BIANCA
Istared at Levin while he slept. The monitor beeped a slow and steady sound. He had an IV in his arm, and his face was pale. After Dominic let me go to Fallon, we’d kissed and I’d cuddled with him in his chair while he, Vincent, and Dominic went through a list of things we had to do, including Fallon remaining within the lords. I’d fallen asleep at some point in Fallon’s lap. I’d woken up in Dominic’s bed with the sun shining in on me in me. I immediately went downstairs to check on Levin’s status.
Vincent had said Levin had only woke long enough to groan before they gave him more pain medication.
I took Levin’s large hand in mine and held it. I dragged my fingertips along the tattoos on his fingers, wishing he’d wake up and feel better. He’d taken a bullet for me. Had nearly died for me. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was everything.
I had no way of knowing because he was unconscious.
“Still sleeping?” Vincent called out as he came into the room hours later.
I looked up and smiled. “Yeah. He groaned a few times, but that was it.”
He pushed off the doorway and stepped over to me, resting his hand on my shoulder. “Celeste keeps calling. Dom got pissed and told her to stop. That Levin was busy.”
I let out a soft, sad laugh. “Busy trying to stay alive.”
“He’s going to be OK. He’s been shot before, you know.”
“Really?” I gaped at Vincent.
“Yeah. Once in the shoulder last year.” He pointed to a barely visible scar beneath one of Levin’s dark tattoos.
I swallowed, hating this was their life.
"He saved me. A man came into the room and pointed his gun at me. Levin shoved me to the floor and took the bullet. I might be dead right now if it weren’t for him.”
“He cares about you,” Vincent murmured.
“He has a girlfriend.”
“He does.” He gave my shoulder a squeeze. “You need to eat something. Dominic is making dinner. Let’s let Levin rest.”
I nodded and got up, gazing at Levin one more time before I pressed a kiss to his hand and let him go. Vincent led me out of the room and into the kitchen. Natalia was seated on a barstool, her gaze focused on a window where a squirrel was gathering for the upcoming winter. Fallon sat beside her on his phone, sending a text to who I assumed had to be Hail.
And Dominic was stirring sauce on the stove. Delicious smells permeated the place.
“He’s making spaghetti,” Vincent said as he ushered me to the table and pulled a chair out for me.
I sat, watching Dominic in his red apron, his black-framed glasses on his face, and his dark hair a mess. In that moment, he didn’t look like a scary mob prince. He liked like a beautiful, sweet man, who was simply making dinner.
He glanced up at me and offered me the smallest of smiles before he went back to stirring.
“He cooks when he’s stressed. Or he shoots stuff. Weird, huh?” Vincent said, settling beside me. “Never an in-between.”
“I’ll say,” I said softly.
Natalia peeked over at me and winced. She looked how I felt. Uncomfortable. Upset. Worried. I’d witnessed her do something I was pretty certain she’d never do without a gun pushed to her head. I didn’t blame her at all and had zero animosity toward her. I just hoped she didn’t resent me because of Dominic’s decision to protect me and hurt her to do it.
When one considered it, it was probably the best option, despite it being so messed up. They would’ve killed her. I knew they would have.
I gave her a small, reassuring smile. Her lips twitched in my direction like she wanted to grin, but her eyes were glassy.
We weren’t there yet. It was OK. Someday.
Dominic slid a plate of pasta at me before giving one to Vincent. I watched as he doled more out onto plates for Fallon and Natalia. When he handed Natalia hers, he gave her hand a squeeze. She stared up at him and gave him a slight nod.
I supposed it was his way of telling her everything that happened at his father’s wasn’t a reflection of who he was. He went to the counter and grabbed two large bowls of salad and two baskets of bread. He placed one of each in front of Fallon and Vincent before he finally filled the wine glasses and settled in beside me at the table.
“This smells delicious,” I said to him. “I had no idea you could cook like this.”
“I’m a man of many talents,” he answered, reaching out and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Eat, mia regina. You need your strength.”
“Yeah, B. This shit is banging. Dom would’ve made a good chef if he didn’t enjoy killing people,” Vincent said around a mouthful of bread.
Dominic shook his head, and I smirked, almost feeling normal, even though everything in our lives suggested nothing was normal or good or safe. But we could pretend, even if only for a night.
I caught Fallon’s eye, and he winked at me.
It was a playful wink, filled with his happiness. At least one good thing had come out of all of this. Fallon was one of us now.