Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 149338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
It was late into the night when I thought I heard her stirring. The steady beeps of the machines had lulled me to sleep. I was so fucking exhausted, I couldn’t see straight. Fluttering my eyes open, I found her staring at me wide-eyed as if she was seeing a ghost. She blinked a few times, trying to focus. Narrowing her brows, thinking her mind was playing tricks on her.
“I’m here, cariño,” I whispered in a soft tone, reaching for her hand.
She winced at my term of endearment, closing her eyes tight. Moving her hand away from me. I abruptly stood, causing her to jerk back. I wanted to go to her, I wanted to caress her cheeks and show her it was me.
Her Alejandro.
“Fuck…” I breathed out, walking out of her hospital room, leaving to get the doctors. They needed to know she was awake.
I stood back in the corner while they checked her for what seemed like hours, making sure she was okay. Shining lights in her eyes, taking vitals, asking her question, after question. What she remembered? What she didn’t? How she felt? It was fucking endless.
By the time all the specialists were done, she had fallen back asleep, tired. I sat back in the chair, waiting for her to wake up again. Refusing to leave her side, even for a minute.
The next time she woke up, I was wide awake. Her eyes hazily found me sitting in the same exact same spot she had before. Even with all the bruises and cuts on her face, she was still fucking beautiful. I wanted to reach up and place a strand of hair behind her ear, kiss each and every imperfection that marred her flawless skin. But I couldn’t. I had to sit back and admire her from afar. She looked older, her eyes no longer full of life. Staring at me like she didn’t know who I was, when she was the only one who ever knew.
It was me that didn’t.
Her hand instinctively went to the cross hanging from my necklace, bringing it up to her face to see what it was. Peering back and forth between the cross and me, silently asking me if it’s what she thought it was.
“It was my mother’s. Her protection,” I divulged, breaking the silence between us. “She never took it off. At least, not until I took it off of her. The day she was murdered, taking her last breath in my arms.”
She narrowed her eyes at me, taking in what I had never shared with anyone. Another piece to my puzzle.
“I’ve never taken it off until a few days ago. You needed it more than I did, Lexi.”
She started to pull it off.
“It’s yours now, cariño.”
She reluctantly stopped, placing it back down on her chest. Her blank gaze roamed the private room, avoiding me. Taking in her surroundings, the vases of flowers on her bedside table from the Royale Ballet, including the daisies I had delivered every day to brighten her stay.
“Will,” she simply stated, just above a whisper.
Hearing her speak another man’s name was like taking a bullet to the fucking heart, but what could I expect. I deserved that and much more.
“I’m so sorry, Lexi,” I sympathized. Bowing my head, not wanting to see her despair. I knew firsthand what it felt like to lose someone you loved several times in my life.
She instantly shut her eyes again, understanding my subtle response. The pain wreaked havoc on her mind. Tears slid down her face, and her small, frail frame shook uncontrollably. I resisted the urge to wipe them all away. Instead, I leaned forward in the chair, my elbows placed on my legs with my hands clasped out in front of me.
Waiting.
“How did you know I was here?” she asked, wiping away her tears that wouldn’t cease. The question had been plaguing her since she woke up the first time, finding me unexpectedly sitting beside her.
I took a deep breath, stating, “Cariño—”
“Stop, fucking calling me that,” she said through a clenched jaw. Her eyes still shut.
I surrendered my hands even though she couldn’t see me. “Lexi, stop pretending like you don’t know who I am. You know the answer to that question. But if you need me to say the words, then I’ll tell you. I’ve always kept tabs on you. It’s who I am. I needed to make sure you were safe at all times.”
“Why are you here, Martinez? You’re not needed nor wanted,” she responded, ignoring my reply.
“Look me in the eyes, Lexi.”
She instantly opened hers, rage quickly taking over. Bringing back memories of the time in her life she wanted to forget. “Leave. Now!”
“No.”
She scoffed, shaking her head. “You have some brass balls, buddy. You think you can come in here, say some sweet bullshit, and I’m just supposed to forget everything you did to me. Everything you put me through. Well, I’ll make this visit really short for you, since you’re such a busy man and all. It will be a cold day in Hell, before I’d forget. I won’t.”