Chapter 15
15
AURORA POV
The steady beep of the monitor cuts through the hazy darkness, anchoring me to consciousness. Each breath sends a dull ache through my side, a constant reminder of how close I came to death. Sunlight filters through the hospital window, casting a gentle glow across the sterile room. I turn my head, and my breath catches.
Luciano lies in the bed next to mine, his usual power softened by sleep and hospital sheets. Surgical dressings peek out from beneath his gown, and confusion clouds my mind. Why is he here, in a hospital bed beside me?
The last thing I remember is the shooting, his voice calling my name as darkness took me. My fingers drift to my own bandages, trying to piece together what happened in the fragments of time I’ve lost.
Something feels different—beyond the physical pain of my wounds. There’s an odd emptiness in his expression, even in sleep, that makes my heart clench. What happened while I was unconscious?
“Good morning, Ms. Salvatore.” A nurse appears, checking my vitals with practiced efficiency. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I got shot.” My voice comes out raspy. “
“You’re lucky to be alive,” she says, adjusting my IV. “The bullet wound was severe, but it was the kidney failure that nearly...” She trails off, glancing at Luciano’s sleeping form. “When the doctors discovered your kidneys were failing, Mr. Vitale didn’t even hesitate.”
“What do you mean?”
“The doctors strongly advised against him donating, given his recent gunshot wound. Said the surgery could kill him in his weakened state.” She shakes her head. “But he wouldn’t listen. Demanded to be tested for compatibility immediately.”
My throat tightens. “How bad was the risk?”
“Bad enough that three different doctors refused to do the surgery.” She checks my blood pressure, her movements gentle. “He had to sign multiple waivers acknowledging he understood the risks. Dr. Romano said he’d never seen anyone so determined.”
“That sounds like Luciano,” I manage, my voice thick.
“Mr. Vitale insisted on the surgery, despite his own recent injuries. Quite remarkable, really. Perfect match too – almost unheard of for non-relatives.” She smiles softly. “The staff’s all calling you our miracle couple. He shouldn’t have survived the surgery in his condition, but somehow... love finds a way, I suppose.”
Non-relatives. Perfect match. The implications swirl in my foggy mind as I watch Luciano’s chest rise and fall.
“He’s been asking about you,” the nurse continues softly. “Every time he wakes up. The doctors had to threaten to sedate him to keep him in bed.”
A laugh bubbles up, turning into a wince. “That sounds like him.”
“I’ll let you rest.” She pauses at the door, her expression softening. “You know, in all my years of nursing, I’ve never seen someone risk their life like that for another person. Whatever’s between you two... it’s something special.”
Once we’re alone, I study his face in the morning light. Without his usual mask of self-discipline, he looks younger, almost vulnerable. Dark circles shadow his eyes, and his jaw shows several days of stubble. But he’s alive. We both are.
“Stop staring, Principessa .” His voice, rough with sleep, makes me jump. “It’s creepy.”
“Says the man who literally gave me a kidney.” I reach for his hand, ignoring the pull of tubes and wires. “Why didn’t you listen to the doctors about the risks?”
His fingers intertwine with mine, his thumb tracing the delicate lines of my palm. “A thousand surgeries, a thousand bullets, a thousand risks—I’d face them all again just to see you breathing beside me.” His voice drops to a whisper that sends shivers down my spine. “You’re worth every scar, Aurora. Every pain. Every sacrifice.”
“Luciano—” My voice catches as tears threaten to fall.
“Don’t.” He turns to face me, and despite the wince of pain, his dark eyes burn with an intensity that steals my breath. His hand tightens on mine. “Don’t make me explain why I couldn’t let you die. Why I’d tear myself apart to keep your heart beating.” His voice roughens. “Because the truth is, Principessa , a world without you in it isn’t one I’m willing to live in.”
“You gave me your kidney while recovering from a gunshot wound.” I squeeze his hand.
