Wait—there was only silence.

The voice in my mind hadn’t spoken in a while. For the first time in days, I had a short reprieve from its incessant temptations and taunts.

The ding of the elevator made me jump, and the heavy steel doors opened to our floor. I stepped out onto the ward… alone.

The heavy doors began to close and, forcing my hands between, they reopened, and I saw Austin standing in the same spot as before. For the second time tonight, my heart broke for him.

Walking before him, I cautiously reached out my hand and laid it on his arm. Dark eyes fixed on mine.

“You okay?” I asked in a soothing voice.

Clearing his throat, he nodded his head. I smiled in encouragement, and Austin led the way down the hallway until we came to a closed door.

A door that remained closed.

Austin’s head dropped, and his finger and thumb pinched at the bridge of his nose. “What the f**k’s wrong with me?”

Clenching my hands in indecision, I eventually lifted one and laid it flat to Austin’s back. “You’re upset. It’s perfectly natural given the situation.”

Lifting his head and cracking his neck from side to side, he glanced at me over long, dark lashes. His grateful expression stole my breath. “Thanks, Lex.”

Rubbing his back, I stepped backward as Austin slowly opened the door. I immediately locked eyes with a beautiful woman laid on the narrow hospital bed, and my heart fell.

Austin’s momma.

“Ciao. Stai bene, Mamma?” Austin said to his momma in Italian, and my eyes widened in shock. I hadn’t realized he spoke Italian. Another secret he’d just bared to me.

“Sto bene… mio caro.” Mrs. Carillo whispered softly, her rapt attention still on me. And I wasn’t moving, entranced at seeing Austin in this light. He was beautiful to his momma. I was beginning to think he may be beautiful, full stop.

Austin moved beside Mrs. Carillo and pressed a kiss to her head. Mrs. Carillo lifted her hand weakly and laid it on Austin’s arm. “Austin… chi è?”

Austin’s eyes moved to the doorway… and to me still standing there, intruding on his privacy, unable to move from staring. I expected his wrath. What I got was a shy smile.

“That’s Lexi, Mamma. She’s my… friend?” The word “friend” was said as more a question than a statement, yet butterflies fluttered in my stomach all the same. “She was here seeing someone, and I saw her downstairs. She walked back up with me.”

“Vieni… qua, mia cara…” Mrs. Carillo said to me, and I looked to Austin for translation.

Austin stood and walked toward me, stopping at the end of his Mamma’s bed. “She wants you to go to her.”

Austin had a slightly dumbfounded expression on his face, and blushing, I entered the room, then stood rather awkwardly next to Austin.

Hearing a quiet laugh beside me, I looked up at Austin, and he flicked his chin toward his momma. “Go on. She wants to meet you.”

Lowering my head, I walked to the top of the bed, to behold a woman with glossy black hair down her back, the most beautiful olive skin, and eyes the color of cinnamon. Mrs. Carillo was stunning.

“Lexi, very nice… to meet… you,” Mrs. Carillo said softly in a heavily accented Italian voice, pausing between words. I could see it was a struggle for her to speak. I felt so sorry for her.

“Nice to meet you too, ma’am.”

“Chiara,” she pushed.

I smiled. “Nice to meet you, Chiara.”

“Ah… lei è bella,” she said to Austin, who had moved to the other side of the bed, and she let out a wheezy laugh. “Un… piccolo folletto oscuro…”

Austin smirked at his mamma and looked upon me, humor in his eyes. “Si. Lo é.”

Narrowing my eyes, I asked, “What?”

Austin shook his head and hid his grin with his hand.

Facing me once again, Mrs. Carillo asked, “You know… my Austin… from school?”

I stilled and, casting a glimpse to Austin, saw him exaggerate a nod, telling me to say yes. He didn’t want the Heighters mentioned; that was clear to see.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m on the Crimson cheer squad. I cheer every home and away game for the Tide.”

Mrs. Carillo smiled, but only the right side of her face lifted. She was still one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen, even with that slight loss of muscle control. “Ah, the football. I am… so very… proud. Austin… so talented…”

Wincing, Mrs. Carillo tried to move her position on the bed, and Austin jumped to help his mother turn slightly onto her side.

“Grazie… mio caro,” she said through gritted teeth and tilted her head to look at me. “Scusami, Lexi… I am tired… this illness… not so good…”

“Sleep, Mamma,” Austin said and pulled the blankets up to her shoulders. “I’ll come back soon.”

“Okay… You take… Lexi home now. It is… late… Protect her.”

“Oh no, thanks, but I’ll be fine,” I said from behind. “I’ve got my car—”

Mrs. Carillo held up her shaking hand in my direction, and I immediately stopped talking. “Austin will… see you… home safe. He’ll do right… by you… Okay, mio caro?” she then said to Austin.

Casting a long, indecisive look at me, Austin then fixed a smile at his momma. “Erm… certo, Mamma. I’ll see her home safe. Lo guiro.”