I lay back against the pillows and let out a long, slow breath. The balcony doors were open and a beautiful breeze was dancing over my skin. The doctor had been waiting for us when we got home. He checked both Lucia and the baby over first. Luckily they were both fine – physically at least. I, on the other hand, had a concussion, a broken rib and two fractured fingers which were currently strapped up, as well as plenty of superficial cuts and bruises.
Alejandro had watched me like a hawk from the moment we’d got back into the house and I wondered if he was waiting for me to have some kind of breakdown.
I wasn’t going to though. At least not that I was aware of. I felt deliriously happy to be home. I had been heartbroken that Hank and George had been killed. George had been new, and I hadn’t known him that well, and although Hank had been a grumpy ass at times, he had been in my life for seven months and he had always protected me. The fact that it had ultimately cost both men their lives had been difficult to think about. But, I had to remind myself that it was Carlos and his men who had killed them.
I had been so relieved to find out that Hugo was alive and recovering in hospital. Alejandro had promised we could visit him as soon as I was back on my feet. So, despite the heartache of the past few days and weeks, my overriding emotion was still happiness that we were all safe.
I was strong. I knew that already but I had proven it in that basement. Whatever the coming days and weeks might bring, I knew that I would cope with it – especially with Alejandro by my side.
He had insisted I stay in bed while he settled Lucia in her room. He had posted a bodyguard outside her door. I guessed it would make him feel better just as much as it might make her feel a little safer.
He walked into the room and I smiled at him. He’d needed fourteen stitches in his hand from where he’d grabbed the knife from Carlos. ‘You okay, princess?’ he asked for the hundredth time in an hour.
‘Yes. I’m fantastic. I told you a million times,’ I rolled my eyes.
‘Oh, Alana, did you just roll your eyes at me?’ he said as he started to unbutton his shirt.
‘I certainly did,’ I giggled. ‘And there’s not a thing you can do about it.’
‘Hmm, is that so? Seeing as you’re high on some heavy duty meds right now, I’ll let it slide,’ he grinned as he pulled off his suit pants before climbing into bed beside me. He lay on his back and I rested my head against his chest as he wrapped one of his huge arms around me.
‘I’m sorry, princess,’ he said as he ran his hand up and down my arm, sending goosebumps skittering over my skin.
‘I know you are. But you’re not responsible for your uncle’s craziness, Alex.’
‘But still …’ he sucked in a breath. ‘I’m sorry that I didn’t find you sooner.’
I lifted my head, wincing slightly at the pain, and looked into his eyes. ‘What your uncle said about his men, that wasn’t true. He only said that to hurt you,’ I said softly.
‘Alana! You don’t have to spare my feelings, princess,’ he frowned at me.
‘I’m not. If I had been raped by those men, do you honestly think I would lie to protect your feelings? They didn’t touch me. Well, one tried. I suppose …’
‘What did he do to you?’ Alejandro scowled.
‘He tried to make me suck his … thing. But I bit him. I think that’s how I got my concussion when the other one hit me because of it.’
‘You bit him?’
‘Yes. Like it was a corn dog. I went for it. He screamed like a baby.’
I felt his chest moving rhythmically beneath me and I realized he was laughing. I giggled too. I suppose it was strange to be laughing after everything we’d been through, but maybe because of that, it felt right too.
‘That’s my chica,’ he said as he leaned down and kissed me softly. ‘Are you sure you’re okay?’
‘Yes,’ I sighed against his chest. ‘I knew you would come for me, Alex. That was how we got through it. Lucia and me. We knew you’d come for us. That was why they gagged us, because we kept telling them so.’
‘I would have burned the whole world to the ground to find you, princess,’ he growled.
‘I know. And even in that horrible basement, I didn’t regret for a single second marrying you. I need you to know that.’
He placed his hand under my chin and titled my head up to look into his eyes. ‘I do.’
‘You rescued me, Alex, in more ways than you can even imagine.’
‘No, princesa,’ he said, his voice a low rumble. ‘It’s you who has rescued me. I think that my father has been wrong all along. Love isn’t a weakness. You are my greatest strength, Alana. I can do anything when I have you by my side.’
I smiled as I snuggled my head against his chest. ‘Te quiero, Alex.’
‘Te quiero, Alana.’
