Chapter 6
“Cough… cough…”
I choked on the cigarette smoke, reaching out to press my hand against his left chest.
“Love me?“]
“That bullet six years ago must have hit your brain instead of your heart.“[]
Massimo leaned his head back against the pillar, half–closing his eyes as he looked at me.]
“Little liar.”
“I bet you couldn’t bring yourself to actually kill me. That’s why I had my people leak the intel to you. My heart’s on the right Side–you’ve known that all along, haven’t you? If not for your shot, Joey would’ve sent divers to fish my corpse out of the harbor.“]
I would’ve died in Moscow.”
Massimo’s eyes gradually closed. Just as I was about to say something else, I noticed him slumping against the column, lips pale, head tilting slightly to one side.
That look…
Alarm bells went off in my head. Without thinking, I started ripping off his suit jacket.
“Jesus, Arianna. you’re moving a little fast here.”
“I figured we’d at least make it to the honeymoon before you started undressing me.”
-0
I shot him a withering look, revealing the blood soaked bandages wrapped around his torso underneath.]
“Shut up. Massimo.”
“You’ve got a death wish. I’m not planning to be a widow on day one of marriage.“]
I turned and barked at the servants:]
“Get Dr. Wang to the main house–gunshot woundr
Then I scooped Massimo up in my arms. For once, I actually saw something close to bashful embarrassment cross his face.]
“What are you doing? You can’t carry me like thist“]
I rolled my eyes, my voice slightly strained.]]
“Don’t talk. I’m not that strong, and if you keep running your mouth, I’ll drop you.“]
“Then you’ll end up as fish food at the bottom of that pond.”
Massimo immediately shut up, wrapping his arms around my neck and settling into my embrace with surprising compliance. But even injured and bleeding. I could feel his eyes burning into me with something that made my stomach flip.]
Up at the hillside villa, Valentina quietly approached Fabiano from behind, clutching a medical report in her trembling hands. After a long internal struggle, she finally spoke:
Tabiano.”
He turned from the floor–to–ceiling windows, his face carved from stone.[]
“You should get some rest.“]
“I don’t blame you for what happened today. You probably just want a child so badly that you got carried away. Arianna won’t believe it anyway. Don’t mention pregnancy around her again.”
His voice was flat, controlled: “I’m going to marry you.”
That last sentence–whether meant for V
Valentina or himself–Fabiano repeated under his breath: “I’m going to marry you.“]
Seeing Fabiano’s hollow expression only strengthened Valentina’s desperation. She thrust the medical report at him with trembling fingers:
“I wasn’t lying to Miss Moretti. I really am pregnant.”
“Look–this is our child.“]
Fabiano stared at the report, his jaw tightening as he studied every detail.]
“You’re actually pregnant.“[]
Encouraged by his reaction, Valentina grabbed his hand and pressed it against her stomach with desperate urgency:
“Really.“]
*Teel it. In eight months, our child will be here.”
But Fabiano’s expression shifted into something dark and threatening. His fingers weren’t trembling from joy–they were rigid with barely contained rage.]]
“I did remember all of them, Valentina. I saw that Russian doctor’s report. It was written clearly in russian–your uterus was removed. Now you’re suddenly telling me you’re pregnant.“]
His voice dropped to a whisper that could freeze blood: “Velentina Coma, you better not be lying to me.”
“
