◆ What Lies Ahead ◆

◇ KEL ◇

"What're you reading now?"

"Pathogenesis of lung injury. Receptor-binding domains and mutations."

"Sounds dangerous. And intriguing."

I smiled at the guy sauntering into the room, his grin showing off his adorable dimples partly hidden by his 5 o'clock shadow.  "Fun workout?"

"Mostly."

"Your team heard of the newest outbreak in China?"

"Yeah. We discussed it last week." Enzo flung a white towel over his shoulder as he approached me, his flat tone and expression quite serious.  "Remember that five-hour meeting with Graham and the board?"

"Yeah."  I nodded.  Graham was their chief scientist who headed Zione Bio's team of medical and pharmaceutical researchers.  "Are they looking into it? The infected patients exhibit flu-like symptoms. Well, the hospitalized ones, definitely."

"Graham and Dr. Chen went over the most recent anecdotal reports last time. The board got curious enough when Graham emailed them about it three weeks ago."

"It's a strange one." I scanned the list of TBR medical journals on my screen, then updated the sequence.  "Seems highly transmissible. Definitely cause for concern."

"The team will suss out more recent reports over the weekend. Dr. Chen wants to do another video con."  Enzo stood beside me now, his tan hands splayed on the dining table.  "Did Miles call you back?"

"No. Still not answering." I sighed and put my phone beside my books.

Two hours later and Miles still wouldn't pick up.  Not even a single reply to my texts.  Where was he?  Was he doing okay?  He hadn't contacted me in weeks.  Not really unusual for him, but, my brain couldn't help imagining the worst.

"Four days now. Right? Did he text you at least?" Enzo muttered with a pout.

"No." I glanced over his attire.

His gym shirt and shorts looked damp like his fairly tousled hair.  Droplets of sweat lined his face and neck.  He didn't smell that sweaty, though.

"Tried calling Nicco  but I can't get through for some reason." I checked my new email account.  No new emails from him or Miles.  Hopefully Nicco and the Falcos were all doing fine.  "Should I call Mrs. Falco?"

"You could. Only half past seven over there." Enzo  reclined on the dining chair beside me, while my laptop and books sat on his brand new tablecloth.  It was thick and beige, like the curtains we just bought at the supermarket.

For two days straight now, I'd been using his dining room as my study area.  Some rusty and leaking pipes needing replacement had pushed me out of my apartment.  When Enzo found out, he just packed up my stuff and drove me here.

Definitely cheaper than a hotel room.  And definitely much closer  to campus than my parents' place.  Our new setup felt quite awkward at first, but, he didn't let me leave last night.

So now we're playing house.  An off-the-cuff thing.   Not what I'd planned at all.

It was still too early to redefine our living arrangements,  but  I just couldn't say no when he offered help.  I wanted to spend more time with him.  He was leaving for Rome and would be away again for a while.  It was also his birthday tomorrow.

"Just wanna check on him, and his new meds and their dosage," I reasoned.

Did Miles have to stay confined in a rehab facility now? Hence the limited phone privileges?  It was a possibility.  Maybe he just forgot to tell me?

Enzo sat still beside me while skimming over his emails.  "You think he's having some issues again? With his meds?"

"I have no idea. But I hope not."

"Call Eleana."

"I'll try.  Just wanna make sure he's still seeing his therapist, and not abusing pain pills again," I sighed.   It could just be my neurotic tendencies, or another anxiety attack darkening my thoughts again. But the sporadic, hollow ache growing in my gut every time I'd think of Miles just wouldn't give me mental rest.

"You wanna come with me?" Enzo sighed after I shut my laptop to start cleaning up the table. "So you could go see him while I'm in Rome?"

"I can't. The first part of the assessment's this Monday."  And the free time I had shouldn't be wasted on impromptu trips out of the country just to see friends.  Instead, I should be preparing as best as I could to get excellent marks.

Anyway, I wasn't emotionally ready to meet Enzo's best friend this soon, or Rafa's family.  No thanks.  I'd rather keep all of this a secret for now.   Besides, Enzo wasn't really dying to introduce me to all his friends and his entire family.  My sentiments on the matter were exactly the same.

"What if we leave tonight, so we'd be there in the morning? Then Lele and Marco will escort you on the flight back, this Sunday afternoon."

"No. But thanks."  I put on a smile and put away my books.  "I still have lots to read up on."

"Yeah. Alright," Enzo sighed.  "But, you could do that on the plane if you really wanna see him."

Plane, as in his brother's private jet.  Yikes.  "I could, but...  Not this weekend, babe.  I gotta go back to the hospital tomorrow. We got a new email from the admin's office."

"You're gonna leave first thing?" He looked disappointed now, his voice hushed, his brows creasing upward.

"I should."

"Okay," he murmured with a slight frown.  "I'll drive you."

"Thanks." I wiped the sweat off his face and neck with a clean towel, kissing his stubbled cheek afterwards.  His minty cologne gave off notes of vanilla, rose, and citrus.  Fresh and slightly sweet, yet also seductive.  I bought the bottle for him yesterday.  An early birthday gift.  "Can you check on Miles this weekend? Please? If you have some time."

Enzo nodded faintly.  "Sure."

While he sat closer to me, I checked my phone notifications, then composed another text for Miles.

"Can I ask you something, love?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you on birth control?"

—

Oh shoot. He thought now was the perfect time we hashed this out.

"Any chance we... What're the chances you could get pregnant?"

I froze in my seat when his warm hand snuck under my shirt, palming my lower abdomen. "Yeah. It's possible..." I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady. "Since I'm not on birth control, and, we weren't careful that night."

"Yeah. Sorry." Enzo glanced away, his gaze focused on the table now. He gave faint nods when I didn't say anything else. "That shouldn't have... I should've been more careful. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." I squeezed his hand on my waist and couldn't hold back a smile. "It's okay. I just had my period. And I don't feel anything unusual. So, I'm pretty confident we're clear."

"Do we need a doctor's appointment?"  Enzo stroked my forearm while I tried to sit still. He made a face when I only glanced at him. He held my shoulder now, his intent stare denoting some concern and nervousness. Perhaps he felt he wasn't ready to become a parent yet.

Like me. "You mean today?"

"Just to be a hundred percent sure."

"Okay." I kissed his cheek. "I'll make some calls," I promised before I resumed checking my emails.

"What's this, love?"

"Hmm?" I stayed motionless on the chair when his fingers touched the old scars on my shoulder.  Just tiny white bumps now, but, I knew it wasn't the first time they intrigued him.

"They look like small scars. Shaped like an arc."

"It's nothing,"  I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady. "Just...um...an old injury."

"Where'd you get it?"  Enzo stroked the outline of the scars while I tried to sit still.

Crap.  What should I say?  That it was from an old bite mark?  That Miles used to drink my blood to get rid of his pain attacks?  And it wasn't the only mark he'd left on my body.  I had a few more scars.  Just not as noticeable as the first one.

Would Enzo actually believe what I had to say?  Probably not.  Most likely he still knew nothing about the Falcos' extraordinary bloodline, or their decades of well-kept skeletons in the closet.

Enzo made a face when I only glanced at him.  He held my shoulder now, his intent stare denoting both concern and bemusement.  "Someone did this?"

"Miles."

He got up from the chair and gawked at me.  "What?"

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