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I lifted my hand tentatively, not sure if I should touch him or not. The heaviness in my chest increased.
“Andres…” I called his name, but the emotion that coated it left my soul wheezing. I didn’t understand why I was so… broken. “I’m alive because of you.”
My vocal cords tightened up.
“The bullet was meant to be mine. You weren’t meant to get hit, Andres. You weren’t meant to take it for me.” The sting behind my eyes intensified. “You told me that you loved me. You looked me dead in the eye and poured your heart out to me. I wanted to say it then, because I felt it. But…I knew that as long as Felipe lived, I… I didn’t want to have my hatred for him eclipse the love I have for you.”
I watched his face, waiting for something to happen. A twitch of the nose, a squeeze of the eyes, or even his lips parting, but nothing ever came. He remained still as stone, the only thing moving his chest, which rose and fell slowly.
“Come back to me, Andres. I need you to come back to me.” I had never once in my life begged. I always felt above it, and my father had taught me from a very young age that Queens didn’t beg. They took whatever they wanted. But here I was, begging the heavens to take me instead of him. I would have bargained with anything at this point for him to open his eyes.
“You can’t die on me, Andres.” My voice cracked as soon as I placed my hand on his. He was cold to the touch. “You’re my oxygen, and if you die then, I’m as good as dead, too.”
How cruel could fate be to deliver me light only to rip it away from me within seconds?
Chapter Thirty
Savina’s POV
It had been seven days since I had last heard my husband's voice or seen his eyes. I was trying to remain hopeful, but as the days ticked by, my hope grew into frustration. I had been researching various medical facilities that I could take him to should this hospital continue to prove its incompetence.
I was tired of giving it time. The man had had a bullet to his chest, but it had been taken out. Surely, it was not enough to keep unconscious for this long.
“You need to wake up, now.” I squeezed his hand from my seat beside his bed. “The hospital food is tiring my stomach.”
I had been discharged three days ago, but I hadn’t left this building. I had conducted all business affairs here, and I had a cot bed that they brought in every evening. Technically this was not allowed, but a few millions toward their pediatric floor, I got to do what I wanted to without questions asked.
“I have the clubs and the imports under control.” I often talked to him, hoping by some miracle that he could hear me. “I had to do some damage control with Valerio, but we managed to get Sergio to agree to deal. But even though I have it all figured out, it doesn't mean that you can take your time coming back to me. And I’m still mad at you for taking that damn bullet.”
A knock came at the door. A few seconds later, Valerio got in with a coffee cup in hand.
“Brought you some coffee.” He moved his gaze between me and Andres. “Thought you could need it.”
I smiled gratefully and walked over to him. “Thank you. How are you?”
Aside from me, he was taking Andres being in a coma very hard. They were close. Always had been from the moment they were born.
“I’m fine.” The answer came too quickly, and his eyes didn’t even meet mine. “The new load should be here within two weeks, and the money you put down for the clubs will sustain them for the next week or so. Hopefully, by then he should be awake.”
“Valerio, why is it that every time I see you, you can’t meet my eyes for longer than five seconds?”
He cleared his throat and forced his eyes to meet mine. “What are you talking about?”
“Do you hate me?”
It had been a question that I had been desperately wanting the answer to.
“No.” He shook his head and turned to walk over to the window. “I have no reason to hate you. In fact, I admire you, Savina. Your bravery, your courage, and the fierce love and loyalty you carry for those you love.”
“So what is it, then? Ever since the incident, you haven’t been the same with me. It’s like you’re tiptoeing on eggshells whenever I’m near you.” I came to stand beside him by the window. “I killed your father. I drove my knife into his heart and I killed him. You have every reason to hate me.”
“But I don’t.” He turned his head to where I stood. “I don’t hate you for killing Felipe. I feel as though you should hate me for what my father did.”
That was it. It all made sense now. He was carrying the guilt and shame of what his father had done.
“I don’t hate you, Valerio.” Seeing him look so defeated tore at something inside of my heart. “How could I crucify you for the sins of your father?”
“You should.” His voice came out tight. “Had it not been for him, you would still have your family. And Andres would—fuck. He’s always been my big brother. The one I always looked up to and thought was invincible. He’s cheated death so many times, I thought… I thought he just may be immortal. But now, seeing him like this, all broken and bruised, I realize that he is as human as I am.”
