Page 179 of Punishing His Runaway Bride
"I don't know," Olivia said through tears. "I woke up half an hour ago and found him like this. I wiped him down, gave him water, but... Ezio, he's burning up. I'm so scared."
Her voice was completely shattered, her whole body trembling.
I turned to look at her. She looked so helpless. My heart clenched as if squeezed, and I could feel her pain as my own.
"Listen to me," I gripped her hand. "He's going to be fine. I'm calling Klause right now. He's the best doctor in Brooklyn."
"It's the middle of the night," she said. "Will he come?"
"He will," I said, already dialing. "Trust me."
The phone rang three times before it was answered.
"Mr. Visconti?" Klause's voice was sleepy but immediately alert.
"I need you at the manor right now," I said. "A five-year-old with a high fever."
"On my way," he said. "Fifteen minutes."
I hung up and turned to Olivia. "He'll be here soon. Now we need to bring Leo's temperature down physically."
"How?" she asked urgently.
"Get some towels from the bathroom, soak them in warm water," I said. "I'll get ice packs."
She immediately rushed to the bathroom. I strode to the medical storage room at the end of the corridor—every floor had one for emergencies. I grabbed several ice packs and medical supplies, then returned.
Olivia was back with wet towels, carefully wiping Leo's forehead and neck. The little boy moaned in his fever, constantly twisting.
"Mommy..." he murmured deliriously.
"Mommy's here, baby," Olivia choked out. "Mommy's right here."
I wrapped the ice packs in towels and placed them on Leo's forehead. He frowned but didn't wake.
"Like this," I said. "Keep this up until the doctor arrives."
Olivia knelt by the bed, one hand holding Leo's small hand, the other constantly adjusting the towels and ice packs. Tears streamed down her face, but she tried not to make a sound, afraid of waking Leo.
I stood behind her, hand on her shoulder. "He's going to be okay," I said softly. "It's just a regular fever. Probably a stress response from today's scare."
"I shouldn't have brought him back," she said, voice full of self-blame. "I should have stayed in France. At least there he was safe. At least he wouldn't go through this."
"This isn't your fault," I said.
"It is," she turned to look at me, eyes full of pain. "I brought him to this dangerous place. I exposed him to gunfire. He's only five, Ezio. He's only five."
She finally broke down, sobbing loudly. I crouched down and pulled her into my arms.
"Listen to me," I whispered in her ear. "Leo's going to be fine. I promise. And from now on, he'll be the safest child in this city. No one will hurt him again."
"How can you promise?" she said against my chest. "How can you guarantee they won't come back?"
"Because I'll make them understand," my voice turned cold. "Anyone who tries to hurt you will pay the price."
She looked up at me, tears still in her eyes, but also a glimmer of hope. "Can you really do that?"
"I can," I said. "Trust me."
