Page 61 of Forever Mine

Me: That’s how I know him. I’m from Texas. I think we may have some mutual friends.

Liam: You know Monica is from Texas as well, right?

Me: Yes. We lived only an hour or two away from each other until I joined the Army.

Liam: Well, there isn’t much to hold Nicolas for, so he’ll be out on bail within a couple days. The district attorney is trying to get a search warrant approved for his car and apartment. A well-known mafia kid doesn’t just appear in Colorado for no reason.

Me: What’s the connection to Monica?

Liam: I don’t know.

Me: We need to figure this out, man.

Liam: I know. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to her. She’s like a sister to me, Gabriel. I’m an only child. She’s as close to family as I get.

I love that Monica has her chosen family here. She has an amazing support structure. I know with everyone helping, she’ll recover from this beautifully.

Me: Keep me updated. I’ll let you know if I learn anything from Monica once she wakes up.

Liam: Will do.

I quickly Google the Bianchi family and immediately connect how I’ve always thought Marcus looked familiar. His uncles played baseball with me. Vile men who wouldn’t hesitate to cheat. Marcus is the spitting image of his uncle Damian, who was barred from high school baseball in Texas after pitching a baseball straight at my teammate’s head and giving the poor kid a TBI.

My stomach is unsettled as I stare down at Monica. This woman means everything to me. I know she’s not there yet. I know she’s struggling to accept her feelings about me. But I know in my heart we’re meant to be together.

I put my phone down on the bed and bury my nose in her hair. I spend the rest of the night holding her and breathing her in.

I’m grateful the nursing staff left us alone all night. One checked on Monica around four in the morning and graciously acted like I wasn’t wrapped around Monica like a koala. The nurse from yesterday came in just after seven.

“Oh, you’re still here! Good. I wasn’t sure if they’d let you stay the whole night,” she whispers as she checks Monica’s vitals.

“What’s your name, ma’am?” I ask.

“It’s Sally.”

“Sally, thank you for getting me in here. I needed to be with her,” I say quietly.

“Well, obviously, she needed you, too. Her vitals were all over the place before you got in the room. Now they’re regulated and normal. I’m positive it was your presence. She’ll need you for a while as she recovers,” Sally says.

“She’s got me. I’m not leaving her,” I say resolutely. I feel Monica stir against me, and my arms immediately tighten. I’m afraid she’ll be embarrassed and try to move.

“Gabriel,” she murmurs.

“I’m here,querida,” I respond.

“Is he in jail?” she asks.

“Yes.”

“Am I safe?”

“I won’t let anything happen to you,querida.Você é meu coração.” You are my heart. Monica is everything to me. I’ll die protecting her.

“What does that mean?”

“It means you’re mine,querida.” I know she isn’t ready to hear my feelings. But as she sighs and snuggles into my embrace, I know we’re taking steps in the right direction.

“Knock knock,” a voice singsongs from the doorway. “Can we come in?”

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