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My knees buckle, my legs losing power as relief crashes through me.
His brothers are the only things that keep me from plummeting to the ground.
Chapter Thirteen
Gabriel
I come awake slowly, as if from a fever dream. My entire body hurts. It's a familiar feeling. I've been down this road before. Six years ago, I woke in this same exact state…only I didn't want to wake at all.
It's different this time. I fight my way to the surface, desperate to open my eyes. Desperate to live. For her. Always for her.
I feel her next to me, her little hand clinging to mine, her sweet voice whispering in my ear. She's mad as hell and not nearly mad enough at the same time. She's relieved, I think. And afraid.
"Tesoro," I croak. Fuck, my throat hurts like a motherfucker.
"Gabriel!" She startles beside me, jostling me on the bed.
I hiss out a breath.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she cries.
Finally, I manage to peel my eyes open. The room is dim, the harsh overhead lights switched off. Machines beep steadily beside me. I'm wrapped in bandages and wires. I don't give a fuck about any of that.
All I care about is her.
She shifts into my field of vision like a mirage, too beautiful for this world. Too perfect to be real. Her eyes are red and puffy. Tears wet her cheeks. Her hair is a wild mess. And still, she's the brightest flame in God's arsenal.
"Told you," I mouth, not liking the fact that she's been crying. Didn't I tell her that the son of a bitch wasn't taking me from her? I'd have clawed my way out of hell to keep that promise if I had to do it.
"Don't talk," she sobs. "You shouldn't talk, Gabriel."
My mouth works fine. It's the rest of me that feels like I got hit by a speeding bullet and then body slammed on cement.
"Water," I demand.
She frets for a minute before giving in and getting me water. She holds the straw to my lips, allowing me to take a long drink.
Fuck, that's better.
I lean back, weak as hell.
"You've been crying."
"I thought you were going to die." Her bottom lip quivers. "You did die. You didn't have a p-pulse."
Merda. No wonder she's a mess. Rafe better hope he killed Santorum. If he didn't, I'm going to be pissed about it.
"Come here, tesoro. Let me hold you."
"You can't. You need to rest, Gabriel."
"I'll rest with you in my arms, piccola fiamma."
She hesitates for a moment before reluctantly creeping into the bed with me. She moves like a little kid trying to sneak out of bed, moving so slowly it's almost comical. But she manages to curl up against my side without jostling me too much.
"Tell me," I whisper.
"I love you."
My eyes drift close, her soft words washing through me.
"Ti amo, tesoro," I whisper through the lump in my throat. "Ti amo."
"I'm mad at you."
I smile. Of course she is. I wouldn't have her any other way. "I'll make it up to you tomorrow, piccola fiamma. I don't think I can make my dick work right now."
"Tomorrow?" She snorts. "You're going to be here for weeks, Gabriel. The bullet nicked an artery. You l-lost a lot of blood. They had to do two transfusions." Her pinky finger runs across my lips, tracing them. "Your brothers donated. All three of them."
"They're here?"
"They were." Her brows furrow. "You guys really need to stop having reunions in the hospital, Gabriel. It shouldn't take you almost dying to get all four of you into the same room."
She's right. It's just one of the changes I'll be making going forward. I'm tired of living the way I have…of living the way we have for so long. We're family. Brothers. I think it's beyond time I figure out how to start acting like one again. I haven't in a long time. I haven't been able to see past my own shit.
I'm seeing clearly today.
"What happened?"
"He shot you," she whispers, her voice quivering again. "Domani killed him."
"Good," I grunt. It'll save me from having to do it. He doesn't get to survive after this. Not because he shot me, but because he hurt Genesis again. I warned him and he didn't listen.
"I think that was his plan," she whispers. "I keep seeing the look on his face before he walked away. He was never going to live on his knees, Gabriel. He intended for one of you to kill him." A mournful sigh escapes her lips. "I think he just wanted to take me and you with him when he went."
"I told him that you belong to me. He should have listened."
"They took Domani to jail."
I peel my eyes open again.
"He's out now. I guess his officers thought they could find a way to charge Domani with his death even though it was self-defense. The prosecutor said no." A satisfied smile curves her lips upward. "The whole police department is in shambles right now."
