Page 131 of Whispers in the Dark
She inches closer to the bed, her arms wrapping around her stomach. “Vin, I’m truly sorry for—”
“No.” He shakes his head. “I’m sorry. From the beginning, I thought this marriage was a sham, but for the wrong reasons. I doubted you, when you’ve always been one of us, Alina.” He drags his fingers through his hair. “From the little pieces I’ve been presented with, I know you didn’t have a choice in the matter. And I’m only sorry you had to go through this.”
Her wide eyes blink a few times. “I, umm.” She clears her throat, quickly glancing at me and then back at Vin. “Thank you.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets. “That port is rightfully yours. But if you need help with running it, you know who to come to.”
Her arms drop to her sides. “Actually, I think I’ll take you up on that. I don’t know the first thing about running a port, and I know you’ll manage it well.” She looks at me and reaches her hand my way, intertwining our fingers. “Besides, I have some things I need to take care of first.” She lightly squeezes my hand and then walks away, exiting through the door, shutting it softly behind her.
Vin rubs a hand over his scruff, his eyes appearing heavy as he steps forward. “You scared the hell out of me, brother.” He turns and stares out the window. “The moment Kazimir struck that knife in you, I saw your life escaping through your eyes.” He shakes his head, dropping his shoulders before turning to look at me with fear coating his bright blue irises. “And a world without you…” He pinches the bridge of his nose, taking a long breath. “Don’t ever fucking put me through that again.”
Before I can stop them, tears gather in my eyes, and I quickly wipe the back of my hand across them.
He steps closer to the bed and sits on the side of it, sighing. “I saved Kazimir for you. Figured you’d like to let out some of that wrath still simmering inside you. Unfortunately, Mikhail and Emil slipped away in their jet during the chaos, leaving their brother behind for slaughter.” He pats my arm and then turns his somber gaze to the floor. “It seems the war has officially started.”
I reach for the pad of paper and pen on the table beside me and write,We won’t let them win.
“We won’t.”
I quickly scribble,You saved my life. I grip his shoulder. “Thank…you,” I say in a thick, raspy tone.
He slides his hand around the back of his neck, squeezing his muscles. “You don’t thank your family.” He grins. “But be honest, who has the better shot? Me or Alex?”
I roll my eyes, the corners of my lips tilting up.
“Guess I should give him a break. The poor guy can’t even seem to keep a nanny for more than a few days. He’s currently firing one as we speak.”
I scoff. This doesn’t surprise me, given his love for cleanliness and his need to always be in control.
“So,” Vin starts, “will you and Alina be staying married?”
I adjust my head on the pillow and nod.
From the beginning, I never planned on ending it.
Not when she was always meant to be mine.
I can’t help the tiny grin that breaks free on my face from just thinking about her.
“God, look at you. You’re so in love it’s gross,” he teases, standing and straightening his shirt. “I should get Dr. Rose to come check on you. But before I go… I just…” He clears his throat. “I’m not one for emotions, but… I love you, Mauro. And I’m proud to be your brother.” He swallows hard. “And I know with certainty that our father would be proud of the man you’ve become.”
His words mend the broken pieces of my heart that have been shattered since the day I lost my father.
They elicit an intense, persistent warmth throughout my chest.
Making me feel whole.
I know he doesn’t know the sign forI love you, so instead, I point to my eye, and then to the center of my chest, and finally at him.
“Hey, looks like I know ASL after all,” he muses with laughter.
I shake my head, waving him off, and right after he exits, Alina walks into the room with Dr. Rose by her side.
“I heard my patient was awake.” Dr. Rose smiles warmly as she approaches. “You had a pretty nasty gash in your side. I’m guessing if that blade moved even another centimeter, it would have punctured your lung.” She arches a brow. “You’re luckyyour brothers got you here so fast.” She steps away, turning toward the sink, where she begins to scrub her hands. “I’d like to change your bandages and make sure everything is healing properly before I release you. Ideally, I’d keep you here for another day or two, but knowing how you and your brothers are, I’m guessing you’re in a hurry to get out of here as soon as possible.” She briefly glances over her shoulder at me, and I nod in confirmation.
Alina steps to the side of the bed. “How are you feeling?”
Fine.
