Page 121

“Medically, Mr. De Luca, there’s nothing more we can do for her.”

My fingers curled into fists at my side. I told him not to fucking say it.

“But I strongly suggest you keep talking to her. She’s still in there, and she’ll hear you.” He continued.

My heart drummed in my ears as thoughts of never getting her back came rushing in all at once.

Cesar stepped up beside me. “Thank you, doctor.”

“Excuse me.” He nodded once, lowered his head and exited the room with Cesar trailing behind him.

As soon as the door shut I was back on the chair beside her. She can’t leave me… Nirah, can’t leave me.

“Fuck, baby please.” My hand gripped hers, desperate for her to open her eyes. To move. To do something. Anything. Fucking… anything.

“Just come back to me—” my words caught in my throat as I released a shaky breath. My eyes were burning as I stared at her unblinking. “I need you to come back to me.” I reached forward, cupping the side of her face.

I couldn’t go back to life without her. I knew that this time, I wouldn’t survive.

Nirah, and Nirah alone, was my will to live. As fucked up as I was… she was my anchor.

“Baby…” I trailed off. Just come back to me…

Leaning forward I wrapped my arms around her, slightly lifting her body to mine. “Nirah, please,” I whispered, burying my face in her shoulder as my arms held her tighter. “Please wake up, baby, I— I need you. Don’t leave me.” I pleaded, lifting my head as I stared down at her.

Gently, I cupped the side of her face and pressed my forehead to hers. Please don’t leave me.

CHAPTER 38

Nirah

Four years ago

The car’s backdoor opened and closed.

“Did it work?” Silvia asked, appearing between the seats.

I chewed my bottom lip, staring out the window.

I had been working at Casa del Pacado for almost a year when some guy got physical with me one night outside of the club. He slipped his hand up my skirt and when Silvia saw she plunged her pocket knife into his carotid artery. We watched him bleed out that night.

Then, we dragged him to a dumpster and disposed of his body. She headed home with me and we washed away all the evidence and never spoke about it again.

It was then that I knew that if I could trust her with murder and cleaning up a crime scene, I could trust her with my plan. And she was all in.

I knew my husband, and I knew that on our wedding night he’d at some point rip my dress off. So, when he slipped outside for some fresh air the night of our wedding, Silvia followed and played the perfect distraction.

Nereus distracted everyone so that I could leave and get the syringe that I then strapped to my thigh. And it worked. Perfectly.

“Yeah.” Nereus nodded and Silvia sighed in relief, sitting back. “It worked,” he muttered under his breath.

Her seatbelt clicked behind us. “Then let’s get out of here.”

The drive back to the hotel was fast, especially with Nereus driving like a maniac. Not that I was complaining. We needed to get out of here before Antonio’s men caught up to us.

Nereus and I headed up to the hotel room Antonio had us stay in while Silvia waited in the car.

“We don’t have much time.” Nereus pushed the bedroom door open and we stormed inside.