Mafia Kings: Adriano: Chapter 97

I opened my eyes.

I was in a beige room.

Off to my right was a huge window. Through it I could see the rooftops of old Florence and the sun shining down from a deep blue sky.

There was a high-pitched beep… beep… beep.

It reminded me of medical shows – episodes of E.R. I’d watched on the internet.

My mouth was dry like cotton…

And my entire body ached.

Then I remembered the last thing before the darkness:

The car flipping over the guard rail –

The entire world going topsy-turvy –

Oh, I realized.

I must be in the hospital.

I shifted my head on my pillow so I could see the room around me.

There was a man sitting on a chair by my bed, his upper body bent over, his forearms resting on his legs. His head was down and his hands were clasped together. It almost looked like he was praying.

That threw me for a second because I’d never seen any indication of religion in the man I knew and loved…

But even without seeing his face, I would have known the rest of his body anywhere.

“…Adriano…?” I said.

I was surprised at how my voice sounded: like a raspy croak.

The man lifted his head like he’d heard a gunshot.

It was him. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he looked pale and drawn, but it was my Adriano.

He stared at my face like he’d seen a ghost –

Then he scrambled over to my side and got down on one knee so he could clasp my hand.

“Baby,” he said, and I swear I’d never heard him sound happier.

“…hey…” I whispered.

He kissed my hand with both pain and passion…

And then he stood up, leaned over me, and kissed me lightly on the mouth.

His lips were so soft and warm…

While mine felt chapped and dry.

I frowned. He was wearing different clothes – a dark blue shirt and black slacks.

“…how long have I been out?” I whispered.

“Three days.”

My own eyes opened wide. “…three days?”

He grinned and nodded. “Yeah. This is the first time you’ve woken up. In fact – ”

He reached over and pressed a button on a plastic box.

“…what’s that?”

“I’m calling the nurse so she can tell your parents.”

“…they’re here…?”

“Of course they’re here. They’re just taking a break, getting something to eat.”

The door to the room opened, and a woman poked her head in. “Yes?”

Then she saw me, and her eyes went wide. “Oh…”

“Would you go find her parents?” Adriano asked. “They should be in the cafeteria.”

The nurse nodded, then hurriedly slipped out the door.

Adriano knelt down next to my bed again and winced like he was in pain.

“…what’s wrong…?”

“Nothing. It’s fine.”

I searched my memory for what had happened – what might explain his grimace.

Then I remembered.

“…you got shot!” I exclaimed.

“Yes, but I’m okay.”

“…why aren’t you in the hospital?”

He looked around the room as a joke. “I am.”

“…but – ”

“It’s fine. I was wearing a bulletproof vest. I just had some minor injuries. It was nothing compared to what you went through.” He held my hand and stared deeply into my eyes. “You were the one who wrecked Mezzasalma’s car, weren’t you?”

I had to search my memory.

But there it was – the feel of the steering wheel in my hands as I turned it as far as I could.

“…yeah.”

Suddenly panic reared up ice-cold inside of me.

“Is he – ”

“He’s dead,” Adriano reassured me. “It’s over.”

I could breathe again. I settled back on my pillow, relieved.

“Thank you,” Adriano whispered. “You saved my life. Massimo’s, too. The guy in the sunroof, he was going to kill us – but you saved our lives. And nearly paid for it with your own.”I smiled at him. “…ride or die… right?”

His eyes brimmed with tears. He was too choked up to speak for a few seconds… but when he did, he whispered fiercely, “I love you.”

Those words…

They were like honey.

Like a drink of cool water after days of thirst.

I smiled even bigger. “…because I’m a crazy bitch?”

It was a callback to what he’d said on our drive back to Florence from his family’s house:

Because I didn’t realize how crazy a bitch you actually are.

He recognized the joke immediately and grinned. “That… and you’re amazing in bed.”

“…damn straight…”

Then he grew serious. “And because you’re the bravest, smartest, most incredible woman I’ve ever met.”

My own eyes welled up.

I reached up to rub the tears away and realized I had an IV stuck in my arm.

“…God… I must look like shit…”

“On the contrary, you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” He reached into his pants pocket. “There was something I wanted to ask you. I already talked to your parents, and they’re good with it.”

He held out a small clamshell box…

And opened it up to reveal a stunning diamond ring on a bed of black velvet.

My heart stopped when I saw it.

“Bianca Lettieri,” he whispered, “you are the most astounding woman I’ve ever met – and the only one who has ever captured my heart. You saved my life… and I can’t imagine the rest of it without you. I love you. Will you marry me?”

That’s when my tears really started flowing.

I couldn’t speak, but I smiled and nodded vigorously.

“Yes?” he whispered with a smile.

I finally found my voice.

“…yes!”

He leaned over and kissed me –

Sweetly… gently… passionately.

And then he slipped the ring onto my hand.

I stared at the diamond in wonder as it glinted in the light.

“Do you like it?”

“…it’s gorgeous… and it fits perfectly.”

He made a face like a mischievous little boy. “I kind of slipped it on your finger while you were asleep… just to make sure.”

I laughed out loud, then pulled him closer so I could kiss him again.

Suddenly the door opened and my parents came rushing in.

“Bianca!” my mother cried out, her face wet with tears.

My father was crying, too. “Paperotta!”

They both surrounded my bed. Adriano got out of the way so my mother could be on one side and my father could be on the other.

Then my mother saw the ring on my finger.

“You said yes!” she cried out joyfully.

I nodded and smiled as she kissed my forehead.

My father was sobbing, and he turned around and hugged Adriano.

Adriano hugged him, too, and grinned at me over my father’s shoulder.

I smiled back at him through my tears.

It was the happiest moment of my life.