“Where were you shot?”
He pointed at a mark on his shoulder, then at another one on his stomach. “It’s nothing.”
“Oh, my God.” My eyes widened at all of his scars. “Someone shot you, Marcello. That’s not nothing.”
“Occupational hazard. Bound to happen at some point.”
“You took a bullet for me.” I cupped his cheek with my hand, and our eyes met. “My hero. Thank you.”
He snickered. “I’m no hero.”
“You saved me.”
“Luca saved you. I took the bullet because I didn’t shoot the asshole in the head. I’ll never make that mistake again.”
“How did it happen?”
“I thought he was dead. He grabbed one of our guns from the floor. I tried to dodge the bullet but didn’t move fast enough.”
“Still, you did it for me.” I leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me.”
His stomach growled so loud it filled the silence in the room.
“Are you hungry? I can get your breakfast,” I offered.
His long, dark eyelashes fanned out against his olive skin as he looked up at me. “Yeah, I can eat.”
I slid off the bed and poked my head into the hallway, looking at Dom. “Can you get Marcello’s breakfast?”
He nodded, then removed his cell phone from his pocket. The house manager knew what everyone liked to eat.
Dom’s fingers glided across the keypad, and then he said, “I’ll bring in Marcello’s food when it’s ready.”
I flashed a smile at him. “Thanks.”
After I closed the door, I hopped into bed with Marcello. We talked about art and books for a few minutes before Dom knocked on the door. He entered the room without a word, gave Marcello a quick nod, then set the tray on the bed in front of me.
I lifted a plate of egg whites and grabbed a fork. “Can you sit up?”
Marcello nodded, then grabbed a remote on the bed next to him and tapped a button. I’d never seen a hospital bed like this one. With enough money, anything was possible.
I reached behind him and propped him up with a stack of pillows. His face twisted in pain, eyes closed as he moved into position. I leaned over with a forkful of eggs, and he opened his mouth. As our eyes met, I thought about kissing him. I wondered how he would taste and if I would like it.
The door hit the wall, snapping my attention toward the entrance. My handsome Devil stood ten feet away, his jaw flexed and dressed in his usual three-piece Brioni suit.
“Well, don’t you two look fucking cozy,” Luca said with fire in his tone.
Luca
Anger flooded my veins as I stared at them. Alex stared at me with a fork raised in front of Marcello’s mouth. My father was right. Marcello had stolen my girl out from under me, and I was too oblivious to notice.
I’d even permitted him to touch her.
Like a fucking idiot.
But what difference did it make?
If she claimed all the Knights at Legare, they would touch her too. They would get the chance to steal her from me. During our trial run last year, she’d chosen several of them, and I had to watch my girl act out her sexual fantasies with my brother and friends.
She would love them more than me. Because they weren’t as broken and fucked up. A few of them still had a heart and could love her, treat her the way she deserved.
Marcello had taken my mother from me. All of her love, time, and attention went to him. Her perfect, obedient son didn’t enjoy hurting himself and others. I was the prodigal son, the outcast, the freak. I loved my mother more than life itself, and history was repeating itself with Alex.
“Luca,” Alex said with a warning tone as she set the fork on the plate. “You look like you’re ready to explode.”
I felt like my blood was seconds from boiling. “Why are you in Marcello’s bedroom?”
Her chest rose and fell as our eyes met. “I’m feeding him.”
“My brother can feed his fucking self,” I shot back as I crossed the room, moving to her side of the bed. “He’s not an invalid.”
She slid off the mattress and reached out for me. I recoiled as she tried to touch me, attempting to make contact. Most of the time, I hated intimacy. Just the thought of someone’s hands on my skin made me physically ill. Alex was the exception to my rules, and I broke them for her. But at the moment, I would have rather stuck my dick in a wood chipper than let her touch me, not after she had her hands all over my brother.
“Luca,” Alex said in a sweet tone, giving me one of her perfect smiles. “Calm down, okay? I’m helping Marcello get back on his feet.”
“He has nurses who can help him.” My mouth twisted into a hateful sneer. “He doesn’t need you.”