I woke in a private hospital room with more than a dozen stitches in my arm.
Nero sat beside the bed. Judging by the dark circles beneath his bloodshot eyes, he hadn't slept in 2 days.
When I opened my eyes, he was holding my uninjured hand, pressing kiss after kiss to my fingertips.
The moment he realized I was awake, he looked up.
The warmth blazing in his blue eyes vanished almost instantly, replaced by fury.
"Have you completely lost your mind?" he growled. "Who gave you permission to take a bullet for me?"
"Because..." I winced through the pain and forced a greedy smile onto my face. "You still owe me the rest of my money."
I buried every genuine feeling beneath the act.
My answer snapped the last thread of his restraint.
Nero leaned over me, bracing his arms on either side o
