Page 118 of Devious Lies

Fuck. I make love sound like a rash.

I never said I was a poet. Anyway, it’s been seventy-two hours since her surgery. I haven’t slept a wink.

How can I?

My sweet girl risked her life for me. I can’t rest until I look into her beautiful eyes, and I tell her what she did, what it all means.

Goddamn it. Why isn’t she awake?

Maria should be awake by now.

“Hey, Baby Girl, I miss you so much,” I say, taking her hand in mine. “Listen to me. I need you to open your pretty eyes. Come on. Open them. Do it for me. I need to see you. Please, Maria.”

I should feel ridiculous. My girl is unconscious and I’m over here begging her to wake up.

As if I could pull something like that off.

Doesn’t matter. I still have to try.

Ever since she got shot, it’s like the sun went black. Everything good and light has just up and disappeared.

Nico understands. He’s handling the search for Sanchez Junior just fine while I stay right fucking here.

I have feelers out. It isn’t like I’m dormant.

But I’ve been spending most of my time holding Maria’s hand and reading Dante in the original Italian to her.

I know how she likes it when I do that while I’m wearing my glasses.

I drop my forehead to the bed, praying to whatever God might be out there, listening to bring her back to me.

And I guess they were listening, because the next thing I know, she’s squeezing my hand back.

I look up, and I see her face.

“Maria? Oh, thank God. Thank fucking God. Oh, Baby Girl, I missed you so much,” I tell her, and I feel like my heart might explode with emotion.

Maria’s blinking her eyes, and she’s trying to smile, but I can tell she’s uncomfortable.

“Here,” I say, and I hold a straw to her lips.

She takes a long sip and sighs.

“Luc,” she whispers, after she is finished drinking.

“Hi,” I tell her, brushing back her hair.

“Are you okay?” she mouths, her voice still too hoarse to make much sound.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Because of you, I’m okay,” I say, and I drop a soft kiss on her lips.

“Goddamn it, Baby. You had me so worried,” I say and carefully wrap her in my embrace, watchful of her injury.

“You crazy woman. You will never do anything like that again, got it? I fucking love you so much and I almost lost you, and I just can’t do that again,” I tell her and I know I am rambling, but I can’t stop.

It’s like someone opened the floodgates and all my feelings are pouring out of my mouth.

I cup her cheeks lift my face so I can see her. Tears are streaming from her eyes, and my breath hitches and I know I am crying too.

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