Disastrous: Cautious Part 21

"Lou?"

"He'll never be a bother to you ever again."

"Was he arrested?"

He shook his head, and I knew right then and there that Lou Sorrento was dead.

"Good."

Marcus took the cup of ice I handed to him and placed it on the table beside us. "I'm tired."

Standing, he leaned in and pressed his lips against my forehead. "Get some rest, baby. Your mom, Megan, Jeremy, and your grandparents will be by later on this evening. Do you mind if I stay here?" He pointed to his chair.

I shook my head. "Can you lie with me?"

He tilted his head at the small bed and studied it adorably. I tried to laugh but winced again and slowly slid over to the left side of the bed, making very little room for him. He climbed in next to me and lay on his side, pulling me into his chest. His lips grazed my forehead as he ran his fingers up and down my arm.

"Marcus?" I whispered as I snuggled into his chest.

"Yeah?" He asked in a soft, content tone.

"I love you."

He pulled me in a tighter. "I love you too. More than you'll ever know."

"Is it over?"

Not answering me, he lifted my chin for my eyes to meet his. His eyes scanned my face until they landed on my lips. Gently, he pressed his lips against mine and then laid my head back against his chest.

I held back my tears. I wanted this to be over with, to finally start fresh again in our relations.h.i.+p, but he wouldn't clarify, and I was left again wondering what else could be holding us back. I was too weak to question him; with heavy eyes, I shut my lids and fell asleep in his arms.

It'd been a week since I'd been trapped in this h.e.l.lhole, and I wanted out. I was feeling great, but the doctor said I couldn't be released until sometime next week. Marcus had been out running a few errands, and Megan had stopped by to spend time with me. My hospital room was filled with balloons, flowers, and get well cards.

My mother, grandparents, and Jeremy had visited almost daily. On the first day of their visit, they all asked questions about what had happened. I told them that whatever Marcus told them was what had happened. They were a bit suspicious about it all but didn't continue to push the issue. I believe Jeremy must have put it all together, but when I told him to drop it, he did. The TV was the last thing I wanted to watch as every news channel discussed the bust. Some, as expected, over-exaggerated the events; others were dis.h.i.+ng out new conspiracy theories. Only a few got it right.

Lou Sorrento was dead, and so were a few of his men. Gio Sorrento was shot in the arm and leg. After receiving medical attention, he was placed in custody and would be awaiting trial. The other mob leader from New York, Salvatore Lombardi, was arrested along with a few of his men. Others were either injured or dead. A few of the FBI agents were killed in the line of duty. An awards ceremony would be held for them in a couple of weeks.

It all felt unreal. The entire situation played like a movie. I wouldn't have thought that it could actually happen in real life, but it did, and it happened to me.

Marcus had said that he had walked away from his former life completely, but I had to wonder how true that was. Just because Lou was gone didn't mean someone else couldn't take his place. The mob just doesn't disappear. They rebuild their family and continue to go on. There couldn't possibly be any happily-ever-afters when a person gets immersed in that lifestyle. Or could there be?

"I brought a brush with me." Megan sang as she danced her way over to my bed.

"No. Get away from me. You're not touching my hair." I swatted her hands away.

She dropped her hands to her hips and gave me a hard stare, "Mia, your hair is a tangled mess. We need to get it under control."

Blowing out a deep breath as a way of caving in, I scooted toward the front of the bed so that she could kneel behind me. "Fine."

Megan began brus.h.i.+ng my hair, "So, where's Marcus?"

"I sent him home."

"How did you manage that? He hasn't left your side since day one."

"I threatened him that if he didn't go home and take a shower I was never going to kiss or sleep with him again."

She let out a giggle. "That worked?"

"If you knew Marcus, you would know that s.e.x is the best way to bribe him."

"You're mean."

"Yeah, I know, but I also wanted him to go out and get some air. Staying in a hospital for several days isn't exactly a spa getaway."

"Like a ma.s.sage spa getaway?"

We burst out laughing, and I winced as I felt a pain shoot through the side of my rib.

"See. You're not one-hundred percent yet. You can't go home."

"I hate being in here."

"It's a hospital, honey. Everyone does."

She continued to stroke my hair with the brush, and I hated to admit it, but it felt great. Once she was satisfied with the final result, she pulled back to inspect her doing. "Well, it's not exactly how I pictured it, but it'll do until you can wash it."

"Wow, you're such a great friend."

"I'm honest."

Marcus came through the doors with a huge flower arrangement and a smile. "h.e.l.lo, beautiful."

"Awww!" Megan squealed.

"Marcus, you do not have to bring flowers every single day. What am I going to do with all of these?" I spread my arms around the room.

He shrugged as he found a spot by the corner window seal and set the vase down. "Get used to it."

My lips curled into a crooked smile. "Are you going to buy me flowers every day for the rest of our lives?"

"Yes, I am. Every single day." Playfully, I rolled my eyes at him and he chuckled. "I can see your att.i.tude is back. That should be a great sign that you'll be home early."

"Actually, the doctor said that I won't go home until sometime next week." I crossed my arms across my chest with a huff and leaned back into the bed. The mattress was adjusted into an upright position so that I could sit up and not lie down on it.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to be at work in a few hours. I'll stop by tomorrow." Megan leaned in and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you for stopping by, Megan, and for doing my hair." Marcus bunched his brows together as he tilted his head and stared at my head. I guess there wasn't much of a difference.

