Keeping my eyes fixated on his sleeping form, I knelt down in front of him. Moving my eyes from his face, I stared at his bruised hands. I opened the first aid kit and removed the antiseptic wipes and some bandages. There was also a small hand towel folded under the bandages, so I took it out too. After placing them on the coffee table, I turned back to Alessio.
With my heart racing in my chest, I placed my shaking hand on his to see if he was awake.
He didn’t move.
I sighed in relief and then took his hand in mine.
I waited again.
He didn’t move.
I picked up an antiseptic wipe and gently cleaned his hands. I made sure my movements were soft and careful so I wouldn’t hurt him.
As the blood came off, I saw his knuckles were bruised, but not much. The blood made it look worse. His fingers were slightly swollen, but thankfully not broken.
After cleaning his left hand, I gently wrapped the bandage around his hand, making sure that it wasn’t too tight. After I was done, I leaned back and placed his hand on his thigh again.
I glanced up at Alessio, expecting him to still be asleep, but that wasn’t the case.
I sucked in a surprised breath when I saw his intense blue eyes focused on me.
I had been so lost in cleaning his injuries that I didn’t realize he was awake.
“Alessio,” I whispered.
His gaze raked over my face and then moved to his bandaged hand.
Both of us stared at it. Sweat formed at the back of my neck as nervousness filled me.
“I…I saw that you didn’t clean your hands,” I stuttered. Taking a deep breath, I quickly continued. “I thought that maybe I could clean them for you.”
I waited for him to answer but he didn’t.
“It could get infected. That’s why I cleaned it,” I said.
He still didn’t answer.
Oh no. I messed up. I really messed up.
I started fidgeting with the hem of my dress again. Looking at his other hand, I swallowed at the sight. It still needed to be cleaned.
Slowly shifting away, I said, “You should clean your other hand.”
His expression showed confusion as he kept staring at his bandaged hand. Letting out a sigh, I started to get up but his arms snaked out so fast it was a blur. His fingers wrapped around my wrist, and with a tug, he pulled me back down so that I was kneeling in front of him again. But this time, between his spread thighs.
He held my wrist with his bandaged hand. I tipped my head back to look in his eyes as he gazed down at me with indescribable emotions.
I saw him swallow hard and then he looked down. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and I stared down too, only to find him pushing his other, still bloody hand toward me.
My eyes widened in realization and my heart flipped as my stomach twisted in knots. I looked back up, my eyes filled with questions, but Alessio didn’t answer. He just continued to stare at me silently. Expectantly.
He let my wrist go and I released a shaky breath. With my heart pounding vigorously against my ribcage, I took his hand in mine.
His head was cocked to the side as he stared at me. I forgot how dark he was, how sinister and how huge he was. As I kneeled between his thighs, I felt his forceful and dangerous energy around me.
Looking down at his hand again, I got to work.
No words were spoken.
There was only silence between us.
But even through the silence, it felt comforting.
I cleaned his wounds just as carefully and gently as before, and then bandaged his right hand too. All the time, I was aware of his eyes on me. I could feel his gaze on my skin. And I grew warmer from it.
When I was done, my eyes stayed on his hand which was still in mine. Alessio didn’t pull away either.
Unconsciously, I found that I was rubbing my thumb over his knuckles. When I realized what I was doing, I quickly let his hand go. It fell back onto his lap.
I looked up and our eyes met again.
Blue to green. Both unflinching.
We stared.
We breathed. Together.
When I couldn’t hold his eyes any longer, I looked down.
A few seconds later, before I could move, I felt a tug behind my head and then my hair was falling down my shoulders in waves.
And I saw my hair band in Alessio’s hand.
I looked up at him in surprise, and his piercing eyes stared back.
Then he spoke. And his words went straight to my heart. My breathing stuttered.
“You look more beautiful with your hair down,” he said, his voice gruff from sleep.
Chapter 29
Alessio
When Ayla brought the first aid kit, I didn’t want her to see me like this—broken and in pain—so I ignored her. She saw enough already.
Emotions I never wanted to experience were coursing through my body and self-loathing took its place. Feelings were a sign of weakness. And I showed Ayla my weakness.
Whenever she was near, I couldn’t think straight. No matter how hard I tried to be indifferent, she always knew how to break through the walls.
When she played the piano, I saw my mother sitting there.
The pain in my body reminded me of why I was in this position.
Alfredo. Whatever death he experienced, it wasn’t enough. He shouldn’t have died so easily.
The image of my mother’s lifeless, bloodied body flashed behind my closed eyes and the ache in my heart was almost unbearable.
All these years, I kept it in. I locked it inside of me, refusing to feel.
“What am I supposed to do now?” I whispered to myself.
I had lived with one goal. To kill Alfredo, to end his family and his empire.
My revenge was on him. But the only thing left of him now was his family. By the time I was done, nothing would be left.
Every single Abandonato would be wiped off the Earth. His allies. Everything would be mine.
That was my last thought before closing my burning eyes. My restless sleep was haunted by images of a black-haired, green-eyed angel, laughing and happy. But far from my reach. No matter how hard I tried to catch up, she always slipped right through my fingers. Always leaving me feeling empty as she faded away.
At some point, I heard the door open.
As the footsteps grew closer, my body instantly warmed. I didn’t have to open my eyes to know that Ayla stood in front of me. Keeping my eyes closed, I feigned sleep as I waited for her next move. I needed her far away from me. Her sweet smell. Her melodious voice.
She came so close that I could smell her vanilla shampoo. Then she knelt down in front me and I found it hard to keep my eyes closed. I wanted to see her. The total contradiction of what I wanted a few seconds ago.
My heart wanted her near while my brain told me to push her far away.
Feeling conflicted, I kept my eyes closed instead. And then her small hands were holding mine. I resisted the urge to quickly pull away. She was so near. Touching me.
Control. Keep in control, I admonished myself as Ayla rubbed her fingers over my bruised knuckles. And then I felt something wet rubbing over the backs of my fingers. It stung and I bit down my lips to keep from hissing in pain.
When realization crashed through me, my eyes snapped open. I looked down at Ayla and saw her bent over my hand as she cleaned my wounds with an antiseptic wipe.
She took her time, slowly and gently cleaning each knuckle, then the rest of my hand. She applied the bandage, then sighed and leaned away.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was so damn beautiful.