“I’m never letting you go,” he whispers, kissing my throat, and that’s when I feel it. Cold metal on my skin. I look down and see a beautiful princess-cut diamond ring on my finger. “Forever, Ivy.”
I gasp and kiss him, which leads to Niccolò pinning my back onto the counter, dominating my body again.
It takes another twenty minutes before we come down and actually leave the kitchen after disinfecting it. Damn, that’s a violation of so many rules of business, but I can’t be blamed because I’m marrying a criminal. I don’t even know when I said yes or that he asked; still, it’s what I want.
As soon as we step out onto the sidewalk, gunshots ring out.
“Holy shit,” I scream. Niccolò tucks me under his arm and pushes me into the backseat, and then I hear heavy footfalls of someone running our way. It’s over in a minute, but my heart’s slamming out of my chest. The back door flies open and I’m about to kick whoever it is, but it’s Niccolò.
“Drive, Tony.”
“Dom. We were just shot at outside the café. Yeah. Okay. Estate. Yep. Doc, please.” My eyes roam over him and see there’s a red stain on his shoulder area. The spot that protected my head. Fuck me.
“You’re bleeding,” I sob, taking off my jacket and pressing it to the wound.
“I’ll be okay,” he grunts, the color leaving his handsome face. Even though he remains calm, panic fills me.
“Boss, we’re on our way,” Tony shouts so that Dom can hear.
“We need a hospital.”
“No, we don’t. He’ll be fine.” I look at Niccolò and don’t believe it. My heart’s pounding out of control. This can’t be happening right now. He wraps his uninjured arm around me, lifting me onto his lap.
“Oh my goodness. Who would do this? What if someone was near the café?”
“They weren’t. I don’t know the damage, but I reinforced all the windows with bulletproof glass behind the original glass. We’ll deal with it later.”
I think I’m going to faint. “Calm down, Ivy. I will not let anyone hurt you.” He presses my head to his chest. I breathe him in, and peace fills me. I relax enough to brush my lips against his throat.
Something in me goes nuts at the thought of losing him. I need him to be well. “Don’t leave me, Niccolò.”
“Never, Sugar.”
Chapter Nine
Niccolò
The pain meds are starting to wear off as I wake up. My head’s a little fuzzy, but I know who did this to me and they’ll pay with their life. As I open my eyes I hear the soft whimpers of my woman who’s resting beside me.
My arm’s bandaged from the wound and the immediate surgery I received inside Dom’s estate. It’s the first time that I’ve been shot, but it’s only because I had something worth protecting. Normally, I’m being pulled away and protected when gunfire opens up around us.
My blood turns to ice knowing that Ivy was in danger today. She would have been dead if the bullet got past my shoulder, and I’ll forever be grateful that I was in the way. There’s no way I could ever go on a day without her.
She’s everything to me, and I can’t lose her.
Of all the people willing to shoot at me, I never expected that weasel of a stepfather of hers. He looked me in the eyes as he pulled the trigger acting like a big shot. Stupid piece of shit doesn’t understand what’s coming to him. His death will not be easy or fast. In fact, my father and brother will take great pleasure in making it so as soon as they find his rat ass. He got away in a car with one of the Denali family members. I’m sure my brother’s having a field day with that after years of keeping the peace I’m sure he’s ready to lay that family down for good.
“Ivy, please, my sweet girl, don’t cry.” She lifts her head with wide, red-rimmed eyes.
“You’re awake,” she says, lifting herself out of my embrace.
I can see her better like this, but still I hate that she’s not in my arms. I cradle her face with my good hand and brush away the hair that has fallen over her eyes. “Yes, and I hate seeing you upset.”
She takes a deep breath as if she’s calming herself down and then asks, “How are you feeling?”
“Angry, honestly. The pain isn’t that bad.”
A knock on the door pulls our attention, stopping any mention of the actual shooting. “Niccolò, I’m so glad to see you up.”
“Thanks, Dom.” He and I have a lot to discuss and it’s not going to be a simple conversation, but it needs to be had, although I wish he’d given me more time with Ivy before he came up here.
Ivy tries to get off the bed, like she’s embarrassed, but I pull her back down, bringing her back in my arms where I want her.