Hers To Love (complete) Cover By @army_ss841

Chapter 50

I had pulled a chair next to the bed and watched Luca sleep. I brushed some of his hair back just to look at his face and sighed.  Was this really what I wanted out of life?  I had to answer yes because no matter how bad it got I couldn't imagine living without Luca.  If that bastard wanted a fight he was going to get one.  Let him try something.  I would be the last person he would expect to draw down on him.  He drew first blood and I would end it.  I wasn't sure how yet but it would come to me sooner rather than later.  There was a soft knocking on the door so I got up and answered it.  It was Paulo.  "How's he doing?" he asked concerned.  I yawned.  "He's sleeping comfortably.  I read the doctor's instructions and already cared for his wound and covered it so I think he's set for the night."  "How are you?"  The concern in his voice is not lost on me.  "I'm tired and pissed off" I replied ruefully.  "You need to sleep when he's sleeping.  You won't be any good to any of us if you pass out from exhaustion."  Now he sounded like a father.  I acknowledged him and said I understood.  Before he left he kissed me on top of my head and added "I'm down the hall if you need anything.  The time doesn't matter.  Come get me."  "Thanks P.  I mean it."  He nodded and closed the door behind him.  I checked Luca's head for fever, something the doctor said to be mindful of.  His forehead was cool.  "What am I going to do with you?" I murmured softly and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.  I sat down in the chair and pulled my blanket up and my eyes started to feel heavy so I closed them and let sleep have its way with me.

I woke up to hear some soft groaning from Luca.  He was trying to sit up.  "Hey tiger!  Slow down a minute" I said trying to give some levity to the situation.  He looked so tired, unkempt and unshaven, not like my Luca who was also in control and always so well put together.  I got on his uninjured side and helped him stand up.  We stood there a moment and he felt like he was weaving a little.  "Take it slow" I said gently.  "You are still a little..." didn't even get all of my sentence out and he started yelling at me.  "I'm not weak!  I have never been weak!  Never refer to me being weak, ever!"  I was startled yet un-surprised by his outburst.  "Accidenti!  Lo non avevo intenzione di dire debole! (Damn it!  I wasn't going to say weak!)" I spit out.  I sighed.  "I was going to say still 'woozy' from the pain pill Dr. Banks gave you."  I finished in an exasperated tone.  He looked like a child that had just been scolded, his eyes fixed on the floor and mumbled "I'm so sorry Ari!  I should never speak to you like that."  "Just don't do it again!"  I said with a slight smile.  I helped him to the bathroom.  "Look I really don't need you to take me to the bathroom" he pleaded.  "Don't worry I will keep your dignity intact" I said stopping by the shower.  "The rest is you.  I will wait here.  I don't want you getting dizzy and falling down.  We need to keep those stitches together."  I finished.  He didn't fight me on this for which I was very thankful.  My mom always told me that men make the worst patients, boy was she right!

After washing his hands I helped get him back to bed.  He was still pretty tired and closed his eyes as soon as his head hit the pillow.  I took the medical supply tray and went around to the other side of the bed and climbed on.  I put my latex gloves on and pulled the sheet down to expose the injured area.  His eyes flicked open for a moment.  "What are you doing?" he asked.  Ari was gently pulling off the outer bandage and answered "well Dr. Banks said I need to change the dressing every 4 to 5 hours.  I put this one on about 4 1/2 hours ago.  Let's see what we've got."  Thank God it looked 50% better than when he got home.  I could feel his eyes on me, watching every move I made.  I took a cotton ball and put a little hydrogen peroxide on it.  "This might sting a little.  I did this part when you were knocked out from the pill."  I dreaded this.  I didn't want to add to his pain but it had to be cleansed.  I gently applied it along the seven inch slash, he hissed in pain.  "Baby I'm so sorry.  I really am."  Tears began to fall silently down my face.  I hated seeing him in pain like this.  After cleaning it thoroughly I applied the ointment which seemed to sooth immediately and then I finished up by putting on a fresh outer gauze bandage.  I was glad that was over.  I picked up the soiled bandage and kept it inside my gloved hand as I pulled the latex off, inside out, trapping it in there and then pulled the other glove off with the first glove inside.  I put it on the tray and took the tray back around the bed and sat it on the table.  I was about to get Luca a bottle of water when he grabbed my hand.  "Sit with me a minute" he asked.  I kept holding his hand and sat down next to him, cross legged, and waited.  "You are so very strong you know that?  I was scared at first when I knew what was happening, not of dying, but of leaving you alone.  I promise Ari, to do everything in my power to never leave you."  If I could have propelled myself at him I would have so I just settled on leaning down and placing a kiss on his lips which almost turned into a make out session if I hadn't stopped him.  His libido wasn't injured that was for sure.  I cut one of the pain pills in two, at his request, and gave him a bottle of water to wash it down with.  Once he was settled back into bed I curled up in my chair and fell back asleep thanking God that He kept Luca safe.