揟hank you,?I whispered.
揑抦 doing this for Santino, Anna. I know you and him are on a very destructive path.?
I didn抰 say anything, because what was there to say? She抎 spoken the truth. And it didn抰 matter why she allowed me to see Santino, only that she did.
When I entered Santino抯 room, beeping machines and an antiseptic smell hit me. Enzo sat by Santino抯 side.
I froze when I saw Santino. He looked terribly pale. Two transfusions flowed down into his arms, and machines monitored his bodily functions. His tall form dwarfed the bed but at the same time, he seemed to disappear into the mattress. It was a paradox I couldn抰 explain myself.
I approached the bed slowly and touched his hand. I didn抰 know what to say, what to do.
Enzo looked at me and shame washed over me. He knew too. Silent accusation lingered in his eyes, and I knew it wasn抰 because Santino had taken a bullet for me.
揑抦 sorry for what happened.?
揃ut not sorry for the thing you should be sorry for,?Enzo said coolly.
I stiffened. Enzo had always been kind to me, had made jokes and even played with me when I was younger. However, his loyalties lay with Santino as they should.
揇ad, Santino is as much at fault as Anna. He could have ended things. He抯 an adult who has to take responsibility for his actions.?
Enzo shook his head, looking tiredly down at his son. 揘o. His heart wouldn抰 let him.?
I stepped back from the bed, away from Santino. He was right.
揥e shouldn抰 discuss this now. We don抰 know how much Santino can hear,?Frederica admonished.
揧our fianc?is in this hospital as well. Maybe you should see how he抯 doing,?Enzo said.
I nodded, swallowing hard. 揑 hope Santino wakes soon. I won抰 bother you or him again.?
I turned on my heel and left. Enzo was right. Leonas was right. I had to be strong and let him go. Santino wouldn抰 end things between us, not even once I was married despite what he抎 said. He抎 be my lover and slowly wither under the bitterness sharing me with Clifford would cause him. Our bond would become more and more toxic until all the beauty that it had held in the beginning would have died.
Mom waited for me in the waiting area and her expression became worried when she saw me. 揥hat抯 wrong??
揘othing. Santino will hopefully wake soon, and I should probably go to Clifford. I hear he抯 here too.?
Mom definitely knew something was the matter but she didn抰 prod. Mom had always honored my boundaries and knew I抎 eventually come to her if I wanted to talk. It had always been like that梕xcept for my bond with Santino. I wondered if I抎 ever be able to talk to her about it, maybe in a few years when I was married and years would soften the blow of this shocking truth.
Together we asked around until a helpful nurse led us toward the room where Clifford was treated. Our two bodyguards stayed in front of the door with Mom and Clifford抯 two bodyguards as I slipped into the room.
Clifford was alone in the room. He perched on the edge of the bed, staring down at his bare feet. His upper body was bare but a bandage covered his left chest, shoulder, and arm, which was fastened in front of his chest. He looked up through his unruly blond hair. I hadn抰 even noticed that he wore it longer again. Then he smiled strangely. 揂nother person in my life whose second choice I am.?
I sank down beside him. Because we were alone, I didn抰 bother kissing him, and I wondered when having to kiss him would eventually turn to wanting to kiss him. 揥hat are you talking about??
揇ad抯 outside in front of the hospital with his first love, publicity, giving a press conference, talking how shocked and shaken he is about the attack, Mom is with her therapist because she couldn抰 handle the trauma.?He let out a derisive laugh. 揂nd you were with your bodyguard, the man you抎 rather marry.?
揟hat抯 not true,?I said faintly.
揧ou don抰 have to lie to me. I hate liars. I抦 surrounded by them.?
揌ow are you feeling??I motioned at his arm.
揟he pain meds are decent. The two bullets only did moderate damage.?He met my gaze and again smiled strangely. 揘ow I got shot. I wonder if this will give me the street credit to make you see me as a man.?
揑 see you as a man,?I protested.
揥e only have two and a half weeks until the wedding.?
He was right. Two and a half weeks. I抎 always rounded up it up to three weeks in my head because it seemed less daunting.
揑 know. Everything抯 prepared. Dad is probably already upping protection. Are you worried you won抰 fit into your suit because of the bandages??
揇o you want to marry me??
揥e agreed on it. Our parents set everything up. Hundreds of guests were invited.?
揑 know. But do you want to marry me??