Page 24 of Unbreakable Connection (Connections Duet)

“You’ve made your point; anything else?”

“Patch, he’s been in touch with a report.”

“And? What did he say?”

“If you want that information, you need to call him. In the meantime, I will be conferencing with Oleg and possibly Valentin in the next few days. Once Gio makes contact, call me, and we will move on from there. Are we clear?”

“Crystal,” I said coldly. But, as I suspected, he didn’t say anything further; he didn’t need to and ended the call. I rubbed my tired eyes and saw two beautiful brown ones staring back at me.

“Hey,” I said softly and then quickly took her into my arms, unsure if she was strong enough to stand alone.

“Hi,” she hoarsely said in return. “I could use some water,”

“Of course, let me help you to the couch, and I’ll get it for you,” I said, lifting her into my arms and carrying her across the room to place her down.

“Edric, I can walk,” she protested, but I ignored her and told her she had no choice. I filled a tall glass of sparkling water and grabbed a banana for her to eat until I cooked her a proper breakfast. “Does your head hurt? Do you need any pain medication?”

“I’m fine, just a little sore. It happened so fast, and when Kyle pulled me down, I had no time to prepare my body for when I hit the ground. I think that’s why it took a little while for me to wake up. I’m just thankful it was a concussion and nothing more than that.” Just as she said the words, she reached for the bandage on her forehead and shrugged her shoulders. “And, there’s this,” she pointed to her head, and it took all I had left to manage my anger. She knew just by the expression I wore on my face and then finished her water before reaching out for me to join her.

“You have stitches, but Kyle said you won’t be able to see the scar.”

“I’m not that vain about my appearance, and what’s one more scar to carry?” I pulled her onto my lap and wrapped my arms around her body, breathing in her flowery scent.

“What do you mean about another scar? Your skin is flawless; I should know since I’ve worshipped every inch of it.” I kissed her gently as she relaxed into me.

“Yes, you have, but that’s not what I was talking about, and I’m not sure I want to discuss it now.”

“When you’re ready, will you tell me?”

“Yes, I promise,”

“Okay, then I will wait as long as you need me to. I want you to stay here and relax while I make you something to eat, and if you are feeling strong enough, I would like to talk about yesterday.”

She nodded and brushed away a stray tear. I didn’t push her further and walked into the kitchen to see what I could cook. I started whisking eggs in a mixing bowl while the bacon sizzled in the pan. I glanced over at Ellen, who had fallen asleep and curledup on the couch. My heart pounded with pain watching her because I knew she was uncomfortable and putting on a brave face for me. I returned to cooking and tried with all my might to take Bourne’s advice to get my head on straight. It’s easy for him to dish out the advice now, but it wasn’t too long ago that he was in the same position I find myself in now. We love our women and will fight for them until we take our last breath and kill anyone who tries to hurt them.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ellen

I rolled over to my side, thinking I would fall off the couch, but instead, I hit the brick wall I call my boyfriend. He must have carried me back to bed after I fell asleep again. His naked back was to my front, and I hoped he would remain asleep while I got out of bed to use the bathroom. He’s extremely protective, and after the car bombing, I’m sure I won’t be able to get five feet without him knowing it. I love his possessive side, and after what I’ve been through, I will welcome it without argument. I moved my legs and flexed my toes, feeling so much better. Surprisingly, my head was feeling better, too, giving me enough confidence to get up.

After using the bathroom, I cleaned up as well as possible, considering my bandaged head. “Oh, man, you look like shit, Ellen,” I said as I took in my battered face covered in abrasions and multi-colored bruises. Edric was still asleep, and I was happy he was because I could use a few minutes alone.Unfortunately, it was too late to call Sabina with the crazy time difference, but I almost risked it because I needed to talk.

I heard a light tap at my front door and got up to see who it was. When I looked through the peephole, I was relieved to see it was Antonia dropping off supplies. I quickly opened the door, and she hugged me the moment she saw me. “Shh, please don’t cry; I’m fine,” I tried my best to put her at ease, but the tears kept falling. “Will you come in? I sure could use the company.”

“Oh, my sweet girl, of course,” she dragged in the bin filled with all sorts of baked goods, and I couldn’t help but notice the many jars of sauces and containers.

“You outdid yourself this time, Antonia. Thank you so much for taking care of me. I don’t have my mom anymore, but I am blessed to have you in my life.”

“Oh, you sweet child, come, sit with me, please,” she gestured over to the couch. She placed her hand over mine and gave me one of her beautiful smiles. “I thanked God that you weren’t seriously hurt in that explosion. The news is all over the province, and people are scared about the violence surrounding the clinic. I’m an old woman who has attended my share of funerals for dear friends who passed before me. I love my granddaughter, and from the moment I met you, I have considered you a granddaughter, too. I love you, and I want you to be safe.”

“Antonia, I promise you that I am not going anywhere, and whoever is behind the car bombing will be held accountable. You remember Edric, right?”

“I do, a lovely man,” she beamed after she said his name.

“He is that and more, well, he’s also quite protective and will ensure no one ever gets that close again. I promise I will be fine, and I don’t want you worrying about me.”

“Easy to say, harder to do, but I will try. Everything in the basket is fresh; I’ll leave if you promise to eat. You are too skinny, and you need to eat so you will get better faster.”

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