Chapter 3 - the man on the phone
Dante leaned over the polished bed rail, bringing his face close to his brother’s. The steady beep of the heart monitor continued its unchanged, monotonous rhythm.
"Matteo, look at me," Dante said, his urgent voice reverberating off the high ceilings.
Nina stepped quickly to the opposite side of the bed, drawing a small penlight from her cardigan pocket. She gently lifted Matteo’s eyelid, shining the light to assess pupil responsiveness. "Vitals are completely stable, Mr. Moretti," Nina reported softly, her voice cool and analytical. "Brainwave activity remains baseline, but pupil reactivity could suggest micro-arousals."
Dante reached out, his thick, tattooed hand grasping Matteo’s motionless fingers. He held his brother’s hand in a grip that was both crushing and desperately gentle.
"If you can hear me, squeeze," Dante whispered, his low, intense tone carrying a weight that brought a chill to the sunlit room.
Silence fell over the suite once again. Everyone held their breath. Elina quietly crept into the room, reaching down with trembling hands to gently pull Mia back toward her skirt, fearing the toddler might anger the dark boss.
Mia allowed her mother to pull her back half an inch, but her curious eyes remained glued to the bedside setup. She raised her little arm once more, pointing towards the mahogany bedside nightstand, then reached up to tug on Elina's apron sleeve.
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"He moved when that man on the phone came in," Mia whispered softly.
Dante’s expression changed instantly. His jaw locked, and the warmth in his blue eyes hardened into solid ice.
