Chapter 4

Livia came to my hospital room the next morning.

My left arm had been cleaned and bandaged. The doctor wanted me to stay under observation, and I'd spent most of the night waking whenever I rolled onto that side.

Livia, on the other hand, looked radiant. She pulled a chair toward my bed and rested her hand deliberately on the rail, making sure the massive diamond caught the light.

"Nico says we're getting married in three days," she said, a sickeningly sweet smile on her lips. "I wanted to ask you myself. Will you be my bridesmaid?"

"After you pushed me in front of a gun?" I asked, my voice dangerously soft.

"Serena, don't say it like that." She reached for my fingers, her eyes darting away. "I've never been through anything like that before. I was terrified."

I pulled my hand back in disgust.

"You saw the shooter, and you shoved me right into his path."

Her eyes filled. "I know you got hurt because of me. I wanted to visit last night, but Nico said you were used to getting hurt. He said it wasn't serious. Please don't hold this against me."

"Save the tears for the cameras, Livia," I sneered. "Your acting skills are entirely wasted here. Get out. The sight of you makes me sick."

She bit her lip, her innocent facade slipping. "We're best friends. I don't want us to end up hating each other over a man. It was meant to be, and besides—"

I laughed once.

"Meant to be?" I spat. "You should have thought about our friendship before you crawled into my fiancé's bed."

Her voice spiked. "He chose me! I can't help who I love! You just hate the fact that a girl from the wrong side of the tracks took what was yours! Don't I have the right to pursue happiness? To be treated as your equal?!"

"Equality?" I glared at her, my patience snapping. I knew those words. I'd taught them to her in school, after girls who'd never missed a meal had mocked her worn uniform.

Her fingers tightened on the bed rail.

"You think I should spend my whole life being grateful to you," she said. "Because you helped me get out of that neighborhood. Because you had everything and I didn't."

"I think you should stop pretending you did nothing wrong."

"Don't I have the right to be happy? To be treated as your equal?"

"Who told you that you deserved the same respect as everyone else?" I asked. "Who took those punches for you when you stood up for yourself?"

Her mouth tightened.

"I didn't help you so you'd owe me. I helped you because you were my friend. You don't get to use that against me now."

"You never wanted me to have what you have."

"You could have wanted a life of your own. You chose my fiancé. And last night, you chose to put me between you and a bullet."

Footsteps sounded in the hall. Livia looked toward the door.

Then she slapped herself across the face.

I stared at her. Before I could speak, Nico pushed the door open. He saw her hand against her reddening cheek and came straight to the bed.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Serena? " he roared, his eyes blazing. "She's here to apologize, and you hit her? Have you lost your damn mind?"

"She hit herself."

Livia leaned into him, sobbing pitifully. "Don't blame her... I hurt her first. Maybe we should end this, Nico. I shouldn't have gone behind my best friend's back. I don't deserve you."

"We're not ending anything," he growled, cradling her protectively. "You didn't steal me. I love you, and I couldn't help it."

He looked at me over her head, his expression twisting with arrogant condescension.

"I told you I'd still marry you. What else do you want? How long are you going to viciously target her?"

"Are you finished?"

A voice, cold enough to freeze the room, cut through the tension.

Matteo stood in the doorway.

Nico's arm loosened around Livia. A flash of genuine panic crossed his face. "Uncle. What are you doing here?"

Matteo didn't even spare him a glance. He strode came to my bedside. "Does your arm still hurt?"

Nico stepped closer, desperate to regain control. "Serena, you'd better watch what you say—"

Crack!

Before the threat could fully leave his mouth, Matteo’s fist connected brutally with his jaw.

Nico crashed into the chair and tumbled to the floor. Livia shrieked and backed away from the bed.

"You come into her hospital room and threaten her?" Matteo asked.

Nico pressed a hand to his face. "She attacked Livia!"

"And you got Serena shot," Matteo fired back, his voice deadly quiet.

"The rival family attacked us. How is that my fault?"

"I spoke to the men who got out. Your convertible was followed from the access road. Our security saw the same car stop outside the dock entrance before the gunmen moved in. You led them to a meeting that was supposed to be discreet."

Nico opened his mouth.

Matteo struck him across the face again.

"You brought someone who couldn't protect herself, handed her to Serena, and blamed Serena when she was wounded getting her out. Now you're standing over her bed demanding she apologize."

He stepped aside, leaving a clear path to the door.

"Get out. Both of you."

Nico got to his feet. He wouldn't look at me. Livia took his arm, and they left without another word.

I watched the empty doorway until Matteo sat beside me.

Only then did I let my shoulders drop. I hadn't realized how hard I'd been holding myself upright while Nico shouted.

Matteo touched my uninjured hand. "Come here."

I leaned toward him, and he put his arm around me, careful of the bandage. For a while I stayed there with my forehead against his shoulder. He didn't ask me why I hadn't stopped Livia, or why I'd gone to the docks, or why I'd ever loved his nephew.

From now on, anyone who makes you bleed will pay in blood," he whispered, his voice a lethal promise.