Chapter 14

14

Massimo

Hold on. What the hell are you doing? I heard she was shot and rushed to the hospital to find Penny, Jeanne, and Luca in the waiting room. The doctor said Via wasn't in any danger, but he thought she was likely to scar. Jeanne and Penny had been extremely upset and wanted to stay. The doctor didn't think she'd wake up till the morning. I told them to go home and get some rest before they went on stage for the musical's performance. I promised them I'd call with an update.

Then I walked into Via's room, settled down in a chair by her side, and held her hand. She was so silent, so still, so pale. I wasn't able to take my gaze off of her. The doc said she was going to be fine, but my instincts wouldn't let me rest. I held her hand all night, willing her to awaken. For the first time in my life, I prayed. And when I couldn't pray anymore, I researched famous actors and actresses who went on to be successful, despite having scars on their faces. When she finally opened her eyes, I was so relieved. I'd had enough time to think in the dark hours of the night. Seeing her lying helpless in bed, everything else faded in importance. She's the only thing of consequence. The queen of my heart. The one thing I'd prioritize before anything or anyone else. The only thing that I want in my life. I need her with me, at my side. She's what I've been waiting for all this time.

So, when she asked me why I came, I wasn't able to stop myself. The pent-up hours of worry had loosened my mouth and the words had poured out. I hadn't meant to ask her to marry me… I have to admit, when I told the nurse I was her fiancé, it felt right. And when she woke up and asked me how I got in there, I couldn't help myself. I told her, and as soon as I did, I knew how much I wanted it. I want her to be my wife.

"Wh-what did you say?" She gapes.

"I want you to be my wife." I slide out of the chair and onto my knees, and brush my lips over her knuckles. "I've spent the last few hours watching over you and all I could think of was, I'd give anything to watch you look at me with your beautiful green eyes. I'd surrender all of my wealth to have you smile at me. To wrinkle your nose as if you're going to sneeze when you're thinking something through."

"I don't wrinkle my nose." She scowls, wrinkling up her nose at me. Then winces.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it's this stupid bandage on my face. I can barely feel my nose, thanks to the painkillers they've pumped into me."

I open my mouth and she scowls. "Which is the only reason I tried to wrinkle my nose, by the way."

"Of course." I can't stop my lips from twitching.

Her frown deepens. "Either way, I can't marry you."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know you. I only met you a few weeks ago."

"We met nearly a month ago, and we know each other well enough."

"I don't mean only on the physical level," she points out.

I allow my lips to curve in a smile. "It's a very important part of any relationship. We are combustible, Via, you and me. The chemistry between us is potent. Also, we get along well, and we can hold a conversation without boring each other. It's more than most couples have going for them."

"That's no reason to marry someone," she retorts.

"After what happened on stage, I'm going to do my best to keep you safe. If we were married, it would be so much easier to keep you safe."

"So, I should marry you to make it convenient for you?" She huffs.

I lean toward her, and below the smell of antiseptic, the scent of vanilla and coconut lingers—her scent. I draw it in and my heart stutters. Also, my cock instantly goes on alert. What witchcraft is this that I only have to smell her to turn into a yearning mass of need? "You should marry me, because?—"

"Because?" She licks her lips.

My gaze lowers to her mouth, and when I raise it, her green eyes flicker. "Because you have feelings for me, but you don't want to admit it," I murmur.

"What are you, a mind-reader?" She scoffs.

"I can read you better than I can read myself." I bring her palm to my face and press it against my cheek. "Marry me, Via. Let me take care of you. Marry me because when I'm with you, I like what I become. I know you and I both wanted it to be a one-night stand, but that night was something so much more, and you know it. Marry me because you're the only woman I see myself spending the rest of my life with."

Her gaze widens. Her expression softens. She glances into my face and a small smile curves her lips. I'm sure she's going to agree, when something flickers in her eyes. She firms her lips, and tugs her hand from my face. I release it.

She presses her fingers together over the sheets, and turns her gaze away. "I can't marry you, Massimo."

"Why not?"

She swallows, then, without looking at me says, "I... I'm in love with someone else."

"What?" My heart seems to stop. The hospital room, the equipment, all of it fades away. My vision tunnels. "What did you say?"

Her chin trembles, then she seems to collect herself. "I'm in love with someone else."

"I don't believe it."

"Believe it." She bites the inside of her cheek.

"Look at me, Via. Look into my eyes and tell me that you don't have feelings for me, that you're not lying to me."

She hesitates, then slowly turns her face to stare at me. She holds my gaze, then tips up her chin. "I don't have feelings for you. I'm in love with someone else."

It feels like a ten-ton truck slammed into my chest. I rear back so suddenly I fall on my goddam ass. I stare up at her from my sprawled position on the floor. "It's not true. You're lying."

She shakes her head. "I'm not."

"You're with someone else, but you slept with me?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Like hell, you don't." I jump up to my feet and glare down to her. "Why did you lead me on if you were with someone else?"

"We, uh, had a fight, decided to separate temporarily. That's why I was at the bar that day looking for a hookup. I wanted to sleep with someone else to see if I could get him out of my mind."

"And you did."

She shakes her head. "I admit, the chemistry between us is off-the-charts, and the sex was above-average, but I told you even before we slept together that it was going to be a one-time thing. That I didn't want us to exchange names or contact details or anything. I emphasized that we were going to walk away the next day like nothing happened."

"But something did happen. That was more than sex, and you know that."

"Maybe." She raises her shoulder.

"And you fucked me again on the plane."

She glances away, then at me. "Only because you wouldn't take no for an answer," she mumbles.

"Bull-fucking-shit." My voice echoes around the room, and she pales.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I know you've been through a lot, and this is not the time to be having this conversation." I take a step toward her, but she cringes.

"Please leave."

I swallow thickly. "I can't, Via. I can't leave you like this."

"When I was floating in that space before coming awake, I thought I heard someone reach out to me. It's the reason I returned, why I woke up from my unconscious state. I heard a voice call out to me, and it wasn't you, Massimo. It was him. I love him."

I ball my fists at my sides. I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to understand how everything could have turned upside down in such a short period of time. I watched her sleep, and I was sure she was the one for me. I felt it in my bones, in the pit of my stomach, in my heart, in my head. Every part of me insisted… Still insists, that she's mine. How could she be in love with someone else when everything in me maintains that she belongs to me?

"Via..." I shake my head. "If you're lying?—"

"I'm not." She firms her lips. "I'm not lying, Massimo. I told you I don't want to be with you. I told you I wanted to walk away without looking back. I told you to let me go, Massimo."

And I didn't. And now I'm paying the price.

Turning, I stalk to the door. With one foot over the threshold I stop, then turn to glance at her over my shoulder. "You're making a mistake."