Page 167 of In Love and Revenge

‘I love you.’

My heart seizes at the gentle way he breathes the words, like he needs me to understand, even if it’s the last thing he does.

‘I know you do,’ I croak. ‘And you’re going to be okay. We’re going to get you checked over, and you’ll be fine.’

His eyes roll and my heart flies into my throat.

‘Rafe? Stay awake, okay? I love you too. I need you to stay awake.’

‘You still love me?’ He blinks, fighting to focus on me.

‘I never stopped. Now breathe for me, okay? Big, deep breaths.’

He holds my eyes as we wait for the ambulance, breathing in time with me as I cradle his face, and Joe keeps a check on his pulse. By the time the paramedics arrive he’s floating in and out of consciousness.

‘Call and let me know how he is,’ Joe says, watching me climb in the ambulance after Rafael as he’s stretchered inside.

‘I will. Thank you,’ I say before the doors close.

‘Let’s get you fully hooked up so we can keep an eye on your heart, okay?’ the young paramedic tells him.

Rafael lifts a hand clumsily to his clothes and I move in so I can unbutton his waistcoat, and then his shirt, for him.

Inches of toned, muscular skin come into view, and in the centre, the straight line of his scar. He holds my eyes as my fingers trace lightly over it, out of my control.

‘Sorry,’ I mumble, drawing my hand back.

He catches my wrist and holds it gently as the paramedic hooks him up to the machine.

‘Don’t call anyone,’ he says, his thumb strolling delicate circles over my pulse point.

My breath hitches at the memory of his touch on my skin. Of the night I first touched his scar, and how he made love to me so tenderly afterwards.

My eyes sting. ‘They should know, they’ll be worried.’

‘And if there’s something for them to worry about, then you can call them, I promise. But please, Aurora, right now, I just want you here with me.’

I swallow around the thick lump in my throat and nod. ‘Okay. But if we get to the hospital and something’s wrong or you get worse again, then I’m calling everyone.’

His lips curl into a faint smile at the bossiness in my sniffly voice. ‘Okay.’

Then his eyes roll in his head again.

‘And he’s going to be okay?’ I ask, looking at the doctor with pleading eyes, everything resting on the next words to come out of his mouth.

‘We’ll keep him in for observations, but yes, he should make a full recovery.’

‘Thank God.’ I drop my head to my chest.

‘I’ll leave you both so he can get some rest and check back in a bit.’

I nod mutely as she leaves. Then I burst into tears.

The drive to the hospital is a blur. I fired questions at the paramedic the entire time, asking if Rafael would be okay. I don’t know the first thing about medical treatments, but I asked him over and over if the hospital we were being taken to was the best one for treating heart-related conditions, and if they had the right equipment and specialists there.

Each time Rafael managed to open his eyes, he looked at me, and I swear it took everything in me to stay strong for him. To not show him how terrified I was. But now I know he’s going to be okay the floodgates have well and truly opened.

‘Aurora?’ Rafael croaks.