Benjamin looks to his friend, before flicking his gaze to Roman, who has a wounded, despondent look on his face. “I’ll take care of them.”
“I know you will.” I kiss him again, soaking up the feel of him because, if this goes the way I’m thinking, it’ll be a while before I can again.
Releasing Benjamin so he can cuddle Lio along with Hollis, I crouch in front of Roman. He stares at me with wide, pain-filled eyes. “You’re okay, Little Prince. Go sit with Ignacio if you need a break, he’ll take care of you.”
Roman shakes his head. “I can’t leave him…”
“I know.” Reaching out, I cup his pale cheek. “Carter will be fine. He’s stubborn, and he loves you and Cole too much to leave you.”
Roman swallows. “Do…do you think Dad is…”
“I don’t know. Hollis and Leandro should have the video of whatever happened, but I don’t want you or Lio to watch without me, okay?”
“I’m not a fucking child, Ten.”
I smile at the fire in his eyes and the defiance in his voice. “No, you’re not, but I’d rather it be a group viewing. Indulge me.”
He huffs and shifts in his chair, wincing as he does so. Hollis told me how Roman panicked over Carter, which is the whole reason I didn’t want him listening in. I didn’t want him to cause himself more harm, but the boy is nothing if not stubborn.
“You need to get checked out, make sure you didn’t reinjure yourself.”
“I’m fine.” I stare at him until he huffs. “I’ll get an x-ray once we learn about Carter, fair?”
“If you hurt yourself again, I will tie you to your bed.”
Roman rolls his eyes, but he deflates a little, knowing I’m not kidding. We need him healthy, not confined to his bed or a wheelchair because he keeps setting his progress back. The cast on his leg should be coming off soon, but he’ll still need to be assessed by the physical therapists before he’s cleared to walk on it. His wrist is another story, one we’ll cross when the time comes. Though if he keeps preventing his ribs from properly healing, it won’t matter if his hand is never the same—I’ll kill him for being a dumbass.
“Good. Let Hollis and Jude take care of you, Benjamin too.” I lean in and kiss him.
He tries to pull me in closer, but I gently take his hands in mine, holding them for a moment as he blinks his wide, worried eyes at me.
“What are you going to do?”
“What needs doing. Worry about Carter and yourself for now, okay? I’ll take care of this.”
Roman’s face falls for a moment before he takes a fortifying breath and nods. “I’ll behave.”
I laugh a little because I don’t believe that at all. I kiss him one last time before releasing his hands and standing.
Jude is standing with Antonio and the twins, and I shake my head at him. Of all the people who could have ended up with those three…Jude wasn’t the first on my list. But the way they stare at the agnellino…the devotion to him is something he needs.
“Don’t worry,” he signs. “Roman won’t be alone.”
“I’m not worried.”
Jude raises an eyebrow at me, but doesn’t call me out on my bullshit. In truth, I’m less worried about Roman and Hollis now than I ever have been, and it’s thanks to the Martellis, who somehow have become our perfect matches. Even if I still want to drive a knife into Ignacio once a day—just for the audacity.
Trusting my lovers will be okay, I leave the medical suite in search of Joel, knowing he’ll kill me if I tried to leave without him. Fucking annoying bodyguard.
Being in the Martelli mansion after weeks away is…strange. Especially with how eerily quiet it is. Though there’s still staff, it feels like a ghost town.
Joel and I don’t have to wait long for Luca to appear. Gone is the arrogant asshole that we met when Allesandro and Cristian were first kidnapped, in his place is someone who looks like heneeds a week of sleep. His honey blond hair is in disarray, he has dark circles under his eyes, and his clothes are wrinkled.
I raise an eyebrow at his appearance, but he doesn’t raise to my silent bait. “He’s still in the playroom, I haven’t moved him.”
“And Allesandro?”
Something akin to despair crosses his features before he responds. “With Doc, getting cleaned up.”
