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The Mafia And His Angel Part 3 (Tainted Hearts) by Lylah James (13)


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My head ached as my eyes slowly opened. I felt heavy. I blinked my eyes open, trying to understand what just happened.

I focused on the ceiling, my head a little fuzzy.

“Ayla?”

At the sound of my name, I turned my head toward the voice. My eyes made contact with blues one.

Alessio!

My heart stuttered, and I let out a choked cry. I remembered everything. Every moment. Every word he said. And everything after.

Alberto.

My eyes widened, and I sat up quickly. There was no escaping him.

“Shhh…I’m right here, Angel,” Alessio soothed. He held my hands in his as he tried to smile. He looked worried, and I saw the fear in his eyes.

I couldn’t stop the tears. Alessio found me. He was here. He was really here.

He saved me…

I was safe.

He took me away from hell.

My heart soared, and I quickly scrambled into his lap. “Alessio,” I sobbed, wrapping my arms around him.

Burying my face in his neck, I cried. I had believed in Alessio. I had trusted him.

For once, I was happy that I never lost hope.

No matter what, I knew he would come for me.

My heart soared, and I held him tighter. I never wanted to let go.

I would never let go. He was mine as much as I was his. The day our eyes met, our fate had been decided.

“I got you, Angel.”

Those words. His voice. It had the same effect on my heart just as before. His voice was exactly what I needed to hear.

And those words…I had been desperate for them.

I knew he got me. He always did.

Alessio held me against him, and he whispered sweet words in my ears, letting me know he was here.

He placed gentle kisses over my face, soothing away all the pain.

“Alessio,” I whispered brokenly. “I remember, Alessio.”

His arms tightened around my waist. His lips pressed against my temple. “You remember?” he asked hoarsely.

I could hear the emotion in his voice. His hands were shaking on my hips, and I held him tighter. I nodded against his neck. “I remember everything.”

Alessio pulled away so he could stare at me. His eyes roamed over my face and then stared deep into my eyes. I saw the glassy look in his.

“You really remember?” he asked again, his soft voice caressing me.

When I nodded, Alessio crushed me to his chest. “Ayla. Fuck. I was worried. So scared. I thought…you would never…”

“You found me,” I hiccupped back a sob.

“I found you. I will always find you, Angel,” he agreed. I looked up, staring into his captivating blue eyes.

“Alessio, I’m not the traitor.”

His hand pressed against my lips, stopping my flow of words. “No. You are not. I know you aren’t. I never thought you were. I trusted you before, and I trust you now.”

“You believe me? But…before…at the beach…”

Alessio flinched at the memory, and even I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

“I was hurt, Ayla. I just found out the woman I desperately love was an Abandonato. I was just angry, but never once did I think you were the spy. I just needed some time alone. When I had time to think, I understood why you didn’t say anything,” he explained.

I saw him swallow hard. He bent his head until our foreheads were touching. “I didn’t turn away from you because you were an Abandonato. I turned away because I was hurt that you lied. When I finally came to terms with everything, I was too late. You were already gone. I ran after you, but I was still too late. Ayla, that day…I had never felt such pain. It felt like I was being torn apart.”

My throat closed up. “I fought, Alessio. I fought against him. I didn’t go easily. I screamed for you. He said…he said that you didn’t want to see me. He said you were giving me away.”

Alessio’s expression thundered with fury. “Who?” he growled. But I saw a hint of recognition in his eyes.

“Artur,” I whispered. “He gave me to Alberto. He said you never wanted…to see me again.”

When his face twisted in pain, I quickly added, “But I didn’t believe him.”

Alessio pressed his lips ever so gently on mine. The kiss was so soft, almost feather light. I could taste our tears as our lips made contact.

“I never said those words, Angel. You are my everything. I would never think of giving you away,” he admitted, his voice filled with distress.

“I know. I believed in us, Alessio,” I said, wrapping my arms around his head. I held him to me, our lips still touching.

“I believed in us, too. I never stopped believing.”

At his words, my heart raced. My chest didn’t feel like it would explode anything. I felt…lighter.

“You kept me from going crazy,” I muttered, closing my eyes as he peppered my face with kisses.

Alessio wrapped his arms around me, and we held each other. I sighed and burrowed deeper into his safe embrace. I felt loved…cherished…adored and protected.

I felt his cheek in my palm, feeling his rough stubble. When was the last time he shaved? My hands roamed over his face, touching him, feeling him.

I ran my fingers over his lips, and he kissed my fingertips. I closed my eyes as a loving feeling washed over me.

I sat up straighter on his lap and kissed his lips. I never wanted to stop touching him.

But my thoughts halted when I felt a kick. Looking down, I stared at my round stomach. I felt Alessio follow my gaze.

My nose stung as I fought against the tears.

When I felt another kick, it was impossible. I cried, holding my stomach, feeling my baby move.

Alessio placed his hand over mine. We held the bump firmly, protectively.

“He hurt me, Alessio,” I whispered. “He hurt me so much. He kept going. It didn’t matter that I cried and begged him to stop. He just…kept going. He kept hurting me. Over and over again,” I cried, my hands pressing firmly against my stomach.

The tears streamed down my cheeks as the baby moved again. Oh, baby.

I pressed my face into Alessio’s neck. “He was so cruel. He never stopped, Alessio. I don’t know how long it kept going. I just didn’t have the strength…to fight anymore. I just…wanted it all…to go away. I just wanted…to be happy. I wanted to be…with you again.”

