CHAPTER XXX
“ A m I being released?” I asked the nurse.
“Yes,” she replied. “The doctor believes you’ve made significant progress. It’s time to continue your recovery in the comfort of your own home.”
Home. I didn’t even know where that was anymore.
I nodded, absorbing her instructions. “Got it,” I replied.
“Be sure to follow up with your primary doctor in one week,” she continued, her tone turning serious. “If you notice anything unusual like increased pain, bleeding, fever, or swelling, go to the hospital immediately.”
“Okay, I will. Thank you.”
She smiled. “Just take it one day at a time. Your body and mind have been through a lot. Continuing to see your therapist is important. There are great support groups for trauma survivors.”
She was only trying to help, but the thought of revisiting those memories felt suffocating. I wanted to move forward, not dwell on what had happened.
“Thank you,” I said, forcing a smile.
She patted my shoulder and grabbed the wheelchair. “Okay, in you go.”
“I’ll take it from here,” Nico interrupted her, sending a jolt through me.
He was so deliciously mouthwatering with the way his open black peacoat draped down to his knees.
Leave it to Nico to make a peacoat work to his advantage.
His abdominal muscles rippled beneath his shirt, which was casually half-unbuttoned, revealing his ink and a gleaming silver necklace that caught the light.
The nurse and Nico talked to each other, but I couldn’t quite hear because my eyes were locked on him.
I hated that he still made me weak in the knees, how just the sight of his smile sent tingles racing through me, especially between my legs. But I also resented him for the pain he had caused, for the scars that still lingered, both physical and emotional.
“Gigi.” Nico’s voice snapped me out of my trance.
“Huh?”
He grinned that familiar melt-your-panties smile. “You ready to go?”
“Yes.” I exhaled sharply, trying to regain my composure.
I buttoned my coat and eased myself into the wheelchair, careful not to aggravate the still tender wounds on my back. He bent down, adjusting the footrests and unlocking the brakes with a practiced ease.
“Do you have everything you need?” he asked as he began to push me out of the room.
“Um, yeah.”
He wheeled me down the hall, past the muted colors of the hospital walls, until we reached the elevator that would take us to the ground floor. Once outside, he locked the brakes and extended his hand toward me.
I dodged his gesture, choosing to walk past him instead. His chuckle was like a burst of light chasing away the shadows and flooding me with happiness.
Damn him.
Miguel offered me a welcoming smile as he opened the back door of a black sedan with tinted windows waiting by the curb.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Of course. Glad to see you again,” he replied as I climbed into the car, sinking into the soft leather seats. The door clicked shut, sealing off the city noise.
Nico slid in beside me, and the intoxicating scent of his spicy cologne filled the confined space.
“Seatbelt,” he grumbled, a hint of authority lacing his tone.
I shot him a sideways glare. “I’m not a child,” I retorted, begrudgingly fastening the strap across my chest.
Miguel settled into the driver’s seat and pulled away from the curb, merging onto the street. I sighed, a wave of relief washing over me as I realized I was finally free.
Three months. It felt surreal. Before I was taken, leaves had swirled from the branches, painting the ground in autumn hues. And now? Snow blanketed the city as if the world had moved forward without me.
I stared out the window, watching as the scenery blurred, the city streets and snow-covered trees melding into a watercolor of grays and whites.
I could feel Nico’s gaze on me, silently begging me to acknowledge him.
Still, I avoided him and kept my eyes out the window, refusing to confront the emotions dancing within that only he could evoke.
NICO
She hated me.
She loved me, but she hated that she did.
Gigi continued to gaze pensively out the window as we approached the wrought-iron gate of my home.
Through the reflection of the glass, I caught a glimpse of her expression, locking eyes with her until she finally diverted her gaze.
Regardless of how much she despised me, our souls were linked.
We were bound together, whether she wanted that connection or not.
“Oh, my god,” Gigi whispered as she stared at the house. “It’s like nothing ever happened.”
The damage wasn’t as devastating as it had been on the day it occurred.
The men I hired worked tirelessly, restoring the front entrance in a single day.
Inside, however, it took longer to piece everything back together, including the gaping hole in the basement and the bullet holes that marred the walls and windows.
“Wait, what are we doing here?” she asked sharply as if she just now realized we were at my home. Our home.
