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“All right,” I croak, and the nurse puts a button in my hand.
“Press this button,” she says, and when I do, something warm and relieving washes through me and my whole body relaxes. I feel myself drifting away.
“Aurora,” I say, my words slurred. “Tell me that you know I love you.”
“Sure,” she says, but I know that she doesn’t believe me.
I struggle to say more but I can’t, I’m fading.
“Nico,” she says quietly. “I—”
But then I’m gone.***
When I wake,Aurora isn’t in the room with me but I can still hear someone sobbing. When I turn my face, it’s Francesca, her face buried in the bed sheets.
“Francesca?” I call, and she lifts her head, sniffling.
“You’re sostupid,” she says, and I can’t help but smile, fighting back a laugh because I know it will hurt. Everything hurts.
“Mama says I’m smart and handsome,” I joke, and Francesca doesn’t smile.
“I’m going to hit youso hardwhen you get out of here,” she says, and I look over at her and I don’t know if it’s the drugs or the fact that I almost died, but I feel so fond of her that I can barely stand it.
“I love you, Francesca,” I say, and Francesca bursts into tears all over again.
“Don’t say that now, you jerk. You’ve never said it before.”
“I’ll blame the drugs later,” I say with a smile, and she grabs my hand so tightly that it almost hurts.
Dante comes in after Francesca gets herself together and leaves, and he sighs heavily.
“What about the cops?” I ask, and he shakes his head.
“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t tell them anything.”
“And Angelo?” I ask.
“Not a scratch on him.”
“Lucky sonofabitch,” I grumble, and Dante laughs and it’s a little shaky.
“We’re all glad you’re okay, Nico.”
“Where’s Aurora?” I ask.
“Mia made her go home. She says it’s too much stress for the baby and she needs to rest.”
I nod slowly but I’m a little disappointed. I want to see her.
“Have you changed your mind now?” Dante asks, tilting his head curiously. “About Aurora, I mean?”
“I didn’t change it,” I say. “I just decided to actually tell myself the truth now. She’s my soulmate, Dante. Just like Mia is yours.”
Dante smiles. “I always knew it, you idiot.”
I snort and then groan because it hurts so much. “Fuck me, did I get shot twice?”
“Only once, but it was bad. We almost lost you,” Dante says.
