Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115291 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115291 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
“Aria,” I rasped, my eyes burning in a way they hadn’t in almost fifteen years. My fingers brushed her throat, feeling her erratic pulse. Alive. Pure relief burst through me. I pressed down on her wound to stop the bleeding, causing Aria to let out a low moan.
She had thrown herself in front of me, had caught a bullet for me. I swallowed, stroked her hair from her forehead. “Aria, love, wake up,” I murmured, bending low over her pale face.
Everything was quiet around us.
“Luca?”
I peered at my brother, who held on to Gianna. The look in his eyes was one of blatant worry, as if he waited for me to lose my shit.
Aria whimpered and I quickly looked down to her. Due to the pressure I applied to her wound, she’d stopped bleeding, but she was ashen. And then her eyes fluttered open and those blue eyes that had held power over me from the very first moment met mine.
I loved this woman. The words lingered on my tongue, but everyone was watching and I couldn’t say them, not now.
“You okay?” Aria asked in a whisper.
She asked me if I was okay? I was the one who’d failed protecting her. I’d have never forgiven myself if Aria had died today. “Yes,” I pressed out through my tight throat. “But you aren’t.”
Aria’s expression twisted with pain, but I couldn’t loosen my hold on her wound.
“What about Gianna, Lily and Fabi?”
“Fine,” Gianna shouted, still pressed up to my brother. Aria’s eyes went unfocused once more. She needed treatment. Now.
I let go of Aria’s wound and carefully lifted her into my arms. Her pained cry made me tense, but worse were the tears trailing down her pale cheeks. I carried her into the entrance hall, which was by now crowded with my soldiers. Most of the attackers were dead, and those who weren’t would soon wish for death.
“I’ll take you to the hospital,” I said.
Matteo appeared in front of me. “Luca, let the Doc handle it. He’s been taking care of our business for years.”
I scowled at my brother. If I wasn’t carrying Aria, I would have shoved him out of the way. “No,” I growled. “Aria needs proper care. She’s lost too much blood.”
“I can do a blood transfusion,” said Doc as he entered the mansion.
I narrowed my eyes at him. Aria touched my arm. “It’s okay, Luca. Let him take care of me. I don’t want you to take me to a hospital. It’s too dangerous.”
I searched Aria’s face. She was begging me to agree. Aria was too selfless, too good. I nodded slowly, realizing why she did it. She wanted me to appear strong. Aria wasn’t a weakness. I tore my eyes away and jerked my head toward the Doc. “Follow me!”
Aria went slack in my hold again.
“I have to get everything I need from the car,” Doc said.
“Hurry,” I growled as I carried Aria up the stairs and into a bedroom. I put her down on the mattress gently then stroked her cheek. “I love you, Aria,” I said quietly. Admitting it aloud, even when no one could hear me, felt like a huge step. I bent down and kissed her forehead but straightened when I heard steps.
Doc limped inside with his female assistant. He sometimes worked with a guy as well, but he probably knew I wouldn’t have let a young man anywhere near my wife.
“I need to take a look at her injury,” Doc said carefully.
I took a step back so he could pass but stayed close. I wouldn’t leave Aria alone with anyone in her state. Doc eyed me briefly before he bent over her. He felt her pulse then lifted one eyelid to check her eyes before he continued with more examinations.
“Will she be okay?” I asked tightly.
Doc glanced up, his brows crinkling. “Of course. But she needs a blood transfusion. B-positive.”
“I’m O-positive,” I said immediately. “Take my blood. Don’t waste time.”
Doc didn’t argue with me. I held out my arm as he prepared everything for the direct transfusion.
I glanced back down at my wife, lying helplessly in front of me. “Can you remove her shirt?” Doc asked me respectfully.
I hesitated, but then I took my knife and cut open Aria’s t-shirt. Her white bra was covered in blood, but I left it on.
Doc checked her wound while his assistant shoved the needle into my arm then into Aria’s. When my blood finally entered Aria’s veins, I relaxed. I kept a close eye on the Doc as he removed the bullet from Aria’s wound and stitched it up. Guilt cut me deeply at the sight. It would always serve as my reminder to protect her.
My gaze returned to Aria’s pale face. It was difficult to stay put and not to kiss her forehead and hold her as close as possible. Eventually the transfusion was done and the Doc and his assistant left. I was alone with Aria for the first time. I stretched out beside her and carefully cradled her in my arm, burying my nose in her hair. Closing my eyes, I tried to calm my still racing pulse. Aria would be fine. Only a small scar, nothing else, but I doubted I could ever forget the moment I thought I’d lost her. “I won’t ever lose you, principessa,” I murmured against her temple.