Chapter 23

twenty-three

Alexandr

Four months—four long months—is how long I've watched my heart and soul leave me bit by bit.

I've gotten revenge. Phoebe may have killed Mihai that night, but I've killed his inner circle, with the help of Sergi.

He's not doing so well. One night after our killing, we went back to his apartment, and Avery was waiting for him. They'd been having problems for a few months, and he'd been pushing her away.

It's not just me; this has affected him, too; he's struggling.

He was covered in blood, and she looked like she was going to pass out when she saw him. He finally told her who we were, and she walked away without looking back—well, more like she ran away, with how he treated her. He's been on a killing spree since, and stupidly fucked Mindy, after I told her we were done, when she tried to corner me at the club a week ago while I was there to grab the books.

She'd been hanging around, waiting for me. When I shut her and her scheme down, she decided to latch onto Sergi. I hadn't realized, because I was already walking out of the door. Only my love was on my mind. The problem was that Sergi was drunk, so he had no idea what he had done until the next morning. He's regretted it since, but somehow, Avery found out, and she messaged him, stating, 'I hope she was worth it.' She was willing to talk about him being an underboss to Pahkan and Don, but they're officially over now. Just like with Phoebe, other women are a big no-no.

For four months, I've had to watch my girl's heart give up more than once. She's had to be operated on because of internal bleeding, where she coded on the table again, and she's still on a ventilator. Basil has tried to gain the power of attorney, stating his daughter's mental instability. Apparently, he can't handle seeing her like this. I know she's lost a lot of weight, and she's deteriorating every day, but like, fuck am I letting him kill my woman!

I've just thrown the remote, smashing the TV, while Damian tries to keep me calm, but I can't focus. Every time she dies and has to be revived, a piece of me breaks with her.

"Brother, it didn't work; Phoebe knew what she was doing; he can't change it."

Frustrated, I walk over to her bed and sit beside it. I grab her hand and lean my forehead against it, and my troubles instantly fade, as always when I'm with her. Tears flow, and I rasp, "I can't lose her. I am not ready to admit defeat, brother."

He comes up behind me, placing his hand on my shoulder. "I know. Neither am I."

I don't know how long we stay like this, but I feel at peace with my girl.

I whisper, "Come back to me, sweetheart, please."

My brother squeezes my shoulder, when I suddenly feel a light stroke on my hand. My head pops up, and I look down, willing it to happen again, praying I wasn't imagining it.

My wish comes true, and a few minutes later, it happens again, this time, I see it move. I look up at her face. Her eyes are still closed, and her beautiful white-blond hair with fading pink highlights is spread across her pillow. I stand up and lean over her as Damian moves out of the way, thinking I'm having a moment. I gently stroke her cheek.

"Phoebe, baby, can you hear me? Open your eyes, malen'kaya ptitsa , and let me see you," I whisper, and I feel Damian move around the bed and come to her other side.

"Al?" he questions in confusion and caution, but I ignore him. I feel her thumb move again, and my heart races as her eyes twitch. Fuck yes.

I feel Damian tense. He sees her and grabs her other hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Phoebe?" he murmurs.

I rub my nose against hers. "I feel you, sweetheart. Come on now, you've slept long enough. Come back to me, come home to me, please. Open those beautiful green eyes for me."

Then it happens: her eyes slowly open, and she looks up at me, recognition and love shining through. My eyes start to water, and I realize she recognizes me. She removes her hand from my brother's grip, and goes for the tube that's down her throat.

I quickly grab her hand and say, "Y-you need to l-leave it in, baby, just f-f-or now." I'm stuttering, my emotions getting the better of me.

I hear Damian quickly press the nurse button as a sob catches in his throat. She lifts her hand to my cheek, stroking it, and I fall apart. I sob as I lean down and place my head on her neck. I cry for the fear and pain I've felt these past four months. She's finally awake.

She rubs her fingers through my hair, and I hold her tighter, my whole body shaking with relief as the door to her room opens, but I don't pay attention.

