Chapter 8
Iwhimper when Lio goes limp in Allesandro’s arms. Javi moves in to take the dead weight of my friend from him, even as Allesandro tries to resist. “If I understand it right, you’re healing after being fucking shot in the chest. Like hell are you going to carry him.”
“No, but I can,” Tennant says as he strides into the room. He doesn’t even glance at the dead body.
Ten scoops Lio up into his arms like my friend weighs nothing, and I stare at him, numbness sweeping through me.
This is the first time I’ve seen Tennant—or any of my loves besides Ignacio—since I’ve been home, apart from the Council meeting we had yesterday, but right now, it doesn’t matter.
The only thing I can focus on is the boy in Tennant’s arms.
When he turns to leave the office, I jump up from the couch, forcing all eyes to me. “No! You can’t take him!”
“I need to get him back to his room, Roman,” Tennant says softly. “You should go to yours, too. Javi can walk you.”
“I can,” Javi tells me gently. “Come on, I know your trust has been violated, but I’m here, if you want to talk about what happened.”
I shake my head, my entire body starting to tremble. “No, no, no, no! You can’t take him from me. He needs me.”
“You can go too,” Javi says. “No one wants to take anyone from anywhere.”
I look at the psychiatrist, meeting his mis-matched eyes. “You promise? Lio may be the Little Monster, but I can and will kill you if you try to take what’s mine.”
Javi smiles. “I have no doubt. Come on, everyone, let’s move this party along.”
Javi leads the way, with Tennant following behind. I walk as close to Tennant as possible, every part of me itching to touch my friend, but the hall isn’t wide enough for that.
When we get into Lio’s room, Ten gently sets him down, smoothing his hand over Lio’s mussed honey colored hair. I don’t hesitate to climb onto the bed next to him, both of us fitting perfectly beside each other, as if we always were supposed to be side-by-side.
Grabbing Lio’s prone hand, I hold it gently, not wanting to disturb him.
He whimpers a little, so I lean down and whisper in his ear.
“It’s okay, Amico Mio. I’m here. You did good, you protected me, my Love.
Now, let me watch over you.” I press a kiss to his forehead, and he moves a little closer, slotting himself against my side, like the perfect piece to my jagged puzzle.
“Come in if you want, don’t fucking hover.” Tennant’s words have me looking up, and I follow his gaze to where Allesandro lingers in the doorway.
The former Martelli Boss strides into the room, his steps sure, though not as arrogant as when he was still in charge. I doubt his time of…reflection has changed him too much, it's more likely that he doesn’t want to risk being killed by either me or Tennant.
Javi points to the chair by Lio’s bed and Allesandro sits, his features softening a little now that he’s seated.
I imagine hauling himself across the medical wing to the therapist’s office, bringing Lio back from the edge, and then making his way down the halls would have worn him out, since he’s still recovering.
I wish I could say I don’t care…but the boy at my side does.
I will never like Allesandro. Hell, I don’t think I ever did.
I respected him, sure. At the time, he was a good Boss, but after the kidnapping?
Even before he and Cristian had their…psychotic break, they were different, lacking in what made them good Bosses.
On one hand…I understand. I am not okay after what happened to Lio and me, but that mostly has to do with my friend, and how…broken he became, thanks to that fucking Senator. But on the other hand, it makes me want to cling tighter to my life—this life we’re building together.
I could never do to Lio what Allesandro and Cristian did to him and Carter. Ever. So…I might feel bad for him because he almost died, and I’ll deal with him because my Anima Gemella loves him, but that’s it. As far as I’m concerned, the former Martelli Boss is nothing.
There’s a brisk knock on the door, and I look up to see Jude striding in. There’s a hitch to his step, and I narrow my eyes at his lack of cane.
“If you don't need anything else…” Javi says, “I'll see myself out. Neither of you are hurt, right, Roman?”
I shake my head. “No…only…only that fucker.”
Javi nods. “I'll go update Dr. Ranlen, and call Doc, if she hasn't already—let’s hope his Daddy doesn't try to kill me.”
With that, he leaves, almost running into Hollis in his haste.
Hol makes sure to close the door behind Javi, then he strides across the room, his steps careful and confident, the hard glint in his dark brown eyes making me shrink a little closer to Lio. I am very aware of what that look means.
“I should go back to my room,” Allesandro says, breaking the tension between me and my lovers.
“No,” I tell him. “You're worried about Lio, you can stay. I don't mind. I… Thank you for helping him.”
Something soft passes over his expression. “I'll do anything for Emilio. You never have to thank me for doing what I can.”
