One Night with Morelli(76)

                ‘This isn’t about you.’

                The comment hit Draco with the force of a below-the-belt kick delivered with perfect accuracy.

                It was something he had needed to hear. He’d been going through the motions for weeks, telling himself that he was better off alone, but what about Eve, what was best for her? Eve might not want him in her life and the choice was hers, but, Dio, he would be a fool not to try to convince her to change her mind. But that was for the future. The priority now was to be there for her, take some of the burden off her slender shoulders.

                Halfway out of the door, his keys in his hand, Draco said to Kamel, ‘I’m on my way.’ He was about to toss the phone to his secretary when he realised he didn’t know where he was going. ‘What hospital?’

                Every second of the record-breaking fifty-mile journey Draco sat with his jaw clenched and his hands white knuckled on the wheel. He tortured himself with imagined images of Eve alone in pain and distress, having to cope with a disaster that was a whisper away from being a tragedy and having a man far too heavy use her as an emotional prop.

                Her mother being in a critical condition was not his fault but everything else could legitimately be placed at his door. His friend thought he was a fool and he was right. If Draco had not been a total fool he’d have been there with Eve right now and she wouldn’t be facing this alone. Alone… The word kept reverberating through his head.

                Well, she wouldn’t face anything alone again.

                He was going to be there for her whether she wanted him or not. He was not going to let her out of his sight and, short of a restraining order, she couldn’t stop him.

                That’s right, Draco, just bulldoze your way in because that has worked so well so far! How about showing a bit of humility, saying sorry and letting Eve decide if she wants you there? he told himself.

                She’d sent him away but it had been pride and fear of rejection that had stopped him asking her for a second chance. His mouth twisted into a grimace of self-disgust as he caught a glimpse of himself in the rear-view mirror.

                ‘You gutless wonder, Draco.’

                She was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

                The hospital was a maze of corridors but he finally found someone who could, if not answer his questions, at least show him a visitor’s room. The nurse’s grave face did not send out a positive message.

                If anything had happened to her mother Eve would need a lot of support. It hurt to admit he might not be the person she wanted at such a time, but had anyone contacted her brother?

                ‘Mr Morelli?’

                Draco stopped pacing and turned his critical glance on the white-coated doctor who had entered the room. He stifled the impulse to demand to be taken to Eve immediately and tipped his head in acknowledgement.

                ‘Is there any news?’

                ‘You’re family?’

                It took a supreme effort but despite his frustration at the delay Draco showed no offence at the question. ‘I am Draco Morelli. Eve Curtis is my fiancée.’

                The younger man’s face cleared as he offered a hand. ‘Sorry about that but we had an incident earlier. Some enterprising reporter got wind of this and got as far as outside Recovery dressed as a porter.’

                ‘Blood-sucking vampires.’