“What’s your name?” she asked with the same suspicious tone her daughter used. It was so similar that it made him smile.
“Raffaello Palazzo. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Harlow.”
She looked at him with confusion for a few moments and then her eyes widened.
“I’ve heard that name before. Some of the nurses have spoken about you. Are you the same gentleman that has done so much for this hospital?”
“None of that matters, Ms. Harlow. What matters is that you and Ari both get better.”
“I see you like to avoid questions about yourself.” Rafe smiled again at her direct tone. He had a feeling that his mother and Sandra would get along great. He’d have to make sure the two of them never met. He could see a lot of headaches for him if that were to happen.
He only wanted Ari to satisfy his needs. He didn’t need their family members trying to make it anything other than that. Rafe didn't need them to know one another at all.
“I just wanted to let you know what happened to Ari, but I need to get back to her now,” Rafe said with discomfort.
“You didn’t say what happened. You only told me that she was doing fine after surgery,” Sandra pointed out. Rafe really didn’t want to be the one to tell the woman that her daughter had been shot, though he didn’t see a way to get out of it.
He took a deep breath and explained the shooting incident in the cafeteria. Her eyes widened, and her pale skin turned even whiter, but she managed to keep herself under control as he explained the events of the day before.
“It’s a good thing you were there,” she finally said after a long pause.
“I was the one who insisted she go there in the first place,” he replied guiltily. The self-recrimination was eating at him.
“I’d say that’s a good thing, as well, Mr. Palazzo. My daughter hasn’t been taking the best care of herself lately. I’m grateful you were there and amazed you managed to get her to eat. I’ve been trying to force food into her all weekend. If you’ve known Ari for any length of time, though, you must know how stubborn she is.”
Rafe smiled at Sandra. He agreed fully with her on that point – her daughter was beyond stubborn and a downright pain in the ass. It was just too bad that he enjoyed that quirk in her personality.
“She certainly is, but I’ve managed to bend her to my will on occasion,” he said with a wink.
“Hmm. That’s interesting, Mr. Palazzo. Will you keep me updated on how she’s doing until the doctor lets me see her?”
Rafe shifted in his seat. He wanted to spend as little time as possible with Sandra. For one thing, he found himself enjoying her company, and that wasn’t good. For another, it would be far harder for him to have the type of relationship he wanted with Ari if her family members were involved.
He’d been taught to respect family, and if he knew Sandra, and then bound her daughter in a sex contract, it would eat at him. The situation continued to become more complicated with each passing day. He wished he could cut all ties – he wasn’t ready to do that just yet.
“I can make sure the nurses keep you informed.”
“Oh, I’d much rather hear from you personally since you’ll be with my daughter,” she said as she looked at him with hurt eyes.
Damn it!
“I’ll keep you informed, Ms. Harlow,” he conceded.
“Thank you, darling, and you can call me Sandra. We’ll be seeing each other often over the next few days.” Rafe looked at her in surprise. There was a spine of steel beneath her weakened body. She was clearly letting him know that he’d better update her more often than he’d been planning.
“Well then, get some rest, Sandra,” he said before standing and walking out her door.
Instead of heading right back to Ari’s room, he stepped outside the hospital and let the cool breeze slap him in the face. What in the hell was he doing? He was starting to get in way too deep at this point.
What he should do was call his driver and leave right now. It was time to cut ties with Ari and her mother. It was time to hire a new girl and get his life back to normal. He shook his head as he stood there undecided.
“Raffaello Palazzo, you are in so much trouble.”
Rafe groaned as he turned toward his sister who was gazing at him with her foot tapping and fire blazing in her eyes.
“Hi, Lia. How are you?” he said with resignation.
“I’m pissed. That’s how I am. I can’t believe you were shot and you didn’t bother to call us!”
“Mom’s going to have your head on a platter, you know?” Rachel piped in as she walked up and threw her arms around his waist. “We’ve been so worried.”
“I’m fine,” he promised, feeling guilt consume him.
“Well, we better go find mom. She’s furious with you,” Rachel warned.
“Where is she?”
“In Ari’s room. That’s where the staff said you’ve been all night. When you weren’t there, Lia and I came searching for you, but mom was sure you’d return so she waited there. I think she just wanted to be with Ari. She seems to like her.” Rafe didn’t like the tone of his sister’s voice. He in no way wanted them trying to turn this arrangement he was planning with Ari into more than it was.
Rafe’s heart picked up speed as he turned back to the door. He really didn’t want his mom and dad spending more time with Ari. This was quickly spinning out of control and he felt as if he were free falling.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Oh, Arianna, you poor little thing.”
Ari turned to find Rafe’s mother and father walking through her doorway. What were they doing in her room?
“I’m fine,” she automatically responded.
“You are far from fine, darling. I simply can’t believe you were shot. I am furious with my son for not calling us at once. Poor Rafe was shot, you were shot, and he doesn’t even bother to call his own mother,” she said as she sank down in the chair next to Ari’s bed and grabbed her hand.
“Rafe was shot?” Ari gasped.
“You didn’t know?”
“No. He didn’t say anything. I really don’t know a whole lot. The last thing I remember was feeling like I was punched in the chest and then seeing blood on my shirt. Everything went dark after that. The doctor said I was very lucky the shot didn’t enter an inch to the left or I would’ve been dead. I’m incredibly grateful that if I had to be shot, at least it happened in a hospital where they were able to operate immediately.”