Reaching His Heart: The Sartoris, #3

By Tressie Lockwood

Author’s Note: While there is lots of delicious tension between the hero and heroine, this work is CLEAN.

Cason Sartori never took life too seriously. He was too busy driving fast, spending his money, and seducing women. Then his wild lifestyle caught up with him in the form of a near fatal accident. The happy go lucky Cason is thrown into the depths of despair because he can't walk, his body is horribly scarred, and he's lost sight in one eye. He's sure no woman will ever look at him with interest again. With a sour attitude, he's ready to give up on life, but his brother Ezio has another plan.

Solette Turner has dealt with angry and resentful patients before in her line of work. She's sure she can get Cason up and walking again, even change his attitude about his situation. What she didn't count on was falling for him so deeply. All Solette's life, she's faced abuse and cruelty. While it looks like Cason is just another man who spouts hurtful words, she also sees his pain and wants to take it away.

Cason claims he's never been anyone's hero, but when Solette needs his protection most, he'll be there.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tressie Lockwood
• Release date: Dec 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9781540114891

Book preview

Chapter 1

M r. Ezio , sir. It’s Mr. Cason.

Ezio didn’t bother looking up from his paperwork. I assume it’s important since I asked you not to disturb me, Kelli. And if it’s just about another one of his stupid stunts, I’m not interested. My brother can pull his own rear out of this one.

Sir, she repeated, and he heard anxiety in her tone. His staff often displayed anxiety when dealing with him. He was used to it, but Kelli was made of sterner stuff, which was why he had hired her as his secretary.

Ezio set his pen down and looked up. Kelli was one of those mousy women who had a hard time tanning. She was twenty years his senior and not the least bit attractive. That was another reason he took her on, because she wouldn’t draw Cason’s attentions. Right now, she appeared paler than usual, and she clutched her hands together until her knuckles were white.

He steeled himself for the news that Cason had gotten some woman pregnant and she was demanding a fortune to go away. What is it?

Mr. Cason has been in an accident, sir. He’s—

Ezio scraped his chair back and stood. He felt a little unsteady with the news. Cason drove a McLaren P1, and he loved to push the vehicle to its limits in speed. His youngest brother had always been reckless, and he never took anything too seriously. Ezio knew it would catch up to him at some point.

How serious? he demanded.

I’m not sure. The hospital wouldn’t give me details, but they called me when they couldn’t reach you or Mr. Romy.

Ezio slammed a fist on his desk. Of course they couldn’t reach him. He had turned off his cell phone while working on the report. Everyone he had dealings with knew to contact Kelli if they couldn’t reach him, and Romy was out of the country on business for the company.

He jerked his cell phone up from where it lay and powered it on. Dread washed over him. The missed messages came in, but he didn’t check them. As he headed out of the office, he dialed the hospital.

This is Ezio Sartori. I understand you have my brother there in the emergency room. Give me an update. Over his shoulder, he commanded Kelli. Get Lucca on the phone. Tell him to pick up my mother, my wife, and Sonya. Then call Romy. Tell him to be on standby until I know how serious this is.

Yes, sir.

The voice on the other end of the line came on again. Mr. Sartori?

Go ahead, he said as he stabbed the button to the elevator. Moe, his personal bodyguard, fell into position beside him, but he didn’t say a word.

Mr. Cason Sartori is in critical condition, the woman spouted off impersonally. He’s got multiple fractures and a serious head injury.

Is he awake?

The woman hesitated. No, sir.

Ezio’s stomach turned. I’ll be there shortly. He disconnected the call as he stepped into the elevator and sagged against the wall. Ezio prided himself on his strength and his intelligence when it came to business. There wasn’t much he loved more than destroying an opponent who dared to counter him in the corporate world. Yet, his biggest weakness was his family. He loved them more than life, and he loved having them close by. If anything happened to Cason, he didn’t know how he could stand it.

Ezio broke multiple speeding laws as he drove to the hospital. He had elected to grab a company car and drive himself rather than depend on Lucca since he had sent him home for the family. When he arrived at the hospital, it was to find chaos. Media were already on the scene, and it looked like there was more than just Cason involved in the accident. Ezio didn’t care about anyone except his brother.

A woman ran up to him and shoved a mic in his face. Mr. Sartori, can you give us an update on the condition of your brother, Cason? Our reports say he was drag racing and—

Ezio raised a hand to shove her away, but Moe beat him to it, shuffling the woman backward with just his massive form. Ezio pulled his ID out and flashed it to the triage nurse. I’d like to see my brother now and I want to talk to the doctor attending him.

The woman appeared a little put out, but she nodded. Yes, sir. Right this way.

The rest of my family will arrive shortly, and I expect you to get a handle on the situation out there. I don’t want any of them harassed the way I was. All of them should be shown back here immediately.

Sir, we have a policy— she began.

Another man rushed forward. Ezio recognized as the administrator of the hospital from previous dealings with him. Of course, Mr. Sartori. We’ll take care of your family. Right this way, sir.

Ezio followed the sniveling little man as they walked through a minefield of beeping machines, rushing hospital staff, and people he couldn’t see who were crying behind green and white curtains. He hated hospitals. More than that he hated that he was here because Cason was hurt.

