by Penelope Sky
“I’ll be fine, Damien.”
I shook my head. “I’m not leaving you alone. Ever. Not until we get home…”
She stared into my eyes as if she could see the effects of my exhaustion from the accumulated days. My shower and change of clothes weren’t enough to mask my fatigue, my bloodshot eyes, and my aged skin. “Hades can sit with me.”
I tried not to lose my temper because she meant well, but there was no way in hell I would let some other man watch my woman so I could fucking sleep. “You’re my woman. Not his.”
She would normally continue to argue with me, but she let it go this time. She probably understood how much I’d been through since Liam pulled the trigger. Her thumb brushed across my knuckles as she held me. “Did the doctors say when I could leave?”
“Two days.”
“Well, maybe you can sleep in here with me.” She patted the sheets.
I gave a slight smile. “Yeah. Maybe.”
She hadn’t mentioned Liam or the circumstances of the gunshot that had almost claimed her life since she woke up. Maybe it traumatized her, or maybe she knew it traumatized me. But now, she brought up the subject neither one of us wanted to discuss. “Did you kill him?”
It was a loaded question, and I had to take my time before I responded. “How would you feel if my answer was yes?”
Her playfulness drained away as her eyes turned serious. “I don’t know… Did you?”
That wasn’t the answer I wanted to hear. “I got you here as quickly as I could. Haven’t seen him since.”
The relief was unmistakable. “It was an accident…”
I tried to keep my anger in check since she was lying in a hospital bed. “That bullet was meant for me, Annabella. If you hadn’t jumped in the way, he would’ve hit my femoral artery, and I would be dead right now. That wasn’t a fucking accident.”
She couldn’t handle the rage in my eyes, so she looked away. “You’re right…”
Finally.
“I hope after all this, he finally lets it go and moves on. And if he doesn’t…you have no choice.”
I finally got her blessing to do what I should’ve done in the beginning. She shouldn’t have almost died for it to happen, but at least it did. I could remove the biggest obstacle to our happiness guilt-free.
“I’m surprised he hasn’t come to the hospital.”
“He knows I’m here. And he knows I’ll kill him if he shows his face.”
She dropped her gaze, her tone turning softer. “I’m so sorry. If I hadn’t asked you not to kill him, none of this would’ve happened. I could’ve died…or you could’ve died. It was a mistake, and I apologize.” She had so much guilt, she couldn’t look me in the eye. Full of shame and sadness, she was a mess.
I wanted to stay mad at her, but I just couldn’t. She’d dragged her feet with Liam and denied me what I wanted, but at the end of the day, she’d jumped in front of a bullet to spare my life. She chose me over him, unequivocally. “It’s okay, Annabella. It was a complicated situation, and anyone else would’ve struggled, given the same parameters. You guys had a long relationship, and it’s hard to wish death on anybody…even if they deserve it.”
She slowly lifted her gaze to meet mine.
“I wish I had taken that bullet instead of you. But…it means a lot to me that you did.”
“I love you, Damien. I can’t live without you. I would do it again in a heartbeat…and I wouldn’t do it for anybody else.” Her eyes became coated with moisture, but they didn’t form tears. She squeezed my hand, wearing her heart on her sleeve. “I loved Liam with my whole heart. Before anything bad ever happened, I was very happy. But even then, I didn’t love him the way I love you. This is different. This is special. You’re the person I was supposed to be with all along. Maybe all those terrible things happened because they were supposed to…so I would find you.”
Her medications made her sleepy, so there were several times throughout the day when she would nod off and rest for a few hours. I would utilize that time to take care of emails and business and, occasionally, take a nap.
I stepped into the hallway outside her door and spoke on the phone to Hades. “They’re supposed to discharge her tomorrow.”
Hades was at the bank covering my ass while I was out. He took care of my clients as well as his own. “Good. You must look like hell right now.”
“A little,” I said sarcastically.
“I mean because you haven’t slept.”
I was so fucking tired, I almost couldn’t see straight. Getting a few hours throughout the night simply wasn’t enough. But I couldn’t go home and leave her there, especially since she was awake. I wanted to enjoy every minute with her, given that I’d almost lost her just days ago. “I’ll sleep tomorrow.”
“I’m guessing you won’t be back at the office for a while.”
My eyes drifted down the hallway when I noticed a large man heading my way. My guard was sky-high, so I noticed everything around me. And since I’d been expecting this, I anticipated the situation quickly. My heart started to race as adrenaline became readily available for my body to utilize in a fight. Hades was an afterthought at this point. “Liam is here.”
He paused. “I’m on my way.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll handle it.” I hung up and shoved the phone into my pocket. I was in the center of the doorway, blocking the path to Annabella entirely. There was no way in hell he was going to get past me to see her. Motherfucker had no right.
His eyes locked on mine as he moved forward, undeterred by the murder in my gaze. He was in jeans and a shirt and didn’t seem like he was packing a weapon in the back of his pants. He kept going until he stopped a few feet away from me.
I wanted to kill him for everything he’d done to Annabella. I honestly believed the world would be a better place without him in it, without the man who’d shot an innocent woman while she protected the man she loved. I couldn’t bring myself to speak because I was so livid, flashbacks of that night hitting me.
