A Lifetime With You by Athrhteera

Chapter 13

Alena

When I got back to the estate, it was already late because I made a trip to the grocery store. A few black SUVS were parked outside, and the front door was wide open which made me wonder if we had visitors. They cars were parked in different directions, as if they came to stop in a hurry or they were running after something

After I have parked my car in the garage, I walked inside the house.

My eyebrows frowned at the sounds of grunting and groaning. They came all the way from the living room-not just that, they were figures of unknown men in black suits.

Some of them were lying on the ground, someone trying to help them. Their black clothes were stained with blood as it left marks on the marble floor. That was going to need a deep clean to remove.

I was surprised to find around ten men in the living room but there was no sign of Matteo.

There were only four injured men. Someone, 1 assumed was the doctor kept trying to help them, removing bullets, and stitching their wounds. I remained still at my spot as I watched everything in front of me. These were Italian men and they belonged to Matteo. They were in the mafia, it was obvious. They had the build and some of them were bleeding, for god's sake.

L

"Mrs. Lerclerc.. we thought you weren't going to be home tonight," Someone spoke, gesturing for me to leave the living room-as if I feared the blood.

They were wrong. I was never scared of blood or injuries, but I never liked the violence that caused them. Especially when I knew these men were in the mafia and they were probably running from a shooting scene. I always wanted to help people, but they put themselves in these situations.

"What happened?" I asked, heading to one of the men on the ground.

He was passed out and only let out a few groans when I touched his arm. My hand was stained with blood, and 1 immediately noticed he was shot there.

"We were attacked and some of our men got injured."

I frowned, "Where's Matteo

My heartbeat could somehow thump out of my chest as soon as another figure stepped inside the house. Matteo was being held around the waist and arm as he kept groaning in pain. His free hand was holding onto the side of his body, trying to prevent himself from losing too much blood-even when he was already losing too much blood.

There were a few cuts on me, our eyes met.

his face across his cheek and forehead His hands were red from the blood and as soon as he saw

One of his men carefully help him on the couch as he leaned back, clenching his jaw.

"Someone take her out of her." He muttered through gritted teeth, still pressing hard onto the side of his body.

No.

-"I stuttered, "Let me take a look."

"I have my doctor, Alena This is nothing you should concern yourself with. Please, let us be."

"You got shot, Matteo!"

He tried to push me away as I reached out to touch his face, but was stubborn, We weren't in good terms for months, yet I

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Chapter 13

could forgive and forget for a little while. He needed tending as soon as possible and I could never ignore that.

"Mrs. Leclerc "

I cut someone off, "I'm a doctor. I know what to do,"

He turned to look at Matteo, somehow waiting for his approval or order but when Matteo nodded his head, he let me be

"Take me into my office."

Two of his men helped him up as they made their way to his office. I followed behind them closely and watched their every move. When we got inside. I was hesitating at first because I remembered when he told me, I wasn't allowed to be in here. I wasn't allowed to be in his room and his office.

But he didn't seem to bother at the moment. He did ask his men to bring him to his office, so I stepped inside and made my way towards him, who was sitting on the sofa and groaning lightly in pain.

"Bring her the things she needs and leave us.

Within minutes, they placed medical tools and a first-aid kit beside me before leaving the office.

I was left alone with Matteo

I was staring at him for a few seconds, seeing he was indeed in pain. His lips were red and slightly busted-maybe, he was punched on the face a few times before he got shot. He looked rough and I had never seen him like that before. Whenever we ran into each other for the past months, he always looked in a hurry and busy.

"I'll cut your shirt off."

He nodded, leaning back as I run the scissors to cut his shirt. Once I cut them, he was sitting in front of me t***ss. If we were in a different situation, I was probably going to take my time and stare at him because the man in front of me was looking like a Greek god, but he was hurt.

He was injured. I had no right to stare, anyway.

I frowned at the gunshot wound and sighed in relief when I was that it wasn't too deep. It was a graze, and it missed any important **o*ns-he was going to heal just fine. All he needed was enough rest.

