Chapter 29Anna
Chapter Twenty-Nine
ANNA
Ari’s chest rose and fell evenly. A hospital was where he’d belonged after he was ambushed. This time, he was given no choice. A hospital gown draped across his middle and his legs were tangled in the sheets. Since arriving, he had been asleep.
When I’d first woken up, I was still in my torn wedding dress, and nothing less than an industrial scrub down would have worked to get all the ick off of me. I never thought I’d say it but thank God for Thea. When she’d shown up with comfortable sweats and shoes, I’d never been happier to see her. That wasn’t even a mild joke. I hugged her. I didn’t even wait for permission. I bawled like a baby while I did it. And she let me. That was an act of kindness I’d never forget.
She was the one who told me Ari had passed out on his way to the hospital. He’d tried to play it off, but I’d known. I’d heard the sickening crunch when my father hit him. I’d also learned from her that Lucas had made a sizable donation to the hospital, and we were currently the only people on the floor of this wing. I didn’t ask how sizable it was. I appreciated the fact that he’d been kind enough to do that.
Once I was done cleaning up, I checked on Ari first, found him asleep, and then went in search of news about my brother. Last I’d checked, Jason was still in recovery after surgery. He’d torn a muscle in his shoulder, and it needed repair. He would be okay, but he’d be in a considerable amount of pain for a while, and months of physical therapy was in his future.
Cora was a wreck. She’d said she wasn’t in love with him, but her actions said otherwise. With all that was going on, I wondered if Jason knew. If he cared for her the same way or if he’d pushed her away much like he pushed me away. Maybe now that our father was gone, Jason would be free. He could rid the family of those sick enough to follow Papa.
There was a chance I was still in shock. I hadn’t had the opportunity to miss him yet, and I wasn’t sure how I’d react when it finally happened. It would. I knew it would because that was human nature. We want and don’t want at the same time and get frustrated when we’re doing one or the other when we think we aren’t supposed to. Emotions and feelings were never easy to begin with, and adding a layer of dysfunction didn’t help.
A quick jerk from Ari had me crawling into bed next to him. I didn’t want to hurt him, but if he continued thrashing, he’d hurt himself even worse. I’d noticed those first few nights after being with him that he didn’t find restful sleep, unless he was holding me. It made me wonder if I was the tether he needed to remind himself that the bad thing was over. It was a guess, but either way, I loved that he slept soundly when I was in his embrace.
I kissed his cheek and lightly skated the back of my hand along his bruised jaw. He’d never looked more beautiful to me. I loved him. I loved him with all of my heart and soul.
“Hey,” he murmured. “Hibiscus and vanilla.” His eyes opened.
“Hospital generic.” I smiled.
“That scent seems to cling to you. I think your pores are infused with it.”
I combed my fingers through that thick dark mane of his. “How are you feeling? Other than beaten.”
“A little sore.”
A little? “Right.”
He took a big breath. “I hate hospitals.” He pulled the heart monitor plug from the outlet and yanked the finger cuff off. “I feel like I have lead weights covering me.”
“They gave you something for pain.” I carefully reached across the bed to the table sitting next to it and grabbed the cup filled with water. “Here, you need some water.”
He greedily drank it and three more before he pushed it away. “Thanks.” His sleepy eyes locked onto mine. “So, about the wedding.” He tried to laugh and grunted.
“How about you rest right now, and we talk tomorrow.”
“Will you stay with me?” His eyes slid closed. “Please.”
I cuddled next to him. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“It’s only been a few days, Ari. Relax.” How could someone one level below Grandmaster in Brazilian jujitsu be such a big baby? I’d barely made it into his hospital room when he started complaining. Good grief.
He groaned. “I’m fine.”
“You have broken ribs. Your body has a world map of bruises. That’s not fine.”
“I’ll be fine, okay? I want to go home.”
Shaking my head, I replied, “No. You’re staying as long as you need to stay. Period. End of discussion.” I placed the bags holding our dinner on the table stretching the width of the bed. “Now, behave or I’m going to take this back home and make you eat cafeteria food.”
He held his midsection with one hand while bracing his other against the bed. “What’d you bring? ”
“Lamb chops with roasted asparagus and souvlaki.”
“Fine.” He leaned back, licking his lips.
