Unspoken Vendetta (Casino King)

29. Amelia

My baby girl is lying on her bed, still sedated from the anesthesia. I'm terrified. I'm scared. I want to hear her voice and know everything is ok.

I can hear the gentle rhythm of her heart; I can see her blood pressure and oxygen levels. I can see she's fine - but it's not enough.

I need to hear her voice.

"Baby, please wake up," I say too softly to disturb her. I know the doctor is right. It's better to let her draw herself awake. It's better to let her tiny body rest as much as it needs to.

But it's so difficult to wait.

The last twenty-four hours have been absolute hell.

I can't believe everything that happened and in this moment it almost feels like a very bad dream. The worst nightmare I've ever had.

I almost lost her.

I almost had to watch her get cut up, torn apart, harvested for money.

I shake my head, heavy and tired with regret for what I put her through.

It's over.

I have to focus on the positive and the positive is that she has a new liver now.

My stomach twists, disgusted, because I know that downstairs, beneath this house Matteo is probably still alive.

Fuck him.

Fuck any sympathy I feel for him.

He's a fucking monster.

I lean forward, resting my head on the edge of Elle's bed and closing my eyes to stop the tears from escaping them.

I'm so tired.

I'm so tired I don't even feel human anymore.

I feel hands beneath my body. I'm being lifted. For a moment I think I'm still strapped to a hospital bed in a dark and scary building.

But I can smell a familiar cologne. I can smell warmth and something that feels like home.

My eyes flutter open and the arch of Stefano's neck drifts into focus.

His snake tattoo curled just above his collar.

I sigh softly and close them again because it's too difficult to open them.

But something is nagging in my memory.

I feel myself being lowered onto a soft bed, warm and welcoming. I want this.

He is tugging my shoes off, gently, carefully.

Elle.

Elle had the surgery.

My heart slams me awake when I remember everything that's happened.

"Elle," I say in panic.

"Lay down, Amelia. You have to sleep. I will call you as soon as Elle wakes up, I promise."

My eyes are so fucking heavy. My head is begging me to sleep. My body wants to give up because it's past the point of just being tired.

I try and fight it because, in my mind, all I want to do is go and sit with my daughter, but I can't. I need to rest.

I feel the pillow caress my head again and my eyes are shut.

Somewhere in a dream, I hear his voice, reassurance - gentle and calm.

Then I'm dragged further into sleep, into that sweet embarrassment of oblivion. My body and mind disconnect from each other and I sleep.

I don't know how many hours pass, but I slowly drift awake when I feel the bed moving as someone climbs into it.

I open my eyes and roll towards the movement, blinking a few times at Stefano as he shifts and gets comfortable.

I take a soft breath in.

He is looking at me, his head resting on the pillow. I reach out and touch his chest.

"Stefano - is she - is she awake?"

"No, she's still sleeping. The night nurse is with her and she will wake us up immediately if Elle wakes up. Just go back to sleep. Someone is with her and watching her."

I lick my lips, feeling more awake now.

"Can we talk?" I ask nervously.

Stefano huffs in annoyance. Letting out a heavy sigh of frustration he shakes his head, but says, "Fine, whatever. Talk."

"Six years ago…" I don't know how to say what I want to say. I bite my lip and try again. "Six years ago - I left. I know you don't understand why. But I need you to know how much it broke my heart. I was so scared. I was still so in love with you, but I was scared for my child. Our child. I didn't want her to ever be in danger and I hated the idea of her growing up in a world where she might be in danger."

Stefano is staring at me, listening, waiting.

"I'm so sorry I left. It was my choice to go. No one forced me to do it. My parents encouraged me to be safe. They wanted me to leave - but I can't blame it on them. I made the choice on my own at the end of the day. But - I regret it. I regret keeping her from you for so long. It wasn't fair of me."

Stefano stares coolly at me. I can't read his expression.

I don't know what he's thinking, and he isn't talking to me or responding in any way.

I try again. "Stefano, can you - maybe - forgive me? I want to try and move past all of that. I - I think I still have feelings for you. I want to try and have a future with you if you will let it happen. If you can forgive me we can have something. A family. You, me and Elle."

