Page 62 of Stolen Vows

After silencing my phone, I send a few texts before focusing solely on her.

I sit on the floor beside her for a few hours, only rising to change the ice packs or rewarm the water bottles, and work on rehydrating her and keeping medicine in her system.The house security alarm beeps as Noah drops off more supplies, but he comes and goes without detouring from the first floor.

When Valentina opens semi-alert eyes, I barely resist the urge to brush her hair away from her face.

“Any better?”I ask.

She nods and proves her response when she lifts her head from the floor to look around.

I reach for the throw pillow and hide my grimace as my scars burn from the stretch.Her gaze narrows on my face as I slip the pillow between her head and the floor, but the unexpected action steals her focus.

“Thank you,” she croaks.

“I brought snacks,” I say.

She scrunches her nose.I pull the bag closer to me and upend it onto the floor.Her eyes widen.

“You brought the whole kitchen,” she deadpans.

I scoff and scoop the pile of stuff closer.

“Wrong.I brought the entire house.What do you need,paperotta?”

Tears shimmer in her eyes.

“You.Just you.Stay by my side.Please.”

Fucking hell, she’s killing me with her big blue eyes and startling honesty.

“I’m here, Valentina.Right here,” I vow.

She cries as I watch helplessly beside her, releasing emotions she bottled up for years made even more tragic for how quietly she expresses them.

When she calms, she sniffles but makes no move to dry her face.I snatch the tissue box off the bedside table and offer it to her.She closes her eyes, too spent to move.

“I want to shower,” she whispers.

“We can do that,” I say.

She shakes her head and half hiccups, half sobs.

“I won’t touch you,paperotta.Let me help,” I prompt.

I rise and wrap the blanket around her, creating a barrier between us, but when I position myself to pick her up, she whimpers and shakes her head.

“No.”

She’s too pale again.I pull my hands away and step back.

“What the fuck did thatbastardodo to you?”I snarl.

I only say the words to express my anger, but Valentina shrugs, shakes her head, and answers in a whisper.

“He just… touched me.”

Every muscle in my body tenses in denial.Red hazes my vision as she pulls the knife closer to her chest and continues.

“It seemed innocent at first.He would brush my hair back and hold my hand.”The first hint of anger blips through her features.“But that wasn’t enough for him.”She stops for a moment and closes her eyes before continuing with disgust lacing her tone.“He progressively got worse, and even though he never touched my breasts or my sex, he couldn’t hide the hunger in his eyes, and I knew it was just a matter of time before…”