The Billionaire's Sweet Revenge

SEVENTEEN

Gabe paced the floor outside the surgery room. Waiting patiently was not something he did well at all. He was at his wit's end. Adrianna had been in there over an hour already. He worried that bad news would soon follow. He definitely wouldn't be able to handle that.

Memories of his life had passed through his mind. Never had he cared for anything more than what model he planned to seduce, or the next party he would attend, or what his next Armani suit would look like. Once in a while, he'd thought about buying another villa or townhouse somewhere in the world, but that was how he lived his easy life.

But as he pondered everything he had ever done, nothing seemed as important as ending someone else's life. He'd shot his best friend. Had Gabe wanted Dante dead? No, but at the very moment he was pulling the trigger over and over again as he aimed the Glock toward the door, all he could think about was keeping Adrianna and her sister safe. And if that meant ending Dante's life, then so be it.

When he'd seen his precious Adrianna lying on the floor in a pool of blood, his stomach had lurched. He'd never been so frightened in his life. Yet, at the same time, he'd never hated someone as much as he did Dante. Detestation for Dante had coursed through him like a poisonous infection. He'd wanted his friend dead for what he'd done to Adrianna.

He flexed his hands and turned to pace the floor in a different direction. Valerie sat on a chair by the window, staring outside. Her face was devoid of make-up because the tears she'd shed for her sister had wiped her face clean.

He hadn't gone to church since he was a young boy, but these last few hours, he'd silently talked with God so much, he couldn't count the prayers. Adrianna must make it through this surgery. Life would not be the same without her. He would not be the same without her.

A doctor from one of the other operation rooms walked out, removing his mask as he moved toward Gabe. He halted, waiting for the physician. The older man stopped and sighed heavily as he scrubbed a hand over his face.

"Well, we were able to save your friend," he spoke in Italian. "He's in critical condition and so in the next twenty-four hours we'll know if he makes it or not."

Gabe gritted his teeth. Right now he didn't care what happened to Dante. It was Adrianna he cared about. But he couldn't become upset at the doctor. The man was just doing his job. "Grazzi."

"Do you know if his family is here yet?"

"Not yet."

"Inform the nurse when they arrive, and I'll talk to them about Dante."

Gabe nodded. "Grazzi."

As the doctor walked away, Gabe switched his attention to Valerie. She had been watching him.

"Did you understand any of that?" Gabe wondered.

She nodded. "I know a little Italian."

"So you know he lives?"

"Yes, but...I wished he had died." She shrugged. "Is that wrong of me to think that way?"

"No." Gabe sat beside her and patted her knee. "I'm having the same feelings. I'm angered that the man I have known and loved for years was careless enough to shoot a gun, knowing it might kill one of us. I have hatred inside my heart for him, and I don't think I will ever forgive him."

"I know." She laid her head against his shoulder. "I'm so glad Anna found you. She needed a man who would treat her special."

"Did she not have boyfriends in the states?"

Val lifted her head and met his gaze. "Not many. She was rather shy with the good-looking guys. There were a few guys in college who had the hots for her, but they were geeky." She flipped her hand. "Anna was never picky about their appearance, but it mattered to me. My sister deserves the best."

Gabe chuckled softly. "I'm grateful you consider me the man who will treat her special. We have only known each other for a few days, but she has captured my heart in a way I cannot explain. How could I not fall in love with her?"

Val smiled. "I can see the love you have for her on your face. I'm glad you feel that way, because she's head over heels in love with you, too."

His heart lifted. "Did she tell you that?"

"No, but I read it on her expression, too...and in her words. She tried to keep her heart from you, but I'm glad you persisted and won it, anyway."

"Me, too."

The door to the operation room opened and out walked Adrianna's doctor. Both Gabe and Valerie jumped up and rushed to him.

"How is she?" Gabe asked in Italian.

"She is doing much better. The bullet had sliced through the brachial artery, which was why she lost so much blood." He pointed to a spot on Gabe's shoulder. "The bullet entered through here," he touched a spot in the back, "and exited through here. We were able to repair it. She'll need to stay in the hospital for a few days longer, but I'm happy to report, she will be just fine."

Sighing heavily, tears stung his eyes. He silently gave another quick prayer of thanks to God for saving Adrianna. "Grazzi, Doctor." He shook the other man's hand.

As the doctor left his side, Valerie covered her face with her hands and sobbed. He wrapped her in his embrace to comfort her.

"It's all my fault," she cried. "If I hadn't been so selfish—"

He led her back to the chairs and helped her sit. He took the seat beside her. "Why did you bring her with you, Val? Obviously, it wasn't to come to see a specialist here in Venice."

She shook her head as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Because I needed someone to help me take the cocaine back to the States."

Shock rumbled through him. "What? You were going to steal Dante's stash?"

"Yes." She sniffed and wiped the back of her hand under her nose. "I don't know what the difference is between Dante's cocaine and what I'd gotten from the states, but his was the best. I started going through withdrawals after we broke up, and the stuff I could get my hands on didn't work. It was my plan to send my sister out on the town to sightsee while I tracked Dante down. It was a stroke of good luck when she told me she was going to the Prime Minister's party tonight with you. I figured Dante would be there, too, and that would give me the chance I needed to break into his house to steal his stash." She stared at a spot on the wall as a blank expression crossed her face. "After I broke off with Dante, I started losing weight, and because of that, I was losing modeling jobs. I told Anna that I had Lyme disease. But I don't. I'm..." her voice broke as more tears filled her eyes, "I'm an addict and I need help."

He stroked her long hair, noticing right away that it wasn't as soft as Adrianna's. That, right there, was another big difference between the sisters. "I will help you get into a drug rehab center. I promise."

"Thank you." Her voice shook.

From up the hall, two police officers came walking their way. Valerie swore and grasped onto Gabe's arm.

"They are going to take me away and lock me in jail, I just know it."

"Why would they do that?"

"Because I broke into Dante's house."

He grasped her hand. "If that happens, I'll hire the best lawyer for you."

The two officers stopped in front of Gabe. "Can I help you?" he asked in Italian.

"We just need to ask some questions about the shooting tonight," the older one answered in English as he looked at Valerie. "Do you mind if we ask you now?"

"Uh...no, that's fine."

"Do you need me?" Gabe asked.

"Not right now." The man with the bulky middle shook his head.

Gabe breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you mind if I go check in on Adrianna?"

"Go ahead." The officer with the face full of freckles motioned his hand. "We'll come to get you when it's time."

"Grazzi." He squeezed Val's hand, trying to give her reassurance before he left her side and hurried up the hallway. As he approached a different hallway with the patients' rooms, a nurse motioned for him, pointing to a room across from her station. He gave her a smile of appreciation and entered Adrianna's room.

She lay on the bed with an oxygen tube in her nose. On one arm, the IV was hooked into her skin, and on the other arm, her finger was placed in a heartbeat monitor. A blood pressure cuff was wrapped around her upper arm.

He'd never seen her face so white, and he never wanted to see it that way ever again. She wore the hospital gown, but the sleeve of her left arm was taken out and thick bandages wrapped around the wound.

Tears filled his eyes as he pulled up a stool and sat by her bed, gently stroking her hand. He hadn't protected her as he'd wanted. He'd promised she would be safe, and yet, he'd failed. Pain twisted in his heart. His throat dried as a lump of emotion lodged in his neck.

"I promise this to you now," he whispered, "I will never put you in harm's way again. I will always be your protector."

He leaned down to kiss her hand. The tears he'd tried to keep from falling finally broke through and dripped down his face. From now on, he would be a better man for his one true love, Adrianna.