41. NIGHTMARES
KALANI WAKES UP GASPING FOR air. Images of her brother's dead, haunting eyes plagues her mind. She'd been tossing and turning the whole night, getting barely even an hour of sleep. Giovanni is fast asleep beside her, his head turned away from her.
Quietly, she removes the sheet from her body before sitting up in the bed, her feet planting on the floor. The room was the same layout as her room at Sicily so she walks forward, stripping herself of her pajamas before turning on the shower and standing under it, naked.
Little did she know, the sound of the shower being turned on wakes Giovanni from his slumber.
Though three days had passed since she squeezed the trigger of the gun that killed her brother, it still hadn't registered for her. Three nights worth of nightmares ━ a collective two hours of sleep overall.
The longer she stands under the shower, the more she realizes how messed up everything is. And how poetic it might've been.
Rather than the man who kidnapped her to get to her brother kill him, she did it instead.
She barely ate. She barely spoke. If it wasn't Giovanni, she spoke to no one.
Their father...
"Shit..." She whispers, propping her arms up on the wall in front of her, craving stability.
By that time, Giovanni had made his way to her, matching her in her nakedness. He wraps his arms around her waist, pecking the top of her head. She releases a sigh of relief at his touch.
This interaction is a lot different from the first time they showered together.
This one feels a lot more intimate.
A lone tear rolls down her cheek but she swipes it away. She's tired of crying.
"How do I tell my dad?" She whispers loud enough for the man behind her to hear, "How do I tell the man who raised us that I shot and killed his son?"
She leans her head back against his chest, the water running down her face and from her chin. He holds on to her, massaging circles into her skin, comfortingly.
"You don't have to worry about that, principessa." Giovanni assures her, softly, "I'll take care of it."
She shakes her head, "How?"
He kisses her crown again, "Don't worry about it..."
Her eyes close as she presses into him. She hums in content as he turns her to face him. Her eyes remain closed as she rests her forehead against his bare chest.
She savors in the rise and fall of his chest, finding a certain comfort in just being with him.
"I thought I lost you, Gio," Kalani says, running her fingernail down his uninjured arm, "I was searching for you under all the rubble. When I couldn't find you... I thought..." She chokes up, "I thought I lost you." She looks up at him, "I'm glad I didn't."
Giovanni cups Kalani's face in his hand, lifting her face so he can rest his forehead against hers, "You won't lose me, Kalani." His next words leave her breathless.
"I love you."
Had Kalani even released a small sigh when Giovanni said it, she would've missed it. It was quiet, so unlike him. Her eyes widen in shock as she moves her hand to hold his that's on her face.
"What?" Her voice is just as quiet as his.
His jaw clenches as his eyes fill with what Kalani could now recognize as love. The same look that he'd been giving her for the past week. He brushes her wet hair away from her bandaged cut right on her hairline.
"I'm in love with you, Kalani Paige Reed." He repeats, "I'm so in love with you that when he had you, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I needed you back in my arms and I wasn't going to stop until you were. You might not know it, but you're the bright spark in my life. You are my blessing in disguise. And as much as you tease me and annoy me and frustrate me to no end, I still love you."
Kalani is frozen in shock. She stares up at the Italian man, doe-eyed, not having a clue what to say. Her eyes flicker between both of his, her jaw falling slightly.
"Say something, bambina..." He brushes his thumb along her bottom lip, "Anything... Please..."
For the first time in a couple of days, a smile spreads across Kalani's face. It's not the biggest, but it's so genuine and bright that Giovanni can't help but smile back.
She breaks her resolve to not cry when a tear of joy falls from her eye. She reaches up to cradle the Italian man's face in her hands, bringing him down to meet her lips in a sweet kiss.
She pulls away, her smile wider, "I love you, Giovanni Lazaro." Kalani kisses his jaw, "You brought me out of my comfort zone and changed my life. And now, I can't imagine it any other way. Fuck, I don't even want to. Call me crazy or don't, but I'm so fucking glad you brought me here. I love you."
And with that, Giovanni leans down to meet Kalani's lips in a passionate kiss. He lifts her, planting her feet on top of his so he doesn't have to break his neck kissing her.
Their tongues intertwine, sensually. A hunger sparks between the two as the water runs down their bodies. Kalani, realizing that they're just wasting water at this point, reaches behind her to turn it off, earning a chuckle from Giovanni.
She shakes her head with an amused smile, their lips still attached. She whispers against his lips, her eyes closed, "I love you, Gio."
"I love you, principessa."
welp, might as well just end the book here
nah, im playin'
or am i?
but fr, next chapter is probably the last chapter.... so prepare
it's been quite the journey ━ its crazy how fast i wrote this book though. it's been a wild ride but i hope you all enjoyed ❤️