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“And I’m surprised you didn’t punch Anthony just now when you saw him,” I murmured, and I felt him nudge my side a little with his elbow.
“Looks like he’s banged up enough. He’s just lucky Ryan’s going to be fine. Otherwise, we’d be having words, trust me.”
I peeked at him. “Friends again with Ryan now?”
“He loves you, right? You love him. That much is obvious. So yeah, I’ll cut Ryan some slack and play nice,” Enzo said, a small smile on his lips.
“I know it was hard for you to leave Maria while she’s struggling.” My shoulders fell at that memory. She’d wanted to join Enzo on the trip, but she couldn’t leave Chiara behind.
“Maria will be okay once she’s free from Thomas,” Enzo bit out. “All that matters right now is everyone’s alive,” he added in a lower voice this time, and my heart hurt for him, knowing he was thinking about his twin. That one important person in his life he’d been unable to save.
Once outside the doors leading to the post-op recovery area, I gave the nurse Ryan’s name and my information, and she opened the doors. Enzo reached for my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
I hugged him, then walked through the doors with the nurse, my heart colliding with my rib cage as I followed her to Ryan’s bed.
I knew we were nearby when I heard Laura’s voice, and when the nurse peeled back a curtain a moment later, I cried at the sight of my man sitting upright, with his mom by the bed, holding hands.
Ryan’s eyes met mine, and he frowned. “I’m so fucking sorry,” he rasped, tears forming in his eyes. “I’m sorry I crashed on you.” He was apologizing?
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Laura said while standing, holding my gaze, her face full of relief and empathy. With a slight smile, she patted my shoulder, then followed the nurse who then closed the curtains to give us some privacy.
I reached for the cup of crushed ice from the nearby tray table, unsure what to do with myself. I was emotionally wrecked, but I refused to break down in front of him. On top of everything else, he didn’t need to feel bad for how terrified I’d been.
“I kind of do hate you,” I said while sitting next to him, setting the ice by his bed.
He reached for my hand as the tears I tried to keep at bay started to fall. “Nah,” he said while closing one eye. “You love me, admit it.”
I rolled my tongue over my lips, then gently leaned in while holding his hand and murmured, “Damn right I do.” I kissed him softly. “I’ll love you until I can’t. Until the day I die.”
He eased back to find my eyes, tears now gliding down his cheeks. “And I’ll love you even after that.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
RYAN
“My money is on two weeks,” I overheard Owen and Asher chatting near the door of my temporary digs.
“What’s two weeks?” I asked, but based on the smile parked on Owen’s lips, it was something they wouldn’t be discussing if Natalia was present.
“Two weeks until you break doctor’s orders and have sex.” Asher smiled. “You’re young. And it was barely a heart attack. And internal bleeding?” He held his palms open as if to say, No biggie. “Been there done that, right?”
I laughed, then grabbed hold of my side while coughing, a reminder I was still injured. Plus, I’d inhaled some smoke before the guys pulled us out of the burning barn, so my lungs were aggravated and angry as hell. “Shit, man. Give me some time to recover before you have me laughing.”
“Or having sex,” Luke said while entering the room. “Goes for you, too.” He pointed at Owen. “You’re pretty banged up as well. Tell Samantha you’re benched for a week, at least.”
“Look at Bravo One playing doctor dad,” Asher teased, earning a scowl from Luke.
“I need a word alone with Bravo Six.” Luke swiveled his ball cap backward, then tossed a thumb toward the hall, an order for the boys to scatter.
Bravo Six? Damn did I like the sound of that. I closed my eyes at the reality that I’d never be Bravo or Alpha, or anything, relating to an op ever again. And lying in a hospital bed right now was proof of that.
“Yeah, yeah, go easy on Luke,” Owen teased. “He only drugged ya because he cares.”
“Sure, sure.” I parted my lids at his words and let go of my ribs. “No one has told me jack shit about what happened since I woke up. I just know we’re all alive, and my brother’s too afraid to talk to me.”
“He should be afraid of you.” Luke dragged a chair by the bed. “How are you feeling?”
“Like shit,” I honestly answered. “And I almost went out the same way as my old man, so I’m a bit messed up in the head about that. But I’ll be okay.” I have Natalia, so yeah, I’ll be better than okay.
