The next morning I was up before anyone had even come to check up on me. I was going nuts by myself in the medic wing. I couldn't have even run away if I wanted to. I was pretty much naked under the gown that Caleb had dressed me in. It had also set in that someone had seen me naked to get me in the gown. For some reason knowing that was worse than knowing that Creed had seen the dog tags. At least Creed had given my watch before he had left, I could watch the hands flick by until someone came to visit me. Caleb had informed me after Creed left that he had found me on the kitchen floor soaking wet with a fever and had carried me down here despite the wound he had. I was worried about his wound, but Caleb had promised Creed was fine and his wound was ok.

Checking my watch it was around eight am and someone had to be coming soon. I honestly didn't care who came, I was just bored sitting there. Creed could have at least brought me my phone or laptop, maybe even some of my work. But nope, he left me with my watch and that was it. My headache was a little better, no doubt from the meds that were being pumped into my system. I spent more time than I needed playing with the bed adjustment remote. I was starting to get to the point of counting the tiles on the ceiling. I heard the lock flip on the door. Thank fuck, someone was finally coming to see me.

I couldn't see who it was because of the damn curtain. I let out a sigh of relief when the person pulled the curtain back. I had never been so happy to see fucking Cade in my entire life.

"How did I know you were going to be awake and going crazy down here."

"Don't care how you knew, but thank fuck, I almost had to count ceiling tiles."

"Don't let me interrupt you then."

"Trust me, you are not."

"I brought you some work, you're favourite."

"Anything is better than fucking ceiling tiles."

Cade handed me a stack of papers and a clipboard and a few writing supplies. He had thought of everything I would need.

"Hey, no rush on any of this stuff, it's nothing that needs to be done right away."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it."

"If I see Creed I'll let him know you're awake."

"Also ask for my phone and laptop, But if not it's all good."

"If I see him, I'll make sure to tell him."

Cade left and I flicked the light above my head on. Quickly skimming through all the paperwork there were a lot of bills and lists of things that were needed for all kinds of things. Like the pool in the yard needed a new filter installed because the other one had completely just stopped keeping up with the pool. There was also a few medical sheets for things that we were running out of. Blood was one of the things, after Creed's wound. Interestingly enough, we got all the stuff through a few local hospitals that really liked large donations. They supplied us and we paid well for it.

Cade had snuck a personal bill in the pile, but it wasn't something for himself. It was for Emerson's mom. It was to see a specialist. I signed off on it because it was covered under the budgets I had set aside. I hoped it wasn't something terrible, but it really wasn't any of my business. But I worried for Emerson's sake.

Checking over the next few lists I pinched the bridge of my nose. Surely Jackson had to be joking about the budget he had passed to me. He was asking for more gun cases and a locker for all the new weapons along with ammo and attachments. Maddox's name was already scrawled over the bottom, it was just waiting for mine. Maddox had already approved of it, he was clearly just wanting me to find out where the money would be coming from. Which we had way more than enough to cover all the costs, but it meant moving some things around in some offshore accounts like I always did. There was quite a bit of money to be moved around this bi-weekly section. The cars we had used had to be repainted and checked over for further damage we didn't see. The city officers needed their payoffs, and a few other large bills needed to be paid as well. The good doctor was one of the large bills. Zev was making quite a decent amount off the twenty or so people he was seeing. Even with the new babies, he was still meeting with all the same people at all the same times.

Signing off on the last paper I stacked them in the level of importance. I doubled checked them all and clipped them all back to the clipboard.

"Hard at work?"

Creed's voice startled me. I hadn't even seen him or heard him come in. He had both my phone and laptop, the good laptop. I was glad that Creed knew what laptop I wanted when I had just said I wanted a laptop.

"My saviour," I said reaching for the tech in his hand.

"I didn't bring the chargers, So when they are dead they are dead."

"Why not?"

"You're supposed to be healing, not working."

"Do you like getting paid Creed?"

"Sometimes, I suppose."

He passed me my phone and set the laptop on the end of the bed. I was never so happy to see my phone. I had a dozen texts and like twenty phone calls from the last day alone. Nonna had called a few times. So had a number from Italy that I didn't know.

"Do you know when the first phone call from Italy came through? they called few times it shows."

"The first time was probably around eleven last night, it rang off the hook several times. I would have answered it, but it's Italy."

"Yeah, Could be anyone."

"Exactly. Could be personal family-related or mafia family-related."

Hitting the redial on the phone it was picked up almost right away.

"Hello?"

"Hello, How did you get this number?"

"My mother, She said you would be the one to talk to about finding the whereabouts of my father, I know this is really odd, but she said if anything you would know,"

"Who's your mother? And who is your father supposed to be."

Creed kept touching the hand I had resting on the bed. I tried to pull my hand back but he laced our fingers together. I was too busy to fight with him about it and he knew it. 

"My mother is Siena Concetta, This is Alexi, right? Vincent Family?"

"Yes, I'm assuming you are from the Concetta Family?"

"Yes."

"Alright. How old are you?"

"Twenty-two."

"Who is your father supposed to be?"

"Hold on, I have his name written down, just let me look for it."

"Please, take your time."

I grabbed the clipboard and a pen, I quickly wrote on the side of one of the papers.

It's someone from the Concetta Family. Mother is Siena. Sounds like a boy, Twenty-two.

"Ah, here's his name. It is very strange, so I'll have to spell it out for you, Sorry! A-n-d-r-e-i the last name——-"

"Mihail, Right. M-i-h-a-i-l yes?"

"Yes! That's correct!"

It was no surprise that Siena had given the kid my phone number, after all, I was the only link to Italy because Maddox wasn't the Italian's favourite even at the best of times despite his Italian blood. Blame that on his father. When something had to be dealt with in Italy, Maddox sent me or my uncle to handle it. But it was mostly me, ninety-nine percent of the time. 

"Please understand that well I do believe you, I would like to speak with your mother, I sure that's understandable, Yes?"

"I will pass that along, Though these days she quite busy since she took control of our family after the passing of my grandfather."

"That's alright, no need to rush her. In the meantime, I need a favour from you. Please see about having your DNA done please, I will send something to you, via text to have it checked against."

"Alright."

"I'll be in touch."

With that, I hung up the phone. 

"What was that?"

"Some bullshit family matters."

I didn't bother to move my hand out of Creed's, I was rather enjoying the warmth of his hand on my chilly fingers. But I wasn't about to tell him that, not today or any other day I was protesting his love for me. 

I had shit to do now. I needed the fuck out of this bed.