Page 95 of Lethal Infatuation

"Copy that."

I rushed out of the building. I needed to hear her voice. Needed to see her face. I needed to tell her how sorry I was and how much I fucking loved her.

I kicked the door open, a gush of wind immediately hitting us. My car wasn't parked too far away and I just wanted to get us inside of the vehicle. I placed her down gently, unlocking the door. "Can you get in for me,mikrí petaloúda?"

She obliged, climbing into the back of the car. I followed suit, locking the vehicle from the inside and immediately pulling her into my arms. "I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry," I muttered. I wanted to repeat it until I was blue in the fucking face.

Then finally,finallythere was a reaction. Gabriella wrapped her arms around me, burying her face into the crook of my neck. "I fought them," she croaked. "I did everything you taught me, I really did. I—"

"Hey." I caressed her hair softly, the curly strands feeling so luscious against my fingertips. "You shouldn't have needed to fight in the first place. I should have been there to protect you and I wasn't."

That's when she broke down, warm tears wetting the skin in my neck. My heart ached and I held her tighter. "I've got you, baby. I've got you," I reassured. "We need to get you to the hospital, okay?"

"No, please," she said softly. "I just want to stay with you."

"You're hurt. You have injuries," I said, trying to be as gentle as possible. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" I asked, scanning her body.

"Please." Fuck. Her voice was filled with so much sweetness, I couldn't say no. "Please, Nico. I just want to go home with you. Take me home." Her bottom lip trembled and it tugged at my heart strings.

"Okay, my love." I tried to calm her down. "Can we at least have a doctor come and examine you?" I asked gently.

Silence enveloped the car for a few moments until she finally spoke. "Yes, that's okay."

THIRTY NINE

The doctor examined my entire body, asking me where the pain was most prominent. It was definitely the rib area since they kicked me with combat boots. Not once, not even twice. I think I lost count and blacked out at one point.

"Luckily, you don't have any broken bones, but you'll most likely experience some bruising over the next few days. Take the recommended dose of medication given, and if the pain persists, don't hesitate to let Nicolas know so that I can arrange for a scan."

The doctor also put a Band-Aid on the cut on my forehead that was caused by the heavy gun that pierced my skin.

I nodded. Nicolas stood against the wall, arms folded and watched the interaction intently. He frowned, his eyebrows creasing. He seemed to be deep in thought and extremely pissed.

Though his eyes gave away his concern. He seemed really worried and it stirred feelings deep inside of me.The doctor finished up, spoke to Nicolas for a few minutes, and then left.

My body trembled slightly and I glanced at the window, the sound of the trees moving in the wind startled me. The shadows peeked through the blinds in his room and I clutched the sheet tightly.

When he entered the room, he must've noticed my demeanour and immediately rushed over to me. He still wore his black gloves and removed the one on his right hand before caressing my cheek.

"Look at me," he said softly. His voice was a gentle caress in the darkness, embracing me with comfort and safety. I swallowed the lump in my throat, my eyes flicking to his. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better." I smiled as he swiped his thumb against the cut on my lip. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't want to talk about me right now. I need to make sure you're okay." He frowned. "My strong, beautiful girl."

I released a soft breath, leaning into his touch. I held onto his forearm, closing my eyes and allowing myself to fully submerge myself in him. I could trust him, wholeheartedly. He searched for me, found me,savedme.

Nicolas sat down next to me, gently cupping the back of my head and placed his forehead on mine. "I promise I'll never allow anything to happen to you ever again. You were so brave," he whispered. "I love you so much."

His confession nearly made my heart stop beating completely. My body stilled and I almost couldn't comprehend the words he just uttered. "I'm so sorry for my reaction to our last conversation. It was uncalled for and unacceptable." His voice cracked. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone in my entire life."

Suddenly, he moved from the bed and got down onto his knees in front of me. "Nico," I whispered. "What are you doing?"

He grabbed a hold of both hands, lowering his head into mylap. "I wasn't a man of God." He held my hand tightly, laying everything out on the table.

I watched him intently, squeezing his hand gently.

"But I am now. I thank God for you every single day and I prayed that I found you safe and sound tonight. Because if anything happened to you, I would've been broken. I would've been a shell of myself, I would've destroyed everyone andeverything. I'd burn the world for you. Hell, I'd burn it and rebuild it if that's what you wanted. I'd give you the heavens and the Earth. Just to see you smile, just to make you happy, just to make sure you're safe."

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