Chapter 20: One Hundred

He held out the sheet so the whole hall could see it.

HUNDREDTH DRAW, in the clinic's black type.

At the bottom, in blue ink, was my name.

Round letters, a little loop on the G.

It was a good copy.

"You signed it for me," I said.

"I'm your husband," Fabrizio said. His voice was low and warm and almost kind. "I've signed for you before."

"Never."

"Ninety-nine times, I put the pen in your hand. This time I saved you the trouble."

A man moved in the doorway.

It was the doctor in the grey suit from the ballroom, with the leather folder under his arm.

He had been waiting in the corridor, and nobody had thought to stop him.

"Mrs. Sartori," he said. His face was the color of putty. "If you'd just step this way."

"Leone," I said.

"Right here."

He was already at my shoulder.

"Doctor," said the chairman, rising. "You will not draw from this woman in this hall."

"Sir," the doctor said, "the form is signed."

"It's forged," said the nurse.

"It's the donor's husband's authorization under the clause of..."

"There's no such clause," said the old woman with the cane.

The doctor opened his mouth.

He closed it.

Fabrizio put his free hand on mine.

His thumb moved across my knuckles, slow and gentle, the way it always had.

"Gemma," he said. "Please. Let me try one time."

Every eye in the hall was on us.

I could have pulled my hand away.

I didn't.

I stood still and let him hold it, with all ninety-nine percent of my love for him warm under my ribs.

"All right," I said.

Leone made a sound behind me.

"Gemma..."

Keep reading free with an account. Start He Took My Love 99 Times. The 100th Time, He Lost Me Forever. from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.