Page 33 of The Bodyguard's Vow

13

DOMENICO

Fuck, this hurts.

My brain felt foggy, but I was definitely aware of the pain.

But I didn’t feel any burning.

I wasn’t hungry and only slightly thirsty.

Since I was lying on my back, that ruled out being face-down on the ground and weeping.

And if I was in bed…that meant an eternal marathon was out, too.

There didn’t seem to be any smoke filling my nose and lungs.

Despite how much it hurt, I dragged my eyelids up for a microsecond, just long enough to reassure myself that they weren’t sewn shut.

Six levels of purgatory ruled out.

That last one, though—didn’t Dante say they carried around heavy stones?

It felt like a massive rock was sitting on my chest every time I took a breath.

Well, fuck. Damn you, Dante. Damn your Inferno and your fucking rocks.

“It’s stones, and they carry them on their backs,” a familiar deep voice said in a dry tone.

Had I said that out loud?

Trying not to cause myself more pain than necessary, I pried my eyes open once again.

Rafa stood at the end of my bed, his arms crossed and dark eyes unreadable.

“You’re not in hell, brother,” Leo said before he walked to stand at the side of my bed.

“Yet,” Rafa said.

Shifting my gaze to my brother, I rasped, “I’m not so sure.”

Suddenly, my last memories came screaming back.

“Gabriella!” I bellowed as I tried to jackknife up in bed, only to be shoved back down by my cursing brother.

“Calm the fuck down, Domenico.Mammawill have my ass if you pop a stitch. Or die.”

Luckily, the bed was already propped up so it was easier when I tried to sit again, but I still didn’t have the strength to fight Leo. “I need to?—”

“She’s fine,” Rafa stated flatly. “Just a few bruises from where the bullet hit the vest.”

“You saved her life,” Leo murmured. “If it hadn’t hit you first, it probably would have penetrated the vest.”

“Leo, go tell the nurse to page Domenico’s doctors and let them know he’s awake. But keep everyone out of this room while I have a word with him.”

Leo glanced briefly at Rafa, then back at me. Guilt swirled behind his eyes, and I could tell he was torn, struggling with his loyalty to me and The Family.

I wasn’t about to let him jeopardize everything to support me just because I was his brother.

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