Page 115 of Kissing the Villain

He had monitors, IVs, and a bunch of shit running through his body. Avoiding the machines, I hopped onto the mattress on the other side and rested my head on the pillow beside him. Sitting next to him made me feel safe, as if I could finally breathe.

I slipped my fingers between his and watched him sleep, staring at his chest rising and falling beneath the covers. So fucking thankful he survived the attack. He breathed softly and moved a little when I stroked his skin with my fingers.

After a while, I stopped fighting sleep. My eyelids grew heavy, and I closed my eyes, consumed by Marcello’s breathing.

He was alive.

A hand slippedbeneath my shirt, fingers traveled up my stomach, inching toward my breasts. Eyes closed, I lay my head on the pillow and let him touch me. Let him roll his thumb over my painfully sore nipple. This was a nice dream, the perfect escape from reality. He felt so good, his hands warm and rough and possessive as he claimed me.

I opened my eyes. Marcello was asleep beside me, touching me without even knowing it. At least, I thought he was sleeping. I still craved him, but I didn’t want him like this. Not when he was in an unconscious state.

I grabbed his hand and moved it to the mattress. Heart pounding in my chest, I lay on my side and watched him. I sighed in relief. When he was on the operating table, I hadn’t been that scared and upset since Aiden disappeared.

“Morning, princess,” Marcello said in a hoarse voice.

“Hey.” I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt. “How are you feeling?”

“I’ll live,” he muttered. “Did you have a nightmare?”

“Yeah.” I laid my hand on top of his, and he squeezed my fingers. “I can’t get back to sleep without you by my side.”

“I can’t sleep beside you for the rest of your life.”

I propped myself up on my elbow and looked at him. “I wish you could.”

The smile slipped from his face. “Alex…”

My heart wanted two brothers.

I felt like such a mess, wondering if my medical condition was fucking with me. Or did I have real feelings for them both? It was hard to love Luca. I tried my best to forget about the pastshit and let myself fall headfirst. But we hit a roadblock every time.

It wasn’t like that with Marcello. He never made me second-guess my feelings for him.

“Do you need a nurse?” I brushed the sweat-matted black hair off his forehead. “You look pale.”

He closed his eyes and breathed through his nose. “The pain will pass.”

“I can ask the nurse to give you more morphine.”

I attempted to slide off the bed, and he said, “No, don’t leave.” He held out his hand and wiggled his fingers. “Come here.”

I placed my hand in his, and he squeezed it. “I thought you were dead,” I choked out, fighting the tears welling in my bottom lids. “Marcello, I can’t lose you.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” He patted the top of my hand with his fingers. “Don’t worry about me, beautiful.”

“I choose you, Marcello Salvatore,” I said, and as expected, his head turned in my direction. “I said those words to you last year, didn’t I?”

He nodded. “You remember?”

“I don’t know what my doctor gave Luca, but ever since he drugged me, I’ve been having vivid dreams of me with the Knights in a temple.”

“They’re not dreams,” he admitted. “That happened. How much do you remember?”

“Luca told me I had to choose the Knights.”

“You do.”

“What happens if I don’t choose all of you?”

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