INDIA
It’s just the two of us now.
I’ve been sitting here, waiting for Giovanni to open his eyes.
Despite him being pumped full of antibiotics and a high dosage of morphine, the doctor assured me they repaired the internal tissue damage and successfully stitched up both gunshot wounds.
Thankfully, the other bullet only grazed his bicep and wouldn’t affect how he uses it.
All the courage I had earlier seems to slip from my body. Giovanni almost died.
We all faced mortal danger.
For greed. Power. And Fabian's ego.
Why didn’t I see it coming? I should have known. Or at the very least, been more vigilant. Reno would be so pissed at me for befriending the enemy.
Then again, Fabian was good. He’d used charm as his mask, and I didn’t see past it. That wouldn’t happen again. But what about his family? Are they our enemies now too?
My eyes return to Giovanni’s chest, rising with every shallow breath he takes. My belly aches. Even though he’s right beside me, he’s so far away, stuck in that secretive head of his.
I’m overcome with slashes of emotion, each one slicing my heart to pieces. What will happen when those vivid green eyes reopen and he sees me again?
Will our commitment to each other stay intact, or will he go off on a full-scale rampage to take down the Lozano family, leaving Leo and me to live without him for months?
I’m not sure if I could go through that again––constantly wondering if he’s alive. My stomach twists in hundreds of knots. My heart aching and my mind racing to the worst possible scenarios.
I find myself staring at the engagement ring in my hand, not quite sure which finger to slip it onto. Yet, intuitively knowing it belongs on my wedding finger.
Giovanni and I have an unconventional relationship. However, so much has happened over the past few months, and this feels surreal.
I didn’t really know what to expect from him in the long term and told myself just being with the guy was enough. And it was. Iknewhe loved me without hearing those three impossible words. I couldfeelit.
He gave me the ring as the last wish of a man who thought he would die. There was no fancy proposal or short-term engagement, just a heart-wrenching dedication said on a whim.
He hadn’t arranged a marriage license and there wasn't an officiant to oversee our simple vows.
I’m not really Mrs. Souza. Not in the eyes of the law, but I can’t help thinking all the formal, legal bullshit doesn’t matter.
We love each other.
Fuck all the red tape and bureaucracy.
But what now?
Now… I have this family heirloom gifted to me by his mafia princess mother and a lingering doubt about whether I should wear it.
Touching his muscular arm, I tingle all over. Even now, this man of power and dominance, who at the moment looks somewhat vulnerable, still makes my veins hot and my heart pound.
As he rests with his tattooed physique taking up the narrow mattress, I recognize the darkness within him—more so in these bright white surroundings. His presence continues to vibrate supremacy and his new wounds just add to his collection of scars.
He’s forever the disciplinedsicarioI’m inexplicably drawn to.
“I’m either dead or you’re thinking about leaving me.” Inky lashes framing intensely green eyes blink at me, and he runs his tongue under his top lip.
Our gazes tangle. The thrill I’d felt from the beginning of our relationship electrifies me, our combined energy more fulfilling than a spoken word.
For a nanosecond, we just stare at each other, my whole world revolving around this man. I don’t care about the anguish I’ve endured or the murderous shadow of violence we live under. It’s unhealthy, I know that. But all I care about is him.
