Page 113 of Stolen Kisses
He sacrificed himself for me—he did that.
The torment of that knowledge alone made every fiber within me ache with grief.
“There!” Gio balked and started taking off his shoes.
I couldn’t see anything.
Gio jumped into the river and swam far out. I could barely make him out against darkness. Then he was swimming backwards toward us.
Swimming backwards with his arm around a lifeless looking Dante. Blood covered his face. Gio pulled him up on the bank and I cried harder when I truly saw him.
He must have hit his head and he looked so pale.
Claudius rushed to them and I made a move to go too, but Alex held me back.
“Let me go to him.”
“Doll stay here. Let them see what they can do.” Alex said holding me in place.
My chest caved when I watched Gio check Dante to see if he was breathing and started to resuscitate him.
Placing his hands on the center of Dante’s chest Gio started the compressions. Thirty compressions to two rescue breaths. Thirty more compressions to two rescue breaths. Another set just like that followed by another until I saw tears running down Gio’s cheek.
My legs gave out and I started crying harder.
Gio never gave up though, he continued for another round until Claudius landed a punch in his face and took over.
“You fucking New York punk wake up. Wake the fuck up, don’t you dare leave me!” Claudius screamed, his hair whipping out in the wind.
I couldn’t allow him to leave me either. I wouldn’t let him go.
Alex released his grasp on me and I ran over to Dante, throwing myself down next to him. I held his hand as Claudius continued the compressions and breaths.
Claudius stopped and growled.
As he did I took over. I couldn’t give up. I wouldn’t.
“Come back to me.” I cried. “Please! Please! I love you. I love you. Damn it come back to me.”
I didn’t realize that I’d started punching instead of doing the compressions.
“I love you!” I screamed from the depths of my soul and slapped him hard in his face.
It was like something jolted through him, he coughed making a choking sound then water sprayed out of his mouth.
It was like I’d just imagined it, the whole thing and now this part. I could of sworn he was dead and I’d lost him. I just wasn’t going to accept it.
He continued to cough and Claudius helped him get the water out of his lungs.
Dante looked at me when I touched his face.
“Maria.” He said, his voice was so faint I barely heard him. “I love you too.” He whispered.
I was still crying so much that I couldn’t talk. I just looked at him, at the man who was my everything and so much more.
I just looked at him and I was filled with the deepest relief— he was alive.
Chapter 32
