down my throat and praying they work fast.My phone starts ringing in my purse again, and I fish it out to look.“Who’s that?” Eden snaps.“It’s Sebastian. Again,” I mutter, staring out the window like the parking lot is suddenly the most interesting view on earth.How do I even explain to my psycho husband that my mom’s life is literally hanging by a thread and her doctor h
~~~CAIRO~~~The sun isn’t even fully up over the California hills when my phone starts screaming on the nightstand of my mom’s villa. I wrap the towel around my waist and lunge for it, my feet leaving a wet trace on the heated floor.My head’s pounding with the kind of rage that only comes from three hours of sleep and the mental image of Eden breathing the same air as my woman. So that call better be good news from grey.By the time I reach the nightstand, Grey’s face is already blocking the screen, looking entirely too smug for 7 am in the morning. It almost gets a chuckle out of me, but I’m too tired for the sentiment.I swipe to accept and wedge the phone between my shoulder and my ear while heading for the closet. I’m already pulling a fresh, crisp shirt off the rack with one hand before he even clears his throat.“Grey, this better be a donor match or I’m coming over there to personally retire you.”“Good news or bad news, son?” Grey’s voice is way too chipper to take it serio
~~~DIANA~~~“Let’s go get something to eat!” Eden yells from behind me as I head towards his car in the hospital parking lot."I’m not hungry, Eden!”“Oh, what Diana? Did your boyfriend stuff you full already? Or you're just throwing one of your pointless tantrums when you’re clearly out of moves?”My feet stop halfway and I turn to look at him. I take a few seconds to really look at the man I got married to. I cannot believe what an absolute horror my life has turned into."Eden… " I whisper, my throat burning like there’s hot coals in it. "If my mom died today, you’d be happy, right?""What the fuck do you mean!" "You were very much comfortable, watching her suffer today because... because of?"The words get to my lips and get stuck there. How do I even yell at a man that wasn't bothered about my mom's health as long as he uses it against me? He approaches me, his hand coming up to my cheek but I slap it off."Don’t touch me!" I bark.He gives me a pissed-off gasp, then goes back
~~~CAIRO~~~“Daddy! Grandma Becca said you’re not coming home tonight!” Skye screams into the phone.A hint of a smile drags on my lips as I'm watching her face fill up the whole screen. I'm sure she's holding the darn phone like a weapon."Hey, little monster," I tease."If I don’t see you back here tonight, I’m giving Rex your favorite pillow! And you know he chews at the ends without mercy!”My head tilts with genuine shock. "You’re employing your dog against Daddy?"She brushes Rex's fur and shows him the screen. He flops his tongue out and attacks it with wet licks like it's some treat. "Tell Daddy to come home tonight or we eat his pillow!"“Come on, baby, Rex is innocent. And Daddy’s not gone forever. I’m just… busy hunting for Mommy right now. I’ll be home tomorrow, okay?”She crosses her arms with a pout attack. “No! You can come back and continue hunting tomorrow!"“Haha! Come on, Skye, it doesn’t work like that. I gotta finish this tonight so when I come home next time, I’