Miguel turned off the ignition and stepped out, giving us privacy.
“You’re staying with me,” I told her simply.
She turned her gaze to me. “The fuck I am.”
“Watch it!” I snapped.
“Fuck you, Nico.” She crossed her arms across her chest. “There’s no way in hell I’m staying here.”
“You don’t get to make that decision.”
“Where the hell do you get off?” she shot back. “You don’t get to dictate my life anymore.”
I sighed. “Don’t make me carry you out of this car.”
She let out a mechanical laugh. “You are unfreaking believable. After everything that’s happened, you actually believe I want to be here with you?”
“You got in the car, didn’t you?” I smirked.
She didn’t respond, and I knew it was because she knew a part of her soul still called to me, just like my soul called out to her.
“If it makes you feel better, Tabi and Tristan have been staying here,” I said.
She turned to me, surprise flickering across her features. “Really?”
I nodded, watching for her reaction. “And your father and aunt decided to stay at one of my properties downtown.”
He was going to kill me when he found out I hadn’t told him his daughter was being released today.
I knew he had several conference calls back home, so it was a perfect cover to distract him.
But I needed this time with her. To remind her how much I loved her, how deeply I regretted every moment that led us here.
I wanted to show her that I was willing to do whatever it took to earn her trust and be the man she deserved.
She nodded slowly, a half-smile breaking through the tension. I had known that Tabi and Tristan being here would make her reconsider.
I took that as a win.
Miguel opened her door just as I opened mine. As I rounded the car, I held my hand out for her, but she dismissed me and tried shutting the door. I quickly caught it from closing. “Don’t piss me off,” I warned her.
“Then let me the fuck go,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Would you stop saying fuck? It’s so unbecoming of my queen.”
She scoffed. “I will never be your queen.”
I leaned down and grabbed her chin. She tried to swat my hand away but failed. “You will be my queen, Gigi, even if I have to lock you up and make you submit to me. Now stop acting like a brat and get your ass out of the car.”
She yanked her chin out of my grasp and grabbed her bag.
“Move,” she snapped.
I stepped back and held my hand out again, but she smacked it away. I clenched my jaw and breathed through my nose, holding back from strangling her.
As soon as she stepped out of the car, I placed my hand on the small of her back. She didn’t flinch or push me away, another small win.
Lo opened the front door as we approached it, a hesitant smile creeping onto his face. “Hey,” he said softly. “It’s good to see you.”
“Thanks,” Gigi muttered.
I sensed she hadn’t fully forgiven the guys yet, but her tone held no animosity.
Lo shot me a sympathetic look, but I brushed it off, confident that her coldness against them wouldn’t last long.
“You’re here!” Tabi squealed, enveloping Gigi in an exuberant hug.
“Yeah, unfortunately,” she mumbled.
Tristan and Aurelio rushed in, wrapping themselves around her legs, vying for her attention with gleeful shouts. Mya approached with a cautious but warm smile, embracing Gigi as well. Demon soon came trotting in and stuck by her side.
Damn dog even got some attention and love from her.
“How is she?” Lo asked as he stood beside me.
“Better than I expected,” I replied.
“In other words, she still hates you?” he asked, a teasing smirk playing on his lips.
I couldn’t help but grin. “Not for long.”
He didn’t seem convinced but gave me a supportive pat on the back.
I made my way back to Gigi, lowering my voice slightly. “How about you get settled?”
She nodded, her smiles reserved for the girls, a clear wall still standing between us.
“Where am I sleeping?” she asked cautiously.
“My room,” I replied, knowing full well how it would end.
She shook her head vehemently. “No.”
“It’s not up for debate,” I said, leaning in to whisper in her ear. I didn’t miss how her body shuddered when my breath tickled her skin.
She glared at me. “I didn’t realize you were giving me an option,” she shot back.
I arched my brow at her. “You want to make a scene? Because if you are, I’m game. I have no problem spanking your ass in front of everyone.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes blazing. She was pissed, and I could see her restraint was hanging by a thread.
I was starting to love this 2.0 version of her.
Without a word, she stomped up the stairs with Demon beside her, and I couldn’t help but smirk as I followed, appreciating the view.
Her ass looked amazing in those leggings.
They hugged her curves perfectly, and the way her hips swayed was taunting me.
I wanted to reach out and grab a handful of her ass, but I held back.