Page 54 of Broken Prince

“Why the fuck not?”

Dom laughed. “No offense, Luca, but I enjoy at least a little challenge. Come back when you can actually be up for more than a few minutes without leaning against a wall like a geriatric patient.”

I jerked straighter; I didn't even realize I had been leaning against the wall.

“I need to blow off some steam,” I admitted. “Being stuck in a room and a bed for a week really got to me.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m sure you minded the nurse.” Dom grabbed a pool cue and threw it my way. “Play with me.”

My lips quirked up in a half-smile. “No, that was a perk.”

He nodded, looking somehow troubled as he arranged the pool balls.

“What is it?”

He shook his head. “Nothing.”

“Dom…” I let out on a sigh.

“You talked a lot when you were feverish.”

“Did I?” I asked as cold sweat formed at the back of my neck.

He nodded. “Mostly in Italian but—”

That was a relief. I didn't need Cassie to realize how fucked up I was.

“You talked to your mom and your sister.”

I took a deep breath and looked down at the table, adjusting myself to break, doing anything I could to avoid Dom’s eyes. I had seen them when I was in the worst of my condition when I suspect my life was only hanging by a thread. I’d seen them both in a beautiful garden, and they had told me that it was not my fault, that I had done nothing wrong and I needed to move on and be happy. That they wanted me to be happy and loved, and seeing me like that was breaking their hearts.

“Yeah…” I croaked before clearing my throat under the weight of emotion at the memory of this illusion that had looked all too real…Maybe it had been real.“I need a drink.”

“Cassie said no. The antibiotics you’re taking are too strong. You’ll have to wait a few more days. Don’t make me call her.”

I frowned; nobody told me no; nobody ordered me anything. “Cassandra West is not the boss of me.”

Dom snorted. “Sure she’s not!” He turned toward me with a mocking sneer. “Mia piccola guaritrice, accarezzami il cazzo per favore.” He taunted with a high-pitched voice.

“I never asked her to stroke my dick!”

Dom laughed again. “No, but we both know you wanted to.”

I shook my head. I remembered calling her ‘my little healer’ though—I had done that.

“She won’t break your heart, Luca.”

I took a shot and sent my ball in. “No, she won’t. I have nothing left to break.”

Dom gave me a knowing smile. “We both know that’s not true. Isawthat it’s not true.”

I welcomed the quick knock at the door. Anything was better than a heart-to-heart with Dom.

“Yes?”

Cassie opened the door and her face lit up when she looked at me. I loved how she reacted to me because every time her green eyes were set on me, my heart jumped in my chest.

“You look well,” she said with her usual bright smile.

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