Chapter 2 - The Price of Saving Marco
Marco looked impossibly small beneath the hospital blankets.
Bella stood beside him while Dr. Patel explained the diagnosis.
“We believe Marco has a rare autoimmune disorder affecting his heart.”
Bella gripped the bed rail.
“You said it’s treatable.”
“It can be.”
“Then treat him.”
Dr. Patel hesitated.
“That’s what I wanted to discuss.”
Bella already hated that expression.
“What?”
“There’s a specialist in Boston.”
“How soon?”
“Immediately.”
“Then transfer him.”
“The insurance company hasn’t approved it.”
Bella stared.
“He almost died tonight.”
“I know.”
“So what exactly are they waiting for?”
“The treatment is considered experimental under your plan.”
Bella laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“How much?”
“Bella—”
“How much?”
Dr. Patel gave her the number.
Bella stopped breathing.
It was more money than she could earn in years.
Marco opened his eyes.
“Bella?”
She immediately turned.
“Hey.”
“You look mad.”
“I’m Italian. We always look mad.”
He smiled weakly.
“Liar.”
She took his hand.
“You’re going to be okay.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do.”
“How?”
“Because I’m your older sister.”
“That’s not medical training.”
“It should be.”
Marco’s eyes closed again.
Bella waited until he slept.
Then she walked into the hallway.
She called the insurance company.
She argued.
She begged.
She demanded a supervisor.
Nothing changed.
At 4:07 a.m., Bella sat alone beside a vending machine.
Her hand slipped into her coat pocket.
The business card was still there.
If you ever need something.
She stared at the telephone number.
“No.”
She put it away.
Thirty seconds later, she took it out again.
“No.”
Another minute passed.
Bella dialed.
The call connected after one ring.
“Bella.”
She froze.
Alessandro Moretti’s voice.
“You knew it was me?”
“Only five people have that number.”
“What if I had called accidentally?”
“You don’t do anything accidentally.”
Bella closed her eyes.
“I need help.”
His tone changed instantly.
“Where are you?”
“St. Jude’s.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“My brother.”
Silence.
“How old?”
“Twenty-one.”
“What happened?”
Bella told him.
When she finished, Alessandro asked one question.
“What do you need?”
“There’s a specialist in Boston.”
“Name?”
“Dr. Nathan Keller.”
“How soon?”
“As soon as possible.”
“I’ll call you back.”
“Wait.”
The line disconnected.
Bella stared at her phone.
“Unbelievable.”
Eleven minutes later, it rang.
“Moretti?”
“Your brother is being transferred at eight.”
Bella stood.
“What?”
“Keller has agreed to take the case.”
“How?”
“That isn’t important.”
“It’s extremely important.”
“A medical plane leaves Midway at seven-thirty.”
Bella leaned against the wall.
“How much?”
“Nothing.”
“No.”
“Bella—”
“I’m paying you back.”
“No.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“I won’t owe you.”
Alessandro was quiet.
Then:
“Fine.”
Bella blinked.
“Fine?”
“You want to repay me?”
“Yes.”
“Have dinner with me.”
She almost dropped the phone.
“What?”
“One dinner.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I agree.”
“Then why?”
“Because I want to understand you.”
“Understand what?”
“The woman who grabbed my wrist in front of sixty people.”
Bella lowered her voice.
“My brother’s life isn’t payment for a date.”
“No. Your brother’s treatment has no conditions.”
“Then why mention dinner?”
“Because you need to believe you’re paying me back.”
He paused.
“So I’m giving you something you can afford.”
Bella had no response.
Alessandro continued.
“Take care of Marco.”
The call ended.
---
At seven-thirty that morning, Bella watched medical staff wheel Marco toward a private transport ambulance.
Dr. Patel approached her.
“I’ve never seen authorization happen this quickly.”
Bella said nothing.
“Who did you call?”
“Someone who apparently doesn’t understand the word no.”
A familiar voice came from behind her.
“I understand it perfectly.”
Bella turned.
Alessandro stood twenty feet away.
Black overcoat.
White shirt.
No tie.
The tattoos on his hands were visible as he buttoned one cuff.
No entourage.
No Vinnie.
Just him.
Bella approached.
“You didn’t have to come.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Why?”
Alessandro looked toward Marco.
“Because you sounded scared.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Bella.”
“Fine. I was terrified.”
“That I believe.”
She crossed her arms.
“How did you arrange this?”
“I know people.”
“That sentence sounds illegal.”
“Not everything I do is illegal.”
“Comforting.”
Alessandro almost smiled.
Then Marco’s gurney stopped beside them.
His eyes opened.
“Bella?”
“I’m here.”
Marco noticed Alessandro.
“Who’s the giant?”
Bella closed her eyes.
Alessandro extended his hand.
“Alessandro.”
Marco weakly shook it.
“You her boyfriend?”
“No,” Bella said immediately.
Alessandro answered at the same time.
“Not yet.”
Bella’s head snapped toward him.
Marco laughed.
Then coughed.
Bella pointed at Alessandro.
“You.”
“Yes?”
“Outside.”
He followed her.
The moment the doors closed, she turned.
“Not yet?”
“I was encouraging him.”
“You were encouraging yourself.”
“Possibly.”
Bella tried to remain angry.
She failed.
A small laugh escaped.
Alessandro stared.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re staring.”
“I’ve never heard you laugh.”
“You’ve known me for twelve hours.”
“Still.”
Their eyes held.
Then Vinnie’s SUV pulled up.
He stepped out looking unusually serious.
“Boss.”
Alessandro turned.
“What?”
Vinnie glanced at Bella.
“We have a problem.”
“What problem?”
“Bianchi.”
Alessandro’s expression hardened.
“He disappeared.”
“So?”
“He didn’t run.”
Vinnie lowered his voice.
“He went to the Romano family.”
Alessandro became very still.
Bella looked between them.
“Who are the Romanos?”
Neither answered.
Bella sighed.
“That means they’re bad.”
Vinnie looked at her.
“Very.”
Alessandro turned toward Bella.
“Go with Marco.”
“Alessandro—”
“Boston. Today.”
“What are you going to do?”
His face became the one Chicago feared.
“Handle my problem.”
Bella grabbed his sleeve.
He looked down at her hand.
She realized what she had done.
Again.
“Don’t do anything stupid.”
Vinnie stared at her.
Alessandro’s mouth twitched.
“You really enjoy giving me orders.”
“I’m developing a hobby.”
He leaned closer.
“So am I.”
“What?”
“Listening to them.”
Then he walked away.
Bella watched him enter the SUV.
She suddenly understood something she did not want to understand.
She was worried about Alessandro Moretti.
May you like
And that was a much bigger problem than hospital bills.
---
