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“Milk, two sugars. And a bagel or muffin would be amazing, thank you.”
“You got it.” He disappears, and I’m left feeling grateful. What a nice guy. I didn’t expect anyone else to show up, let alone talk to me.
“Are you here for Luca DeMello?” a deep voice asks, and I look up to find an older doctor with a clipboard in his hands. His smile is warm and inviting, but it does nothing to ease the sudden knot in my stomach.
I nod the simple word yeah stuck in my throat.
“Good news, he survived the night and is in stable condition now. The surgery stopped the internal bleeding caused by his injuries. He has a punctured lung, some broken ribs, a broken leg, and he’s pretty banged up. But since we stopped the internal bleeding, he stabilized, and his vital signs are looking good. He just has some recovery time ahead of him. But he’s lucky. It could’ve been a lot worse.”
“Thank you. Is it possible to see him?”
“We’re keeping him pretty sedated right now, seeing as he’s in a lot of pain. He may not be very responsive, but you’re welcome to go see him. He’ll be moving out of the ICU later today.”
“Thank you again.” He walks away, and I stand, fixing the pillows and blanket the nurse left me. I wait until Axel returns, not wanting to be rude, even though the last thing on my mind is eating or drinking something.
When he returns, I fill him in on what the doctor said. “And thank you for the coffee and bagel.”
“No thanks needed. Did you want to go see him first? You’ve been waiting all night, I can wait a little longer.”
He’s sweet. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Axel smiles and waves me off. “Anytime.”
With a deep breath, I swallow over the lump in my throat and walk to the nurses’ station to find out his room number.
A few steps later and I’m waiting outside the closed door. My stomach drops, and I feel sick as though I’m on a high-speed roller coaster.
Before I chicken out and run the other way, I push the door open and cry out when I see him.
Rushing to his bedside, I drop everything from my hands onto a bedside table and pick up his battered ones.
His poor face is scratched and bruised, along with his arms, some spots covered with bandages. One leg is in a full cast and propped up. It’s heartbreaking, and I break down crying as I hold his hands in mine.
I’m thankful it wasn’t worse. He’ll be okay. He’ll heal and even drive again if he chooses. What if he lost his life or what if he lost a limb or had brain damage?
I cry over what could’ve happened, and I cry over what did. He’s broken and bruised, and my heart aches for him.
I love this man.
There’s no denying it anymore.
My heart beats for him, my lungs breathe for him, my body craves him.
He’s all I want, all I’ll ever want. Even if he doesn’t want me.
I don’t know how long I stay there crying until Axel comes in, asking me if I’m okay.
I mumble something incoherent and hurry out of the room, my coffee and food long forgotten about.
20
Luca
Everything hurts.
Everything hurts so fucking bad.
I blink, trying to force my heavy eyes open and focus on where I am.
