Page 108 of Of Lies and Shadows

Please, God. Please don’t take her from me.

The room is too white, too sterile, too quiet.

The beeping of machines cuts through the silence in even, impersonal rhythms, but all I can hear is the sound of my own heart cracking open inside my chest.

She’s lying there, so still, she doesn’t look real.

Her skin is too pale against the hospital sheets, her lips dry, parted slightly like she might speak if only she could wake up.

Wires snake from her arms. Tubes down her throat. Abruised patch blooms along her collarbone and temple. There’s blood dried at the edge of her hairline, and I wonder how long she bled while I sat in a fucking meeting.

I move to her side slowly, like if I go too fast, the world might tilt again.

The room lacks warmth. Her warmth. Her laugh. She’s always been the light in the dark, and now that light is flickering, and I can’t lose it.

I take her hand, and it’s still so cold, almost like it’s made of wax. I bring it to my mouth and kiss the back of it gently, again and again, as if I can warm her through sheer will.

“You’re so cold,” I whisper, cradling her hand on my cheek. “You protected our boy. Sweetheart, you saved him.”

I try to smile. It doesn’t come, but the tears do.

“I should’ve known something was wrong. I should’ve followed you. I should’ve—” My voice cracks. “I should’ve protected you.”

Her fingers twitch, barely, or maybe I imagined it.

I lean closer. Press my forehead to her knuckles.

“Francesca,” I breathe out, broken. “Fight. Please. Fight for me. Fight for the kids. For yourself. Just—don’t leave. Not like this.”

I swallow hard and pull away enough to kiss her forehead, careful not to jostle the wires. Her skin is clammy and cool.

“I’ll give you your divorce,” I whisper. “I’ll let you go if that’s what it takes. If that’s what you need to be okay. You can walk out of that house, and I won’t stop you.” My voice cracks again. “But please… please come back. Just come back.”

I can’t stop crying now. My chest heaves, and I grip her hand like it’s the only thing keeping me from falling apart.

“I’ll give you everything you ever wanted, Francesca. Everything. But just…” My words are barely a whisper. “Don’t die. Not when I’ve only just learned how to love you.”

The machines beep on, cold and indifferent. But I don’t care.

I rest her hand back on the bed and brush my knuckles across her cheek.

“I have to go see Alessio,” I say quietly. “He’s shaking, and he needs to know you’re alive—from me.”

I reach up and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear with trembling fingers, careful not to disturb the tubes.

“But I’ll be back, sweetheart. I swear it. I’m coming back soon.”

I lean down, pressing one last kiss to her forehead. “And I’ll stay with you,” I promise quietly. “I’ll stay until you open those beautiful eyes.”

I step back, casting one final look before I leave the room.

But as I walk away, I know I’m not truly leaving.

Because a part of me stays right there with her… always.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Dante

---