Deadly Vows - Chapter Thirty-Five (Patreon)

Elise

“Mr. Pasquino, please. You’re not stable—”

“You can’t keep me here against my will. I suggest you fuck off.”

I tense as the sound of Luca’s voice permeates my sleep. My eyes fly open, and I sit up just in time to see the nurse scurrying out of the room to avoid my husband’s wrath. Anger contorts Luca’s expression as he watches her leave the room, and I feel a mix of emotions as I take him in.

I’ve had a week to put everything that has happened behind me, and yet I still don’t know what emotion to feel as I take him in. So, I try to focus on the relief of him being alive. Whoever plotted against him failed, and my brother and I, regardless of our choices and affiliations, will remain safe.

Luca shifts his attention to me, his expression shifting to excitement when he realizes I am awake. He sits up, attempting to throw his legs over the bed, but I’m up before he can, closing the gap between us.

“No, don’t move. You’re still weak,” I murmur.

As I come to stand next to him, he reaches for my hand, pulling me on top of him and into a tight embrace. My heart beats a little faster as his arms tighten, and after a moment, my own hands slowly brace against his back, pulling him into me.

“I didn’t know what to think when I was on the brink of consciousness. I was so scared they might have gotten you too,” he murmurs against my hair.

He clearly doesn’t remember his words to me as he passed out.

“I knew you cared.”

It was an instinct that I felt at the moment, but maybe he was right. This entire week, I’ve remained here, afraid that he might not wake up. And I don’t know if it’s because he has become my protector or if somehow his twisted version of love has affected me. But I don’t want to think about it now. It’s much too complex, all of it. Especially now that all we truly have is one another. All of our immediate family is dead, including Arianna, who I watched my brother kill to prove himself.

Now, he is a Pasquino.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” I murmur. “I was scared… that—” I trail off, unsure of how to finish my sentence. But Luca takes it for what it is, laughing softly as he strokes my hair. He gently pulls away from me, his gray gaze boring into mine as he reaches for my face. He gently strokes my cheek, smiling.

“Romelo told me you never left my side,” he says.

I pull in a deep breath, looking out the window. I note that it’s still dark out as I find the will to be vulnerable with Luca. In the past, Luca exploited all my vulnerabilities. It makes me hesitant to share with him how I’m feeling now, especially since I don’t know what kind of emotional effect it will have on him--If it will trigger him to treat me differently.

“I couldn’t, not after everything you’ve done to protect me and my brother. I owe you my life at least, Luca,” I say.

Luca makes a face.

“You are my wife, Elise. You don’t owe me anything. It is my job to protect you. And all that comes with it. I’ll never let anything happen to us,” he says.

His expression is serious as he looks at me.

“I love you,” he says.

This is the third time Luca has said to me that he loves me. But I can’t reciprocate those feelings. Luca’s version of love is dangerous. And I’m sure that by staying by his side, I have intensified what he feels for me. His love is scary, but it is also what has kept me alive against my family and what has kept my brother alive and given him a future much different than what my father had planned.

A knock sounds at the door, pulling us both out of the moment as Romelo steps into the room.

“Boss. We’re ready.”

Luca

I’ve been close to death only twice throughout my life. The first time was when Elise crashed my car and escaped. And the second was also thanks to Elise. Or rather, her cousin who has planned to take out Enzo and me, regardless of what it meant for her. She was more admirable as an opponent than Eli. And just as ruthless, attempting to use Elise’s life to get what she wanted, exploiting their relationship for her own gain.

This time, with everything that has come with my almost death, new feelings have arisen within me.

The door to my office remains closed as I look at the pamphlet I swiped from the hospital. It has information to help me better understand how to reach my goal. Waking up with Elise by my side made me realize just how much of my family’s legacy would have been lost. I have no successor, and within a few months of my marriage, my father, who was not supposed to pass the torch to me for a while, was killed.

