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“What? They didn’t really let you out of the hospital already, did they?”
“I wouldn’t exactly describe it as let me, but I am out of the hospital and on my way to the airport.”
“Dante, you’ve been shot. You just had surgery!” I exclaimed. “What are you doing?”
“I’m coming home to you, angel. And once I get there, I’m never leaving your side again. I was so fucking stupid to break up with you. I need to be with you.”
“But it’s too soon! You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“So, it must be a Dombruso thing,” I said, knitting my brows. “I thought it was just your grandmother. But apparently the whole family has a pathological need to flee hospitals.”
He chuckled a little, then said, “Ow.”
“How are you getting to the airport? Don’t tell me you hopped in a cab!”
“No, I’m on a stretcher in an ambulance, hooked to an IV. I hired a doctor and two nurses to come with me on the plane I chartered, to make sure I survive the flight.”
“Dante, this sounds incredibly risky. You need to go back to the hospital!”
“I’ll check into a hospital when I get to San Francisco. The medical team will keep me stable until then.”
“Dante, why are you doing this? I’m so afraid you’re going to hurt yourself. Why are you in such a hurry to come back here?”
“I told you, Charlie. I need to be with you.”
“That’s not enough of a reason to take chances with your health like this!”
“I’m doing this as safely as I can, angel. And I am coming home to you. I won’t spend one more night apart from you.”
I sighed and said, “You’re epically stubborn. Do you know this about yourself?”
I could hear the smile in his voice when he said, “I do know that. And do you know I’m completely in love with you?”
Now it was my turn to smile. “Yeah? You’re sticking with that, even now that you don’t think you’re dying?”
He chuckled a little, but it quickly turned into a grunt of pain. And then he said, “I love you, Charlie. Thinking I was dying only accelerated telling you what I’ve been feeling for awhile.”
“I love you too, Dante. When I thought I’d lost you, my whole world ended.”
“I’m so sorry to worry you like that. And I’m so sorry for breaking up with you, and for chaining you to Austin – God I was an asshole. I’m so sorry for all of it.” After a moment he added quietly, “I’m sorry for putting my need for revenge ahead of you, knowing it could get me killed.”
“I understand why you had to do that,” I said. “Is it over now? Is Natori dead?”
“Yes, he’s dead. But so are a lot of other people. He killed all three of the men I brought with me. They were good men, and they died for my vendetta,” he said, his voice full of regret. “There’s been so much blood spilled. So much. But no more. I accomplished what I needed to do, and now I’m retiring, handing the family business over to my cousins. I’m through.”
He gasped in pain, and I asked frantically, “Are you ok, Dante?”
“Yeah. The ambulance just hit a rut in the road.”
“Where are you hurt?”
“I was shot in the left arm and the right wrist, and both those bullets broke bones. I have casts on each arm. Another bullet passed through my chest cavity, but missed all my organs. A fourth lodged in my thigh and severed a major artery, but the surgeons patched it up.”
“Oh my God! How are you even holding the phone?”
“I’m not,” he said. “I’m wearing a headset.”
“I can’t believe you’re travelling in that condition. It’s insanely risky.”
“The only risk is letting you see me like this. I really can’t imagine why you’d still want me once you see me this pathetic and broken. But I’m swallowing my pride and rushing home to you anyway Charlie, because I miss you so much.” His voice was getting really raspy now, and was made even worse by clearing his throat. “We’re pulling up to the airport now.”
“Have you made plans for your arrival at SFO?”
“Yeah. A private ambulance will be taking me to Rosewood. Maybe I’ll get Nana’s old room,” he said lightly.
“Call me as soon as you’re on the ground.”
“I will, angel.”
When we finally said our goodbyes, I fell back onto the bed. He was coming home. He was probably totally endangering his health in doing so, but my Dante was coming home to me.
Chapter Seventeen
Christopher Robin and I had been playing canasta with Mrs. Dombruso all evening in the lobby at Rosewood. She’d roped in a little old man to be our fourth, and we were no match for the senior card sharps. Finally, Mr. Previn was ordered back to bed by one of the nurses, and we had to call it quits.
