She pulls back and rests her forehead against mine. “Good, it’s settled then.”
“It’s settled,” I agree, “but Tony does need to look you over, and he can’t do it while you’re naked and I’m inside you. I think I’d end up killing him, and he’s too valuable for that. We need him to stay alive.”
“True, and I’d really rather not put this on full display for our families.”
I grimace at the image and shake my head. “Definitely not.”
She sighs and then gives me another kiss before slowly lifting up. It’s a separation that neither one of us wants, but it’s a necessary one because I wasn’t kidding about killing Tony if he sees her naked. I’ve had all I can fucking take as far as other men looking at or touching the woman I love.
When she stands, I grab onto her hips and press my lips against her stomach. “How is it possible to miss you already?”
Her fingers brush back my wet hair while I kiss her again. “Don’t worry, we’re doing this again as soon as everyone leaves.”
I lift my eyes to hers and grin. “I’m yours for the taking, sweetheart, anytime you want me.”
The smile she gives me reminds me of how much I have to lose now. I’ve always had my family, but there was never anyone beyond that. Now I have everything, and that means I have everything to lose.
While Savanna and I get dried off, my mind jumps ahead to her pregnant, to her as my wife and the mother of my children—so much to lose, but what I’m gaining by having her makes the risk worth it. I can shut myself off and live in fear, or I can grab onto this amazing woman with both hands and never let go.
I choose her.
I will always choose her.
When we step out of the bedroom, it’s with her fingers lightly squeezing mine and one of my hoodies dwarfing her small body. She wanted to wear it, said it made her feel close to me, and I’m amazed that she can still knock me on my ass when she says things like that.
Most of my family went back to their homes or upstairs to the penthouse, but Damien stuck around to make sure we’re both okay, and Sasha is here so Cindy could check on Savanna once more. Both our parents are still hovering around in the background, and Tony is obviously getting impatient with the two of us.
After I’ve grabbed a plate of food for Savanna, he starts fidgeting with his glasses and shooting me daggers. “All right,” I say, “Come check her out.”
He knows there’s no way in hell I would’ve waited if I wasn’t sure all her injuries were superficial, so his agitation is more about his perfectionism shining through than any real worry about Savanna being in danger. He’s a doctor to his core, so ifhe sees an injury, everything inside him screams to treat it. I can respect that, so I step back and let him put his hands on Savanna. I don’t even glare at him while he does it. Tony’s a good guy, and we all like him. He’s only in his late twenties, and he’s already made the mafia his life. We all trust him completely because he’s proven time and time again that he’s worthy of it.
While he asks Savanna questions, he rubs an ointment onto her wrists and then wraps a bandage around them. He keeps his voice low, giving her privacy and not wanting to embarrass her. I know he’s asking if she was sexually assaulted, and seeing her shake her head no still sends a rush of relief through me.
“You sure you’re okay?”
I turn my head at the sound of Damien’s voice. “Yeah, I’m good now.”
He watches Tony as he wraps her other wrist and then starts to examine the bump on her head. “I knew you’d get her back,” he says. “Never doubted it for a second.”
“I did,” I admit. “I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to find her.”
“I know you were.” Satisfied that Savanna and I are both fine, he says, “I’d better get going. Let me know if you need anything, though, yeah?”
Before he walks off, I wrap my cousin in a big hug. “Thanks, man. I couldn’t have gotten through this without you.”
He squeezes me back and says, “Yes, you could have. All I did was force you to eat and drink. Anyone could’ve done that.”
I step back and give his cheek a playful pat. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t have listened to any of them, and you did a lot more than that. Don’t sell yourself short, Damien.”
Walking with him to the door, I ask, “Where you headed?”
“To bed,” he says with a laugh. “I’m too old to be staying up all night.”
I laugh because twenty is hardly what I’d call old-man territory, but I know what he means. Last night took a toll on all of us. It wasn’t just losing sleep, it was the constant stress that permeated every second of every hour. That kind of tension creates an exhaustion that goes bone deep.
“Text me if you need me,” he says again before he opens the door.
I promise him I will and then head back over to Savanna. Tony’s finishing up, and as soon as he’s done, Savanna says, “Can you look at Niki’s hands? They’re really swollen. I’m worried he might’ve broken something.”