"Anytime! Maybe tomorrow I can do your makeup." Her smile was so enthusiastic I couldn't help but nod in response. How could you turn down someone who only wanted to help?

Just like that, with a single wave of her hand, she was gone and out the door.

"What are the plans for today?" I turned my head to Marcus.

"Well, there's the lovely game of Scrabble again." He reached for the game that lay on the table beside the bed. "Or crossword puzzles." He waved the book with a huge grin and a mocking brow wiggle. "And then there's the fine game of Go Fish 'cause you don't know any other card games." He sat in the chair beside me.

"I know 'I declare war.'"

"Not a real card game, babe. Pick a game."

With a hand to my chest, I widened my eyes. "Oh how shall I ever choose with such a huge selection?"

He flashed a wide-dimpled grin. "Or I can go out and buy a few more games if you like."

"No, Scrabble is fine."

"Atta girl." He reached up and lightly tugged at my chin.

During the next hour, Marcus and I were still on our first game of Scrabble, which I was winning, of course, when we heard a knock at the door. Vinnie walked in and my entire body froze. I hadn't seen him since the day of the shooting. Marcus told me that he was fine, but just seeing Vinnie in person made it all come back.

"Mia, how you feeling?" Vinnie asked as he slowly approached the hospital bed.

"I'm good, better than good. How are you?"

"I'm glad you're doin' well. I'm doing well too. Hey, Marky." He nodded over at Marcus who returned the gesture. Marcus exhaled and stood. "No, no, please sit. I don't want to intrude. I just wanted to say a few things."

"Alright." Marcus said cautiously as he slowly sat back down.

"I just wanted to let the both of you know that I'm sorry for what happened and how everything went down. Especially for you, Mia. You shouldn't have walked into that."

"It's not your fault. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Still it wasn't right, so I'm sorry." Smiling at him, I nodded. "And, Marky, just so you know, there was glitch with the surveillance camera videos after Lou left the building, if you know what I mean."

I turned my head toward Marcus, who wore a baffled expression. "So just like that. Everything is good?" His tone screamed with uncertainly.

Vinnie nodded. "I told you I owed you one, so yeah, just like that."

"But how?"

"Like I said, there was a glitch."

Marcus stood up from the chair walked over toward Vinnie and offered his hand. "Thank you."

Vinnie took it and shook Marcus's hand. They exchanged a quick manly hug, and once Vinnie pulled away, he smiled at me, turned, and walked out the room.

"What was all that about, Marcus?" I asked him the moment Vinnie was out the door.

He shook his head in disbelief. "That was my out."

"Seriously?" My heart fluttered in antic.i.p.ation.

He nodded. "Yeah. It's over." I reached my arms out, and in a few strides, he was beside me. He kissed my forehead and pulled me into a tight embrace.

We could finally start reclaiming our lives.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT.

THREE MONTHS LATER.

MARCUS.

Fingers traced along my arm, toward my shoulder, and across my chest. Once at the middle of my chest, the fingers glided down my torso and stopped at the edge of my briefs. A finger hooked its way in and played along the rim of the cotton fabric. "Wake up, my sleepy man." Her voice was a whisper along my ear.

I moaned and adjusted my arm around her to pull her in closer. With my eyes still closed, I smiled at her giggle. She continued to play with the rim of my boxers. I caught her wrist and pushed her hands down. She giggled again as she gripped my length and began stroking it up and down. "I didn't wake you for this." She teased as she went on with her gentle strokes.

"Well, why else would you wake me?" I slightly stretched underneath her and smiled as she leaned in and grazed her lips along my jawline and toward my ear.

"Today is a good day." She mumbled as she sucked in my earlobe.

"Oh, yeah? What's today?"

"I need you to wake up so I can tell you."

"I'm up, baby. Don't you feel the hard on? I'm wide awake."

Another soft laugh escaped her. "Open your eyes for me."

Just like that, I did as I was told, flas.h.i.+ng my eyes open. I had the privilege to wake to that beautiful face every morning. She bit her lip as a thrill of excitement filled her eyes. She was so happy with whatever she wanted to tell me that the vibe was transferring onto me. "You're killing me here, Mia. What do you have to tell me?"

She kneeled up on the bed and wrapped her legs around my hips to straddle me. I placed my hands on her waist and stared up at the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen. Her hair, long and wavy, was draped down the front of her shoulders and down toward the middle of her torso. Her soft face radiated a glow that would lighten a room, and those big emerald sparkling eyes, that I fell in love with the moment I saw them, weakened me every time. I raised my brows, waiting for her to respond.

"Well . . ." She looked down at me. Her smile softened as if she were unsure of why she'd awoken me, and then she blurted, "I'm pregnant."

My mouth dropped open and then turned into the biggest grin. "What?!"

She nodded adamantly. "I know. It's crazy, right? I mean we've done everything backwards. Moved in together, pregnancy, and then marriage, but even though it's not in the order everyone expects it to be, I'm okay with that. I'm not sure . . ."

I gripped her face and brought her down, shutting off the rambling that she always did when she was nervous. I smashed my lips against hers. She weakened in my hold and moaned against my mouth. Slowly pulling her away, I stared into her eyes. "Who cares if it's backwards? Who said there was a rule of how to plan your life? Are you happy?"