Page 18 of Giorgio

“Hand her the damn phone. I want to hear this from her.”

“She is sedated. Her blood pressure went up alarmingly because she was agitated and the doctor had to sedate her.”

“Of course, her blood pressure is up. Where is her damn phone?”

“In the desk drawer next to her bed. It has been silenced.”

“What the hell is going on?” Julian demanded. “What are you hiding from me?”

“Would you like to speak to the doctor?”

“I already spoke to him.”

“And I am certain he told you precisely what I am saying to you now.” It was very difficult for Giorgio to keep calm. He was flustered.

Last night he had heeded his father and godfather’s advice and gone to a charity event where Russo’s was a major contributor and had received the phone call while in the middle of it from the doctor, reporting that Juliana was highly agitated and asking after him.

He had left the function and driven straight to the clinic. She had had to be given something to calm her down and by the time he got there, she was almost out of it. But she had been lucid enough to reach for his hand and he had stayed with her until she succumbed to the drugs that were administered.

He did not tell the brother that his sister had been agitated because he had not been present. He was already feeling guilty enough as it is.

“Julian…”

“Mr. Campbell!” He said coldly.

His patience snapped. “Mr. Campbell,” His voice was rigid, the accent more pronounced. “I appreciate you are having a very difficult time with your sister’s incapacitation, but I assure you that she is getting the best care possible. She wants to be moved from the clinic because she admitted to me that she hates hospital.”

“She told you that? She remembered?”

“She does not recall why. Would you care to enlighten me as to the reason?”

“It’s none of your goddamn business.”

“Mr. Campbell…”

“Our dad was a guest there for several months and he suffered a lot of indignities.” Julian, obviously sensing the man’s frustration, said grudgingly. “They were very close. He was her hero, and she was his princess.

I was our mother’s favorite, and she was dad’s. Losing him among other things made her unravel. That’s why I erroneously thought that this trip would be good for her. Was I ever wrong.”

Giorgio felt the blow of his words hammering at him. “I promise you this. I will do everything in my power to get her back to where she was. We will have the best people taking care of her and I am going to be with her every step of the way.”

“Considering that you were the one who put her in this mess, I would expect nothing less.”

*****

“She is stable enough to be moved, but I would prefer if she stayed for another few days,” the doctor said.

“She wants to leave. In fact, she is getting more and more agitated staying here.” Giorgio pointed out. It had been a week since that awful night he hit her with his vehicle. The bruises on her face were fading, but her memory was still not back.

His father had grudgingly agreed to having her at the house, even though he would have preferred having her far away from them, but his son had insisted and there was no changing his mind. Alfredo had also noticed subtle changes as well.

He was more sober and conscientious. He was usually off partying or jet setting around the world. But he had not moved an inch, except to visit the clinic every day and spend most of the time with the young woman. He had wondered if Giorgio was carrying his guilt too far.

“I am responsible for what happened to her, and I intend to be there until she no longer needs me.” His jaw was clenched. “How soon can she be discharged?”

“We just need to check her blood pressure and run some other tests, and she can be on her way. Have you told her where she would be going?” The doctor looked at him with raised brows.

“She has become accustomed to the clinic, the nurses, the other doctors here. Taking her to the Palazzo is going to be overwhelming, especially for a person not accustomed to that sort of lifestyle.”