And with the ruthlessness of the world changing and the lengths families will go to for power, it may be time to start thinking of my future. But it’s more than just the desire to extend my line. Elise actually showing that somewhere inside she cares for me has awakened something else within me. A desire to have more with her than just sharing a life.

A knock sounds on the door, and I quickly put away the pamphlet as I call out for them to enter.

Nicolai and Enzo enter the room, and I smile, leaning back in my seat as they approach. Even though Enzo was shot, it hasn’t deterred him from wanting to remain a part of this life. He is as ruthless as his father, having not blinked at killing someone who was his blood relative. He proved his loyalty quickly, and I am glad for it for Elise’s sake.

She may not appreciate the way we had to go about it, but I know it means something to her that he is alive.

“Glad to see you weren’t deterred by a bullet,” I say as he takes a seat. “You did well, kid,” I add.

He smiles, looking at his hands before looking back at me.

“So what now?” he asks.

I shift my attention to Nicolai. He hasn’t told him anything about what has transpired behind the scenes.

“Now, we have a new threat to extinguish. One that your dear cousin was able to contact before her demise. One that would benefit from seeing the Pasquino empire demolished,” I say.

Corruption runs rampant within the government of this country. I don’t mind, it’s how I’ve been able to make such a ludicrous business and establish our name on the front and backchannels. But now, she has opened the door for a corrupt official to replace us, now that they think we are vulnerable enough. And we have to put a stop to it before they start picking us off one by one, starting with me.

“And what do you need from me?” Enzo says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I study him for a moment before a laugh escapes me.

“Finish off the semester, then fuck off to college would be a good start,” I say.

I watch disappointment form on his features as he looks at me.

“But I did as you said. I proved myself—”

“Yes, you did. So now you can live a full life without worrying about a bullet in your skull like your cousin,” I say.

But Enzo isn’t satisfied. I know exactly what he’s feeling. He’s had a taste of blood and doesn’t want it to end. Going back to a normal life now would be a drastic change.

“The past few weeks have been hard on your sister. Why don’t you try being there for her?” I ask.

“I was. I did what I needed to make sure she was safe. And that I can be here to protect her. I can’t do that if I’m sent away to college—”

“It’s what she wants,” I say.

“But it’s not what I want,” he says.

“Is this how it is now? She dictates my life?” he asks.

I take a deep breath, studying him. I don’t usually take to being questioned.

“Well, if not for her, you wouldn’t have a life to be dictated,” I say.

Silence passes between us as he takes in the meaning of my words. I would have gladly killed him a long time ago had Elise not pleaded for his life. Personally, I think he is old enough to make his own decisions. But my decision-making has shifted drastically since I woke up in the hospital with Elise by my side. The relief on her face to see me alive has been burned into my skull.

I release a deep breath.

“The only reason I let you back into this was to let you get closure for your mother. And in doing so, you were almost killed. This life isn’t something you can just step into. You have to be trained for it. And all of us have been trained the moment we could walk. You, however, failed the little it of training we did give you,” I say.

“But I can be trained, Mr. Pasquino, I can!”

I scoff, shifting my attention to Nicolai. He has an indifferent expression but shrugs slightly.

“Then start by doing as I say. Finish school, then fuck off to college. I have no use for you if I can’t use you on both sides,” I say.

Enzo looks like he wants to fight me but decides against it. He lowers his head.

“Okay.”

“Good. You can start by checking in on your sister,” I say.

He quietly stands, making his way out of the room, and Nicolai waits until he is gone to speak.

“How are you?” he asks.

I shrug.

“Well enough to get this done. Have you heard from Romelo?” I ask.

“He’s still in interrogations,” he says.

I chuckle as I think of the poor bastard who Romelo has been torturing for weeks. For now, it’s going to be a long stretch to figure out how high up this situation goes. And while we have to continue business as usual so as not to alert anyone of our knowledge, caution is the first step.

“I want everyone on high alert and security increased. Make sure everyone is aware of their surroundings. Wouldn’t want anyone getting picked off because of an “accident’” I say.