Page 34 of Claimed By the Possessive Mafia Prince

SIENA

I scream when I see the bullet tear through Dario’s shirt.

The second bullet misses and hits the wall behind him. Dario roars and tackles Rocco to the ground. He slams his hand over and over until Rocco drops the gun, then punches him in the face, blood splattering where Dario broke Rocco’s nose.

He hits Rocco again and again. Rocco gasps, his face a swollen, bloody mess.

“Threaten Siena?” he bellows. “All she’s ever done is the right.” He hits him. “Fucking.” Again. “Thing!”

Rocco croaks, his hands twitching.

“I should kill you,” Dario snarls, grabbing the gun and stuffing it in Rocco’s mouth. “I should end you here.”

“Dario,” I whisper, struggling to find my voice, panic coursing through me. I clear my throat. “Dario!”

He looks up, eyes glassy. Outside, there are footsteps.

Nico runs into the room, breathing hard. “Shit… Dario.”

Dario keeps the gun aimed at Rocco for a moment longer. I can see his desire to kill him, the violence flowing through him. I’ve called him Mr. Mafia as a tease, but he truly looks like a mafia man now.

He hands the gun to Nico. “Take him to my uncle. He’ll know what to do with him.”

When Dario stands, I rush to him. “You’re bleeding.” I take his arm. “Lean on me. We need to get you medical help.”

“I’m fine,” he says.

“I don’t care if you think that. We need to get you some help.”

He peels back his shirt, looking at where the bullet grazed his side. “It’s a flesh wound. I got lucky.”

“We’re still getting you help–no argument. Lean on me, Dario. I’m here for you.”

Instead, he brushes his hand along my face, holding me gently. “Are you okay?”

I stand up straighter. “Don’t worry about me.”

“No, Siena. Are you okay? ”

Something about the way he says it unspools the panic inside of me. I begin to tremble, and then I can’t hold back the tears anymore. I shudder all over and sink against him, sobbing into his chest.

“You’ve—been—shot…”

“I’m used to this crap. You’re not. If you need to let it out, let it out.”

I cling to him, crying until my eyes ache, then glare up at him. “We’re seeing to that wound. Now. I’ll take you to Rosy, and she’ll hook us up with the medical team.”

Soon, I’m waiting outside the doctor’s office, biting my fingernails. Rosy gives me a guilty look. “We are telling people the noise was a firework malfunction.”

“You knew who the Bianchis really were.”

She nods. “The bad man, v, made it very clear. He said terrible things, told me to look the other way.”

I place my hand on her arm. “You didn’t, Rosy. You told me the truth. You’re the one who put this in motion. You’re the one who made sure we went after the right person. Everyone is alive because of you.”

“You’re a nice person, Siena. But I deserve to feel bad about this.”

“You were in a tough position.” When I spot Veronica approaching us, I turn and say, “I was just telling Rosy that Rocco put her in a tough position. You, Veronica, were put in an evil position. I hope you know that.”

She reaches out and rubs my arm. She’s never been the touchy feely type, but I can tell she needs it now. I pull her in for a hug. “I can’t imagine what this week must’ve been like for you.”

“At least I had you to keep my business afloat,” she whispers. “Thank you, Siena. I’ll never stop being grateful.”

“All you need to worry about is forgetting all about that jackass. He will not hurt you ever again.”

“Thanks to you.”

“No… thanks to Dario.”

Veronica squeezes me, then turns to Rosy. “Let’s talk about the final ceremony.”

“I think I should help,” I say.

“The only thing I want from you,” Veronica says, “is to be there for your man. No arguments. You’ve done so much already. You’ve more than earned your bonus–and then some. I’ll need you when it’s time for the big day. But for now, take some time. You’ve been through a lot.”

“So have you.”

“Yes, but I didn’t have a gun pointed at me.” The door behind us opens. “Be there for him. That’s an order.”

Dario is standing in the doorway, shirtless, with a bandage on his side. He’s holding a plastic bag, presumably with his bloody shirt inside, and he’s cleaned himself up, no more blood spatter on his body. In fact, I’m the only one with drops of blood on me, residue from where I hugged him.

I take Dario’s hand. “Let’s get some rest.”

He smiles gratefully. “That sounds perfect.”

Back in the room, I take a quick shower, then climb into his arms in bed. We’re both only wearing our underwear, but after everything, we don’t want to do anything else but hold each other. We just want to press our bodies together, feel each other’s skin, each other’s warmth.

“If he’d shot a few inches to the left,” Dario mutters, then sighs. “It makes you think. I could’ve bled out right there. Then he would’ve had you.” He squeezes my shoulder. “That’s the only thing I would’ve regretted, angel. That prick would’ve been free to…”

“Hey.” I kiss him on the shoulder. “We don’t need to worry about what ifs now. It’s over. He’s not going to be able to hurt us now… is he?”

“He’s under guard. And even if he wasn’t, I don’t think I left him in any state to do a goddamn thing.”

“You messed him up pretty badly.”

He kisses the top of my head. “Did I scare you?”

“No. He scared me. You saved me.”

“I didn’t want you to see me like that.”

“If you hadn’t been like that, Veronica and I would be toast. Don’t you dare feel guilty, Dario Bianchi.”

He kisses me again, then inhales my hair.

“Why do men do that?” I say, somehow laughing, even if it’s hollow and nervous.

“Careful mentioning other men…” He offers a hollow-sounding laugh as well.

“Not with me. Actually, no one’s ever done that to me before. But I see it in movies and stuff.”

“I don’t know about other men,” he says. “But with you, I want to be closer than close. I want your scent. I want everything. I know that makes me sound like an animal.”

“You’re my animal.”

I snuggle closer to him, closing my eyes and laying my cheek against his chest. “It’s weird. I’m tired because I hardly got any sleep, but I’m wired, too.”

“I know the feeling,” he replies.

“But here…”

“And now,” he finishes.

“We can just relax. Or not even relax. Lie here unrelaxed… but together, at least.”

“I’m so proud of you,” he says. “I was proud before, but now I know what you were up against, the feeling goes even deeper. You had every reason to fail, and you rose to the challenge. First when you took over for your boss, and this morning, with Rocco. What you did takes balls.”

“I had to do something.”

“No, you didn’t. Plenty of people wouldn’t have. You did, Siena. Because you’re different. You’re special.”

“I just did my best to do the right thing.”

“That’s what makes you special.” His voice is starting to grow sleepy. “That’s what makes me want to forget this here and now thing and think about the future, Siena. Siena the Savior, Mother called you, and she was right. You didn’t just save her. You saved me, too.”

I’m relieved when he begins to breathe slowly, drifting off. I gently stroke my hand across his bare torso, being careful not to get too close to his bandage.

He wants to think about the future. Before all this insanity, I wasn’t sure about that. I’m still uncertain. Something’s changed, though. Before, the idea made me nervous.

Now, not so much.

Can we go through all this together and then just let each other go? Do I seriously think I’ve got it in me to just forget about him, about us?

I listen to the soft sound of his breathing, his heart beating steadily.

The best thing I can do is focus on being here for him today, then committing to making the vow renewal as flawless as it can possibly be tomorrow.

Then it’ll be time to go home.

Time to decide.

But no–not yet, not now.

Now, I just close my eyes and snuggle closer to him.