I kept quiet, disinfecting the area properly before beginning to remove the bullet. He did groan and grunt a few times, but he managed it well by staying still, only gripping tightly onto his torn-up shirt. "You can ask me. You look curious," he said slowly.

I cleared my throat, "Who attacked you?"

"We were just transporting drugs when we got attacked. Angelo will try to figure out who it was because everything happened too quickly. I couldn't see who it was and then I got shot."

"Is this a normal

reoccurrence for you?"

smirked. "Very much so. This isn't my first

""You've been shot before?"

I survived each

a widow sooner than

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Chapter 13

the conversation amusing but I didn't pay much attention to him or his stare. I was paying attention to his wound even though he was looking at nothing else but me. It had been a while since I saw him smile, too or heard

can't kill me, Alena. It's not that

day. They'll probably come after me, too. If

turned serious, "That won't be happening. Even if I die, you'll be taken care of. You wouldn't have to

"Do you t

think about it. Matteo!"

"About dying?"

in your line of work. you keep getting closer to death when you leave the

out but when he

spoke again as he kept watching me. It was starting to make me feel uneasy

he was thinking but I knew if I looked at him I wasn't going to be able to look away. His

eyes couldn't hypnotize?

I'm lucky." He breathed, "Besides, it's not just

"What do you mean?"

life. I have to remember that I have bigger

is that?"

""What is

"You"

or ignore his gaze, but he seemed to surprise me whenever I least

to marry

knowing you have my

Another word and it gave

his wound, still ignoring his stare. He wasn't groaning or hissing in pain any longer. Both of his hands were resting on his sides, so it took me by surprise when I felt him reaching out

touch was soft and all he needed was for me to

I asked, trying to ignore the rhythm of my heartbeat and the butterflies

"I just miss your

"Don't don't do that."

-

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Chapter 13

"Do what?"

been doing that for months." I looked away, returning to stitch his wound before

"I didn't mean to."

"Then, why did you?"

"It's complicated"

sighed, feeling my legs hurt because I was being on my knees

didn't get a response from me, he continued to talk. "Why

faces were inches apart. I felt self-conscious as he eyed my every feature. It was as if he was counting my freckles across my cheeks-they weren't too visible, but they were obvious if someone was standing too close. Anyhow, we

he wanted to break

"What did he do?"

knew he was curious, but I appreciated the gentleness in

him having sex with his colleague in our apartment. I continued to speak, "We were in love for four years or I thought we were. Maybe, it was just me. So, when he was busy kissing and sleeping with someone else, I made it clear to myself that I never wanted to go through that pain ever again. I

to get you

gave up. He gave me all the cliche answers whenever I asked him. I wasn't a kid, Matteo. I knew he was a big fat liar and couldn't

he really did love you,

I told myself that many times

"You felt lonely?"

would feel lonely when they're

a gentle gesture even though it was quick, but it

he leaned in to

his lips were

slowly opened my eyes to

for helping

as I was about

"You're welcome. Don't push yourself too hard. There are painkillers in the fridge if it's too

and stepped inside. I

was never a normal occurrence. If it was a normal person getting shot, I might ask for immediate scans to check for internal injuries, but it was Matteo and he seemed

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in Italian, and I knew it was my cue to

go to a hospital if you're still hurting." I

but I didn't want to

"Wait, Alena."

spoke to Angelo in Italian. Once they were done, Angelo excused himself and we were left

there something wrong?" I

nothing wrong. They were

guess I should

help me

literally asking me to help him into his room which he made very clear, he didn't want me anywhere near it. He even said the word "please and

getting shot change him or

I'll help you

office. He wasn't putting his whole weight on me because he knew he was going to crush me, but he did lean in for support. His other hand was wrapped around my shoulder in case

talking to them in Italian as

towards the bed, but he didn't completely let go of me. I stole a few glances around his room and there wasn't anything weird-it was a normal bedroom with

than mine. It was clean, too and everything was in