Seduction of the Patriarch: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance (Cavalieri Billionaire Legacy Book 4) by Zoe Blake

Author:Zoe Blake [Blake, Zoe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Poison Ink Publications
Published: 2024-01-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24

BENEDICT

Barone sat up straighter in bed as I entered. “You had better be hiding a pair of bolt cutters in that duffel bag to break me out of here.”

After tossing the duffel bag onto his hospital bed, I said, “It’s been less than a week since you suffered a serious, life-threatening injury.”

Barone flipped the blankets to the side to ease first one leg, then the other over the edge of the bed. “Did you bring me clothes?”

I shook my head and placed my palm over my heart. “It would be gravely irresponsible for me to encourage—let alone assist—in making such a rash decision as to leave the watchful care of these knowledgeable doctors, especially for an older man of your advanced years.”

He slanted me a nasty look as he pulled the duffel bag closer. “Advanced years? I’m a year younger than you, asshole.”

I leaned against a nearby wall and crossed my arms, tilting my head. “Yeah, but physically, I’m way younger. It’s not your fault. I chose a life of danger and intrigue which has given me the body and stamina of an ageless Roman god whereas you chose the life of a businessman. It’s natural you’d get a little soft after all those years behind a desk.”

Unzipping the duffel and pulling out boots and a pair of jeans, Barone said, “An ageless Roman god?” He rolled his eyes. “I changed my mind, put the bullet back in me.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder which he covered with his own. After a pause, he said, “I know, it was a close one.”

In our own typical male way, we had just told one another all we needed to say. That we loved each other and the possibility of losing him had scared the hell out of both of us.

Without waiting for him to even try what we both knew would be at best a painful, at worst an impossible, task, I bent and helped push his feet through the pants legs. While he lifted his hips and zipped them up, I pushed the left boot over his heel and propped his foot against the top of my thigh to lace them up. “In all seriousness, are you sure you’re good to leave?”

“They took out the chest tube. We both know after that it’s just a matter of giving it time to heal.”

I gave him a skeptical look. “They?”

“Me, they, same thing.”

I dropped his left foot and started on the right.

“We both know I can’t stay here. Whether you’re right or wrong about Dante, whoever did this could return to try and finish the job. I need to be on my own land … surrounded by my sons and guns. Besides, I’m going fucking crazy knowing Amara is there alone. She is my responsibility. I need to be there to protect her if something else happens."

“Spoken like a true Cavalieri.”

With a hand braced on the hospital bed sidebar, he stood. After a slight sway, he righted himself and nodded to me with a half-smile.

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