Promised For Truce

Chapter 17

The chain of the nightstand lamp got pulled on by Luciano, the room getting immersed in darkness. Faint in and exhales sounded nearby as Nina was in a dreamless sleep. The mattress dipped under Luciano's weight, his head on the end of the pillow and positioned in such a way that made looking at his wife easier.

No longer did she wait to fall asleep until he did. A small step in the right direction.

His gaze trailed over Nina's features, her lips getting more attention as he thought back on the dimples accompanying them when she smiled. Fondness beamed off of her when she had talked about her grandmother.

Maybe she did have good memories growing up.

Had she told him the truth about being homesick a few weeks ago? At first, Luciano didn't think twice about the notion. There was no way his wife missed her old life – considering how some family members treated her. Had his assumptions been wrong?

The sudden ringing of Luciano's cell phone ripped him out of his train of thought – and was loud enough to stir Nina out of her sleep.

Luciano grabbed his phone. Nero was calling. First thing Luciano asked was if something bad had happened.

"How do you say it? My old man got a heart attack. I'm at the hospital right now. There's no need for alarm. He's already up and kicking but I still had to let you know."

Luciano's eyes narrowed in scepticism. "Even though he's hospitalized?"

"Yes."

"When did he get it?"

"After returning home from a check-up at the hospital." Nero sighed heavily. "Talk about good timing."

"We're coming," he said and ended the call.

Nina was sitting upright against the headboard. Judging by Luciano's words, she guessed they spoke of a close relative and not one of the made men. There should have been no reason for her to come along if the latter had been the case.

Luciano noticed the question written on Nina's face and explained, "It's my uncle. He got a heart attack."

"That's awful." Compassion tinged her voice.

Luciano made no further comment on it. Instead, he dialled his grandfather and while waiting for him to pick up, he asked Nina to get dressed and alert the guards they would soon leave.

* * *

Luciano and Nina weaved their way through the brightly lit hospital corridors until they arrived at the coronary care unit. There, they spotted Nero standing as straight as a pillar, vigilant blue eyes scanning the area.

"How is he holding up?" Luciano asked his cousin.

Nero gestured to walk into the room behind him. "Take a look for yourself," he said while his line of eyesight shifted to the elderly man walking up to them.

The tapping of the cane had come to a stop. Nicolò removed the fedora hat and tucked it in between his upper arm and side, his combed back ash-grey hair showing clearly now. Combined with his wrinkle-free pinstripe suit, he didn't look like he had come in a rush.

"Did you come alone?" Luciano asked his grandfather.

"Sadly, no. But maybe when I leave?"

Luciano tilted his head. "Yes, maybe."

Nicolò ushered everyone into the room before telling his bodyguard to stay put. He closed the door for privacy and embraced his daughter, Stella.

"It's getting more and more cramped in here. Look what you did, Nero. I told you to wait 'til tomorrow morning to tell everyone," Raniero grumbled.