Page 89 of The Billionaire's Destiny

Oh, Rocco. I love you.

“I love you so…so much.” His hand was damp on my skin as he lifted my hand and pressed it to his chest. “You keep my heart beating, Bella. It’s yours.” The thud of his heart pulsed against my palm.

“Mr. Marini?”

“Yes?”

“Adelina is coming out of sedation, and it may take time.”

“Okay. Thank you, Doctor. How is she overall?”

“Surgery went well, as you know. The wound was deep but narrowly missed her spleen, thanks to the corset. It kept the knife from going deeper.”

“I’m very grateful. We all are; thank you for saving Adelina’s life.”

“I did what was needed, Mr. Marini. Adelina still lost blood, about seven hundred milliliters from the wound’s hemorrhage, but we were able to stop it with surgery and a blood transfusion.”

“Do you need more blood?” Rocco asked.

My mind splintered and tangled, and I struggled as if I were underwater, gasping for air.Stay focused. Stay awake. I finally came back, but the doctor was already speaking.

“…Both should be fine, but we can’t be sure. There’s a chance of internal infection, and the next forty-eight hours are critical. We need to monitor closely and address any complications immediately.”

“Wait, what?” Rocco said, his voice rising. “What are you talking about?”

My hand throbbed beneath Rocco’s desperate grip, his need for me radiating through every squeeze.

Wake up. Wake…up.

But I drifted away.

The world around me came into focus, and I opened my eyes, squinting against the lights overhead. I inhaled a sharp scent of antiseptic and sweat that made me nauseous. Despite it, I was awake, and more of the world came into focus. The light of day lit the back of the lowered shutter on the window. The mask over my mouth was gone, and I was breathing on my own. Had I awakened again? I didn’t remember. I tried to move, and my muscles, stiffened by stillness, protested as I shifted my body beneath the starched white sheets. I swallowed a metallic taste that clung to my tongue that felt thick in my mouth.

“You’re awake,” Rocco said, his voice elevated. He lifted my hand, careful of the I.V., and pressed a gentle kiss to my skin.I.V.?Why do I need an I.V.?Memories crashed over me, bringing with them a wave of terror: me in my wedding dress, staring in disbelief at a shard of metal jutting from the front ofmy body. Panic gripped me, sharper than the pain itself, as my mind jumped to Judge Colby. His face was a haunting picture in my head—the scar that marred his face. He carved into my body. He had branded me, ensuring I would remember him every single day, as I had once hoped I’d done to him. His revenge was as bad as I imagined death.Puttana. He called me a bitch, but his slur didn’t hurt as much as where he delivered his blow. He went for my womb to steal not only my life but also my future.

Beep. Beep. Beep. The heart monitor’s frantic rhythm summoned nurses who hurried inside the room. Rocco released my hand, but I reached for him.

“Don’t go. Stay,” I pleaded as they hovered, checking my heart and breath.

“Are you in pain, Mrs. Marini? I’ll see if the doctor can give you something—”

“No, she can’t receive any more pain medications,” Rocco said. “That was the latest order.”

I grimaced. “But it hurts,” I said, whimpering.

“Maybe an aspirin?” she offered. “I’ll check with Dr. Vitale.”

“Dr. Vitale? My doctor?” I asked in surprise. “She’s a surgeon, too?”

“No, but your surgeon was Dr. Pantalano.”

I stared at Rocco, confused, though things were becoming clearer. He looked freshly showered and was dressed in a pullover and slacks. His wavy hair was neatly combed, but there was more than a day’s growth of beard on his square jaw.Had I been asleep for hours?

My eyes met his that were bloodshot, his expression sullen. He tilted his head down as if measuring his words carefully. “Yeah, Dr. Vitale came to see you here. The police, too. They want your statement.”

I frowned. “Right now?” It wasn’t that I didn’t want to give a statement. Any day with Judge Colby out there was a danger to my family. “I feel a bit…overwhelmed.”

“I know, but they will come by later. I’ll stay with you.”