I gasp. “You’re alive. Thank goodness.”
“I never thought I’d hear you say that,” he responds with a chuckle.
“Do you take any medications?”
He frowns. “What?”
“Do you take any medications?”
“Why are you asking me this?”
“Can you just tell me?”
He sighs, removing the oxygen tube from his nose. “No. I don’t take any medications.”
“Have you had any previous surgeries?”
“No. I’ve been fortunate to not get shot that many times. At least, none that required surgery. Why are you asking me all these questions?”
“Because there’s so much I still don’t know about you,” I say, wringing my hands together. “We’re married. I should know these things.”
“You’re right. You should know. I’m sorry that I never told you about any of this. I’m sorry I brought you into this mess in the first place. I’m so fucking sorry, Emma.” The sincerity in his voice is too genuine for me not to believe.
“Thank you for apologizing. I know you don’t want to hurt me again. I feel safe with you, Leo. It’s why I fought my mother to save your life. Just promise that you won’t get shot again.”
“I’m not sure that’s a promise I can make but I’ll try to stay safe.”
Gabriel bursts into the room at that very moment. “Leo. I heard you were shot.”
“How did you find out?” I ask. “I didn’t tell you we were here. You should go.” Knowing Gabriel wants to give me away to Matteo makes me distrust him.
“I have contacts everywhere,” Gabriel explains. “A nurse who works for me also works here. She called me. You were shot?”
Leo nods. “By Valentina. She was the one who took Emma. Not Matteo. Emma saved my life by getting me here.”
“Good.” Gabriel looks between me and Leo before sighing. “All I want is peace. I just want my wife to be safe. I thought giving Emma over to Matteo would do that but… I see that I was wrong. You’re not going to stop fighting for her, are you?”
Leo shakes his head. “Not one bit.”
“Then we’ll find someone else to give to Matteo. I promise you that. I see that you care for Emma. Enough to get shot.”
“I would die for her,” Leo answers with heat in his voice.
“Ok then.” Gabriel nods. “I’ll handle Matteo. I’ll promise him someone else. And Emma…”
I tense.
“I am sorry that you’ve been used a lot,” Gabriel says. “And thank you for helping Leo.”
“He’s my husband. It’s what a wife does.”
I know in this moment just how true that statement is.
Leo and me are bound together forever and I’m not going anywhere.
Chapter Seventeen
Leo
