16. Tessa
16
TESSA
“ R omeo!”
He slumped to the floor as soon as I wrenched the door open. Without putting his arms out or turning to break into the drop, his body plummeted like a lifeless sack.
“Fuck. Romeo !” I sank to my knees, ignoring the ache of pressing my still-healing wounds to the hard surface. My heart hammered so fast, I felt like I was on the verge of passing out, but that was the very last thing we needed. What good could I be if I was lying on the floor next to him, out of it and unable to achieve any sense of safety?
“Romeo. Please. Romeo, wake up.” I grabbed his arm and tried to roll him over. His right arm and side were soaked in blood, so I didn’t touch him there. But tugging on his left got him to budge a bit. He was big, so heavy even when unconscious, but I strained and pulled until I maneuvered him right side up.
His face was slack and his eyes remained closed. As I grabbed something out of the bags of clothes on the floor, I shook it out for makeshift compression. Nina and Eva likely dropped them off for me to wear, but it was the closest thing at hand to push down on the bloody holes on Romeo’s upper arm.
“Romeo. Wake up.”
Fear gripped me tight as I tried to compress the bleeding. I’d been rooted in terror— again —with today’s episode of hell. When I spotted those two men out the window, about to smash it in, I grabbed the gun, just like Romeo had instructed me to in case trouble came near. I was so skittish that I got the gun out when he left. That was how nervous I was. And it was a good thing that I had.
Those two men showing up scared me, but I had the foresight to get the gun and back up to safety.
Seeing Romeo shoot one was the moment I swore my heart skipped a beat. It palpitated under the stress, but when he shot at the other one and made him scream, I lost the willpower to watch. Hiding behind the couch wasn’t a tall or thick enough wall to block out what was happening. But I stayed there, wishing the gruesome memories away until I heard Romeo call out for me.
“Please, Romeo. Wake up.”
In another rush of being tense and fueled with adrenaline alone, I stared at his face and chest, making sure that he was breathing. He was out cold but capable of respiration. That had to be a good thing, but I could not handle this on my own.
Danicia? She was the first person I thought to call, but I didn’t want to risk scooting away from Romeo long enough to grab my phone.
“Romeo. Please, please wake up.” I blinked at the burn of tears stinging my eyes. Sniffling, I refused to cave to all these emotions swirling within me. I couldn’t be sad or scared. I had to remain strong for him, logical and quick to action. Yet, as I tried to find my phone while pressing the shirt to his wounds, I struggled with the terrible worry that replayed like a pesky news ticker in my mind.
What if he dies? What if he doesn’t wake up? What if he dies!
The buzz of his phone made me flinch. It came from him, vibrating through him, and I removed one bloody hand to grab it out from his pocket.
The caller ID showed Franco’s name, and I answered immediately.
“Franco!”
“Wait. What? Tessa?”
“Help! Come back to the cabin.”
Squealing sounds came from his end. “Why? What happened? Tell me what happened.”
“Romeo was shot. A couple of men tried to break in and he was shot. He shot one. Both. But they were all shot and?—”
“Is anyone still there?” The roar of an engine filled his end, and I hoped that meant he was speeding back here. They hadn’t left that long ago, but I bet my sense of time was all out of whack, skewed by fear. “Are you safe?”
“They’re dead.”
“Who’s dead?” he demanded.
Romeo had yet to flinch. I winced as I leaned on his wounds and prayed he wouldn’t join those other two men. “The men. Romeo was shot, but he’s still breathing.”
“I’m on my way. Stay put.”
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see. “He’s lost a lot of blood.” My voice cracked on the end of that reply, but I cleared my throat, determined to stay as strong and calm as possible. Those men were dead. Franco was rushing to help. As soon as we could get Romeo to the hospital, things had to turn around.
“I’m on my way. Keep your eyes open, Tessa, and look out.”
I nodded again, then let the phone slide down from where I’d tucked it between my shoulder and cheek.
“Please, Romeo. Please, don’t die.” I swallowed hard, my throat thick again as I feared the worst. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, staring at his chest and knowing it was moving. I felt the thump of his heart beat with my pinky pressed on his torso.
“You can’t die,” I begged quietly, knowing how irrational and hysterical I sounded despite the quietness of my voice. I’d scream it if I had the energy, but at the moment, I was putting all my energy and effort into stemming his blood loss and watching for his respiration.
Franco ordered me to look out, but I couldn’t. Not well, at least. With Romeo’s body halfway out the door, I’d have to drag him inside to secure us inside and know that we were safe. Staying put seemed vulnerable, but also not. I had a clear view of the front yard, and as such, I saw the approach of an SUV from a distance as it climbed the slope up to the cabin.
