𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝

8

matteo

Valentina's eyes are wide and her chest heaves up and down rapidly. I knew something was wrong when she took a while in the bathroom, I was a minute away from going to check on her.

She has a death grip on the booth to steady herself, but I can tell that it won't hold her for long.

"Stiamo partendo." We're leaving. Wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her, I attempt to walk forward yet she doesn't move, her body a dead weight.

"I'm going to carry you, okay amore?" I question softly, softer than I ever have before but she doesn't reply. Knowing that I don't really have any other choice, I place my arm under her legs and lift her to my chest. Her head falls into my neck and her body completely relaxes, sinking into mine.

I follow behind Cairo and Enrico who race out of the club in front of me, just as eager as I am to get her out of there.

I don't know what happened, and I don't really care- I just want her to be okay.

The moment I noticed that she had been gone for a little too long I sobered up completely, my worry like a bucket of cold water crashing down on me.

Placing Valentina in the back seat of the car, I slide in next to her, making sure to wrap and arm around her body to keep her up. Her eyes are open, yet there's nothing there, she's just staring blankly into nothing which is probably even more worrying than her being unconscious.

Cairo speeds home, faster than I've ever seen him drive and we soon arrive in front of the house.

I pick her up again and carry her up to her bedroom, putting her down onto her bed so that her head's resting against the head board. My brother and Cairo stand beside me, with matching worried expressions as we look at the woman in front of us.

A single tear runs down her face, followed by another and then another until a stream is flowing from her eyes. Valentina doesn't react to this, it's as if she's stuck in her own head, unable to perceive her surroundings or actions.

I give Cairo and Enrico a silent look, asking them if it's okay they left for a bit. Instantly they understand and step out of the room, Enrico mentioning that he'll go get her some water.

Settling myself opposite her on the bed, I lift my hand up slowly as to not scare her and tuck a piece of hair behind both ears that it's out of her face.

"Amore." I whisper, my eyes searching her numb expression and my thumbs wiping away the tears that fall from her big purple tinted eyes.

"Do you want to change out of your jeans?" My voice is unrecognisable to me as I question her and yet again he doesn't reply.

I think I need to change my tactic here.

Instead of asking her questions and talking to her, I pull myself up to the headboard beside her and carefully wrap my arm around her shoulder. Valentina's head falls onto mine silently and I realise that this is all that she needed.

She didn't want to talk, she didn't want to move, she just wanted nothing. I'm not sure if she even wants me here, but there no way in hell that I'm leaving her when she's like this.

Enrico returns with a glass of water, placing it on the bedside table along with some painkillers. He looks at Valentina with sympathy and worry, and turns to me miming a texting motion, most likely asking me to text him if she's okay. I give him a nod and he closes the door behind him as he leaves.

For the rest of the night I lay there beside her, unmoving and awake.

No matter how much my back hurts or how tired I am I do not move a single muscle or fall asleep. Over the course of the night I sober up fully and Valentina falls asleep, both of us still fully clothed from the club.