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He holds out his arm and I go to him. We settle into bed like we’ve done so many countless nights before and remember it’s the most natural, soothing feeling in the world. It’s funny how you don’t realize how exhausted you are until you’re finally able to rest.
There’s no better place than in the arms of the one you love.
“Good night, Honey,” Gio mutters, squeezing me closer. With his other arm, he reaches out and switches off the light.
The next morning, we sleep in until almost noon. I’m up first, smirking at Gio as he squints awake.
“You’re always up so early, yet look at you now.”
“Whose fault is that? Seven long months without you in my bed. I needed the hibernation.”
Laughter rings out of me as he yanks me toward him and presses kisses all over my neck and chest.
We move onto showers and breakfast on the balcony. Gio suggests we relax around the resort for the day. I use it as an excuse to drag him, Tasha and Louis to the pool. Louis cites work stuff as the reason why he can’t show up, but I’m successful with Gio and Tasha.
Gio has icy cocktails delivered to us as we alternate between lounging and dipping ourselves in the pool. At one point, he volunteers to rub more sunscreen lotion onto my back. I’m not fooled for a second, but I’ll take any excuse that involves his hands all over my body.
Tasha reclines in one of the lounge chairs off to the side and tells us we’re making her sick. Her mood hasn’t been the greatest since what happened with Kilroy. From what I hear, the confrontation between him and Gio and Louis was a success. Kilroy agreed to never go anywhere near Tasha again—or risk Louis knocking all the teeth out of his mouth.
I stand up and stretch my arms in the air. The elevator doors have opened and the servers have returned with more drinks. I smile at the bushy-haired woman walking toward me in her uniform and thick glasses making her eyes look bugged-out.
It’s not until I’m a little closer that I notice the manic glint in them. She’s no regular employee, abandoning the drinks cart altogether, more fixated on approaching me. I stop, unsure of what’s wrong with her. She reaches into the waistband of her uniform pants and shows me just what is.
A gun she starts to point right at me, making me freeze in place.
I’ve never seen her a day in my life, but Gio recognizes her a split second too late.
“GET DOWN!” he shouts.
I’m shoved to the ground as bullets ricochet in the air. Seconds feel like hours as I hit the hard concrete and scrape my knee, staying as low as possible the more gunshots crack and bang. My gaze lifts and horror strikes my heart like a powerful lightning bolt.
Gio staggers back a couple steps and then slowly crouches to the floor, no longer able to hold himself up. I forget about the bullets flying and reach out for him, tears in my eyes. Warm liquid touches my fingers.
His blood.
“GIO!”