I found joy in cooking him dinner. He loved it when I cooked, and I loved him. That made it easy. I took out the plate from the warming bag and the steam swirled.
“Oh, that smells good.” He smiled. “How did you get so good at cooking?”
“I told you, I’m good at following directions.”
His lips pinched together. “I was supposed to know by now if that was really true.”
“Hush.” I peeled off the lid, setting it aside. The meat was like warm butter as I sliced the knife through it. I stabbed the piece with the fork and brought it to his mouth. “Tell me what you think,” I said and fed it to him.
Ari’s eyes closed as he chewed. Little moans answered the question. “It’s delicious.” His eyes opened and a dreamy smile formed on his lips. “Thank you.”
I leaned in and pressed my lips to his. “You’re welcome.” I brushed my fingers through his hair. “Tell me the truth. How are you feeling?” I brought my hand to his jaw, gently cupping it. “Do you know what it does to my heart to think you’re in pain?”
“It can hurt to breathe sometimes. If I do too much, and I sit still too long, I’m so sore I can barely get up.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, dropping a kiss behind his ear. “I wish I could mend you. I’d give anything to take your pain.”
His hands slid up my back. “This is why I don’t like telling you. I don’t want to make you upset.”
I sat back, my arms still lightly draped over his shoulders. “Why can’t I be upset over you? You’re my heart on two legs.”
“I don’t feel worthy of it.” His eyes widened like he didn’t mean to say it.
“What makes you feel that? I hope I don’t?—”
“No. It’s my fault Gianna died. I’d been so upset over Lauran that I’d left the States. I was gone too long. She made friends with the wrong crowd and wouldn’t listen. If I’d been here, been a better brother, a better influence, she’d be alive. I let those men go, and they hurt that little girl, Samantha, and others like her. It was my fault she was kidnapped and assaulted.”
Shaking my head, I sighed. “No, Ari. The men who hurt them are the ones who are responsible, and you’ve taken care of them.” I touched my cheek to his. “You are worthy of every tear, every smile, everything that I have or will have.”
“I’m not sure I’ll ever believe that.”
I turned my head a fraction and kissed his neck. “I’ll say it until you do.”
The room had gone still. My heart vibrated in my chest. Slowly, I peeled my cheek from his and leaned back. My face was millimeters from his. Our breath flowed in and out, mixing. I dragged one arm from his shoulder and traced the curve of his lips with my finger.
The last time I kissed him, I knew I had fallen for him. Love was there, right there on the tip of that part of my heart that I’d kept out of reach in case I needed to race away from danger.
I took his free hand and pressed it flat against the spot over my heart. “It beats for you. Tonight. Tomorrow. The next day. The day after that.” I pressed light kisses to his cheeks after each word before placing an open-mouthed kiss on his lips. “Forever. It belongs to you.”
The low, guttural growl coming from his chest tickled my skin. “An?—”
A primal hunger clawed at me, a need for him so raw it scraped against my rib cage. It was a messy thing, this desperate craving pulsing through my veins. My tongue darted out, tracing the curve of his bottom lip. The gasp that escaped him was like a shot of adrenaline, igniting a fire in my core. The second his lips parted, I wasn’t kissing him, I was invading. This wasn’t a stolen moment, it was a hostile takeover. Branding was too tame, too civilized for what I craved. I wanted to etch myself onto him, a permanent reminder that he belonged to me.
The carnal need for him slowly turned into two souls desperately seeking solace in the heat of each other. Our lips and tongues moved together in a languid, sweet waltz. For the moment, I was in a blissful state of satisfaction, but I didn’t think I’d ever truly have my fill of him. When we finally said our vows, I’d spend the rest of eternity chasing after that elusive fullness.
Breaking the kiss, I closed my eyes as I touched my forehead to his, working to regulate my breathing. “I love you. I love you with all my heart and soul.”
He took my face in his hands and pushed me back enough to look at me. “Look me in the eyes and say it again. ”
Our eyes locked. “I love you, Ari. I love you with all of my heart and soul.” I smiled.
“I know the exact moment I fell in love with you.”
“Oh yeah? Deets, please.” I chuckled.
“When you got in the cab.” He kissed my nose. “You own me, sweetheart. I love you.”