Page 88 of Veil of Vengeance

“Emiliano?” she says sweetly.

I clear my throat.

“No, the other one,” I say, and she rubs her fingertips across my forehead, pushing back the hair that had fallen on it.

“Eli?”

I close my eyes and sigh in contentment.

“You’re so dramatic for a Capo, you know,” she teases, her eyes full of adoration and something I’m scared I’m mistaking. A doctor with white hair and a thick-rimmed pair of glasses on the edge of his nose comes barging in, with Romiro behind him, giving us a shit-eating grin.

“I’m leaving after you do a checkup,” I inform the doctor, whose eyes widen, and he looks from Val to Rom, and then back again, before clearing his throat.

“I would strongly advise against that.” He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t fucking care. I’m leaving after this. Romiro, go get the discharge paperwork done.”

Romiro looks conflicted for a second before nodding and shutting the door behind him. Val looks at me, concerned, but doesn’t say anything as the doctor checks my vitals. Once he’s done, he sighs as he stands at the edge of the hospital bed.

“You’re doing very well and will probably be fine to leave, but please rest up for the next couple of days and make sure to drink plenty of fluids,” he advises. Val assures him that she’ll make sure I do that before thanking him and closing the door after he leaves.

“Where did your wedding dress go?” I ask. She’s wearing a pair of mom jeans and a white short-sleeved shirt.

“Got rid of it. I couldn’t exactly stay in that thing for two days straight and be comfortable with the looks I got. Especially with blood stains and rips on it.”

I laugh, but wince once the pain got a bit too much. She hurries to my side.

“Oh my God, you need to be careful,” she fusses. I grab her hand and pull her closer.

“I’ll be fine as long as you’re here. You’re like my special healing potion,” I croak, and she rolls her eyes.

“When did you get this cheesy? It’s gross. Stop it.” I laugh at her teasing, and her little grin widens into a full-blown smile.

Romiro, of course, decides to walk in at that moment.

“Ew, can you two not stay the fuck away from each other for at least a couple of hours, or do you have to fuck like rabbits?” His nose wrinkles in disgust, and Val rolls her eyes at him this time.

“We’re doing something called cuddling, you drama queen. I’m not sure you know what that means,” she says. Romiro flips her off, and she gives him two birds, making him laugh and shake his head.

“Where’s Lucio and Matteo?” My voice is still a bit hoarse, but it doesn’t hurt.

“They’re at the airport waiting for us.”

I slowly get up from the bed, and the room spins for a bit. Valentina grabs me to help, and I give her a grateful smile and press a kiss on the side of her head. Romiro rolls his eyes before helping us.

“Come on, let’s get you love bunnies back to New York.” ??

* * *

?

It’s been a couple of days since we got Valentina out of Outfit territory and made our way back to New York. I look at the alarm clock on my stand, which reads 6:30 a.m. Valentina and I had fallen asleep while spooning, which means she still has her back against my front, and my morning wood strains against my boxers. Val groans as she fights the urge to go back to sleep, and I decide to help her. My arm snakes to the front of the long shirt she’s wearing—my shirt, to be exact—and lifts it slightly, exposing her bare pussy. Well, it’s technically mine. I dip my fingers through her folds, slightly brushing her clit, and a moan vibrates through her whole body. I feel it as she arches her back into me.

“Eli. What are you doing?” she moans. My breath feathers the shell of her ear, and her skin pebbles with goosebumps.

“Getting my first snack of the day,” I say. She huffs a laugh as she rubs one of her eyes with her fist.

I rub her clit until I feel her become slick, and then dip two of my fingers into her until I bury them knuckles deep.