Luca applied pressure to the bullet wound, and Dante roared, the sound of his pain knifing through my soul.
“Stupid bastard,” Luca muttered. “I’m the one wearing Kevlar. You didn’t have to throw yourself in front of a bullet for me.”
“I did,” Dante forced the retort through gritted teeth. “She loves you.”
I grabbed his hand, squeezing with my full strength, as though that would be enough to keep him here with me.
His eyes pierced me, his gaze so intense that it knocked the air from my lungs.
“You can be together now,” he said, gentle tone roughened by agony. “He does deserve you, Nora. I was wrong.”
“You deserve me too,” I insisted, blinking away the tears before they could blind me. I couldn’t lose sight of him. I couldn’t lose him. “I need you.”
His dark lashes fluttered, and he forced his eyes open wide as he caressed my cheek with his bloody hand. “It’s…better this way.” He choked on a breath, chest convulsing. “You don’t have to worry about hurting me. Your choice is made.”
“You don’t get to make the choice for me, remember?” I reminded him. “Stay with me, Dante. I love you.”
“I’m sorry.” He released the apology on a ragged sigh, and his eyes slid closed.
His hand dropped from my face. I grabbed it and pressed his palm to my cheek, willing him to touch me.
He couldn’t be dead. I wasn’t ready to give up on him. Not ever.
“Stay with me,” I begged.
I couldn’t lose Dante, or I’d lose half my heart.
Chapter 16
Luca
I sat on the loveseat Nora had arranged by Dante’s bedside. Although I was content for her to lay her head on my lap while I stroked her silken hair, I knew she longed to shape her body to his. It would be the most visceral way to reassure herself that he was still alive, but Dante’s condition had been too unstable for that.
His physician had said that he might wake up today, and Nora had been staring at him for hours, chewing on her lower lip as she anxiously watched his chest rise and fall.
All I could do was hold her and soothe her as best I could.
Because I wasn’t the only man she loved; she’d confessed her feelings for him while he’d been bleeding out.
He’d been out for five days, and that’d given me a lot of time to think about what I wanted to do. I was at peace with my decisions, but I was uncertain how Nora would feel about them. And of course, Dante had to agree too.
She loved both of us, and I couldn’t deny her anything.
Could he?
Now that she’d confessed her feelings for him, would he become jealous and possessive again, tormenting me by trying to take her from me?
I caught myself drumming my fingers on my knee with my own anxiety, and I forced them to stillness. All I wanted was for Nora to be safe and happy. I’d do anything in my power to make this work between the three of us.
Somehow.
Finally, Dante stirred, groaning Nora’s name.
She scrambled upright from where she’d been curled up beside me and then dropped to her knees at his bedside, as though in prayer. She reached for him, the barest brush of her fingertips over his furrowed brow.
“I’m here,” she promised.
“Nora…” He rasped her name again and blinked slowly, searching for her.