“He’s coming. Help is coming,” I told Romeo, doubting he could hear me. It didn’t matter whether he could or not. I partly said it to reassure myself.
I suddenly felt so damn stupid. Just an hour ago, my worries had circled around the confusion of why he didn’t seem to want me anymore. The anxiety of realizing that if I wanted Romeo to know that I was interested in him, I would have to speak up and communicate that with him, something I’d never been bold enough to do before with anyone else in my life.
I had so much to tell him and express to him. All the gratitude I felt from him saving me. Every bit of adoration and curiosity he'd instilled in me by having sex when I asked for help with my demons. And each moment of respect and patience. I wanted him to know how he’d changed my life, and I had to have a chance to tell him. It would be too cruel not to.
“Don’t you dare die on me,” I said as the SUV slammed to a stop. “We’ve only just started, Romeo, and I can’t imagine you gone.”
A single tear slipped free, but I sniffled and looked up as Franco ran close.
“I’m trying to compress the blood,” I said as he dashed toward the cabin. In his hand was his gun, and as he neared us, he scanned the scene.
“Good. Good.” He lowered, quickly assessing Romeo. As he lowered to the floor, he handed me his gun. “Hold this and keep a lookout.”
I lifted one blood-coated hand to take it. Even though my fingers were shaky, I gripped the firearm. He stooped down to pick up Romeo, and I had no choice but to scoot back and stand out of the way. Giving Franco the clearance to hoist Romeo up, I winced and spotted him, extending my free hand toward him.
“He passed out and fell flat on his face,” I added.
“Okay.” He strained, tightening his facial features as he pulled off a squat-like lift. Romeo was in his arms, and he didn’t delay. “Go out and open the door to the back.”
I did, looking around for anyone else sneaking up close. I stood outside, still scanning the cabin and the forest as Franco put Romeo into the backseat. He only got him in part of the way.
“Go around the other side and pull him in. I need you to stay back there and compress the wound.”
I nodded as he took his gun back. We were both covered in red, grisly and stinking of the metallic scent of all that blood this hero of a man had lost. But I didn’t need to be told twice. Franco covered for me, the lookout, as I ran around the SUV and climbed inside.
He shut the door after me and ran back to the cabin, hauling the door shut so it’d lock. In the backseat, I put my arms under Romeo’s armpits and tugged him further into the vehicle.
Franco took off his jacket and tossed it to me. “Good. Now press on that bleeding.”
I applied the pressure again, watching for Romeo’s chest to continue to rise and fall. It did, and Franco slammed the door shut before getting in the driver’s seat.
“Tell me exactly what happened,” he said as he sped down the slope.
I repeated all that I could remember, careful not to leave out any detail of what happened after he and Dante left with Nina and Eva. Franco was patient, narrowing his eyes as he glanced into the rearview mirror to check on me and Romeo.
Before long, we reached a hospital. He pulled up to the ER entrance, and I scrambled out of the car with the medics and techs helping to get Romeo out.
“Are you wounded?” one triage nurse asked me as Romeo was placed on a gurney.
“No.” I shoved past her, adamant to stay with him. I couldn’t be parted from him. Not now. Maybe not ever. “I have to stay with him.”
“Only one family member is allowed?—”
“He’s my fiancé,” I scolded. It was a lie, but no guilt came with saying it. I would do anything to stay with Romeo. My fear was scaled too high, this trepidation that if I lost sight of him now, I’d never see him again.
This was no mild case of lust that pulled me to him. It wasn’t only physical desire that I craved with this man. My feelings had grown so quickly, and I would no longer deny how much I cared for Romeo.
It wasn’t the need for intimacy in bed, nor was this another expression of my gratitude for his saving me.
It was love. My heart wouldn’t go on if I was taken from him too soon.
Fortunately, the nurse and techs realized that I wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“All right. This way.”
With a streamline of commotion and haste, Romeo was wheeled inside. I rushed to keep up with them, but I caught sight of Franco lingering back by his car, his phone to his ear. He noticed me and waved, indicating for me to stick with Romeo.
And that was just what I did. I ran alongside the gurney, following the crew inside and praying that they wouldn’t be too late to save him and wake him up.
He had to wake up.
He just had to, and as soon as he did, I had an awful lot of honest words to share with him.
I ran, watching his face as the medical techs began to take over and tell each other what to do.
Please, Romeo. I think I might already love you. And I can’t lose you.