This man almost killed my woman.
Liam glanced at the entryway to her room before he turned back to me. “How is she?”
How could he ask me that after what he did to her? “Your bullet pierced her stomach, liver, and kidney. How do you think she’s doing?”
At least he had the humility to look devastated. He wasn’t the aggressive serial killer anymore. Now he was just a heartbroken man. “Tell me she’s going to be okay.”
“I don’t have to tell you a damn thing.”
He didn’t have the same blood lust anymore. His murderous desire had been tamed by the tragedy. Otherwise, he would probably choke me on the spot. “Then step aside.”
“No.” He would never be in the same room with her again. “You aren’t her husband. You aren’t her friend. You’re the man who broke in to my fucking house and tried to kill me—and instead, nearly killed her. Get the fuck out of here.” The stakes were high now that I was no longer restrained. I didn’t have to fight with one arm tied behind my back. I could kill him the second the perfect opportunity arose. I wanted to fight him, just not near her, not in a hospital with innocent bystanders.
Liam stared at me for minutes, the tension rising like smoke from a fire. He was bigger than me, but he knew that wasn’t everything. I was quicker, smarter, better than him in every way but size.
“Leave. Before I kill you.”
His eyes narrowed on my face.
“She gave me her approval. Give me any reason to do it, and I will. Come near us again, and I’ll slit your throat.” I spoke quietly so the passing nurses and doctors couldn’t hear the threats leave my lips. “The situation has changed. You aren’t fighting a man who will spare your life. Now you’re up against a monster that will tear you to pieces without mercy.”
He had the audacity to look hurt, as if that was a blow he never expected to receive, like Annabella would still protect him even though he’d fucking shot her. Pain was etched into his
expression, and he even looked weak once he heard the truth. “It was an accident. I’d rather kill myself then let anything happen to her. She knows that.”
“But you tried to kill me. And in case it wasn’t obvious, she jumped in front of the bullet to save my life, not yours. She loves me, will do anything for me, and I’m the man in her life now. Not you.”
I didn’t mention what happened with Liam to Annabella. When we got home, I would tell her, but I didn’t want her to get upset while still in a hospital bed.
Now she was asleep, taking her midmorning nap after her dose of painkillers. It was too bright in the room for me to sleep, so I continued to stare at her, to keep an eye on her even though she would be alright.
A nurse walked inside, a blonde I’d never seen before. “She must be excited to go home.”
“Yeah.” I was even more excited. “She’s been here long enough.”
She checked all the vitals and made notes in her computer before she walked around to my side of the bed. Nurses never came to this side because all of their equipment was placed on the other side, so it was odd.
I grew suspicious.
She walked behind my chair and grabbed the curtains. “It’s awfully bright in here.”
“Yeah.” Now that I understood her intentions, I relaxed. “But she likes the…”
I suddenly felt a needle slide into my neck and the liquid pump into my flesh. My instinct was to turn around and fight, but I was quickly overcome by whatever was just injected into my body. It was either a sedative or poison, and the world started to spin until my body slumped in the chair. I saw the nurse cross my vision and approach Annabella, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was a powerful dose, more potent than normal because I usually was immune to those kinds of drugs. I wanted to scream, but I was already falling into slumber. My thoughts were incoherent, but I managed to deduce one thing before I went under.
Liam did this.
Sixteen
Annabella
When I woke up, I noticed my surroundings. The large windows weren’t to my left like they’d been last time I was awake. Sunshine didn’t stretch across the room. Now the curtains were closed, and I was in deep shadow. There was no medical equipment near my bed, no blood pressure cuff on my arm. I wasn’t in the hospital at all.
I was in a bedroom I’d never seen before.
Had Damien taken me home? If he had, why wasn’t I in his bedroom? Why was I moved when I was unconscious in the first place?
Why was there this fear in the pit of my stomach?
I looked around and saw the drapes covering the windows. The bed I slept on had a gold comforter. There was a vase of flowers on the nightstand and a few paintings on the walls.
Where was I?
Had Damien taken me to a new location so Liam couldn’t find me?
I got out of bed and opened the curtains. Sunlight splashed into the bedroom, and the view of the Tuscan hillside was gorgeous. Vineyards were visible in the distance, the grape leaves crisp and bright as they were blanketed in sunlight. It was a beautiful summer day, and for a second, I forgot everything that had happened to me.
Then the view started to look familiar…as if I’d been there before.
I turned around and left the bedroom. I was in a shirt and sweatpants, clothing I didn’t recognize. Someone must’ve put it on me because I’d been in a gown for days. Once I entered the hallway, I stilled.
I knew this place.
I kept walking until I reached the end of the hallway. The narrow staircase was there, leading to the first floor. It’d been so many years since I’d been there that it took a while for me to notice the details. It was a small cottage in the Tuscan hillside, hidden well from the road because of the hills around it.
My heart started to slam in my chest. My mind understood I was in immediate danger. Instead of waking up in my home, I quickly realized I had been kidnapped.
By my ex-husband.
