Page 138 of With this Ring

Back in her room, her mother took one look at her face and rushed forward to crouch in front of her wheelchair. “Oh, honey…”

The sympathy in Rosa’s voice unraveled the last threads of Sasha’s control. A sob tore from her throat as she fell forward into her mother’s arms.

Her father was back, and he moved closer, his usual stoicism replaced by fierce concern. “What happened? Is Gregorio…?”

“He’s pushing me away.” The words came out broken. “Says he doesn’t deserve me.”

Her mother’s arms tightened. “That foolish, noble man.”

“He’s trying to protect everyone.” Her father’s voice was gruff with understanding. “Your sister. You.”

“I don’t need protection.” Sasha swiped angrily at her tears. “I needhim.”

The simple truth of those words hung in the air between them.

Her mother smoothed back her hair, the gesture achingly gentle. “Then fight for him.”

Sasha blinked up at her in surprise.

“What?” Rosa’s lips curved. “You think I don’t know what it’s like to love a stubborn man?” She cast a meaningful look at Sasha’s father, who shifted from foot to foot. “Sometimes they need sense knocked into their thick skulls.”

“But Adriana…”

“Your sister will survive.” Her mother’s voice was firm. “You know she’s in the middle of wedding preparations. But you…” She cupped Sasha’s face. “I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you look at him. The way you’ve always looked at him.”

“I love him,” Sasha whispered. Saying the words out loud made them more real, more powerful. “I think I always have.”

Her father cleared his throat. “Then don’t let him push you away because he thinks it’s the right thing to do.” He met her gaze steadily. “Sometimes the right thing…” He cleared his throat again. “It isn’t what’s noble. It’s what’s true.”

Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks, but this time they weren’t entirely from pain.

Her mother grabbed a tissue from the nightstand and pressed it into Sasha’s hand. “Now, shall we see about getting you out of this hospital? You have a stubborn man to knock some sense into.”

For the first time since Gregorio’s devastating words, Sasha felt hope flutter in her chest. She wasn’t giving up. Not on him. Not on them.

Not ever.

But even as the thought formed, determination sparked through her grief. She hadn’t survived a gunfight, hadn’t faced down Argentum’s killers, hadn’t risked everything just to let Gregorio’s misplaced nobility tear them apart.

Her mother was right.

If he thought she would just accept this, he didn’t know her at all.

* * * *

What the fuck have I done?

The look on her face…

Jesus Christ.

The rhythmic beeping of the monitors mocked him as he stared at the empty doorway where Sasha had disappeared.

Trying to force away the haunting memory of her stricken features, he squeezed his eyes shut, but the image was burned into his memory—her devastation, the tears she couldn’t hide,the way her shoulders had rolled forward as if he’d physically struck her.

Better this way, he told himself, even as every instinct screamed at him to call her back.

He’d rather she hate him now than watch her destroy her relationship with her family. Than see her caught in the crossfire of his dangerous life. Than attend her funeral because someone from his past decided to use her to get to him.

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