Page 93 of Dark Mafia Vows

Ihate hospitals.

The sharp smell of antiseptic and medicine clings to the air, suffocating me. The harsh fluorescent lights glare down from sterile white ceilings, and the pale walls feel like they’re closing in. The steady beep of machines is a reminder of vulnerability I can't stand.

But until now, I didn’t realize how I’d rather spend my whole life locked in a hospital room than spend a minute in the dingy cell room where I was a couple of days ago.

A heavy sigh escapes my lips. I told myself I would stop thinking about it, but sometimes, especially when I’m alone, those bad memories creep back in.

I shift in the hospital bed, trying to make myself comfortable, but the healing bruises and fatigue are a constant reminder of everything that’s happened. A soft knock on the door startles me out of my thoughts, and before I can say anything, Dario slips inside, ignoring the doctors’ orders, of course.

I can’t help but smile despite the pain that pulls at the corners of my mouth. “You never listen, do you?”

“You shouldn’t be surprised by now, Princess,” he replies, his grin lighting up the room.

Dario was admitted to the same hospital two days ago. By the time he and Lorenzo brought me here, I was teetering on the brink of unconsciousness from severe malnutrition, a dangerous condition for my pregnancy. Frantic, Dario explained my situation to the doctors, who’d rushed me into the ER.

He’d wanted to stay by my side, but the bleeding and visible injuries from his beating had forced him into a different ward. Since then, it’s been a relentless battle. He often sneaks out at odd hours to see me, sometimes skipping his medications and consultations. The doctors are at their wits' end with him.

Today, he enters my room with that mischievous spark in his emerald eyes, and I can’t help but feel a flutter of warmth in my chest.

“Hard ass...” I scold half-heartedly as he shuts the door quietly behind him and limps toward me. Without hesitation, he slides into the bed beside me, wrapping his arms around me gently. “I missed you.”

“Missed you more, my love.”

“The nurse from last night told me you spent the night here.” I chuckle. “You only left this morning.”

“Yeah. I knew you’d give me a hassle if you woke up and saw me.”

“You need rest, too,” I remind him softly.

“I wouldn’t get it from the stupid ward 100 feet away from you. I will not let you out of my sight again, Ginny. I almost died from worry the last time I let you out of my sight and something happened to you. I’m incapable of staying away.”

I smile, my heart swelling with affection. His pining over me these past few days is both sweet and thoughtful. I love him fiercely, wanting to shout it from the rooftops like the lovestruckfool I feel, but I’m striving to maintain my composure, resisting the urge to let my heart dictate my every move.

“I’m incapable of staying away from you too, Dario.” I lean in and kiss him gently on the lips. This is our first kiss since the whole Rafe and Rinaldo incident, the first in almost two weeks, and it honestly feels too long.

Before I can pull back, he tugs me closer and kisses me with more fervor but gentle, conveying everything his words haven’t. That he’s completely in love with me, just as I am with him.

We breathe each other in after what feels like minutes, the air thick with relief and desire. Finally, we’ve reached this point where we can love each other openly. We stay like that for a while—no words, just the soft rise and fall of our breaths syncing together. I turn to rest my head against his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart.

But there’s something nagging at the back of my mind, something I’ve held onto for too long now. I need to say it, to clear the air once and for all.

“Dario,”I murmur, touching one side of his face. “There’s something I need to ask you.”

His arms tighten slightly around me, and he tilts his head to look down at me. “What is it?”

I hesitate, biting my lip, unsure of how to begin. “I saw a message on your phone...from a woman. It...it sounded like you were meeting her, and I thought...” My voice falters, embarrassment flooding my cheeks, but I push through. “I thought you were cheating on me. Are you seeing another woman?”

Silence hangs between us for a moment as I trace the furrow in his brow, waiting for his response. “What message?” he asks, his expression shifting to confusion.

I pull back slightly to meet his gaze. “It was from a woman asking where to meet. The day before you brought me Piper. I went through your phone, and you guys used to meet up before.”

Dario’s brows knit together in concentration, and then, suddenly, he lets out a soft laugh. “You mean the day you locked yourself inside and refused to come out? The message you’re talking about was from the woman I bought Piper from.”

My face heats up instantly. “She’s...a dog lady?”

“Yes, a dog lady.” He laughs, his amusement infectious. “And while I did have something with her in the past, I made it clear I don’t do relationships. She’s been trying her luck since. I only reached out to her because of the short notice. Honestly, I hardly remember her name most days. She was just confirming where to drop off Piper. I told her it was a surprise for my wife.”

I groan, burying my face in my hands. “Oh my god, I’m such an idiot.”

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