Page 90 of Tainted Ties

“Yes,anima mia.” I wasn’t, but I didn’t have any desire to upset her further.

I stared at her determined face as she carefully cleaned the wounds as much as she could.

I was completely bewildered at how she could stomach the sight of me right now. I knew it couldn’t be easy for her.

“Why are you doing this?” I grated when she rubbed at a sensitive area.

Time stretched for what seemed like an eternity as I waited for her to answer.

When she sat back on her heels and finally focused her gaze on me, a tear fell from the corner of her eye. “Because I love you, too.”

My heart threatened to beat out of my chest. “Don’t say that because of the condition I’m in,” I whispered.

Aurora shook her head, brows scrunched. “Seeingyou like this confirmed what I knew all along.” She reached out and cupped my face in her delicate hands, easing my discomfort with that single touch. “Seeingyou like this replaced my one fear with something far scarier. Losing you.”

A sense of euphoria welled up inside of me, and I knew if death called for me at this moment, I’d go peacefully with the knowledge that I had the one thing I yearned for—Aurora’s love.

“I’m helplessly in love with every single part of you, Roman. The good, the bad, and everything in between.”

Taking a deep breath from her direct words, I fought with my body to lean up on my elbow.

Instantly, my muscles screamed at me, disabling me from the action.

“Stop moving,” she bit out.

Aurora didn’t know the onlygoodpart of me was her being my wife.

“Then kiss me.”

Her eyes rounded, darting between my face and chest, hesitation clear in her doe eyes.

“You won’t hurt me.” It would only hurt if she deprived me of it.

She gave a subtle nod before leaning down and bracing her elbows on either side of my head, cradling it in between the crook.

Her nose touched mine in a featherlight touch, causing me to lean up and crash my lips against hers.

The softness of her mouth was a contrast to the urgency with which I kissed her.

With a shooting sensation slicing up my arm, I grabbed the small of her back, bringing her down on me, chest to chest.

If I was doing more harm than good, it didn’t feel like it.

Her body molded against mine to perfection and when I slipped my tongue inside her mouth, I couldn’t feel anything other than pure bliss.

The light sound of a knock came from the other side of the house, jolting Aurora to rip herself off me.

“The doctor,” she panted with bruised lips.

Yes, the doctor I might fucking kill for intruding on the best medication I could take.

Aurora was gone for a moment before returning with Dr. Aldo in tow.

He appeared the same as he usually did, with gray hair and lines etched across his aging face, except this time, his eyes were red from being woken up in the middle of the night.

He pushed up his glasses, looking at me pointedly with a frown creasing his forehead. “What have you gotten yourself into now, Roman?”

Chapter32

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