Page 8 of Knot Made to Break: Part Two

The way they looked at each other… it was as though the hospital room fell away from around them, the intensity of their connection creating a bubble that none of us dared intrude upon.

I stepped back slightly, giving them space while staying close enough to support both. The adrenaline that typically fueled me—that constant search for the next thrill, the next risk—quieted in moments like these. Watching them, I felt an unfamiliar stillness settle over me. Peace in the eye of the storm, however fleeting.

Tommy tried to chuckle but winced instead, pain pinching his features. “Kinda comfortable here.”

His gaze shifted, taking in the rest of us gathered around. Relief washed over his face, followed by that irreverent humor that not even a bullet could suppress.

“You guys look terrible,” he teased, a wisp of his usual smirk playing on his lips.

Fuck, it was good to see him awake. To see himjoking. He hadn’t lost his spirit, and it let me know my brother was going to be okay. He was going to make it.

Chuckling, I needled him right back, “Says the guy with the hole in his stomach.”

“Occupational hazard.” Tommy’s eyes drifted back to Kit, drawn to her like a compass finding north. “You’ve been here the whole time?”

She nodded, swallowing hard, as if she didn’t trust her voice.

“Hasn’t left your side,” I supplied, my hand finding its way to Kitania’s shoulder, feeling the delicate bones beneath my palm. “Wouldn’t even shower until D threatened to carry her to the bathroom himself.”

Tommy’s eyes softened, his fingers tightening weakly around hers. “My fierce little Butterfly.”

The pet name he’d given her had never made more sense than it did now—her transformation from the broken, terrified creature we’d found in the Valentino’s basement to the woman who’d killed to protect what was hers. Who had saved her Alpha. A metamorphosis as complete as any in nature. I’d watched it happen, had been part of it, had sometimes worried we were pushing her too far, too fast.

But Kitania had always been stronger than she appeared. It was a silent kind of strength, one that kept her on her feet even when the weight of the world was on her shoulders, threatening to crush her.

Gio smirked. “You don’t know the half of it. Kitania refused to eat. Refused to sleep. Refused to do anything except sit here and watch you breathe.”

Kit ducked her head, obviously embarrassed. “I wasn’tthatbad.”

“You were worse,” Dimitri challenged, as if daring her to contradict him. He moved to the edge of the bed, hiked a pant leg, and crouched down so he was closer to Tommy. Lowering his voice like he was confiding a secret, he leaned in. “When the doctors tried to make her leave during procedures, she nearly bit their heads off. You should’ve seen her. Our sweet girl turned into a vicious little thing.”

I grinned. “You would’ve been proud.”

“Oh, I am.” Carefully, slowly, as if it took all the strength left in his body, Tommy lifted Kit’s hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss against her knuckles. “Thank you, Butterfly.”

Something that looked an awful lot like guilt flitted through her expression—there and gone so fast it made me question whether I’d truly seen it.

“You had us worried, little brother,” Gio rasped. He cleared his throat from the emotion that was clearly building.

“Thought we lost you there for a minute,” I added with a teasing edge, but it did a poor job of masking just how serious things had been.

We all knew what it felt like to lose a family member. I didn’t think I could do it again.

Tommy’s gaze flicked between us. “Sorry ‘bout that. Not exactly how we planned shit to go down, is it?”

“Understatement of the fuckin’ century.” D scrubbed a hand down his face, scratching at the beard that was thicker than usual from days of skipping his shaving routine. “You need anything? Pain meds? Water?”

Tommy shook his head slightly, wincing at the movement. “Nah. Just... all of you. Here.” His eyes drifted shut for a moment, then opened with visible effort. “Tell me what I missed. How long was I out?”

“Seven long as fuck days.” I wasn’t sure if I wanted to bring him up to speed on everything when he could barely stay awake. Stress wouldn’t help his recovery. “The rest we’ll fill you in on later. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

Sure enough, Tommy struggled to keep his eyes open. I could see the medication pulling him back under, his blinks growing slower. Longer.

“S’okay,” he mumbled, already drifting. “I can handle it.”

“There will be plenty of time to talk. Rest, now,” Kit soothed, tracing her fingers over his forehead to brush a stray lock of hair into place. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“‘kay.” His eyes closed again, breathing evening out as he slipped back into a healing sleep.

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