Page 159 of Their Reckless Thief
“Dolcezza,” Vincenzo said softly, his tone laced with an uncharacteristic gentleness. “Come back to us.”
The endearment stirred something within me, a flicker of awareness amid the fog. I felt him brushing a stray strand of hair from my forehead, his fingers lingering for a moment as if his touch alone could draw me back. I wanted to respond, to tell him I was trying, but the effort was too great, and the darkness was too close.
As sleep pulled me under, I tried to focus on his voice. A part of me wanted to reach for him, to tell him I wasn’t going anywhere, that I would stay here with them. I couldn’t. My exhaustion dragged me deeper and deeper. Even the gentle murmurs and soft touches began to fade until only the memory of their warmth settled into my heart. And with that, I surrendered to the darkness, trusting that when I opened my eyes again, they’d be there.
50
CELESTE
I struggledto open my eyes as the comforting haze of sleep refused to let me go. For a moment, I forgot where I was, the familiar tug of fear threatening to pull me under. When my gaze focused, I saw them—Dorian, Luca, and Vincenzo—all sitting around my bed, their attention fixed on me.
They were here. I wasn’t alone.
The memories of my past traumas—nights spent trembling in isolation—threatened to rise, but the sight of them grounded me, like an anchor tethering me to the present. They jumped to their feet when they realized I was awake, their movements sharp, their concern palpable.
“Hey, love,” Dorian said as he came to sit beside me. “You’ve been asleep for ten hours. How do you feel?”
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, marveling at how rested I felt. “Surprisingly refreshed.”
I pushed myself up onto my elbows, glancing at Luca and Vincenzo. They stood at attention, their expressions etched with worry that didn’t quite belong on their faces. Men like them shouldn’t look so vulnerable, but their concern for me was laid bare.
“I swear,” I said with a smile. “That’s the best sleep I’ve had in a very long time. No nightmares.”
“Dolcezza,” Vincenzo began, his voice low and filled with regret as he sat on the other side of the bed and took my hand. “I hated to see you like that. The hold that fucking bastard has on you… We will protect you. He won’t get to you.”
There was no hesitation, no doubt in his promise, and that made my heart clench.
Luca climbed onto the foot of the bed, his hand finding my ankle and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Vincenzo’s right,” he said, his tone steady but edged with quiet fury. “He can fuck with your mind, but he can’t physically harm you. Once we’ve got the Mirror of Truths, we’ll take him out. You just need to hold on a little longer, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart. The way he said it, so soft, so unguarded, made something in me crack. They were here—strong, unshakable, and wholly devoted to me.
“I know.” I looked at each of them in turn. “I know you’ll protect me.” And I believed it. For the first time in my life, I truly felt safe. “I think I’ll take a shower.”
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, pressing a soft kiss to Dorian’s cheek as I stood. “You guys don’t have to stay.”
They exchanged a look, and I knew what it meant before either of them spoke.
I laughed lightly and shook my head. “Suit yourselves. But I warn you, this might take a while.”
The hot watercascaded over my back, washing away the remnants of sleep and the lingering shadows in my mind. I closed my eyes, taking a deep, steadying breath. For so long,showers had been a refuge, a place to cry where no one could hear me, where I could pretend the water on my face wasn’t tears.
But now, that life seemed distant, not mine anymore.
I thought about them—Dorian, Luca, Vincenzo. They were all so different, yet each of them had become my lifeline in different ways. They didn’t only protect me physically, they also healed the parts of me I hadn’t even realized were broken.
I glanced at the dark markings on my skin, reminded of The Shadow’s taunts and the nightmares he’d woven into my mind. He wanted me to feel powerless, but I wasn’t. Not anymore. Not when I had them by my side.
When I emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, I froze at the sight before me. All three of them were lined up neatly on the edge of my bed, like soldiers awaiting orders—or expectant fathers. The image made me laugh.
“You guys really didn’t have to stay,” I said, smirking as I leaned against the doorframe.
Vincenzo was the first to stand, his gaze dragging over me slowly, possessively. “If you want us to leave, then say so,dolcezza.”
The intensity in his eyes stole my breath, and for a moment, I forgot how to speak. My pulse quickened. I wanted them to stay. I wanted them in every sense of the word. I wanted their hands on me, their mouths on me. I wanted all of them, all at once.
“No,” I said, my voice breathier than I intended. “I want you to stay.”
The air in the room shifted, heavy with tension and unspoken promises. Dorian was the first to move as he stood and crossed the room toward me.
