Nine Choices, One Final Goodbye

sia

the valet to bring my car. The cool air

ng so

rn around. She came to stand beside me, holding o

et her gaze. "I don't

taken so much from me, Alessia. Four years of Rico's time. But don

him," I said, my vo

es glittering with malice. "Y

construction scaffold on the building across the way had collapsed, se

ace pale with panic. His eyes scanned th

ooked more like excitement than fear. A heavy steel beam teetered

ve!" he

oving her out of the way, wrapping his body around

of metal, a pipe, broke free from the tangled wreck

ony in my leg as it struck me, buckling my k

arms wrapped tightly around a trembling Sofia, whispering wo

filled my nose. My leg was encased in a heavy cast, elevated on a pil

was trying to look concerned, but it was a poorly reh

to my side, taking my hand.

. The touch of his sk

ut as a dry ras

a reflex honed by four years

g over his face. "Just a few scratch

urning my face away fr

g-guilt, maybe-in his eyes. But it passed as qui

he wo

eep until he left. The silenc

that were too bright, too cheerful for the steri

nd he was gone again, leaving the scent

devoted," she said with a kind smile. "He was so worried

my phone. It was a single photo. Rico and Sofia, huddled together in the hospital cafeteria, his

pain, this broken bone, it was a gift. It w

"We'll keep you for a few more days, Mr

ice surprisingly strong. "Al

o my room

ffee in his hand, his face frozen i