Page 60 of Whispered Desire

“What… Why do you have my glasses? Myoldglasses?”

Voices from the hall filter into the room, and I think I recognize Luca and Jonah’s low murmurs mixed in, but the wave of relief I feel knowing they’re okay is nothing compared to the intense curiosity burning through me now.

Mathias removes the glasses from his pocket and slowly examines them, his silver gaze softening. “I had to remove them when we first met. They were blocking me from seeing your eyes clearly, since they were dotted with rain and blood. And now… I like keeping them close as a reminder of my promise to you and how I’ve failed in the past.”

“You haven’t failed—”

“You took a bullet for me, Allie.Again.And this time you almost died. Youdiddie. In my arms. For the longest minutes of my life.” His pallor pales as his eyes close at the painful memory. “You are mine to protect.Always.Yet I’ve never felt as useless as I have around you. What kind of man gets his woman shot multiple times?”

The agony in his voice breaks my heart. “You can’t control everything, Mathias. Accidents happen. Choices are made. I chose to save you from harm both times, and you would do the same if the roles were reversed. If you saw the gunman first, if we were positioned differently. You can’t blame yourself for something neither of us could have predicted.”

My strong protector.

He doesn’t even realize how much he’s rescued me from—mentally, emotionally. Things that don’t heal as easily or naturally as bullet wounds. Things not as visible or tangible but arguably more damaging.

Cupping his bearded cheek, I wait until his eyes meet mine before sharing that truth, desperate to impress upon him how much he’s done for me.

“Don’t ever think you’ve failed me. You protected me from Bailey. From my family. People who were supposed to love and support me. It took a dangerous stranger—you—to drag me from the depths of my depression and help me breathe again. To free me.”

Tears spill down my cheeks as I try to hold myself together long enough to finish. Like lancing a wound, I need to let everything out. Need to let him know how I feel.

“I would take a thousand bullets for you, Mathias. Not because of what you’ve done for me. Or what you’ll do in the future. But because I love you.”

“Fuck, baby.” He hunches forward to press a hard kiss to my lips, but before we can go too much further, he jerks back with a hiss and shakes the tubing of his IV. “Damn inconvenient—”

“You never told me why you’re hooked up to that thing.”

“As part of my vow to keep you safe and penance for failing—” he holds a hand up to stop my rebuttal since we just covered that—“I asked Dmitri to give me matching bullet wounds to yours.”

“You… What?” Shock courses down my spine as I study the sling on his arm with new light. “How are you here with me? You should be in bed recovering. Three bullet wounds! Are you insane?”

I can't believe his crazy brothers agreed to his ridiculous plan. He must be in more pain than he’s letting on, too, because I don’t feel great, and I’m only dealing with one injury.

Then there’s my own insane heart that thinks it’s kind of sweet that he’d go to such extreme lengths to prove his loyalty and love. Even though he’s shown me countless times.

Mathias scoffs. “I’m fine. I have a strong constitution, and the doctors know where to find me if things go south.” His fingers intertwined with mine. “I’m not being separated from you again. The hours they kept me holed up in another room without knowing how you were doing was torture.”

“Have them bring a second bed in here, then—”

“Knock, knock. Who’s up for visitors?” Luca pokes his head through the door while Rafe, Jonah, Hugo, and Dmitri hang back in a huddle full of flowers and balloons. I even spy a teddy bear hoisted in Hugo’s large arms.

“How are you doing? You scared us back there,” Luca says after I motion for everyone to enter.

“I’ve been better. The same can't be said for you guys. What were you thinking shooting Mathias?”

A round of groans rises from the group as they turn to Dmitri. He raises his hands and shakes his head. “I was just following orders. I can’t help it if your man has wild ideas on how to prove his devotion.”

“Just wait until your woman shows up…” Mathias growls under his breath, but a smile hides in the corners of his mouth.

“Well, in the future, I’d appreciate it if you refused any outlandish requests. He can take it up with me, if he disagrees.”

Mathias licks his lips and spares a glance at his brothers before leaning forward, careful of his IV this time, and whispers in my ear. “Topping from the bottom, Angel?”

A shiver of heat sends a blush to my cheeks as my heart squeezes in time with his heavy breaths. Mathias knows I enjoy his dominant tendencies, whether it's in the bedroom or not, but I’ve also learned that I hold more power than I thought.

He wants what’s best for me. Cares about my needs. Which means I get what I want. Especially if that’s his brothers never shooting, stabbing, or whatever else kind of nonsense Mathias orders in an attempt to prove something to me.

Because he loves me.

---