The Billionaire’s Prodigal Wife (Mackenna and Alessandro)

Chapter 18

Mackenna sobbed as she clutched the pillow to her chest. She had woken from her nap with the knowledge of why she was so ill, and she had sat up in the bed in a panic. Her first reaction had been to call for Alessandro. All she‘d found was his note on the pillow beside her he‘d had to go to the hospital to relieve Dulce‘s mother and sister for a bit and he‘d be back for dinner. The pain was immeasurable, and she knew her cries were barely muffled by the pillow, and she was mortified she couldn‘t stop them.

He‘d brought her to his suite, and he‘d put her to bed. He had left the large wide doors to the bedroom open so he could keep an eye on her, working at a table on his laptop for a long time. She‘d pretended not to watch him but he‘d made her tell him why the doctor was concerned and so she revealed when she‘d had meningitis, she had been quite ill, and it was why Doctor Ingram was worried. He‘d sworn at her for almost dying when they were apart.

Then he had kissed her until she was breathless. So of course, her eyes had flitted back and forth watching him as he worked, flexing, and stretching his muscles occasionally from working at the uncomfortable spot. At some point she‘d fallen asleep, but she‘d dreamt of him loving her, holding her and her dreams had gotten out of control. When she‘d awaken reality had been temporarily intertwined with dreams but as the mist of her dreams ebbed, the reality had struck her in the center of the chest.

As her sobs began to subside, she pushed the blankets and pillows away and moved into the bathroom. She was still lightheaded, but she knew she hadn‘t had a

good breakfast and no lunch and since it was approaching dinner, she was ravenous, and it would account for the dizzy feelings.

As she considered why she was dizzyingly nauseated she moved to the living area and flung herself onto a sofa and wiped tears off her cheeks and reached for the room service menu. She flipped through it multiple times and couldn‘t figure out what she wanted and, in the end, ordered the fish, steak and chicken. She then added salad, rice, potatoes, and pasta. She had it all charged to Alessandro‘s room.― It‘s your fault anyway,ǁ she griped angrily. ―I wouldn‘t be so sick and hungry if you

She knew she was talking to herself, but she didn‘t care. She rubbed her tummy anxiously. She kicked her foot impatiently and then decided she wanted a shower. She moved to the bathroom, ran the water, and then turned back out and moved back to the living space. She grabbed the phone and made another phone call to Doctor Ingram. She left a message on his answering service and asked him to call her back as soon as he had the test results. She already knew what he‘d find. Then she turned back to the bathroom and stripped down to nothing and stood in the huge enclosure letting the hot pulsating streams pound the back of her neck. She was certain she‘d stayed there for close to thirty minutes when the sound of Alessandro calling her name made her scowl.

She grimaced as he slid the enclosure opened and looked at her. ―I‘m showering. Do you mind?.

―Yes, as a matter of fact. You‘re supposed to be in bed

―You were supposed to watch me but that didn‘t happen either She answered smartly turning her back to him. ―How‘s your precious Dulce doing?.

―She is complaining of pain. She keeps asking for more and more medication

―Well of course she‘s in pain. She broke her damn leg in eight places. I hope they‘re giving her what she‘s asking for but if I know Derrick, he‘s giving her only what he thinks she needs. He doesn‘t believe in creating addicts. Hopefully, it‘s

enough to take the edge off for her

―It‘s not like you to be sympathetic to Dulce‘s needs He said as he reached for a fluffy towel and draped it over his arm. ―What gives?.

―Just because I don‘t like her doesn‘t mean I wish her ill. I certainly don‘t like the thoughts of anyone in pain, not even Dulce She looked at him over her shoulder.― Can you leave me to my shower?.

―You‘re still very pale He waved the towel at her. ―Come out of there and I‘ll order you some dinner

―I already did. If there would have been horse on the menu, I would have ordered it too Saying the words made her remember his comment from the night before

―Savannah said she would scoot over on her lunch break and feed him so you wouldn‘t worry He watched as she turned the shower unit off and walked towards him. He could see from the pink on her cheeks she was feeling shy but forcing herself to remain cool with him. He held the towel out and wrapped her in it. She stood still as he dried her gently and then he draped a thick robe around her shoulders. ―I stopped off and picked you up some new pyjamas. I laid them on the bed. Get into them and them come out and sit with me in the living room. I do have to work for a bit after dinner

―Fine She shrugged. ―I asked Doctor Ingram to call me here. I asked him to do an extra test if he could with all the blood, they siphoned out of me

He watched her as she bent and patted her legs dry. When she reached for the counter, he swore softly. ―You‘re still dizzy. Why the hell didn‘t you say something?.

―Alessandro, stop yelling at me. I‘ll be fine. I just need to eat something She held onto the counter, but he swung her up into his arms. He settled her onto the bed

and reached for bag holding the pyjamas he‘d bought but a knock on the door interrupted him. ―I can dress myself Alessandro. It‘s probably room service

While he spoke to the person making the delivery of the food she‘d ordered, she slipped into a pair of luxurious silk pyjamas. They felt cool and soft against her skin, and she ran her hand along them. She walked back into the living space just as he was closing the door. ―When I go back to my apartment, I‘m keeping these. I like them a lot

―Most women would say thank you,ǁ he rolled his eyes at her rudeness. ―Thank you She responded dryly.