I was so weak from my injuries that I couldn’t fight back. Even at full health, I was no match for a monster like him. There was a lamp on the nearby table, so I grabbed the cord and tugged it from the wall before I picked it up. Now I was prepared to kill this man for what he’d done to me. He took me out of the hospital bed and hid me away where no one would find me.
Killing him was my only chance.
Why hadn’t I listened to Damien? Why hadn’t I let him kill Liam in the first place?
This was a cruel way to repay my mercy.
I crept down the stairs quietly because I could definitely hear the sound of the TV. The place was small, a summer home we used to get away from the crowds of tourists. I held on to the banister as I made my way down, the adrenaline masking the pain I felt in my stomach. I shouldn’t be creeping around in stealth mode to kill a man several times my size.
But I wasn’t going to lose Damien like this.
Unless he was already dead…
When I made it to the ground floor, I looked around for any sign of Liam. I kept heading for the living room, following the sound of the TV. When I rounded the corner, I noticed him standing in the kitchen. He was making dinner…like we’d gone back in time.
I crept up behind him so quietly and grabbed the lamp with steady hands as I prepared to slam it down on his head. He would be knocked out, potentially dead, and I could find the car keys to get out of there. I’d even go on foot if I had to.
My feet were so silent against the tile, and I didn’t breathe a single breath because I didn’t want to give away my position.
He stirred the contents of the skillet, his bare back muscular and strong. He was in just sweatpants, oblivious to my intent right behind him. “Good. You’re awake.” He turned off the burner before he faced me.
I quickly stepped back, the lamp still in my hands.
He didn’t seem the least bit surprised. “I have your medication here.” He walked to the other counter and grabbed the meds from a bag. There were several bottles, all labeled. He must’ve gotten them when he took me from the hospital, but since he’d kidnapped me, I wasn’t sure how he’d orchestrated that. “You should put that down.” He nodded to the lamp. “It’s heavy, and I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Since my only advantage was the element of surprise, I lowered it to the kitchen island. There was no way I could come at him now and possibly win. And if I really engaged in a physical battle, not only would I lose, but it would probably rip my incision.
He watched me from across the room. “You hungry?”
Floored by the question, all I could do was stare. “Am I hungry?” Did he seriously just ask me that? “Am I fucking hungry? Is that a joke?”
He grabbed one bottle of pills and read the label. “You’re supposed to take most of these on a full stomach, so yeah, it’s not a joke.”
My frustration built until I broke like an overflowing dam. My hands went into my hair and dug the strands from my scalp because I was overwhelmed by this reality. This was a man I could never get away from. Death was really the only solution. “What the fuck, Liam? What the fuck did you do?”
He stayed calm, trying to convince me this was normal when it was anything but. The doctor said you were free to go. I decided to bring you home and take care of you.”
“Exactly. You decided. What the fuck is wrong with you?” I threw my arms down and knocked over all the dishes sitting on the table in front of me. They crashed to the floor in pieces.
He watched my movements without reacting, as if he expected me to behave this way.
“Where’s Damien?” If Liam had killed him, I really would hang myself and take my own life. I couldn’t live with the guilt of what my stupidity had caused. I already hated myself for ever loving Liam at any point in time, for being faithful to somebody who never deserved my loyalty.
He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “Alive.”
My hand moved across my chest, and I bowed my head as relief released t
he pain in my heart. “Oh, thank god.”
Liam wore his best poker face as he stared at me.
“Let me go.”
He moved to the cabinet and pulled out a new set of plates.
“Liam.”
He scooped the food onto the plates and ignored me.
“You can’t keep me here. What do you think that’s going to achieve? I don’t love you anymore, and now my indifference is quickly turning to hatred. The only way you’re going to have me is if you force me. And if you do that…you’ll definitely never get what you want.” I couldn’t imagine Liam doing something like that, but then I realized I couldn’t imagine him kidnapping me either…and that happened. I had been blinded by his handsome and charming ways. He’d been a monster the whole time—I just never noticed.
He turned around and set the food down. “You said you would give me another chance. So that’s what we’ll work on.”
“I only said that so you wouldn’t shoot Damien. And you did anyway…then missed.”
He finally showed his shame by looking away and closing his eyes. He gripped the edge of the table and turned quiet, accepting the loathing that accompanied the consequences of his actions. “You know that was an accident. You know I would never hurt you.”
“You tried to kill the man I love. That was no accident…and I’ll never forgive you.” My eyes started to water because I was so hurt by his betrayal. I’d asked Damien to let live Liam live, and he did. But when I asked Liam the same thing, the man I was married to, he refused. It hurt. Bad. “You can lock me up here for fifty years, and I’ll still despise you. There’s nothing you can do to make me fall in love with you ever again. I will try to escape. And if I can’t, I’ll try to kill you.”
He lifted his gaze and looked at me again.
“Damien will find me. And when he does, he’s going to kill you. Don’t expect me to stop him.”
With his hands on the edge of the table, his eyes shifted back and forth as he absorbed what I said, as he processed all the threats I’d just thrown at him. “If you don’t want me to kill him first, I suggest you be cooperative.”