He’s quiet for a moment, his eyes distant. “I couldn’t lose you too. Not like—“ He breaks off, but I hear the unspoken name. Maria.
“Hey.” I tug his hand until he looks at me. “You didn’t lose me. And what happened to Maria wasn’t your fault.”
“Wasn’t it?” His laugh is bitter. “I was supposed to protect her. Just like I was supposed to protect you, and look how that turned out.”
“I’m not Maria.” The words come out fiercer than intended. “And I don’t need protection. I need a partner.”
His eyes search mine, something vulnerable flickering in their depths. “Aurora?—”
The door creaks open, and a small voice fills the room. “ Papá ! Aurora!”
Luca bursts in, his nanny following with an apologetic smile. He climbs onto Luciano’s bed with careful excitement, his eyes wide as he takes in all the medical equipment.
“Careful, piccolo .” Luciano’s voice softens as he helps Luca settle beside him. “We’re both a little sore.”
“ Papà said you were sick, but you’re going to be okay now because he gave you a special gift.” Luca’s face scrunches in confusion. “Does that mean you’re sharing parts now?”
“That’s right, tesoro . Something like that” I smile, watching Luciano’s face soften as he looks at his son.
Luca fidgets with the blanket. “Does this mean... are you going to be my new Mamma?”
The room goes still. Rosetta busies herself with the food, but I catch her small smile.
“Luca—” Luciano starts, his voice strained, but I squeeze his hand.
“I’m not trying to replace your Mamma,” I tell Luca gently. “She’ll always be special and important. But I do love you and your Papà very much.”
Luciano’s grip on my hand tightens almost painfully.
“Good,” Luca declares. “Because I love you too—you make us happy. And Papà smiles more now.”
“I’d like to be part of your family,” I tell him honestly. “If that’s okay with you.”
His whole face lights up. “Really? Papá , did you hear that?”
“I heard, piccolo .” Luciano’s voice is rough with emotion. “Why don’t you show Aurora your new drawing while I talk to your nanny?”
As Luca chatters about his artwork, I watch Luciano have a quiet conversation with Rosetta. His movements are stiff, but there’s a new lightness to him I’ve never seen before.
After they leave, silence settles over us like a warm blanket. “Luciano?” I wait until he meets my gaze. “About what I said before—about wanting you to kill Alessandro...”
“Aurora—”
“No, let me finish.” I shift carefully to face him better. “I was wrong. Revenge isn’t worth your soul.”
His expression softens. “My soul isn’t exactly pristine, Principessa .”
“Maybe not. But there’s a difference between protecting family and cold-blooded murder.” I reach for his hand again. “I won’t ask you to cross that line. Not for me.”
“I was wrong to tell you to kill him. He’s your brother, and no matter what he’s done...” I swallow hard. “I understand now, after everything with my own brothers. Some lines, once crossed, you can’t come back from. And I don’t want that for you.”
“He nearly killed you.”
“And you saved me.” I lean across my bed as far as I can to touch his face, making him look at me. “Not because you had to, or because of duty or protection or any of the walls we’ve built between us. You saved me because you love me. That’s enough.”
“Is it?” His eyes search mine. The hospital machinery beeps steadily in the background as he seems to wage an internal battle. Finally, he speaks, his voice coming out raw. “During a raid on the Rossi compound, Alessandro came to me with proof that Maria was feeding information to our enemies. Security footage, phone records, bank transfers. All pointing to her being a double agent.”
His hand grips mine tighter. “I refused to believe it. Demanded time to investigate myself. But Alessandro insisted we had to act immediately—said she was about to expose our entire operation. He wanted me to... to handle it. To prove my loyalty to the family over my marriage.”
“I chose duty. Told Alessandro I’d confront her that night. But when I arrived at the compound...” His voice breaks. “I was too late. He’d already taken matters into his own hands. Made it look like a rival hit.”
