Page 94 of Dangerous Deception

“You got shot,” I gasp, looking back into his eyes. “Oh, my God, you got shot.”

“It’s fine. Adelina, did they?—”

“It’s not fine, you got fucking shot! Don’t stand there and tell me it’s fine!”

“It is fine,” Raffaele insists in a gentle voice. “I’m fine?—”

“No! I saw you!” A sob tears out of my throat and I pull back, scanning his body through my tears in search of where there’s sure to be blood and guts pouring out of him. “We–We need toget you help! An ambulance to get you to the hospital because I can’t lose you, understand? I can’t?—”

“Adelina.” Both of Raffaele’s warm hands cup my trembling face and he forces me to look him in the eye. “I promise you I am okay. Look.” He moves one hand to his chest and swiftly unbuttons a few buttons on his shirt, revealing a grey vest underneath.

“You…” I stare down with wide eyes. “You wore armor?”

“Of course I did. I was coming to save you. Did you really think I would risk any other outcome?”

“I—” I can’t hold back the tears then and I collapse into Raffaele’s arms.

For a few terrifying seconds, I thought he was dead. My future was bleak and gray with my father leading his family to greater heights while the man I loved and everything he built crumbled under his heel.

But he’s fine. He’s alive. He’s unharmed.

“Hurt like a bitch.” His lips twitch. “But I’m okay. Now tell me, did they hurt you?”

I shake my head repeatedly as he moves around me and works swiftly at the bindings keeping my arms firmly behind my back. His warm hands close over my wrists, massaging them as he brings them to the front of my body and kisses my palms one at a time.

“I’m okay,” I croak. “I’m… I’m angry and I’m upset and I’m scared, but I’m okay.”

“That’s my girl.” Raffaele circles his arms around me and pulls me into a tight hug that’s only mildly uncomfortable due to the hard armored vest on his chest, but I soak it up like the comforting warmth of a heated bath.

He’s here. He came for me. He’s okay.

We stay like that until the commotion dies down and then Vito appears at Raffaele’s shoulder.

“Boss.”

“The fuck are you doing here?” Raffaele turns to him, his gaze hard. “I had this handled and you had your orders.”

Vito shrugs one shoulder. “Sorry, Boss, but I wasn’t taking any risks. As soon as you texted me, I pinged the cell towers and got here as fast as I could.”

“You’re a bastard.”

“That’s how you thank me for saving your life?”

“I had it handled.”

Vito scoffs sharply and shakes his head. “Sure, Boss.”

Raffaele clasps Vito’s shoulder and something quiet passes between them, like they’re having an unseen conversation. Then he turns to me and places a lingering kiss on my forehead. “Stay here.”

“What are you?—”

“Please.” He meets my eyes and smiles faintly. “Stay.”

I only agree because it’s him asking and I still can’t believe he isn’t dead. That gunshot sounded so final, and the thump of his body hitting the ground will haunt me for days. As Raffaele walks away from me, a visible limp becomes clear.

“He was stabbed,” Vito answers my questioning look in a low voice. “Long story.”

“Stabbed?” I hissed.What on earth did I miss?

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