―How hungry are you?. He lifted lid after lid on the wheeled cart in disbelief.― You ordered enough to feed the entire floor

―I wasn‘t hungry at breakfast, and I essentially slept through lunch and then I was so hungry I couldn‘t decide what I wanted She grabbed a cherry tomato from a

salad and popped it in her mouth.

Alessandro shook his head. ―Sit down at the table and you can eat until your ―My heart isn‘t ever going to be content,ǁ she mumbled.

He pretended not to hear the strange comment unwilling to get into an argument with her. He put the plates of food in front of her and she waved at him to sit down.

―You have to eat too Alessandro, or did you have dinner with Dulce in her room? * She looked at him and waited for him to say he had.

―No, I did not eat with Dulce. I left you a note which said I‘d be back for dinner. Her poor mother is having a hell of a time not tearing her hair out. I simply gave her some time to go shower and clean up so she could stay with Dulce tonight. She refuses to sleep alone in the hospital room, so they‘ve been rotating who has to sleep on the cot

―I hope I‘m not keeping you from your turn She said smartly as he sat down opposite her.

―I don‘t take a turn. She is my friend and I care for her but not enough to put up with her bad temper and sour grapes. I have enough with one cranky woman thank you He shook his head as she lifted a chunk of salmon with her fingers and shoved

it into her mouth. ―You can use a fork

―I could but it wouldn‘t get in fast enough,ǁ she licked her fingers as the fish melted in her mouth. ―God, it‘s so good!ǁ

He considered he‘d love to be her fingers as she sucked on them. He pulled a plate of chicken and risotto in his direction and sliced the meat. He held a piece out to her, and she leaned forward and plucked it off his fork. ―You‘re a child

―That‘s twice today you‘ve called me immature. Wait until you see the temper tantrum I throw if you make it three times She grumbled at him as she swirled a linguine noodle smothered in a rich creamy sauce around her fork and lifted it to her

lips.

He was quiet for several minutes and then he spoke softly. ―I‘m sorry for my earlier words Mackenna. I didn‘t mean to lash out at you as I did. Your change in

She looked up slowly and met his golden eyes and a corner of her mouth pulled down as she struggled not to cry. ―Alessandro,ǁ she wanted to speak but somehow the noodles and the sauce

congealed in her throat with the tears, and she couldn‘t get the words out. He squeezed her hand on the table. ―Eat your dinner Mackenna before it gets

cold

She nodded once and took a long breath. ―You didn‘t order wine with your dinner?. He looked in surprise at the table.―

Just water?.

She shook her head. ―No. I had wine last night and I really shouldn‘t have. I‘ll have to be more careful with what I‘m doing now.

―Because you‘re ill?.

―Yeah,ǁ she rested her hand on her tummy and had the strangest urge to cry and laugh at the same time.

―You should have told me about the meningitis Mackenna. You were lucky you didn‘t die

―You have no idea She shook her head slowly as she used a spoon and scooped risotto off his plate, oblivious to the smile appearing on his lips at her actions.

She elaborated on the story she told him earlier. ―Savannah had this kid come into the trauma unit just over two years ago. His grandfather had sat in my office doing up the billing while the rest of the family were in the waiting room. He died while she was putting a shunt in his spinal column She heard his intake of breath, and she shook her head. ―It wasn‘t her fault. He had bacterial meningitis and he was already dying. The family had taken him to a free clinic instead of the hospital because of insurance. By the time he reached her, he was already going to die. There was really nothing she could have done but she had to try. She was making a last-ditch effort to save

him, but it was too late. Everyone on the trauma team and those in contact with him were tested and treated of course, except me. Everyone

signed everything with my pen and I‘m terrible for putting things in my mouth. It took twenty-four hours for me to get sick. Savannah knew instantly what was wrong and had me admitted. Doctor Ingram worked on me day and night. I was pretty sick, but I made a full recovery. I was back to work in a month

He pushed his plate away. ―You could have died

―Yes, I could have but I didn‘t She popped a piece of a seasoned potato in her mouth. ―I‘m alive and well

―You are still sick

―Not from meningitis. Doctor Ingram knows it‘s not the meningitis. The disease affects the brain and the spinal column, and it can affect the heart. Since I was complaining my chest hurt, he automatically assumed my heart, but it wasn‘t at all. He suspects it‘s simply stress. I‘ve been going through a lot the last little while and it‘s simply catching up to me

―He thinks you are ill, fainting and having chest pain is stress

―Yes She gave a shrug, ―panic attacks. I‘ve had them in the past when I first arrived in Phoenix. I haven‘t had one for a long time and I‘ve never had one like this. He thinks it‘s what it is

―But you don‘t He watched as her fingers paused as she reached for her water glass and then she moved again. ―What do you think it is if it‘s not some long-term effects of the illness and not stress?”

―I‘m not sure. I have to wait for Doctor Ingram to call me She avoided his gaze.

―You‘re lying Alessandro leaned forward and stared at her; his eyes narrow like a tiger who prepared to pounce.

―Alessandro, you can‘t bully me with this. I‘m not saying anything until he calls me and confirms my thoughts She made a face.

―What is it?.

―I forgot to order dessert. I want a bowl of ice cream with mounds of whipping cream