Page 92 of Beautiful Vows

Lucia's chuckle is bitter, devoid of any genuine humor. "My father made the mistake," she spits out. "I told him who she was. I told him to get rid of her, but he was stupid and naïve. I am not."

"I was never yours, Lucia." Dante's voice is calm.

She ignores him as she stares at me. “Everyone thought I was weak while I was the one searching for you.”

Antonio's voice is steel as he issues another warning. "Put the gun down. You've proven you're ready to take over the Gallo family's role in the Syndicate."

"He hurt me," Lucia snarls, dipping her head toward Dante.

Dante takes a step back, moving closer to me. His voice is bitter as he says, "You're going to die today, Lucia."

Her eyes track his movement, a sneer twisting her lips. When she speaks again, her voice is eerily emotionless. "And I'm going to hurt you," she tells Dante, but her gaze shifts to me, filled with hatred. "You took what was mine. Now I'm going to take you."

I lift my arm, point my gun, pressing the trigger.

I hear the first gunshot, loud and jarring.

Then another gunshot, and I'm falling.

The world seems to slow down until I finally meet darkness.

Chapter 31

Rafe

I lean forward in the chair, my eyes fixed on Dante's prone form. Only the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor in this sterile hospital room reminds me that my brother is with us, and fighting.

Antiseptic permeates the air. It's so overpowering that I can’t smell the scent from the vase of flowers on the bedside table.

The harsh lighting casts an unnatural pallor over his face, making the bruises and cuts stand out against his sickly pale skin. But it's not the bruises and cuts that nearly killed him.

Tubes and wires snake around Dante's body, connecting him to various machines that hum and blink. But it's the large bandage that covers his stomach where the bullet was removed that makes my breath hitch.

They say he was lucky, but he's still in a coma. Right now, I can't agree,

Cade's hand is warm in mine, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my skin. His presence is a comfort. I squeeze his hand as I glance at him, seeing my exhaustion mirrored in the dark circles under his eyes.

We've been here for over a week, waiting for any sign that Dante is coming back to us since they removed his medication to induce the coma. The doctors are optimistic, but each hour that passes without change feels like an eternity.

A nurse enters, checking Dante's vitals before she offers us a sympathetic smile, then leaves; the door closing softly behind her.

"I can't stand this," I say, pushing out my chair and standing. Pacing the floor. Up and down the private room, glancing at my father who waits in the corridor with Amara beside him while he takes calls.

He wraps an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him before he presses a tender kiss on the poor girl's temple.

Dominic de Luca is proving himself to be a resilient man. So many things have happened in his life in the past few months that I'm surprised how he holds it together.

"Rafe." Cade's voice is low. "I saw his eyelids move."

I twist from my father.

Suddenly, there's a change in the rhythm of the beeping.

I rush to Dante's side.

My heart racing as I lean closer to Dante to watch his face for any sign of movement.

"Come on Dante," Cade says, taking my hand and gripping it. "Open your eyes. A little bullet can't keep you down."

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