Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8: Giovanni cursed and stood, grimacing when pain shot through his shoulder. He looked down at Natalie, saw a long gash along her temple that was already bruising and guilt curdled in his gut. This was his fault. This was his life. Of course she was going to be in danger. He pushed the thoughts away, though, when he remembered her duty.

She was just here to become his wife and has his children.

That was it.

Though, the thought of having her stomach round with his children, being in bed with her had him hot and aching with lust. But, he saw what this life did to loved ones. He couldn't get so attached to her. He had gotten attached to people before and his enemies ended up using them against him. He couldn't afford that. He tried to pick her up, but growled in pain.

Nicholas stepped forward.

"Boss, you've been wounded." He said in Italian, his voice deep and all growl.

Giovanni took a deep breath.

"Fine, get Natalie." He said, in Italian as well.

Nicholas nodded and picked up Natalie, froze when Giovanni snarled at him to be gentle, then began their way inside.

"Get them all out!" He roared, staring at Natalie's pale face. Not even a moment later all of the party goers began to be escorted out, some with wide eyes of fear, others with excitement and anticipation. He hated that he had to associate with such people, but it was his life.

The only life he ever knew, the only life he would ever know.

Nicholas took them up to Giovanni's bedroom and laid Natalie down on the bed. "Get the doctor." Giovanni managed through gritted teeth.

His shoulder was really beginning to throb.

Nicholas left the room and Giovanni stripped off his suit jacket and tie, blocking out the pain as he sat next to Natalie's limp form. Her face looked innocent, devoid of any worries and he wanted to see her less worried all the time. He wasn't completely lost on all the information of her past, she was his future wife, but when she told him about that man and what he had done to her all he saw was red. He had wanted blood.

Blood of the man that could do that to such a human being, because as much as Giovanni tried to tell himself, Natalie was special.

He brought up a hand, hesitated before letting the back of his fingers caress her soft face. It felt like velvet and he couldn't imagine how amazing it would be to feel her whole body, bare and soft against him.

He took in a ragged breath and began wiping away the blood of her temple, murmuring soft words to her in Italian. Words his mother used to sing to him. He banished that thought as soon as it entered his mind when a wave of emotion almost drowned him with it heaviness.

"What are you doing to me, mi amour?" He whispered to her.

The door opened and a friend of his, a doctor stepped in. He had known Charles for over 10 years. Every time one of his men had been injured, Charles was who he called.

Charles was pale, had a slight beard and silver eyes, his hair a dark red brown. He stopped when he saw Giovanni, his eyes moving slowly from Giovanni, to Giovanni's wound to the beautiful sleeping form of Natalie on the bed. He exhaled a laugh.

"Good to see you, G." he mumbled and walked over to take a look at both Giovanni, and Natalie. He whistled once his gaze rested on her.

"So...this is her? She's hot, dude!" Giovanni chuckled and absently caressed the soft skin of Natalie's exposed arms.

"She will do." He mumbled.

Charles sighed and walked around to take a look at Giovanni's back. He pulled back his shirt and Giovanni winced.

"Okay. It looks like just a graze. Just a couple stitches and you'll be okay. Take off your shirt." He said, in full-blown doctor mode. Giovanni nodded towards Natalie grimacing as a fresh rivulet of blood ran down her cheek.

"Check her."

It was an order and Charles spine snapped straight as he made his way over and leaned down to poke at Natalie's gash.

"She'll be okay. Just a couple of butterfly bandages and some gauze and she'll be fine." Charles said and Giovanni let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

"Good." He said and stood to go and sit on the small loveseat as he began to strip off his shirt with a few colorful words. Charles kneeled next to him and pulled on some latex gloves as he began to work. It was silent for a few moments before Charles spoke.

"You like her." He said and Giovanni sighed.

"Of course I like her she has to be my future wife and mother of my children." He said, purposefully deflecting.

Charles let out a quiet laugh as he worked on Giovanni's shoulder.

"You like her, like her. You know it, too." Giovanni looked back to Natalie's sleeping face, his jaw tight.

"I do." He finally whispered in a barely audible voice.

Neither Charles nor Giovanni spoke after that and once Charles was done stitching up Giovanni's wound he cleaned the gash on Natalie's temple and put some bandages on it. Giovanni was surprised that she woken and figured she must just be out from exhaustion. Charles left soon after and Giovanni didn't know what to do with himself.

He rolled his shoulder, grimaced and then looked at the place Natalie was curled up.

With one last moment of hesitancy he climbed in beside her, pulled her close into him and almost moaned at the feel of it. He pulled the sheet over them and nuzzled her neck.

"Buonanotte, mi amour." 'Goodnight, my love...' He whispered and within seconds he drifted into a wave of oblivion.

It was the best sleep he had ever had...

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Aww! Short chapter! Next chapterrrrr! I hope you liked! Sorry about the cliffhanger on the last one...All I can say is that there WILL be more of them. *Wink wink* XX :)