He sighs. Still not talking. My stomach begins to knot. I so badly want him to tell me he knows I'm sorry. That he can let it go and accept that it's all in the past. My heart wants it. I can't pretend anymore. I've been through so much, almost lost Elle, almost lost my own life. In all of that, I realized that life is too short to deny what's in your heart.

"We almost died tonight."

The slightest feather of his jaw muscles.

The first reaction since I started speaking.

"We could easily have died, and I realized I needed to tell you that I was sorry. Life is so short. Unpredictable and irrational. We can never really know what the future holds. But tonight I did accept something. I accepted that I didn't want to pretend anymore. I do still love you, Stefano. I don't think I ever stopped. No one has ever made me feel how you make me feel. In all these years - since I left - I couldn't even bring myself to go on a date."

I sit up slightly, propping myself up on my elbow so that I can look at him properly.

"Do you have anything you want to say to me? Do you think you will be able to forgive me and we can have a future together?"

My eyes are wide with hope and I'm still struggling to read any emotion in his face.

He pulls his mouth tight. "Perhaps." He says, cold and calm.

"Perhaps is better than no," I whisper.

Then I lean close to him, hesitant, but not holding myself back. Because life is short.

I press my lips against his mouth, and I kiss him.

He doesn't stop me or push me away.

I shift my body closer to his, laying on his chest as I run my hands over his stomach muscles, my tongue slipping inside his mouth.

He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me all the way onto him, with my legs wrapped around his waist.

I can feel his cock, hard and pressing against me.

I rock my hips over it.

Stefano lets out a deep sigh against my mouth and thrusts his hips up towards me.

The tension grows thicker and he begins pulling at my clothes, lifting my top over my head and then tugging my pants off in a rush of heated passion.

We don't stop kissing and soon he's naked, but now lying on top of me with his body pinning me against the bed. He brushes my hair away from my eyes, staring at me for a moment. It's brief, but so intense my heart immediately explodes with hope and love.

Then he kisses me and his hand slips between my legs, his fingers sliding inside me.

I moan against his mouth, rocking my pussy against his hand.

He slides his fingers out and I feel his cock, the pressure of it as it spreads me open.

He thrusts into me and I cry out.

His lips trail along my neck as he begins to fuck me. His hands exploring my body.

I spread my legs as wide as I can around him because I want to feel all of him. I want to feel his cock plunged all the way inside me.

Each thrust makes me gasp with need and pleasure. He begins to move faster, fucking me harder and harder. The moment grows more and more intense as we move together.

My fingers are digging into his back and my cries are louder.

My legs begin to shake, and he wraps his hand around my thigh, gripping me tightly, pulling my legs open even more.

I can't take it anymore.

For years I've denied how I feel about him and now it's all overwhelming me.

I arch my back towards him as my body shudders and an orgasm too intense to describe slams into me, wave after wave, it washes over me.

I feel his cock go rigid and pulse as he explodes inside me.

His breathing is heavy, heaving against my chest as he stares down at me.

His eyes are locked with mine in the dim light and I can see emotion in them now.

He might not be able to put it into words or admit to me how he feels but I can see it in his eyes.

He needs time - I betrayed him - I took his child from him - I broke his heart.

He just needs time.

He brushes the hair away from my eyes again and leans down to kiss me, very gently.

Then he rolls over, pulling me with him so that my head is resting on his chest.

"We need to move the wedding date." He says after a long time of silence.

"The wedding." I forgot about the fact that he was insisting he wanted to marry me. In all the chaos and fear, fighting for Elle, I forget he was arranging a wedding.

"Yes. We will need to delay it. Just postpone it for a month or two to wait for Elle. She needs to be well enough to enjoy it with us."

"Yes, she would love to be there. Of course." My heart is so happy it's doing summersaults in my chest.

"And I think we need to redesign the whole thing. My half sister planned it on your behalf. I asked her to. But it's our wedding. We should plan it together. Something we both want."

"I'd love to plan it with you," I whisper, smiling against his chest.

He slowly runs his fingers through my hair, and I know, at that moment, that everything is going to be ok.

