Danna:
Bella pulled up in front of the hospital, the car jerking to a halt. I barely registered the engine cutting off before I fumbled with the seatbelt and shoved the door open, my legs already carrying me forward. The cold night air burned in my lungs as I rushed through the glass doors, Bella's heels clicking close behind me.
We stormed down the hallway toward the emergency ward, my pulse hammering in my ears, and then—
"Jake!" My voice cracked as it left me.
His head snapped toward us, and for a moment my world stilled. He stood there in the pale hospital light, drenched in blood—his shirt torn, his hands stained red, blood trickling down his forehead and shoulder. My breath hitched.
"Danna… Isabella," he said hoarsely.
Bella threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. "Baby, what happened to you?" she whispered frantically, pulling back only for him to brush her hair away and pull her closer against his chest.
"I'm okay," he murmured, though the sight of him was anything but.
I swallowed hard, stepping closer. "Are you okay? Where's Dante?"
Jake's eyes flicked to the still-closed emergency doors, his jaw tightening. "He's still inside."
The words were a knife. My throat closed, and all I could do was nod, sinking into the chair he gestured toward. My legs bounced uncontrollably, my teeth digging into my lip until I tasted iron.
"What happened to him?" My voice was barely a whisper, but it cut through the silence.
Jake sat heavily beside us, his bloodied hands trembling as he dragged them through his hair. His eyes found mine, hollow and haunted. "When I got there with my men… he was on the floor." His voice cracked, low and raw. "They were beating him so badly, Danna. He wasn't even fighting back anymore. We killed every single man in that room, but when I picked him up—" Jake's breath hitched. "He was barely breathing. I don't know what will happen now…"
My heart clenched so painfully I thought it might shatter. The walls around me blurred as tears burned my eyes. I pressed my trembling hands against my mouth, desperate to keep in the scream that threatened to escape.
All I could do was pray.
After what felt like eternity, the emergency doors finally creaked open. My body reacted before my mind could catch up—I shot to my feet, stumbling forward with desperate urgency. Jake and Bella stood too, their eyes fixed on the doctor who stepped out, pulling his mask down with tired hands.
"How is he?" The words tumbled out of me, shaky, almost breathless.
The doctor's gaze was steady but heavy. "He's stable… but still in critical condition. He lost a lot of blood, which made his body weak. Right now, he needs time—rest, more than anything."
I exhaled, half relief, half dread. Stable. But critical. My chest ached with the contradiction.
"Can I see him?" I asked quickly, my voice breaking in places.
"Yes," the doctor nodded, his tone softer now. "But he isn't awake yet."
"That's okay," I whispered. It didn't matter—I just needed to see him, to know he was still here.
My legs carried me forward into the dim hospital room, each step heavier than the last, my heart pounding as though it might break through my ribs. And then I saw him—lying so still against the white sheets, his face pale, his body covered with bruises, tubes and wires surrounding him like cruel reminders of how close I had come to losing him.
My knees weakened. My heart dropped so hard I thought it had shattered inside me.
I pulled a chair close to his bed and sat down, my trembling hand reaching for his. His skin was cold against mine, but it was enough—it meant he was still here, still breathing.
"Dante…" My voice cracked, soft and fragile. The name felt like a prayer. Tears spilled down my cheeks without control, blurring my vision as I clutched his hand tighter. "Please… please don't leave me."
The steady rhythm of the heart monitor filled the silence, cruelly reminding me that this fragile thread was all that tethered him to me.
Dante:
"Dante, we are so proud of you."My sister's voice was like the ringing of a bell in spring, her hand slipping into mine. Her smile glowed, her hair falling like a halo around her face.
"You are a flower king now," she said with pride that sparkled in her amber eyes.
I blinked slowly, dazed, trying to hold onto her warmth. "Why do you eat so much mac and cheese, sis?" I asked, my lips tugging into a faint smile.
"Because it tastes better than anything," she giggled, the sound so familiar, so alive, it broke something inside me.
Then my mother appeared, her presence soft and radiant, like a light I had been chasing all my life. I turned to her, tears welling. "Mom… when I grow up, I'll take you away from Dad. I swear."
She kissed my cheek gently, like she used to when I was a child. "I trust you."
I grabbed both their hands, clinging desperately, terrified they would vanish. "I swear—I'll protect you both."
They smiled, their voices twining together in perfect harmony. "We trust you, Dante. But now… fulfill your obligation as a husband. She needs you."
My mother's hand slipped from mine as she waved, her smile bittersweet.
"No! Mom, don't leave me again!" I shouted, my voice breaking.
And then—my eyes snapped open.
The world was white. Sterile. My body ached, every bone screaming, but I was alive. My head turned weakly, and there she was. Danna. Sleeping in the chair by my side, her head resting against the bed, her small hand curled tightly around mine as if letting go meant losing me forever.