“For five years I carried the guilt of choosing to investigate her rather than trust her. Of putting family loyalty above blind faith in my wife. But Alessandro...” His voice hardens. “He orchestrated everything. Fed me false evidence. Made me doubt her just long enough for him to act. He wanted me to live with choosing duty over love—even though the choice itself was based on his lies.”
His eyes search mine. “After everything with Maria... I couldn’t protect her. And now?—“
“Stop.” I press my finger to his lips. “I’m not Maria. And I’m not choosing you because I need protection. I’m choosing you because I love you—all of you. The consigliere, the father, the man who reads stories to his son and drinks expensive scotch and looks at me like I’m something precious and dangerous all at once.”
A sound catches in his throat, something between a laugh and a sob. “You are precious and dangerous.” His forehead rests against mine. “You’ve completely destroyed me, you know that?”
“Good.” I smile. “Maybe now you’ll believe me when I say no more lone wolf protector act.”
The emotion that crosses his face steals my breath. He brings our joined hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to my knuckles that feels like a prayer.
“ Ti amo ,” he whispers against my skin.
“I know.” I smile, then turn serious.
The door opens, and any further words die in my throat. Dominic stands there, Enzo and Marco flanking him. For a moment, we’re all frozen—the weight of bullets, betrayal, and broken trust hanging between us.
My stomach knots as Dominic’s jaw tightens. “Luciano, there’s something we need to discuss. I don’t want to cast any suspicion on you after what you’ve done for our sister. But there’s the matter of a certain photo I received. You meeting with a Rossi lieutenant, handing over money… I need an explanation for this.”
“That was for information about Alessandro.” Luciano’s voice roughens with pain as he tries to sit up. My heart clenches at his obvious discomfort. “My old contact, Riccio. The one who used to work for us before joining the Rossis. He owed me from the Martinez operation.”
Dominic stills. “Riccio? Why didn’t you?—“
“Come to you?” Luciano laughs bitterly, and I feel his tension radiating through the bed. “Because you’d want to handle it through proper channels. And Alessandro was watching her, Dom. Learning her routines, studying her movements. I couldn’t risk waiting while we played by the rules.”
“So you risked looking like a traitor instead?” The accusation in Dominic’s voice wavers, and I see the moment understanding begins to dawn.
Luciano’s hand finds mine as he meets my brother’s eyes. “I’d risk everything to keep her safe. Even your trust. Even my life.”
Understanding transforms Dominic’s expression. “The money in the photo... it was payment for intel about Alessandro’s whereabouts.”
“Which he probably arranged for you to see.” Exhaustion weighs heavy in Luciano’s voice. “Another piece in his game to turn us against each other. And I played right into it by not trusting you with the truth.”
The weight of realization settles over Dominic. He sinks into the chair beside the bed, guilt etching new lines around his mouth. “I shot you,” he says quietly. “My own brother, and I didn’t even give you a chance to defend yourself.”
“You were protecting your sister.” Luciano’s voice softens. “Just like I was.”
Dominic moves first, his usual commanding presence cracking as he approaches my bed.
“ Sorellina ...” His voice breaks on the endearment. “I almost lost you. We almost—” He stops, jaw clenching.
“What our idiota brother is trying to say,” Enzo cuts in, his eyes suspiciously bright, “is that we’re sorry. For everything.”
Marco simply takes my other hand and squeezes it. The gesture speaks volumes.
“You’re our heart, Aurora,” Dominic finally manages. “And we nearly destroyed everything trying to protect it.”
I feel Luciano’s grip tighten on my hand as tears blur my vision. “We’re family,” I whisper. “We break, we heal, we protect each other. Even when we’re being stubborn idiots about it.”
A ghost of a smile touches Dominic’s lips, softening his usually stern features. In this moment, surrounded by my brothers and the man I love, I feel the broken pieces of our family slowly mending. It’s not perfect—nothing in our world ever is—but it’s ours. And for now, that’s enough.
Through the window, sunlight bathes the room in warmth, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I let myself believe in the possibility of tomorrow. Of healing. Of love. Of family.