It doesn't matter who he is or what he does for a living. It doesn't matter what he's done in the past or what he will do in the future. All that matters is that I know he will take care of me. He will love me, and he will love Elle and we will never have to face his ruthless side.

Despite everything I know about him - my heart loves him, and I can't stop that. I tried to fight it for six years, but it isn't going to change.

I fall asleep against his chest with his arms wrapped safely around me. For the first time since I left him - I am happy again.

In the morning, just as the sun is peeking through the curtains, a knock on the bedroom door wakes us both up.

I sit up, holding the blanket over my body. "Come in," I say loudly because all I can think about is Elle.

The door opens cautiously, and the night nurse peeks into our room.

"Elle is awake and asking for you." She says softly.

"Please tell her I will be right there. I'm just going to get dressed." I'm already throwing the blankets off me and climbing out of the bed naked, and the night nurse quickly closes the door with a little "oh" as she tries to avert her eyes.

I don't even care. I'm so eager to get to Elle.

I pull my jeans on in a rush and throw my hoodie over my head, pulling it down and wiggling to try and get into it faster.

Stefano is up and getting dressed too.

I'm rushing around like an animal without a head.

He grabs me and pulls me into a hug.

"Amelia, take a breath. Look at me."

I blink wildly a few times and then my eyes lock with his.

"I am going to make us each a coffee. Take a breath. Be calm when you go see Elle. I'll see you in there."

I grin. He leans down to kiss me.

Then he lets me go and I practically skip out of the room in excitement.

I rush to Elle's room and the night nurse stands up from her chair when I get there.

She smiles. "I'll just go and - I'll just give you two some time alone. If you need me just call me ok."

"Thank you, Melissa," I say without looking at her because I'm staring at my beautiful daughter. Smiling, tired, her eyes are puffy and dark - but here she is. Alive and awake and ready to start the first day of her new life. A life that isn't going to be a daily battle just to get through.

I stroke my hand over her cheek, and she grins up at me.

"How are you feeling, baby girl?"

"I'm ok. My side hurts." She grumbles.

I chuckle. "It'll hurt for a little while, but then after that, things are going to get so much better. You have a new liver."

"How did I get one? Who gave me a liver?"

"There was a man who didn't need his anymore. He wanted you to have it."

"That's nice of him. Where's Elle Elephant?"

"I washed him, he had to dry. Let me check." I walk over to the window to check on the pink elephant. It's dry.

I pick him up and carry him over to Elle.

She snuggles into him but then winces at the movements.

"Baby, you need to be very careful ok. It's going to take a bit of time to get better. You don't want to hurt your stitches or anything like that, so you need to call Melissa, or me or your dad if you need help with anything at all."

"Ok, that's fine. I can do that. Where is my dad?"

"I'm here."

Stefano's voice comes from the doorway. I don't know how long he was standing there but he steps inside carrying two cups of coffee. I take them both from him so that he can say hello to Elle.

Watching him lean over the bed and gently kiss her cheek fills my heart with so much emotion that I choked back tears of joy.

I can't believe I have my family again. The family I was so scared of having - the one I ran away from - I can't believe I lost all that time with him.

I put the coffee cups down on the dresser and wipe my tears away with my sleeve.

It's ok. Everything is going to be perfect from now on. We are all together and Elle received the liver she needed - everything is going to be perfect.

I step behind Stefano and wrap my arms around his waist. He reaches back to hug me, then pulls me in front of him.

We stand there chatting with Elle - asking her what colors we should have for the wedding and if she thinks she'll be strong enough to be our flower girl.

Elle talks excitedly about pretty dresses and what desserts she thinks we should have.

Stefano holds me close until we can both see Elle is tired again.

"Alright little one, you need to rest some more. Close your eyes and I'll go make you some breakfast. What would you like?"

"Ice cream." She answers yawning.

I shake my head. "No." I laugh. "You can have ice cream tonight after dinner. I'll find you something healthy for breakfast."

"Ok." She is already drifting off to sleep.

Stefano takes my hand and we both pick up our coffees before leaving the room.

"I think it's cold." He says laughing at the mugs.

"We can go make more."

He pulls me against his side as we walk to the kitchen.

I think he has forgiven me.