Page 32 of Silent Night With Alessio

Isabella?

She’s here, laying beside me, her arms folded tightly against herself, as if even in her sleep she’s guarding me.

The morning light spills across her face, softening the fierce lines of determination I’d seen in her eyes the night before. There’s a gentleness there, a vulnerability she doesn’t let show, but now… it’s plain as day.

And I don’t know how to process the warmth flooding my chest, how to reconcile it with everything I’ve felt for her, everything I’ve tried to keep locked away.

“Alessio?”

I turn, startled, to find Nico standing a few feet away, watching me with relief, softening his usual hard gaze.

He lets out a breath, his shoulders dropping. “Oh, good… you’re awake,” he says, stepping closer, voice lowered as if afraid he’ll disturb her.

I push myself up slightly, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in my ribs. “What… what happened? How did we get back here?”

“You don’t remember?” Nico’s eyes flicker to Isabella, and I see a faint smile touch his mouth, something rare and knowing. “You have her to thank for that.”

I look down at her, absorbing the weight of what he’s just said.

“She… saved us?”

Nico’s face grows serious, though a spark of admiration lingers in his eyes. “You and I would be dead if it weren’t for her. She acted fast, got on your lap and drove us out of there before the Vitale men could finish us. We were easy targets, but she took the risk, anyway.”

My eyes are still on her, and something raw and unfamiliar stirs in me…a gratitude that goes beyond words, mingling with something deeper, warmer.

This feeling is completely new to me, unlike anything I've ever experienced. Not with anyone. It’s as if every barrier I’ve built around myself is crumbling, giving way to this one person who, against all odds, refused to let go of me.

Nico watches me, his mouth quirking into a knowing smile. “She hasn’t left your side since you were brought in. The doctor patched you up, said you’d be fine, but she didn’t believe it.”

I can’t tear my eyes from her, the steady rise and fall of her shoulders as she breathes, peaceful in her exhaustion. “She shouldn’t be here,” I mutter, the words slipping out. “It’s too dangerous. I… I can’t put her in that kind of danger again.”

Nico’s expression turns thoughtful. “Maybe she can handle it. Maybe you don’t need to keep fighting what you feel, Alessio.” He pauses, crossing his arms and giving me a pointed look. “The woman just saved your life. Maybe you ought to let her in a little.”

I have no response to that. My chest feels tight, caught somewhere between gratitude and something more potent, something I’m not ready to put a name to.

Just then, Isabella stirs. Her eyes blink open, heavy-lidded and soft with sleep, and when she realizes I’m awake, her face transforms.

Relief floods her features, and before I know it, she’s leaning over, wrapping her arms around me in an embrace that catchesme off guard. I feel her trembling against me, the warmth of her skin, the soft brush of her hair against my neck.

“I’ll give you guys a moment.” Nico says, a smile on his face. Then he turns around and exits the room, closing the door behind him.

“I was so worried,” she whispers, her voice thick with emotion, and as she pulls back, I see tears gathering in her eyes.

She brushes them away quickly, almost defiantly, but the sight sends a pang through me. “I didn’t know if… if you were going to be okay. If anything had happened to you…”

Her voice cracks, and she falls silent, swallowing back the words.

I reach out, my hand resting gently on her shoulder. “Hey. I’m okay.” My voice is low, steady, but there’s a tenderness there that I’ve never shown anyone before, a softness reserved only for her.

“I’m here, thanks to you. I can’t… I can’t believe you did what you did. You saved me and Nico. You risked your life for us.”

She looks away, her cheeks flushing, but there’s a fierce glint in her eyes. “What else was I supposed to do? Just let you…” Her voice trails off, and she bites her lip, a flash of vulnerability breaking through her usual composure.

I lift a hand to her cheek, gently, feeling the warmth of her skin against my fingers. “You’re one of the bravest women I’ve ever met, Isabella. I don’t know how to thank you.”

I pause, the words catching in my throat as I look into her eyes, the intensity of my feelings for her suddenly impossible to contain.

“Isabella, I… I’m falling for you. I don’t know how else to say it. You’ve broken down every wall I’ve ever put up. And now, I can’t imagine my life without you.”

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