Page 93 of Beautiful Vows

Dante's eyelids flutter, then slowly open. His gaze is unfocused at first, confusion clear as he takes in his surroundings. Then his eyes lock onto mine, recognition dawning.

He reaches up and drags the tube from his throat, coughing violently for air of his own.

"Rafe." His voice sounds scratchy in his throat.

I press the buzzer for a doctor.

"Where's Lia?" The words are barely more than a whisper, his voice hoarse from disuse, but the desperation clear.

Relief floods through me at the sound of his voice, that it feels like my lungs have opened and I can finally breathe properly again.

"Glad to see you're back with us," Cade says before rushing out of the room to tell my father.

"She's okay, Dante," I assure him, squeezing his hand.

"I want to see her." His eyes stare at me like he doesn't believe me. "Where is she?"

"I'm here, baby. I was talking to Amara after my appointment." Lia strolls into the room. Happy tears in her eyes and a massive smile appearing on her face as she rushes toward him. "Welcome back. I knew a bullet wouldn't take you down."

He breathes a massive sigh of relief. "I thought."

"You saved my life when you dove in front of me and pushed me out of the way. I was knocked out when my head hit the floor, but Dominic and Antonio killed Lucia before she had the chance to pull the trigger again."

“I’ll always put my life before yours,” Dante says.

“What if she killed you?” Lia's voice raises.

“Then I’ll take a bullet for you,” Cade says. “Have you not realized we’ll all take a bullet for you?”

Tears roll down her cheeks when she realizes how much we love her and not just the babies.

“I don’t want any of you to die. Our babies need their dads and our babies need more brothers and sisters.”

My brave brother smiles before his eyes widen as he slowly roams his eyes down from her eyes and to her stomach. "And tell me about the babies. Are they okay?"

She groans. "Do you know what your brother and Cade are like? They make me have an ultrasound every single day to make sure there are no lasting effects."

I stare at her, one eyebrow arched, waiting.

Her hands splay on her hips. "They are fine, and getting so used to the wand massaging over my belly that I think it sends them to sleep." One hand moves to hold the growing bump at the bottom. "They'll be spoiled before I give birth to them."

Dante smiles at her, but grabs my hand. "Thanks Bro."

"She's ours too." I turn to Lia. She looks so tired after hardly sleeping a wink since Dante was shot.

Her hair is in a messy bun, her face devoid of make-up, but she is still sexy as fuck. I'd never believe I would feel the way I do for a woman, but I love her as much as I love Cade. I pat my knee.

Her eyes narrow. "I'm not a puppy."

I can't help but laugh as Lia tries to maintain her tough exterior. She pretends she hates being cuddled and protected.

It's endearing, really, how she forgets we knew her before she became the woman she is now.

"Come here," I growl playfully, reaching for her.

Lia rolls her eyes, but I can see the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "You're making those sounds again," she chides, before turning to Dante."Tell them they can touch me. I need sex, but they wouldn't touch me while you were in a coma, and my hormones have gone crazy. I just need something more than my fingers."

My breath catches and I freeze, waiting for Dante's reaction.

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