“Angel,” Alessio groaned in pain. He held me tighter as I felt the anger course through him.

When the baby rolled again, I closed my eyes. “He said he would kill…my baby.”

Alessio froze underneath me. His muscles tightened. I thought he stopped breathing for a second. “What?”

His tone was dangerous. Even I trembled at his voice.

My heart ached at the memory. Alberto was ruthless. He tried to break me every way he could. He took me until I had nothing else to give. Still, he kept taking. He kept breaking me.

As if his actions weren’t enough, he tried to break me with his words.

“He said he would let me give birth but…deliver the dead baby to you,” I choked out, my breathing coming out faster in panic.

Alessio’s arm curved protectively around my stomach. “He’s a dead man, Ayla. When I find him, he will regret ever hurting you. He will regret even thinking of hurting our baby.”

My eyes snapped open, my breath leaving me in a loud whoosh.

He will regret even thinking of hurting our baby.

Our baby.

My heart clenched, and I looked up at his angry face. I saw the killer there. The Monster. But I wasn’t scared. I knew the Monster would protect me.

He was my Monster.

I palmed his cheeks, looking into his blue eyes. “You said our baby.”

Alessio’s eyebrows furrowed at my words. His gaze shifted to my stomach and then back up. “Yes. Our baby.”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “How do you know the baby is yours?”

Alessio brought his hand up and swiped my tears away. “Is it? Is the baby mine, Ayla?”

I winced at the question, a sense of despair falling over me. Closing my eyes, I leaned my forehead against his. “I don’t know,” I whispered. My voice broke as the baby moved again. “I don’t know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Alessio.”

“Why are you apologizing, Angel?”

When I went to answer, he pressed his fingers against my lips, stopping my tide of words. “Not a word, Ayla. You have nothing to apologize for. At this point, I don’t even care who the father is. The baby is mine. You are mine. He is ours. That’s all that matters.”

His hand went to my round belly. He caressed the bump gently. “I think I already love him, Angel.”

My hand went over his. “I want him, Alessio.”

A surge of protectiveness and possessiveness coursed through me.

I didn’t know who the father of my baby was. I didn’t want to know. I just wanted to love my baby.

I wanted to give my baby all the love I never had.

Alessio pressed his lips to mine again. He kissed me with so much care and love, like he treasured me. He held me gently, as if I were made of glass.

I felt cherished.

His touch was soft and gentle. His words were sweet.

He was everything I needed and wanted.

I love you.

The words were stuck in my throat. I didn’t say them. I wanted to, but something stopped me.

He told me he loved me, yet I couldn’t say the words. I didn’t know why.

I didn’t think I needed to say them anyway. What we had was more powerful than those words. We just had to feel our love for each other.

Even without those words, our hearts were entwined together.

“Alessio,” I said quietly. “You are my peace.”

He smiled against my lips. “I know.”

His answer brought a smile to my own lips. We kissed, our lips touching softly. It was slow, gentle, and soft. His tongue mated with mine, and I sighed into his kiss.

A knock on the door broke us apart. Before Alessio could answer, I saw Maddie running inside, followed by Lena.

She stopped in the middle of the room, her eyes on mine. “Sam told me Ayla fainted.”

Her gaze roamed over me, fear in her eyes. Lena stopped beside her, her expression panicked too.

Alessio chuckled lightly. “She remembers,” he announced.

Maddie’s mouth fell open, and Lena gasped. Before I knew it, I was swept in their arms. They hugged me too tight. We cried together.

I missed them so much.

“I’m sorry for taking so long,” I breathed through my tears.

“You have come back to us. That’s all that matters,” Lena admonished gently.

Maddie didn’t let me go for the longest time. Lena had long left, but Maddie still held me. “I was so scared, Ayla. You have no idea. I’m so happy. I feel like every sacrifice I made was worth it.”

My forehead pinched in confusion, and I stared at Alessio’s blank eyes. Maddie paused and pulled away. She swiped her tears away and smiled, her eyes twinkling merrily.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, confused.

She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. You sure know how to stress someone out. By the way, I am still a little pissed that you talked to me last. Not fair that Alessio got your voice first.”

I ducked my head shyly, feeling my heart warm with her words.

“Ayla needs to rest. You can talk to her tomorrow, Maddie,” Alessio said, pulling me into his arms. My back was to his front as he held me.

Maddie nodded. “You’re right.”

She kissed me on the forehead before pulling away. “You need to rest and sleep a lot. I’m sure remembering everything has taken a toll on you.”

“I do feel a little weak,” I admitted, relaxing in Alessio’s arms.

“That’s it,” he growled, sweeping me off my feet. “I should have known.”

He placed me on the bed and pulled the comforter over me. “You need to rest,” he ordered, leveling me with a hard look.

I heard the door close as Alessio gave me a pill. “Sam told me to give you this. It’s for your headache.”

I took the pill, and Alessio held the glass of water to my lips as I drank. When I was done, he pushed me on my back and turned off the light.

He climbed in bed behind me, pulling me to his chest, his arms wrapped around my waist, his hand over my baby bump. I placed mine next to his. The baby moved once before settling down.

“Sleep, Angel.”

I closed my eyes.

Sleep, Angel. I’ll watch over you.

I knew he would watch over me. Just like always.

As sleep started to take over my mind and body, my lips tilted up in a small smile.

He came for me, just like I knew he would.

“Thank you for loving me,” I whispered into the dark.

“Never thank me for loving you, Angel,” he muttered back.

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