"Damian, what's going on?" Sergi questions.

Damian clears his throat, and rasps, "She's finally awake. I've called for a nurse."

I hear Sergi sob, then he shouts into the hallway, "Nurse! Nurse! She's fucking awake!"

I hear several footsteps as Sergi comes toward me, grabbing me, but I don't want to let go.

He whispers, "Let them take the tube out, brother."

I nod into her neck and pull back, looking into her beautiful eyes, glistening with tears. I wipe the tears away, kiss her forehead, and whisper in Greek, " S'agapó ." She taps her heart then points at me, making my tears fall faster.

She's awake.

I step back as the doctors come in to remove the tube. I look toward the door to see my parents, Basil, Selene, Juan, Sofia, and Abby, all standing there with panic radiating from them, but it's Juan who speaks, "What's happening?"

Damian answers, clearing his throat again, struggling with his emotions, and reaches out to his heavily pregnant wife.

"She's awake."

Sofia bursts into tears as Abby collapses to the floor. Juan heaves a massive sigh in relief, while both my wraps their arms around Sergi and I as we watch the medical team do their jobs. I don't bother looking at Phoebe's father and sister; I can hear Basil sob, probably with regret, since he was trying to switch off her life support. They remove the tube, and I hear her cough. My whole body trembles with the need to get back to her, but my father keeps a strong grip on me while my mother is in Sergi's arms, silently crying.

We all stand back while they start their assessment.

The doctor comes to me after he's finished. "She's doing good, a lot better than we could have ever hoped. She remembers everything, including the incident. She has a long recovery ahead of her, but she's breathing on her own, she's talking—a little slower than normal, but that's expected after being in a coma for so long. She's going to be ok.

I will come back in a little bit to check on her again, do some X-rays, and order another MRI and CT just to make sure everything is as it should be. If everything goes as I suspect, she could be out of here in a week or two." He squeezes my shoulder, and then walks out.

I look back at my girl and see she's already watching me, and there's pain and sorrow in her eyes.

My love.

She lifts her right arm, extending it to me, and I go to her willingly. I grab her hand, and she gently pulls me to her. I lean down, place my head into the crook of her neck, and silently sob, not believing she's really awake.

I hear Damian and Sergi telling everyone to give us space. Most protest, but they give in. I then hear shuffling, and the door shuts, and I know we've been left alone. I hold her tight while she wraps both arms around my head, holding me just as tight.

And finally, after four long months, I heard her voice again.

"I'm okay, agapi mou , I'm okay."

I just shake my head and whisper into her neck, "Four months—that's how long I've had to live without you. For four months, I was petrified you would leave me forever. If you'd left, I would have followed."

She holds me tighter, and I feel her tears on my neck. Then her grip loosens suddenly, and I shoot my head up, worried, ready to call the doctor back, and she smiles slightly.

"Just tired," she rasps, her throat still scratchy from the tube.

I nod and lean my forehead against hers, and I slowly close my eyes, then open them when she cups my cheek and whispers, "I'm still mad at you for everything...you did, and you still have a lot of groveling to do, but I love you so much that I never…want to hear the….pain you were in ever….again. My soul is bound…by you, and I heard a lot while...I was in a coma. Your pain was killing me.... I knew I had to fight to come back to you and take your pain away. I-I love you."

Tears fall from her eyes, and a sob catches in my throat. I love her words but hate how raspy she sounds, and how much she struggles to speak.

"I'll spend a lifetime making up for my mistakes; you'll be treated like the queen who holds my heart, because you are," I whisper while staring into her eyes.

I place a gentle kiss on her lips, and then climb onto her bed. I lay her head on my chest, holding her carefully but tight, and whisper, "Rest, moya lyubov ," then place a gentle kiss on her head while she holds onto me tight. I wait until her breathing evens out, then fall asleep, peacefully, for the first time in so long, because I finally have my woman back in my arms.