Vittore's POV

I held her in my arms as the light drained from her.

I'd seen death, I'd seen blood and I'd seen chaos but nothing, nothing would compare to what it felt like holding Dalia in my arms, having her confess her love for me only to pass on slowly. I still remember the stench of her blood, the tears in her eyes and the ones that run down from my own.

I looked down at my hands that were still red and they shook. I had to wash them. I had to remove the blood but then I felt like I was removing her from myself. Or the little of her that I had.

"Mr. Jones?"

I looked up at a nurse dressed in blue scrubs. Her hair was silky and dark, not coils like Dalia's. Her skin was pale and smooth, not as dark as Dalia's. Her nose was pointed, not round like Dalia's and she wasn't as tall.

"How is she?" I asked, trying to keep the tremour out of my voice. I'd sent all the guards out and around the hospital, wanting to be alone as I waited for Dalia to get out of surgery. When we'd walked through the doors, she barely had a pulse.

"We found some complications during surgery," she said and that was enough for me to drop my head in my shaking hands. "Your wife barely had any blood in her system. It seems she tried to take some medication for her anaemia but it didn't do much help. I'm surprised she was holding out for this long."

"Aren't you supposed to bring me anything but depressing news?!" I snapped and the nurse flinched back.

My whole body was consumed by self loathe, thicker than when I lost my mother. Dalia was suffering and I didn't notice. Not even once. My mind went back to when she'd stumbled into be back at the balcony. I didn't even think twice. I didn't ask any more questions.

"We managed to get the bullet in her out but it managed to destroy one of her ovaries. We had to take it out but she'll be fine. We lost her for seven minutes but we managed to bring her back and get a blood transfusion going..."

I stood up and placed myself right in front of the nurse, glaring down at her as her face paled.

"Is. She. Ok?" I gritted out. I just needed to hear she was fine and that was it.

"Y-yeah s-she's fine. We put her to sleep, she should be awake in a few hours or a few days, it depends. I-I'm just going to go..."

The nurse turned away from me and started retreating as fast as her legs could take her.

"What's her room?" I called after her. She stopped and turned, holding her clipboard with a tight grip.

"She shouldn't be receiving any visitors right now-"

"What's her room?" I asked my voice getting deadly.

"15F," the nurse squeaked and quickly rounded the corner. I glared even after she was gone and walked through the hospital, knowing exactly where the room was. The head of the facility owed me a favour so most of the injuries my men got came here.

I opened the door and closed it behind me, leaning back on it to prevent my legs from giving out.

Dalia looked like death.

Her skin as dark as it was, seemed pale. There was a tube placed in her mouth that went down her throat and she was connected to drips, one holding water, the other blood. The only things that indicated that she was alive were the constant beeps of a machine and the steady rise and fall of her chest.

I walked over and pulled a stood to the side of her bed and held her hand in mine. She was so cold so I rubbed her skin, to provide as much warmth as I could.

"Hey amore," I said softly, reaching forward to remove one of the curls on her forehead. "I... I'm not sure what to so say but... I'll see you soon sì? You rest and I'll be here waiting. Always. Just stay strong. Please God amore you have to stay alive for me."

My eyes watered and I sniffed, rubbing away the tear that run down my cheek. "I don't know how I can live without you, I wonder how I even lived before you. Everything's been so dark for me for a long time but meeting you... loving you is all I've ever known so sleep soundly amore. When you wake up, we'll go on that date I promised and so many others."

I knew she probably couldn't hear me but it didn't stop me from talking. This woman had changed me in more ways than one.

"I don't deserve you," I chocked out, rubbing my thumb over the back of her hand and shutting my eyes. "How can you love me?"

My question went on deaf ears but I didn't understand it. I couldn't understand why she risked her life for me and why a heart as innocent as hers could love one as scarred as mine. I guess we were both scarred but she wasn't supposed to be. She wasn't supposed to be tainted as she was. She had a good life, something I never did have. I'd known death since I was just a boy.

I looked up into Dalia's face and just did as I promised. I waited for them to open and I would wait even if it meant I'd sit in this room for the next few years to come because she was worth it and would always be.

My kryptonite.