Page 67 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

“Are you all serious right now? You couldn’tpossiblybe serious,” Madison laughs murderously. “Ichoseto be part of this life. First with Liam, then with Killian, then with Liamagain, and now to help Diego—even if I didn’t choose to be taken. Regardless. I chose to help. I chose to love and I chose to stay. Forallof you. It’s my fucking choice. If I want to face danger to protect the ones I love, then so be it. Life is about choices, and I do not for one second regret being a part of all of yours. My life was dull before all of this. I’m not saying I enjoy all the violence or my body taking a beating. But the relationships I’ve created and the sense of purpose I’ve found throughout all of this has been worth it. I finally feel like I know who I am. And I wouldn’t change that for anything.” When she remains silent, we all do as well. Most likely processing her words and trying to analyze them.

That speech was moreso for her than it was for us. I’m proud of the woman she’s become. It makes me love her even more. This woman is fucking incredible.

She truly is.

If she is willing to stay, I wonder if she’ll be willing to forgive me for beingso reckless and stupid with her love? I sure as hell don’t deserve it, but I desperately need it. I’ve needed her since the moment we met. She is and always will be the one who fought the darkness away. I’ve gotten so used to her light, I don’t even want to imagine my life without her in it.

I thought I was doing the right thing by letting her go.Again.

But I was so fucking wrong.

We areall getting settled in on Killian’s yacht. They have their medical team tending to my wounds in a guest room on the lower deck. We have decided to stay anchored, as to not immediately give ourselves away.Pontusis still blazing as we speak. The Greek Coast Guard has responded and is attempting to put out the fire. We made sure that there were excessive amounts of fireworks below deck. If anyone looked too deeply, they would come to realize that wedding fireworks were the most likely cause of the explosion. The type of bomb they used won’t be discovered. Not after they finally manage to get the blaze under control.

Relief floods me as I am thankful to be alive. I don’t know where Madison and I stand right now. And that’s eating at me. I haven’t seen her since we got back on their yacht. After her speech, she didn't so much as whisper another word to anyone on the way back.

Killian fucking hates me, but he’ going to be my brother-in-law. So, for Selena’s sake, we need to find a way to make peace. We didn’t go through all of this to become enemies. If I am going to be leading my syndicate in a new direction, I want to start without any additional enemies.

Liam, well… I am incredibly thankful for him. He had no reason to help me off that yacht.Hell, if roles were reversed, I don’t know if I would have.

Yet he did.

He did it because we are in love with the same woman. He did it to protect Madison from losing someone she cares about. I can’t saylove, because she made that clear tonight that she doesn’t feel that way about me. But, there is something more than affection between us…or she wouldn’t have risked her life to come back to me. Especially since I pushed her off the back of the yacht. It would be a very dangerous thing for me to hope she loved me in return.

“Sir, we are going to have to get you to a hospital. These bullet wounds are too extensive to fix here.”

“I don’t think that is going to be possible for a little while,” I say hesitantly.

The door of the bedroom opens and my heart jumps in hopes it would be my wife.

“Oh, Diego.” Selena’s voice floats across the room. “Thank God you’re alive,” she sobs, crossing the room to wrap her arms around me.

I place a kiss on her head and pat her back with my good arm. “I have Madison and Liam to thank for that,” I laugh. “When were you planning on telling me you’re pregnant?” I whisper.

Her tear-stained face greets mine. A gentle smile spreads across it. “Who let the cat out of the bag?”

“My wife.”

“Ahh.Your wife. You really couldn’t find any other way to get Geraldo distracted? You had to marry her? You know that it won’t last, Diego. She’s back where she belongs.”Ouch. My bruised ego hurts worse than my injuries.

“I didn’t have much of a choice. Geraldo forced my hand.”

“Sure he did. You’reEl Rompe Huesos.You couldn’t have negotiated another way around a wedding?” She pinches my nose and shoots me a stern look. “We always have a choice—right?”

My sister. Just like my mother in so many ways. The thought of my mamá makes my heart crack more than my sister’s words.She’s right. Madison is back here with Liam. Geraldo is dead. I am the new leader. My time with Madison is slowly creeping to an end. I lean my head back against the pillows and close my eyes.

“You’re going to be an uncle, Diego,” Sel says softly, tucking her hand in mine. She’ll never admit it, but she gets it. My feelings for Madison.

I squeeze her hand. “I’m happy for you, Sel. Although, I don’t think yourbetrothedlikes me very much.” I leave out the part where he was going to leave me for dead. No use making my sister upset. Killian and I will have to have a discussion soon. I can put it behind me if he is willing to. Our two families are too entwined now to not bury the hatchet.

“He’ll have to get over that. We are family,” she huffs, mirroring my feelings.

I shrug and then regret it.Fuck that hurts.“We’ll see.”

His ears must have been ringing, because the Irish prick himself walks in, Madison hot on his heels. “How is everything going in here?” he addresses the team of doctors.

“We will need to move him to a local hospital to treat his injuries. The bullets caused some damage to muscle and bone, and that will need to be treated in an OR under anesthesia,” the older male doctor says.

Killian crosses his arms over his chest and sighs. “I’m not sure that is possible right now.”

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