Page 135 of In My Heart
More shouts, followed by crashes and a thud so loud the walls shook, and I knew what it was.
“Dante!” I cried. All of my earlier apprehension and caution left me as I jumped down from Cal’s lap and set off running. All Icould think about was how afraid Dante sounded when he called out and I wanted to be there for him, just as he’d come for me when I’d been afraid before.
“Cara!” A hand grabbed my arm just as I left Cal’s room and I turned as Arran gently pulled me back.
“I have to go to him!” I cried.
“No, lass. He’s no’ thinking straight right now. He wouldnae want ye near him when he’s like that.”
“I don’t care! I’m going, Arran. Let me go,” I demanded firmly. I pulled from his hold on me and rushed to the private room I had paused outside before. The door was open and I could see Dio was in there, along with some frantic looking nurses.
“Don’t fucking touch me!” Dante growled, his voice rough and almost hoarse, as I stepped in and looked up at where he stood beside the bed, his fists clenched and his body looking painfully taut. His face was ashen and his eyes were wide and wild with fear and fight in equal measure. He was dressed only in a pair of pyjama trousers, his chest bare and covered with dressings and bandages, now stained with blood since he’d obviously ripped his stitches in his chaos.
“Dante, sit the fuck down! You’re safe. Everyone is safe,” Dio snapped at him, but it was like Dante wasn’t even hearing him.
His eyes were moving back and forth between the people in the room warily, watching and planning his attack.
“We need to sedate him again!” A nurse called fearfully.
“And then what? Do you plan to just sedate him forever?” Dio barked. “He has been tortured for weeks, has a head injury, and is waking in a strange place. Just give him a fucking chance to get his bearings!”
“He’s already ripped open his stitches. If he carries on as he is….” A voice started to argue, but I blocked it out as I stepped forward, moving around Dio and two nurses huddled close to the door.
“Dante!” I cried, praying he would hear me.
“Cara. What the…get back!” Dio hissed.
But Dante had heard me, and he whipped his head round my way, his eyes roaming the room until they met my own. For a long moment we just stared at each other, but in that moment some of Dante’s panic seemed to calm and I saw him take in a shaky breath.
“Hey big guy,” I said carefully as I slowly moved closer.
“Cara.” The word barely came out as a sound, but I heard it.
“I’m here. We’re at the hospital. You were beat up pretty badly once the others rescued us. Remember?”
“You…you’re hurt?” he uttered. I could see his body shaking now I was closer to him, and I worried he was going to collapse if he tried to stand much longer.
“I’m okay. The doctor took care of me. Can you sit down? You’re bleeding.”
“Wh-where are they?”
“Who? The others?” I questioned gently. Dante nodded, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Rafe’s at home, resting. Cal has been discharged this morning, and Arran is with him. Cara has a fractured wrist and a mild concussion, but she’s okay. We’re taking care of her. Everyone is alright,” Dio cut in.
“Everyone except you, who is bleeding. Please, just sit down Dante…please,” I almost begged.
“She’s right, mate. You need to lie down and let the nurses see to that bleeding. You’re scaring Cara,” Dio added.
“You’re scared of me?” Dante asked as he looked to me with pain.
“No. I’m scared something will happen to you and we won’t get the chance to make things right between us.”
“Us?” Dante looked to me with question.
“Yes. Us. There can still be an ‘us’ can’t there? You told me I was yours before. Have you changed your mind?” I asked. It wasn’t the time for this conversation, and yet it was keeping Dante calm.
“You’ll always be mine,” he rasped as he reached a hand towards me. I stepped forwards and wrapped both of mine around it, holding it tight. “But…I messed it up. I h-hurt you.”
