Page 27 of Vows of Betrayal

“People like—you? I'm not understanding what you mean.”

Good grief.

He was going to make me spell it out for him. “I'm from the wrong side of the tracks. And from the look of your expensive haircut, and the company you keep, I'm guessing you're not.”

Giselle and Eve wore expensive-as-heck designer clothes. That stroller Giselle wheeled in here was definitely top of the line. You didn't have to be a genius to realize that. And those babies were decked out in the best of the best.

Even Carlo, the lumberjack, had on great quality clothes.

As my father would say, they all reeked of money.

“No, I'm not,” he said. “But Eve and Giselle had humble beginnings.”

This man. What was he trying to prove?

“Any other questions before I go?” I could feel my frustration growing. I needed to get out of here. Talking around in circles was getting us nowhere.

“I'm sorry.” He sighed andlaid his head back as he looked up at the ceiling. What he didn't do, though, was let go of me.

Nope.

He kept a tight grip on my arm. “I'm saying all the wrong shit to you. And that's just pissing you off. Which is the last thing I want to do. Christ,” he breathed out, sounding just as exhausted as I was.

He turned to me and said, “What I was trying to say is,” he cleared his throat, “is that I'm grateful you were there in the emergency room when I got there.”

Oh, my gosh. He remembered.

Up until now, I thought he'd been too out of it back then to know what was happening.

“You saved my life, Francesca.” His voice grew deeper, and his eyes pulled me in. “When everyone else gave up and left me for dead.” His hand pulsed on my arm. “You stayed with me. You fought for me. It's because of you that I'm here right now. We both know that.”

An intense burning set up behind my eyes. Bringing back those memories was forcing me to visit that time when—everyone had left. They had given up on him.

And if I hadn't lied my face off to that surgeon—Stefan definitely wouldn't have made it out of that room alive.

“I wasn't sure you remembered me,” I whispered, sinking into his eyes. I couldn't help it. Stefan had the most handsome eyes I'd ever seen.

He pulled on my arm, drawing me closer. “I didn't at first. Things were so cloudy when I was in the emergency room. And then when I woke up—I was confused and didn't know what happened.” His eyes started getting glassy.

And that was what finally made me forgive him. “But everything slowly came back. The shooting. The aftermath. Arriving at the emergency room.” He inhaled shakily. “Being left for dead. Meeting a beautiful nurse named Francesca,” he said, grabbing onto my shoulders. “And then you lying to that doctor. Christ, Chesca. Without your quick thinking, I'd be six feet under right now.”

I couldn't argue with him. We both knew how dire things were. More so him. I didn't experience all that from inside his body. I could only imagine how much pain he'd been in. How much pain he was currently in.

“And I'm grateful for everything you've done to help me up here. I know I'm not the best patient around—”

I couldn't help but snort out a laugh when he said that. And then he followed suit.

“That's putting it mildly, Stefan.”

He pulled me closer until my breasts were tight to his chest. “What I'm trying to tell you, Chesca. Is that I'm falling for you.” His eyes trailed over my face and to my lips. “In a big way. Don't think I've ever felt like this before with anyone.”

Oh.

My.

Gosh.

Did he just say that?

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