I nod. “Yeah, well, thank you anyway. You can stay… I don't mind.”
“Having someone else here isn't going to save you, Giocattolo,” Tennant says in a hard voice. “If you want Allesandro to have a front row seat, that's up to you. Either way, you will be explaining yourself.”
I give him my best innocent expression. “I'm the one who was traumatized by the fucking therapist, why do I have to explain anything?”
Tennant stares at me, his eyes glacial. “Where'd the knife come from, Roman?”
“It was a gift.”
“Neither of you has left the medical wing since coming home, and none of us would have given him a knife. Or you. Hell, we haven't even fucking seen you, Roman.”
I wince at Hollis’s tone, knowing I've been unfair to them. It's just…been hard. All I wanted—needed—was Lio, and we've been finding our footing, trying to get ourselves back to level.
“I…it…it was a gift, okay? He wasn't going to use it. He promised me! But Lio without a weapon isn't Lio. You want us both to feel better? This is how.”
“I didn't allow him to carry a knife in the house,” Allesandro interjects. “He was—is—too impulsive at times.”
I glare at him. “He is a Council member, whatever rules you had when you were in charge no longer apply. I am allowing you to be here out of courtesy for my friend, do not mistake my kindness for weakness. I do not need, nor want, your two cents.”
Allesandro dips his head in apology, and I turn back to Hollis. “Lio needs it; he feels better, safer, armed. I will give him a knife every fucking day if you try to take it away. You may be Lio's Owner and Daddy, but you are not my Owner and Daddy.” I lift my chin in defiance.
“No,” Jude says slowly. “But we are yours all the same, just as you are ours. We care about you, both of you, and want to make sure you're safe.”
“We are! Lio’s still on suicide watch, for fuck’s sake, and I will be by his side every fucking day for the rest of our lives.
I love him.” Taking a deep breath, I look down at my friend, who hasn't stirred, even when I raised my voice just now.
“I love him. He is…everything to me, my light in the dark. Voi tre, più Ignacio, siete tutto per me. Ma Lio...è la mia vita. I know what he did scared you, it scared me too… But I have faith in him. I can help him fight his demons.”
“It’s not that simple, Roman…” Hollis says gently.
“I know that, but please, trust me, and him. I know he needs help, that the monsters in his nightmares don’t just go away because of the medication.
He agreed to therapy…” My voice breaks. “He wants to be better for you three,” I look between Tennant, Hollis, and Allesandro, “and for me. Please, trust us.”
Ten and Hollis exchange a look, before Tennant sighs. “I don’t like it. If you suspect anything is amiss, and Emilio hasn’t spoken up, then you need to come to us. Hell, come anyway, just to have your bases covered.”
I nod rapidly. “I promise. I would never let him put himself in danger.”
“What about yourself?” Jude questions. “The whole not eating and not letting anyone see you may not have been a piece of glass to the wrists, but…you know that's not okay either.”
I look down, tugging at my skirt, suddenly hating the sight of it. “I’m sorry,” I say, just loud enough to be heard. “I…I couldn’t face a world without him.”
“Lio would never want you to live such a half-life,” Tennant says gently. “He loves you.”
I nod, still looking down at my lap. “I…I know. I just…things got hard, and now…now I don’t know if they’ll ever be okay again.” I look up at my lovers. “Wh—what Stanley said…is it true?”
“We don’t know what happened, Roman,” Hollis replies gently.
“I promised Javi there would be no audio in any of the therapy offices. Visual only, so the only real indication we had that something was wrong was when Lio attacked him. I made Leandro turn it off when I realized he was watching, but what he saw only showed you were uncomfortable, it didn’t point to anything seriously being wrong. ”
I scowl. “I don’t fucking care what Javi thinks. I want audio restored to the offices, especially if you’re going to make Lio go through that bullshit again.”
Hollis shakes his head. “Therapy is private, personal. The people in those offices don’t deserve to have their every word listened to, especially not when they're at their most vulnerable.”
“I don’t want something like this to ever happen again.”
Hollis looks uncomfortable, and I know he’s not going to cave. Thankfully, Jude steps in. “What if we allow Leandro to listen in to your sessions only? You’ll have to let Javi know, but will that ease your mind? Knowing that you have another lifeline outside of Lio?”
“I am never going back to fucking therapy.”
“Yes,” Tennant says. “You are.”
“No! Not if they’re all going to be judgmental, overbearing bastards who…who make me want to hurt myself!” I cry, sobs working their way out of my throat.