Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
The man gave me a nod as he eased his large body into the room, keeping the door half closed so as not to disturb his friend. It wasn’t easy, though. He was a big man. A really big man—at least six foot four or five, and his body was a veritable wall of muscles. Though his skin was tan like Leonardo’s, his eyes and hair were so dark they were nearly black. He didn’t look like he was Leonardo’s family, or at least not a blood relation.
But I knew better than anyone that you didn’t have to share the same blood to be family. Colby would always be my brother even though we hadn’t shared any common blood, either.
For a big man, the newcomer moved quietly. I barely heard his footsteps as he walked to the other side of Leon’s bed. He gazed at his friend’s messed up chest for a long while, not even acknowledging me. When he finally lifted his gaze to me, I jolted slightly. Out of fear? Or surprise? I really couldn’t say, but there was something in the intensity of his gaze that shook me.
“How is he?” the man asked softly. He had on a black leather jacket. Under it, he was wearing a gray t-shirt with dried blood on it. The shirt was tight against the broad expanse of his chest and flat abs. I got the sense that he hadn’t gone looking for a tight shirt to show off his muscles but rather all shirts looked tight on a man his size.
“He’s stable for now,” I said in a whisper, and then bit my tongue. I hated this part of the job—I wasn’t allowed to tell him anything about his friend's health, at least not without Leon’s permission.
The man nodded, as if not expecting much of an answer. “They wouldn’t tell us anything downstairs, either.”
“Hospital rules,” I stated, but I couldn’t keep the note of sympathy out of my voice.
He nodded. “Do you have his wallet?”
That took me by surprise, but I glanced over at the white plastic bag on the nightstand next to the bed. “I’m sorry, I can’t give it to you.”
“I didn’t ask you to. But you can look at it, right?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. When the large man just continued to stare at me, I reached into the bag and fished the wallet out of the pocket of Leonardo’s pants.
“Find his license.”
It felt a little surreal to be in a dark room, following low, gruff orders from a perfect stranger, but I didn’t sense any ill will from the man across from me, despite his menacing looks. So I did what he said and pulled out the license.
Then the man proceeded to tell me Leonardo’s full name, date of birth, address, and pretty much every other piece of information on the license.
“I don’t suppose you know when it’s due for renewal?” I asked, an eyebrow raised.
A flash of a smile crossed his stern face and then disappeared just as quickly. “Just wanted you to know that I’m Leonardo’s friend.”
“I believe you.” But then I frowned as I squinted at the license. “It says his name is Leon, not Leonardo.”
The man nodded. “Leonardo sounds more Italian.”
“Is he Italian?” I asked. It was clear the big man was. Though he had no accent, his black hair, dark eyes, and olive skin spoke to that.
“In an honorary way.”
His response made me smile. He clearly felt that his ancestry was a prize to bestow on worthy candidates.
“I’m Cesare,” he said.
The name rolled off his tongue and was pleasing to my ear. “Nice to meet you. I’m Piper.”
“Piper.” He said my name slowly, as if measuring its worth. “Can you please tell me how my friend is, Piper?”
I sighed. “I can’t, I’m sorry.” I wished I could, though.
Cesare nodded curtly. “Can you at least tell me if he’s going to be okay?”
It would’ve been cruel not to give an inch. “He should be fine.” Not immediately, but eventually.
The big man’s sigh of relief was almost loud enough to wake the patient. “Thank you. We thought—” He stopped abruptly.
When he didn’t say anything else, I spoke up. “We?”
“My buddy and me. Maybe you saw us when we brought him in?”
There had been two men there, but I didn’t remember what the other one looked like. “I didn’t see you in the waiting room after that.”
He shrugged, the muscles of his massive biceps shifting under his jacket. “Security wouldn’t let us see him, and we had some things to take care of.”
His tone was curt and didn’t invite follow-up questions.
He had some, though. “Can you tell me when—” He broke off as the door opened. Startled, his hand snaked inside his jacket as he turned. I expected to see Dr. Baines there, but another man stepped into the room.