Page 68 of Vow to Me

The doc explained that I’ll be here for a few more days, but things are looking good. It’ll take me some time to get back to my full strength, and it’ll be fucking hard to get around at first, but with some PT and hard work I should get back to my full physical strength in a couple of months.

My body can heal all it fucking likes, but I don’t think my heart ever will. Not with the blonde bombshell of a woman still sleeping at my side not in my life anymore.

But she’s alive, and that’s all that will ever matter to me. Her health, safety and happiness are my priority, and I’ll happily die a hundred times over, walk through fucking fire and take every bullet that fires her way to maintain that. I’ll break my own heart to heal hers.

Chapter Fourty-Nine

Izzy

My neck aches as I wake and I replay the last few days in my mind, the pain and fucking worry I’ve felt are like nothing I’ve known.

A hand glides through my hair and my brows furrow at the movement.What the hell?

My head snaps up and my eyes widen as I make eye contact with Luca.

“You’re awake,” I breathe and tears instantly well in my eyes.

“Yeah baby, I’m awake,” he chuckles and wipes my cheek with his thumb as a tear falls down my face. The gesture is so sweet, so tender, sohim,that I can’t help but let out a sob as I let relief fill my pores, he finally fucking awake.

“I’m so fucking pissed at you,” I cry and snatch his hand before he can wipe more of my tears. “You get yourself shot and then don’t wake up for days.Fucking days.Are trying to make me lose my fucking mind Luca? Are you trying to fucking punish me? Why would you do that to me, huh?”

Rather than seeming reprimanded, he barks out a laugh and shakes his head. “Fuck, I missed you, Iz,” he says in awe as he stares at me, eyes full of wonder. I must look like shit considering Ihaven’t left this goddamn hospital once since we arrived, I couldn’t bear to be away from him for longer than a quick trip to the bathroom.

“How are you feeling? Are you okay? Should I get a doctor? Have they checked you over? Why the fuck are you just lying awake when you should be getting examined? Why the hell didn’t you wake me up? How long have you been awake? Do you need anyt—”

“Jesus,fuck. Take a fucking breath, baby. I’m fine. Just breathe, I’m okay,” he interrupts and squeezes my hand. “I’ve been awake for two hours; I’ve been checked over and I’m alright. I didn’t wake you because Marco told me you hadn’t fucking slept in four days. What the hell, Izzy? Why didn’t you go home and sleep?” he says with a scowl.

“Like fuck was I just leaving you here!” I yell and stand before pacing beside his bed. “What if you needed me? What if something happened? What if you woke up and I wasn’t here?”

“Honestly? I thought you’d see I was awake and then get the hell out of here, I didn’t think you cared that much,” he murmurs and the vulnerable look he sends me fucking guts me.

“Are you insane!?” I wail and stop my pacing; the man is so fucking irritating. “Why the hell would I just leave?”

“You were about to ask me to sign divorce papers before I got shot Izzy, I wouldn’t blame you for leaving,” he says with a sigh and I shake my head at him, the fucking asshole.

“You’re right Luca, I was about to ask you to sign the papers,” I say and reach for my bag at the side of the bed and pull out thedocuments and a pen. I throw them both on the bed and give him a pointed look.

He appears physically pained as he picks up the pen and flips through the pages, signing where he needs to sign.

“It’s done,” he whispers and hands them back to me. I take them and put them back in my bag before I approach him. I grab his face with both of my hands, using my thumbs to caress his stubbled cheeks before I bring my lips to his.

He freezes for a second before he returns the kiss. It’s slow and languid, filled with pain and so much fucking love that my heart swells before he pulls away.

“Don’t break my heart like this please Izzy, just leave. I can’t have you in the same room as me knowing I can’t have all of you.”

“I’m not fucking going anywhere, asshole,” I mutter as I take a set and rest my forehead against his.

“Please,” he begs, and I sigh in frustration.

“I told you; I’m not goinganywhere.I don’t want an arranged marriage Luca, I want—”

“I get it Izzy, okay? I don’t need you to give me all of the reasons I fucked up and lost you. I fucking hate myself for it as it is. I destroyed us both and it’s fucking killing me,” I pull away to stare down at him and he closes his eyes and tips his head back into the pillow. “I can’t watch you go Izzy, please just leave. I can’t do this, I can’t watch the woman I love more than anything in this fucked up world walk away, so please just leave now before I lose my fucking mind.”

“Are you going to interrupt me, or can you let me speak?” I ask and he gives me a barely perceptible nod.

“As I was fucking saying, I don’t want an arranged marriage. I wantyou.I want to wake up with my head buried in your chest every morning, I want evening dinners on the couch watching crappy tv, I want your laughs and your dramatic arguments, I want your punishments and your love. I want to go to sleep every night after you’ve fucked me into a coma wrapped up in your arms. I want your forehead kisses and stolen glances throughout the day. I want your annoyingly overprotective texts every ten minutes when I leave the house without you. I wantyou.”He just stares at me slack jawed, in disbelief and shakes his head.

“I don’t get it, you’ve just had me sign divorce papers,” he whispers.

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