Page 63 of The Casella King

I hear footsteps approaching, and as I look up, I see Nico, one of his pant legs are cut, a bandage now secured on his thigh.

“No major arteries,” he says, giving me a sympathetic smile. “I got lucky.”

I nod, unable to find words, the silence hanging heavy in the air, sticking to the walls.

“She will be okay.” Nico tries to comfort me, and I grit my teeth.

My eyes find his. “If she dies, I will burn this fucking city to the ground.” My hands curl into fists. “I will unleash my wrath on those who think they can take her from me. Kingdom be damned.”

The quiet beeping of the machines is the only sound that echoes throughout the room. My hands clasp hers as I sit beside the bed, still covered in her blood. It took Ethan and his team five hours to remove the bullet from her chest, and by some fucking miracle, it missed her heart.

“There’s no guarantee she will make it through this.”

I remember his words, my heart taking another hit as I watch her lay there connected to multiple machines. It’s been eight hours since the operation, and I haven’t left her side once. Nico lies on the lounge in the corner of the room, blood seeping into the white bandage as he sleeps.

Ethan has been in our lives since I can remember, tending to our wounds. It’s vital to have someone like him on your team because in our line of work, tomorrow is not guaranteed, and since I don’t believe in God, Ethan is the next best thing. He has mended both Nico and I since we were teens, and as someonewho wants to avoid law enforcement sticking their noses in my fucking business, it works better.

There’s a knock at the door, then Ethan walks in and begins checking her vitals. He’s an older man, probably the same age my father was when he died. Thick grey hair and piercing blue eyes.

“When will she wake?” I ask.

He looks to me, sympathy in his eyes. “We’re keeping her as comfortable as we can. It’s up to her now.”

My chest caves at his words as Nico stands, walking to the other side of her bed.

Ethan’s words echo through my mind as he leaves.

“It’s my fault, brother,” Nico says, pain etched in his voice.

Then I feel her hand twitch under mine, and I stand, my eyes searching her face for movement.

“She just moved,” I whisper, still watching her and waiting.

“Come back to me, sweetheart.” I squeeze her hand in mine as her eyes slowly flicker open.

The pain in my chest radiates throughout my entire body as I fight to open my eyes. Everything feels heavy. I try to move my legs, but they feel like lead.

My eyes flicker open, the bright light almost blinding me. I see Ezra’s face first, and all my emotions crash into me like a tidal wave.

I was shot.

Tears begin to stream from my eyes as I look up at him. Not so much from the pain I feel, but from the relief that I’m still alive.

“I’m sorry.” My voice comes out all croaky, as he gazes down into my eyes.

“I fucked it up.” I breathe, trying my best to squeeze his hand in mine. “I wanted to prove that I belonged in your world, and I fucked it up.”

He cups my cheek, wiping away my tears with his thumb.

“You don’t need to proveanythingto me,” he explains as he leans down, his lips brushing mine. “I’m sorry for waiting as long as I did to come for you.”

“You have no idea what I felt when I watched you bleeding out.” His breath shakes as his eyebrows draw together. “I thought I lost you, and in that moment, I was ready to set fire to the fucking world.”

Tears sting behind my eyes as I try to blink away the sensation.

“And the worst part was, I never told you how much I fucking needed you.” My heart flutters at his words. “So I’m saying it now, and I’ll say it until I die. I need you so fucking much.” He leans down, placing his lips on my forehead, planting a small kiss against my skin. “I will never let you go again,” he whispers against my skin. “I’m not scared of death, sweetheart, but the one thing that instils fear deep inside me, is the thought of not being with you.”

The organ beneath my chest beats harder at his confession. “I was wrong,” I whisper, his brows pull in, his beautiful dark eyes never leaving mine. “I thought I shouldn’t love you because you scared me, but I was just scared to love you because you brought life to a darkness within me. A darkness I had buried deep so long ago,” I confess, as a smirk plays at the corner of his lips.

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