Page 145 of His Enforcer

“He’s arriving tomorrow. And then we have a meeting. We’ll set them straight and if they don’t listen, we burn them to the ground.”

Luca winces, and Anthony lowers his chin slightly. “They’re definitely the ones behind the misinformation and the distribution.”

“And the dead bodies? Who’s been dropping them off?”

“No idea, but I’m betting it’s someone linked to either Henry or the Sirens. Either way, we’ll eventually get them to talk.”

“Good,” I say, and Luca sighs.

“That’s all we know. Now, can I have some time alone with my husband?”

Anthony stands, and Doc finishes up with me, the two of them leaving the room moments later.

Luca’s gaze meets mine and his bandaged hand touches my biceps.

“Mine,” he whispers, and I lean my head back against the pillow. I ache and I’m exhausted, but I’ve never felt more alive.

“Yours.”

Luca and I returned home the next day, and Anthony hired a burn unit nurse to come to the house to take care of Luca while he recovers. It’s not needed, but he insisted. His second-degree burns, I found out, are not only on his arms and legs, but on his back as well. They’re not as bad as they could have been, but he will have scars once he’s recovered.

And I can’t help the guilt that overcomes me every time I see him.

What he did for me. What he risked.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he grumbles, his voice still rough. “I don’t regret it.”

“I do,” I say as I gingerly touch his bandages. He’s currently reclining in bed, and even though he’s still on medication for the pain, he is handling this entire situation better than I expected. Better than I would have been. I only suffered first-degree burns on my forearms and hands. Nothing major. Nothing life-changing.

“Will you admit you should have listened to me?” he asks, and I roll my eyes.

“If I’d known you’d be this hurt, I might have given it a second thought.”

“Good to know where I fall on your list of priorities.”

I let out a small laugh just as a nurse comes into the room. Nancy is older, no-nonsense, and takes zero shit from Luca.

“Alright, lovebirds. It’s time for me to change his bandages.”

“I’ll stay if that’s alright,” I say.

“That’s fine, but no blubbering like last time.”

Luca lets out a small snort and then winks at me. “My husband does get rather emotional when it comes to me.”

“I do not.”

I sniffle, already feeling slightly emotional as I step aside to let Nancy near the bed. Luca meets my gaze and his lips turn down. “Viktor, I don’t need you to stay. Just go find something to eat while she does this. I’m sure Angel would like to catch up as well. I’ll be out as soon as I’m done.”

“You will not. You’ll rest until the pain subsides,” Nancy bites out and then arches an eyebrow as if daring him to challenge her.

Luca glowers at her but goes ignored. Anthony definitely got it right when he hired her.

“You sure?” I finally ask, wanting to stay and offer support, but also dreading having to see the reddened skin under those bandages.

“I’m sure, kitten. Now go.”

I turn and walk out, my stomach rumbling. How he always knows when I’m hungry is fucking obnoxious. He’s more in tune with me than I thought. I never stood a chance when it came to him.

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