My chest softened. My heart broke in the gentlest way.
I pulled the oxygen mask away with trembling fingers. My lips parted, my voice a broken whisper, "Danna…"
She stirred but didn't wake. I reached out weakly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. God, she was beautiful. More beautiful than any dream.
Her lashes fluttered, and then her amber eyes opened—wide, glistening.
"Dante…" Her voice cracked, filling with tears and joy all at once. Her head shot up. "You're awake?"
I smiled, faint but real. "I'm okay. Talking to you."
Her lips curved into a trembling smile as tears spilled freely down her cheeks. I tried to sit up, but she pressed me down gently, panic in her eyes. "No. Lay down."
"But—"
"No buts."
I laughed hoarsely, catching her wrist and tugging her down until she collapsed softly against my chest. "Aren't you a good little wife?"
She rolled her eyes, pretending to scold me, though her smile betrayed her. "You're hurt. Let me at least get you some water—"
"Later," I murmured. My thumb brushed her jaw as I tilted her face toward mine. Without waiting, I pressed my lips to hers, slow and gentle, giving her every chance to pull away.
Her eyes widened in shock, but she didn't move. She didn't run.
So I brushed my lips against hers again. And this time—she kissed me back.
Just as our lips molded together, pouring all our fear, longing, and love into a single desperate kiss, a sudden sound of a throat clearing shattered the fragile bubble around us. Danna jerked back instantly, her cheeks flushed the prettiest shade of crimson, her eyes wide like she'd just been caught stealing something forbidden. My gaze followed hers—and there stood Jake, smirking like the devil himself, with a tall girl at his side holding a bouquet and a bag of food.
"Man," Jake drawled, his grin widening, "did we come at the wrong time?"
Danna's flustered shake of her head nearly made me laugh. "W-Well, please… come in," she said softly, her voice trembling with embarrassment.
They stepped inside, and the girl handed the flowers to Jake before passing the food bag to Danna. She moved quickly, placing it on the table, but I caught the way her hands trembled. She hadn't eaten, not properly, not since all of this.
"You both need to eat," the girl spoke gently, her eyes warm as she looked at Danna. "She hasn't had anything since yesterday."
I turned my head toward my wife, her weak smile tugging painfully at my chest. "Open it up and eat," I said firmly, my voice softer when my eyes met hers.
Jake and the girl busied themselves unwrapping the food with Danna, leaving me a moment to lean closer to my brother. "Who is she?" I whispered, nodding toward the mysterious girl.
Jake sank into the chair beside my bed, rubbing the back of his neck like a guilty child. "Well, man… f**k, you're gonna kill me."
I raised an eyebrow, amused despite the pain still aching through my body. "Will I?"
He let out a nervous laugh. "The thing is… she liked me. I liked her. She confessed, and… I couldn't say no. Now we're in a relationship."
A small chuckle escaped me, surprising even myself. "Well, should I greet my sister-in-law, then?" I asked, tilting my head.
"What's her name?"
Jake's grin finally turned proud. "Isabella."
I nodded slowly, a smile curving my lips. "Great, man. Guess you're not the playboy anymore."
"Well, man, she'd end me if she ever caught me with another woman. She's super bossy, nags every single day," Jake groaned dramatically, shaking his head like a defeated husband.
I bit back a laugh, my lips twitching. "Gossiping about me, babe?" Isabella's voice floated across the room, teasing and sweet.
Jake stiffened instantly, his eyes darting toward her like a guilty child. "No, baby… how could I?" he rushed out, his tough, merciless tone cracking into something almost pleading.
I smirked, watching him—this man who could cut down a thousand enemies without blinking—reduced to nerves by the tilt of his woman's head. He sighed again, quieter this time, and muttered, "She's something."
"Thanks, man," I said suddenly, my voice dropping lower, more sincere. His gaze flicked back to me, surprised. "I wouldn't even be alive if you weren't there."
Jake froze for a beat before dramatically shooting up to his feet. "Ohhh!" he hollered, throwing his arms wide. "Did you all hear that? Mr. Cold, Iced Dante Moretti just thanked me!"
Both girls whipped their attention toward us.
"Round of applause!" Jake grinned wickedly.
Danna clapped her hand over her mouth, laughter spilling out despite herself, while Isabella crossed her arms with a triumphant smile.
"Dante thanked you?" Danna giggled, her amber eyes dancing. "I wish I'd recorded that."
Jake placed a hand over his heart. "See? Proof that I'm not completely useless."
"Jake can melt anyone's heart," Isabella chimed in proudly.
Jake's grin softened into something rare and genuine. He leaned down toward her, brushing his lips near her ear. "Can I not?" he whispered.
Isabella's cheeks colored, Danna shook her head at the pair, and I… I laughed softly, the sound foreign even to my own ears. For the first time in what felt like forever, my chest loosened.
I never wanted this moment to end.