Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 126682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
The fucking sound of that. To sacrifice her life. I close my eyes. When I open them again, she’s looking at me with those scrapes on her cheeks and cuts on her skin. And all I want to do is wrap my arms around her and never let go, keep her safe, tell her what I couldn’t. What I should’ve.
“Anya, I almost lost you tonight. I very nearly didn’t have the chance to tell you how much I lo—”
“No,” she says in a soft voice. “Don’t say things you don’t mean just because you think that’s what I want to hear.”
“Anya—”
“Please.” Her smile is tremulous. “Just come to bed. It’s been a long night.”
I clench my hands at my sides, willing her to listen, but maybe it’s not the right moment. Or maybe it’s too late after all. Getting there in time didn’t win me another chance. Maybe, by my own callous design, I lost her long before she almost died tonight.
Chapter
Forty-Two
Anya
* * *
I wake up sandwiched between Claire and Saverio in the king size bed in his room. Technically, it’s our room now as we both sleep here. But I still think of it as his room because of the way our relationship is wired.
Saverio spoons me from behind, his heat sinking into my skin. One arm is thrown over my middle, anchoring me to him while his broad palm rests on Claire’s chest.
It’s the first time she slept through the night. Well, from three in the morning. My poor baby must be emotionally and physically wrought out. My chest tightens as all the scenarios that could’ve played out flash through my mind, but I push those dark thoughts down.
We’re here. Raphael is dead. Elena and her baby are safe. That’s what matters.
Still, the sick feeling that nestles in the pit of my stomach won’t lift. It builds like a wave, pushing up into my throat.
I take a few deep breaths, but it doesn’t go away.
Removing Saverio’s arm as carefully as I can, I sit up.
The long, dark eyelashes that brush his cheeks lift in a second. Staring at me with that disconcerting blue gaze, he asks, “What’s the matter?”
I shake my head, afraid I’ll empty my stomach if I open my mouth. Thankfully, Claire doesn’t wake up as I hop off the bed and pad on bandaged feet to the bathroom. I shut the door behind me and lean on it. The scent of last night, the smoke and the blood, is fresh in my mind. I move to the basin and cling to it, willing the sick feeling away, but my palms become clammy and saliva pools in my mouth.
Shit.
I kneel in front of the toilet. Heaves rack my body, but only bile comes out. There’s nothing left in my stomach.
“Fuck,” Saverio says as he rushes into the bathroom.
I hold up a hand when he reaches for my hair, but he ignores my plea to be left in peace so I can vomit without losing my dignity. Again.
As last night, he holds up my hair and rubs my back. “I’m calling Nicole.”
“No,” I say quickly. “It’s nothing.”
He sounds angry. “It’s not nothing.”
“It’ll pass.”
The dark, broody look on his face says he disagrees, but he stays quiet while I pull myself together. When I’ve taken a steadying breath, he helps me to my feet and hands me a facecloth.
“Thanks,” I say, too weary to do anything other than wipe my face.
He studies me with a ticking jaw. “It’s last night.”
I swallow.
Putting a hand on my hip, he asks, “Do you want to talk about it?”
I lean on the vanity and catch my weight on my hands. “There’s nothing to say.”
Murderous intent contorts his expression. “Did he hurt you? Did he touch you?”
“There wasn’t time. He took the key with the video, and Livy and Claire left. Then he blew himself up when he typed in the password for the Cloud backups.”
A wry smile plucks at his lips. “You make that sound so simple.”
“Actually, it was that simple.”
He cups my face and brushes a thumb over my jaw. “Claire is still sleeping.”
“I know.” Concern draws my stomach tight. “When will Nicole have the results of the blood tests?”
“Soon.” His nostrils flare. “I’ll give Nicole a call later.” Fixing his attention on my bicep, he asks, “How’s your arm?”
“It’s okay.”
“Do you need a painkiller?”
I shake my head.
“You need to eat something,” he says in a resigned tone. “And we should really take you to a hospital for X-rays.”
“You know why we can’t do that.”
He lifts my pajama top and brushes his knuckles over my stomach. “You could have internal damage.”
“I took a bit of a knock when I went down, but the worst I suffered was a tarmac burn.”
“God, woman.” He closes the hairbreadth of distance between us, putting our bodies flush together. “When you’ve healed, I’m going to punish you, tesoro. Let there be no doubt about that. You put your life in danger, and I’m going to make sure you never do anything so stupidly brave again. I’m going to bend you over and tan your ass, and this time, I won’t be playing. This time, I’ll use my belt instead of my hand.” He hooks a curl behind my ear and says in a dark, low voice, “Believe me, I’ll make sure you remember the lesson I’m going to teach you for the rest of your life.”