Mob Ties

Chapter 27

Lia sat in the hospital's waiting room, her mind reeling from the night's events. She couldn't believe she had shot someone. Her hands trembled as she recalled the home invasion, the masked men breaking in, the shouts, and the chaos. The self-defense lessons East had insisted on had paid off. She had acted on instinct, protecting herself and their unborn child. The kicks from her round belly brought her back to the present.

Beside her, the Luke family was a picture of silent solidarity. Tory and Mariah flanked her, their presence a comforting anchor in the storm of her thoughts. She prayed silently, her fingers interlaced tightly over her stomach. "Please, let East be okay," she thought desperately.

"Lia, do you want something to eat or drink, hunny?" Mariah's voice broke through her haze. The concern was evident in her soft tone.

Lia glanced down at herself, noting the house slippers on her feet and the scrubs the nurse had given her. She shook her head. "No, thank you," she replied quietly. She felt numb, her appetite lost somewhere in the chaos of the night.

East's mother, sat across from her, her face a mask of determined optimism. "He's going to make it. My son is a fighter; he's going to be just fine, Lia," she said, her voice steady and reassuring.

Time seemed to drag on, each minute stretching into an eternity. Two hours passed, then five. Lia felt trapped in a nightmare she couldn't wake from. She wanted to escape, to find some semblance of normalcy, but all she could do was wait.

Finally, a doctor approached them. "Mrs. Luke?" he said, looking directly at Lia. She stood up, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Your husband is stable now. With lots of rest, he'll recover just fine. He made it just in time," the doctor informed them.

Lia let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "May I see him?" she asked, her voice trembling with relief.

"Yes, give us a few more minutes, and you'll be all set to go," the doctor replied with a reassuring nod.

Lia and Evelyn hugged one another tightly, a wave of relief washing over them. The tension in the room eased as the news spread, and the air became lighter. Everyone began to relax, reassured that East was going to be okay.

As Lia waited for the go-ahead to see her husband, she reflected on their arranged marriage. What had started as a union of necessity between two powerful mob families had grown into something deeper. East had proven to be a fierce protector and a loving partner, despite the circumstances of their marriage. She had come to rely on him, and the thought of losing him had terrified her more than she could express.

When the nurse finally led her to East's room, Lia felt a rush of emotions. She entered quietly, her eyes landing on East, who lay pale but breathing steadily. She moved to his side, taking his hand in hers. His eyes fluttered open, and he managed a weak smile.

"Hey," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

"Hey," she replied, tears of relief filling her eyes. "You scared me."

East squeezed her hand gently. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised. "We've got a future to look forward to."

Evelyn Luke sat in the hospital waiting room, her mind racing despite the relief of knowing her son, East, was alive. The tension in her shoulders eased slightly as she took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and pulled it out, grimacing when she saw the caller ID. Tony.

She answered the call reluctantly, her voice low as she spoke into the phone. "Tony, you now wanna call back?" she hissed.

"Sorry, baby, had to handle some business. Some of my men got hurt. Is the deal still on?" he asked, his tone casual.

Evelyn's grip on the phone tightened. She had made a deal with the devil a long time ago, and she knew it. "Yeah, after my son is back to 100%," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "What happened to your men?"

"A job that went wrong. I'll be in touch," Tony said before disconnecting the call abruptly, leaving Evelyn with a growing sense of suspicion.

She sighed, slipping the phone back into her pocket. She needed a coffee, something to keep her grounded. As she walked to the cafeteria, her thoughts were a whirlwind of worry and doubt. What had Tony gotten himself into? And how would it affect her family?

Meanwhile, back in East's hospital room, the atmosphere was tense. Tory stood by East's bedside, his expression grim. "Listen, bro, I'm on it. Whoever thought they could do this isn't getting away with it," he said, his voice filled with anger.

East nodded, his voice raspy but determined. "I hear you, but Lia needs to be moved and set up in a condo. My parents can't even know where the new place is. Just us. I can't trust nobody, only the people in this damn room!" His declaration made Lia and Mariah jump.

"I shot someone," Lia said, her voice trembling as tears welled up in her eyes. "I hit him in the leg or something. Pretty sure there is blood by our back door. The cops questioned me, and they're going to question me again. I'm licensed to carry and everything.

"This sounds like a setup or something. Shit not right, bro," Tory said, his eyes narrowing as he tried to piece together the night's events.

Before East could respond, Evelyn entered the room, her face a mask of concern. "Son, how are you feeling?" she asked, kissing his forehead gently.

"I'll be alright, Ma. I'm tough," East replied, smirking at his mother, not wanting to delve into what had happened.

After a while, everyone left except Lia. She laid next to East, her head resting on his shoulder as he rubbed her stomach. Despite the uncomfortable hospital bed, East wanted to keep her close. "Baby daddy's here. I'm not going anywhere. Me and mommy can't wait to meet you," he whispered, his hand gently caressing her belly.

As he watched Lia sleep, he kissed her forehead softly. "I'm not going anywhere, babe. I'm right here," he murmured, his voice filled with love and determination. He knew they had a long road ahead.

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