Page 29 of Her UnBearable Protector

He heard the truth in Valerio’s tone, saw the warning in his eyes. Even though he was younger than Salvatore, he was wise beyond his years. “Make it quick. I need to see her for myself.”

“Fine.” Valerio released the shirt and leaned closer. “Are you sure this is the right thing to do?”

“This? Talking to her?” Salvatore shook his head. “If you’re worried about her learning we’re shifters, don’t.” He smiled, waiting to see his brother’s reaction. “She knows.”

“How does she know?” Uberto had been the next to speak, standing up from the couch and taking a few steps around the arm to join his brothers. “What happened?”

“You went to the park,” he answered, “you saw what I did to that piece of garbage who attacked her. So did she.”

“You let her see you?” Uberto’s voice held a cutting edge to it. “What were you thinking?”

“What option did I have?” Salvatore pushed Valerio aside and grabbed the front of Uberto’s shirt, lifting him up off the ground. “She’s my mate! She’s a part of me, the only part that matters!”

“And how does she feel about that?” Uberto grabbed at Salvatore’s hands. “Is she just going to accept that you’re not human?”

Salvatore’s hand slipped up higher on his shirt, tugging the collar tightly around his throat. “She was fine with it.”

Uberto swallowed, or rather, he tried to swallow, and gave Valerio a look as his face reddened. “A little help, brother?”

“Leave me out of it.” He held up his hands. “I’m the one that patched her up. But, if you two don’t mind getting whatever this is over, I’m pretty sure she’ll be waking up soon and she’ll probably be hungry.”

The anger bled slowly from Salvatore’s shoulders, lowering Uberto to the ground, and managing to loosen his hands from his brother’s shirtfront. “She’ll survive?”

Rolling his eyes, Valerio flopped onto the couch, and everyone ignored the answering groan from the aging piece of furniture. “If she was in danger, I wouldn’t have left the room. You know me better than that.” He gestured toward her bedroom. “She’s lost a bit of blood, quite a bit, actually, but she’s strong.” He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his legs, his eyes focused intently on his elder brother. “You were lucky, ‘Tore.”

Realization and reality gave Salvatore a swift kick in the gut. Pushing Uberto to the side, he moved toward the bedroom. “Set the alarms, get out. Make sure there’s no evidence of that man in the park.”

Uberto glared at him, even when Valerio pushed himself off of the couch and tried to walk him toward the door. “And you,” he scoffed, “where will you be?”

“Trying not to mess up the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

* * *

The world dawned on her one fuzzy inch at a time. The world outside her window was dark, but her bedside light was on. It wasn't enough light to make her blink or squint, but it was enough to see that someone was sitting beside her on the bed.

“How,” she swallowed, hoping that her mouth wouldn't be so dry, “how did I get-”

“I carried you, Principessa.”

She turned her head toward the side table, but couldn't quite see the face of the clock. “What time-”

He set his hand on her shoulder and rolled her onto her back. “You should be sleeping, Natale. Close your eyes.”

“No,” she lifted her arm, reaching for him, “I don't want to sleep. If I do,” she drew in a breath, “I'm not sure you’ll be here when I wake up.” Her hand came in contact with the hard length of his thigh.

She felt him tremble under her touch, and his voice repaid the favor. “I'm not going anywhere, Natale.”

He leaned toward her, his hand braced on the edge of the bed by her shoulder, raising her up until she was just a few inches from him.

There were a score of things she wanted to tell him. She didn't know where to start or what he even wanted to hear, but she had to say something.

“I don't want you to go anywhere,” she managed to meet his eyes with her own, “I was stupid tonight. I left the workroom because I wanted to prove that I didn't need your help. I’d hoped that you were wrong, and I left because I thought… because I embarrassed myself last night.”

“Natale,” she heard the entreaty in his tone, saw the gentle shake of his head, “I wanted to explain.”

“You don't need to, really.” She lifted her hand and tried to turn on her side and avoid the pity she knew would be in his eyes. “I’m a big girl,” she laughed a little, “in more ways than one. I knew that I was going to look desperate, but I couldn't help myself, Salvatore. For once,” she grabbed a handful of her blankets and pulled it up toward her chin, “I just wanted to tell someone how I felt. I thought you felt the same way,” her heart squeezed painfully in her chest, “or I wouldn't have said anything. I'm so-”

“Don't.”

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