Page 5 of Heartless Mafia Prince 2: Rocco & Ryah

CHAPTER TWO

RYAH

“GENN, HE’S CONVULSING!”

He was at my side in seconds. “Row faster,” he commanded Agosto and Ercole.

“Rocco, can you hear me?”

Suddenly, his body stopped shaking and his hands fell at his sides.

He couldn’t die on me. “Rocco, baby, wake up,” I yelled, as I grabbed his lifeless hand.

Genn dropped his head and exhaled. “Thankfully, he’s breathing. All you can do is keep him comfortable. The moment we’re on land we’ll get him to a hospital.”

I sniffled, swiping at the tears. “Ok.”

Lying beside my big, strong guy, I caressed his face. Rocco seemed different. His boyish features appeared before my eyes.

I thought back on all the times he stared at me, scowling. A smart comment instantly fell from his lips. He could spew the meanest words to me. My heart quickened each time, and the butterflies went crazy. I liked the bad boy who hated me. How twisted was that? At fifteen, the sexual innuendos started. He spoke more about keeping my virginity in tack for him. I just knew he was full of shit. He didn’t want me. I felt like he only wanted to take my virginity and be on his way. Like it was some sort of personal accomplishment to achieve Ryah Conti’s innocence. I was far from innocent. I’d been kissed and touched many times. But no one kissed me like Rocco, or should I say, the way I kissed Rocco.

He’d hid his feelings from me for years. Why did he do that? Why did he pretend like he didn’t want me? When all he ever wanted was me. And all I wanted was him. If I moved in on him sooner, would it have changed us? I didn’t know. The moment I kissed his lips, I knew for certain I belonged to him. The sheer thought of that kiss with Rocco Andrisani, the heartless mafia prince made me warm and tingly all over. I laughed inside.

He sliced up Luther like a swordsman. My swordsman. Did I regret telling him to come and get me on the beach today? Hell no. I needed to see my boyfriend. Be with my boyfriend. Why couldn’t dad understand that?

The look in Rocco’s eyes on the plane when it dropped wasn’t fear that I saw. It was love. The love he had for me brimmed in his ocean blue eyes. At that moment, I was scared and content. I’d die with the man I loved by my side.

Caressing his face, I marveled at the handsome boy. “Don’t leave me, Rocco. Hang on for me,” I whispered.

I threw his arm over me and leaned into his chest.

“Ryah, Ryah?”

Slowly, my eyes fluttered open. I peeked over my shoulder. “Where are we?”

Darkness surrounded us.

“We made it. There’s a car waiting on the street,” Genn stated.

“How long was I out?”

“Seven hours.”

“I called a sailor buddy of mine. He’ll get us to the hospital.”

I released a long-exaggerated sigh. “Good.”

Sad to say, calling Dad was the furthest thing from my mind. He wouldn’t let me stay with Rocco. And there wasn’t a chance I’d go willingly. He would have to pull me away, kicking and screaming.

Rocco’s black OPS bodyguard, Genn had connects. Doctors examined Rocco as soon as we brought him into the emergency room.

Genn checked Rocco in under an alias to keep the heat off of us. We were supposed to be dead. Right now, we’d remain that way until Dad and Urbano talked to Rocco after he woke up. He’d pull through. He had to.

Curled into the corner of the gray couch, I stared out the window, taking in the star filled sky. Ercole insisted a doctor examine me. I pleaded with him to wait until I knew Rocco’s prognosis, but he wouldn’t listen. His duty was to my father. So naturally, his job was to protect me at all costs.

Other than several cuts and muscle aches, I was healthy.

None of us had working phones. They were either lost in the ocean, cracked, or had water damage. It was better this way. Our loss of connection with the world would keep our enemy thinking we were dead.

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