Free The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain by Lucy Monroe

King
Vincente
’s health.
    Once they were inside the hospital and the solid steel door had closed behind them, Claudio let her go as if he could not stand being close to her for another second.
    They walked down the hospital hallways in silence. The head of the hospital himself came to meet them and lead them to the waiting area designated for King
Vincente
’s family. He and
Claudio
talked, but when she realized he was saying nothing she hadn’t heard before about her father-in-law’s condition, she tuned the two men out.
    Somewhere within these quiet walls, her father-in-law lay in a bed fighting for his life. Stabilized, or not, his condition was what could hardly be termed safe if a bypass surgery was necessary. She’d read of people, perfectly healthy people dying of a second heart attack before the surgery could be performed. She could only give thanks that the first one had not killed the country’s ruler.

 
    Chapter 5
     
    Maggie
came rushing to
Therese
the moment she and
Claudio
walked through the archway that led to the waiting room.
    The other woman took one look at her and grabbed
Therese
, hugging her hard. “It’s going to be all right. He needs a bypass as I’m sure you know, but he’s a strong man. He’ll be fine.”
    Therese
let her sister-in-law hold her, pathetically grateful for the human contact that was not motivated by a need to put on a facade for the press. “I don’t know what I’ll do if he dies,” she whispered.
    She hadn’t meant to say the words and shocked herself silly doing so. She was so used to protecting her feelings, it was second nature, but her emotions were too close to the surface to be completely hidden.
    “He won’t die, sweetie. Don’t talk that way.”
Maggie
patted
Therese
’s back like she was comforting a child and she felt tears slide into her eyes.
    She could not remember the last time someone had acknowledged she had feelings. Had touched her to comfort her. Certainly not
Claudio
. He acted as if her heart was made of iron ore and twice as hard as it should be.
    Her parents had never even comforted her as a child. She was supposed to hide her every fear and never admit to pain. Hence the basketball game that had led to a week in traction as payment for the folly of not expressing her pain in any way.
    She pulled away from
Maggie
, knowing that if she didn’t, the other woman’s compassion would be her undoing. “Can we see him?”
    “Tomasso is with him now. He’s sleeping, but you can look in on him.” She bit her lip. “He looks pale, but he’s doing fine. Really.”
    Therese
nodded and then turned to go to King
Vincente
’s room, not waiting to see if
Claudio
followed. He did, the presence of his tall frame beside her obvious to her senses even though he was not in her line of sight and was walking as silently as a Black Ops agent. There was a connection between them that she doubted divorce and the separation of an ocean and a continent could even sever…on her side anyway.
    She pushed the door open to the room, quietly stepping inside.
    A dim light was on behind the bed and the king lay, unmoving, his normally bronzed features the color of flour paste except for the dark, bruising circles under his eyes.
    “He looks so weak.”
Claudio
’s voice from right beside her was hoarse with emotion.
    “Yes, but he will be fine,” Tomasso said from nearby.
    And
Therese
found herself praying, Please, Lord, let him be fine.
    Tomasso moved to stand beside his brother and whisper, “You must have gotten an immediate takeoff slot at the airport to get here so quickly.”
    Claudio
shrugged. “It was necessary.”
    “They have scheduled the surgery for tomorrow morning.”
    “
Marcello
and Danette should be here by then.”
    “Yes. Flavia as well.”
    “She is coming?”
    “Danette called her with the news as soon as she heard and Flavia wanted to fly out with them.”
    “Will Danette be all right on the long flight?”
Claudio
asked with