Page 133 of King Of Order

It hit me.

The love I developed for her, the guilt for what I’d done, the overwhelming relief that she was here, still fighting—it all rushed up at once.

I turned to her, crouched, hands outstretched, beseeching.

My throat tightened, and before I stopped myself, my deep-held expression slipped out, raw and unguarded. ‘I’ll never leave you,’ I whispered, my voice hoarse. ‘I’ll never forsake you, Chiara. I’m so sorry for making you think I’d ever cast you away to avenge my family’s grief and my parents’ killing. You were notcomplicit. Regardless, you’re everything to me.Penso che mi sto innamorando di te. I think I’ve already fallen in love with you. I don’t care what happened in the past. I adore you, and I want forever with you,leonessa. So please, come back to me.’

I held my breath, waiting, hoping she’d hear me. But for a long moment, nothing changed.

Then, as the last sliver of sunlight disappeared and darkness fell, she stilled. The brush dropped from her hand.

With a moan, she broke.

Her sobs tore through her, raw and deep, and she collapsed into my arms. I clutched her as tight as possible, every shudder of her body tearing through me, her tears soaking into my shirt.

I stroked her hair, whispering apologies, promises, anything to keep her from drowning in the flood of grief and fear.

A dam burst inside her, and everything she’d been holding back came rushing out all at once.

After some time, she pulled back to gaze at me with red, tear-streaked eyes.

Her lips trembled as she spoke her first word in days, hoarse from lack of use. ‘Why do you love me? I’ve nothing to offer you but pain. My father killed your parents. Aren’t I a reminder of their deaths every day?’

The ache in my chest deepened at the sound of her voice. ‘That’s not true. Since I met you, my world has been alight with life, laughter, color, bliss,’ I rasped, staring into her eyes. ‘I can’t imagine my life devoid of you, Chiara. Without you, I’ll find no meaning to exist. I never thought I’d fall in love with the daughter of my parent’s murderer, but love, perfect love, sometimes begins imperfectly,bella. That which brings us the greatest agony also delivers the sweetest gift.’

More tears fell down her cheeks, yet a new emotion glistened in her eyes. Relief.

My arms around her trembled, both of us shaken to our core.

When our shaking died last, I led her to a divan on the terrace when the stars appeared in the sky. We lay down, limbs tangled, her head resting against my chest. We stayed like that for hours, locked, our bodies intertwined as if we were the only thing keeping each other anchored.

I welcomed the warmth of her breath, the slow, steady beat.

Exhaustion fell over us, but I wasn’t scared for the first time in days. We’d survived. We’d made it through.

I would never let her go. Not ever.

CHIARA

I woke to the sound of Rio’s ragged, uneven breathing as if he were running in his sleep.

My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim light filtering through the curtains. He was beside me, his body twisting under the sheets, his brow furrowed, his face tight with distress.

My heart lurched in my chest.

‘Rio?’ I whispered, reaching out to touch his arm, but he didn’t stir.

He was deep in the grip of a nightmare.

I tried again, my voice softer but firmer, ‘Rio.’

Still nothing. His fists clenched, and he let out a strangled sound, his breath catching. My pulse quickened as I leaned closer.

‘Rio,’ I said a third time, a little louder, hoping to pull him from whatever dark place his mind was wandering into.

His body jolted upright; his eyes were wild and unfocused as if trapped in the nightmare’s hold. He turned toward me, his gaze frantic, searching but not seeing me.

‘It’s me,’ I whispered, touching his face in a long stroke from chiseled cheekbone to his inked nape. ‘I’m here.’

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