A nurse opened the door ahead of him, and Ezio got his first look at Cason. His heart nearly stopped. Cason, so full of life and laughter lay still on the bed, his face and head battered and bandaged. An oxygen mask covered his mouth, and the arm that lay above the covers was encased in a cast. Just the tips of his fingers peeked out, but even they were bruised with small cuts.

Ezio took a step closer when he had gathered his strength and realized both Cason’s legs were in casts. The doctor… he whispered and cleared his throat.

A man stepped into the room. Sir, if you don’t mind coming out to the hall so we can talk?

Ezio joined him. He couldn’t process what the man looked like because all he kept seeing was his brother lying helpless on the bed. The authoritative tone to the man’s voice must mean he was the attending physician.

Mr. Sartori, I want you to know we’re doing all we can for your brother. We will monitor him a little longer, but we may need to do surgery to relieve some of the pressure on his brain. For his next of kin, we have down here Mrs.—

"My mother doesn’t speak English. I am his next of kin! You can discuss everything with me."

O-of course.

The prognosis didn’t look good.

Right now he’s in a coma. He has some damage to his spine, and multiple fractures.

When will he wake up?

The doctor hesitated. Ezio was beginning to hate hesitations.

Unfortunately, we can’t say when. I’m going to be straight with you, sir. Your brother is fighting for his life right now.

Nausea rolled through Ezio’s system. You’re saying he could die?

I want to prepare you for the worst, the doctor said in a solemn tone. The next few hours are critical, but yes, it’s possible he might not make it.

Ezio’s head spun, but when he was on the brink of giving in to despair, he heard a feminine cry that brought him back to himself. He looked to his right to find his family had arrived, and Shakarri had heard the doctor’s prognosis. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she covered her mouth and ran toward the observation window for viewing Cason.

Ezio moved into her path and let her crash into him. He brought his arms up around her. Hold on, baby.

Let me go, Ezio, she pleaded. He needs us by his side to call him back to us. This can’t be happening! Not Cason.

He held onto her and looked above her head to his mother. She wouldn’t have understood the doctor’s words, but she could interpret Shakarri’s reaction. He saw fear in her eyes.

Dov’è il mio bambino, Ezio? Dimmi adesso!

As she had done all their lives, she was calling Cason her baby. It didn’t matter how old he got, and right now his mother was probably thinking of Cason as that small little boy who was as wild as a child as he was now.

Mamma, Shakarri, it’s going to be okay. Cason is going to be fine.

He spoke with as much firmness as he could drudge up despite the pain in his heart. In rapid-fire Italian, he did his best to calm his mother’s fears while keeping his wife in a tight embrace. Sonya stood silent and tense, but she and Cason weren’t very close, so he didn’t have her emotions to battle with like his wife and mother. All the same, from what he had learned of Romy’s baby mamma, she was strong enough to deal with this situation.

I’m going to take you inside to see him. He looks worse than he is, Ezio lied. Just a little bruising.

Sonya cut a look of disbelief at him, but she didn’t say anything. He ushered his mother and wife into the room, and Shakarri and his mother both fell to their knees, gently holding onto Cason’s left hand, the only place not bandaged.

Ezio’s world tilted upside down, and just when he felt hopelessness taking hold, Sonya inched closer to his side and laid a small hand on his back. They had had countless fights, and she knew he advised Romy never to marry her, but in this dark hour, she offered her support. He wouldn’t admit it, but her presence helped, and he began to order his thoughts.

Stay with them for a minute? he asked.

She nodded.

Ezio left the room and walked down the hall. Once he was a safe distance from his family and away from all the machines, he began making phone calls. After the first, his cell phone rang, and he recognized the foreign number and knew it was Romy.

Ezio, what’s happening? He heard the tightness in his oldest brother’s voice. Is he okay?

He’s fine, Ezio lied again. Catch the next plane out.

If he’s fine why are you asking me to come home? Tell me the truth.

"He will be fine. Ezio’s voice cracked a bit, and he coughed. I need help with Mamma. Shakarri is taking it hard, and Mamma needs you here."

Romy swore in Italian. This isn’t happening. Not Cason.

"Like I said, he’ll be fine. Fratello, come home. I need you here."

Romy’s voice when he spoke was a whisper. I’ve never heard you sound so vulnerable or so pained. Tell me the details.

Not over the phone.

Promise me he’s alive.

He is.

Promettimi!

E’vivo.

All right. I’m on the next flight out. See you soon. Keep him until I get there, Ezio. I beg you.

I will.

Chapter 2

Cason stared out the window . A lock his hair flopped over onto his face, blocking his view, but he didn’t bother shoving it back. What was the point?

Are you going to sit there all day? Ezio demanded.

Cason kept his back to his brother and pretended to have an interest in the scenery outside his window. Was there something urgent you needed that only a cripple with one eye can take care of?

Ezio swore. That wasn’t anything new that Cason hadn’t heard a million times over the last few months.

"Don’t be crass. You’re not a cripple. The doctor says with a little therapy,