Page 56 of The Mafia's Second Shot

Marco doesn’t argue. He just nods, leaning back against the wall, his eyes drifting closed for a moment. The exhaustion is clear on his face, but he’s still here, still waiting with me.

When the doorsto the operating room finally open, I freeze, my heart leaping into my throat. A surgeon steps out, her scrubs stained with blood, her expression calm but serious. She looks at me, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.

“Zoey, right?” she asks.

I nod, my voice caught somewhere between hope and fear. “Yes. Is he?—”

“He’s stable,” she says, cutting through my panic. “The surgery went well. We were able to stop the bleeding and repair the damage, but the next 24 hours will be critical. He’s not out of the woods yet.”

Relief floods through me, so overwhelming that my knees threaten to give out. I grab onto the bench for support, tears streaming down my face. “Thank you,” I whisper.

The surgeon nods, her expression softening. “You can see him, but only for a few minutes. He’s in recovery now.”

The walkto Cooper’s room feels like a lifetime, every step a battle between relief and fear. When I finally step inside, the sight of him steals the breath from my lungs.

He looks so small, so pale, lying in the hospital bed. The steady beep of the heart monitor is the only sound in the room, each beat a reminder that he’s still here. I move to his side, my hand reaching for his.

“Hey,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “It’s me.”

His eyes flutter open, just barely, and his gaze locks onto mine. He looks weak, his face drawn, but the faintest flicker of a smile touches his lips. His fingers twitch in mine, squeezing weakly.

“You’re here,” he murmurs, his voice rough and barely audible.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I reply, tears slipping down my cheeks. “You scared the hell out of me.”

His lips twitch again, his smile faint but real. “Sorry... about that.”

I laugh softly, though it’s choked with emotion. “You’d better be. Don’t ever do that again, Cooper.”

He doesn’t respond, his eyes slipping closed again, but his hand stays in mine. I sit beside him, holding on tightly, as if my grip alone can keep him tethered to this world.

Hours pass,and the world outside begins to stir as dawn breaks. Marco checks in occasionally, his quiet presence a comfort even as I stay glued to Cooper’s side. The steady rhythm of his breathing and the beeping of the machines are the only things grounding me.

I rest my head against his shoulder, my exhaustion finally catching up to me. The sunlight filters through the window, casting a soft glow over the room, and for the first time in what feels like forever, the weight on my chest eases.

“We’re going to be okay,” I whisper, more to myself than to him. “We have to be.”

As the city wakes outside,I sit by Cooper’s bed, my hand still wrapped around his. The world feels lighter somehow, as if we’ve finally found a measure of peace. It’s fragile, but it’s ours. And for now, that’s enough.

40

ZOEY

The hospital room feels brighter this morning, sunlight streaming through the windows and warming the sterile space. Cooper is propped up in bed, his color returning, though he still looks tired. The beeping of the heart monitor is quieter now, less urgent, and for the first time in days, the tension in my chest has eased.

I sit beside him, a magazine open in my lap, though I’m not really reading. Cooper glances at me, his lips quirking into a faint smile. “You know you can leave for a bit, right? I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re funny,” I reply, flipping a page dramatically. “You think I trust you not to try something stupid while I’m gone?”

He chuckles softly, though it turns into a wince. “Fair point.”

Before I can retort,the door swings open, and Marco strides in, followed by Angelo and a few others from Cooper’s crew. They’re loud and unapologetic, filling the small room with their energy. Marco carries a plastic bag that looks suspiciously like takeout.

“Look at you,” Marco says, smirking as he pulls up a chair. “All tucked in like a kid at summer camp.”

Cooper groans. “Don’t you have something better to do?”

“Nope,” Marco says cheerfully. “Figured I’d check in on the boss. Make sure you’re not terrorizing the nurses.”

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