Take Me Apart (Vitale Brothers Book 1)

I ripped open Enzo’s shirt and searched for the wound. There was so much blood it was like a curtain, obscuring my view and hiding where he was injured. Frustration fueled my irritation, and I looked more closely.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Benito asked.

“Fuck off!” I snapped.

Benito’s eyes darkened. “Watch yourself.”

“You think I give a fuck about what you can do to me right now?” I stared through Benito like he was nothing. I’d never shaken so badly in my life. The only thing I gave a damn about was Enzo. “I just had my friend, a good friend, threaten to fucking kill me. He put a gun up to my head.” I shivered. “Now he’s dead…”

Emotions stole my next words, clogging up my throat as tears spilled down my cheeks. The shock was still there, keeping me safe from the reality of the situation. But I could feel it coming on, that nasty truth that was waiting to rip me open and tear me into tiny little shreds.

“The only thing I give a fuck about right now is him,” I said, nodding to Enzo. “He’s all I’ve got left.”

The world hammered at my door; my friend had been stomped to death, my job was more than likely gone, and Enzo was bleeding on the expensive, dark leather of his brother’s imported goddamn car. It was like I was living in some fucked up nightmare.

“I’m o-okay.” Enzo grabbed my hand and squeezed. “It’s not so bad.”

“Shut up,” I snapped at him. “Just shut up before you fucking bleed out on my leg.”

Enzo smiled at me, and I almost fell apart. My heart squeezed. He was an idiot. Why the hell had he taken a bullet for me? This was the guy who swore he would murder me if we ever crossed paths again more than once. And yet he’d dove in the way of Rourke’s rage as if it was nothing.

I found the wound and shoved my hand against it. Shifting Enzo slightly, I made sure the bullet had entered and exited. Once I was certain that it had, I sighed in relief. At least it wasn’t lodged in his body. That would be a kind of horror I couldn’t take right now.

Benito and Giancarlo didn’t exist for me. All I could focus on was Enzo. He reached out, his hand gripping mine so tightly it could break. Or maybe I was just more aware of every sensation right now. His hand felt like lead on mine, and the air in the car was stifling with the scent of blood and gunsmoke.

“Stop,” Enzo muttered at me. “You look like shit when you cry.”

I burst out laughing. It was such an unexpected thing to say it took me off guard. The laughter died, and I cried harder. My life was falling apart. The only one that had ever truly seen me was a criminal. I had no idea what anything was anymore.

Enzo’s hand brushed against my cheek. “Breathe,” he said. “It’s okay.”

“Shouldn’t I be telling you that?” I muttered.

“Stop being so fucking stubborn.”

I wanted to wrap my arms around Enzo and never let him go. Even when he was in obvious pain, I could feel how much he worried about me. The crazy, housebreaking, stalking piece of shit cared about me.

Giancarlo moved over and helped me apply pressure. We locked eyes, and he nodded but kept quiet. I wanted to thank him for that. Right now, I couldn’t take anything more than what was in front of me.

“Tex?”

“Yeah?” I asked, clearing my throat so I didn’t sound like such a little bitch.

“We’re almost home.”

Home. Enzo said it so casually as if it meant nothing, but it meant the world to me. My eyes clouded again, and I wanted to curl up on myself and sob where no one could see me. I knew it was part of being in shock, but goddamn, did it hurt.

“Yeah,” I whispered.

I looked out the window of the car as the streets rolled by. We really were heading for his place. I gazed at his brothers. Neither seemed alarmed, and I assumed they’d made medical arrangements.

“We’re almost home,” I whispered back. I gazed up at his brothers again. “I need something I can wrap around his wound.”

Benito took off his jacket and passed it over wordlessly. I tied it around Enzo’s body, pulling it tightly. The smile fell from his face, and a hiss slipped past his lips instead. He narrowed his eyes at me.

“Don’t glare at me. I’m doing the best I can.”

Enzo grunted as the car came to a stop. The brothers disembarked before Benito turned around and held out his arms.

“Give him to me. I’ll carry him up.”

“No.”I shifted out of the car. “I’ll carry him.”

Benito growled. “You’re really pushing me.”

“I said I’m going to carry him.” I stepped closer to him. “Get out of my way.”

“Come on, Benito. We’re wasting time,” Giancarlo said.

I turned back to Enzo. The two of them could argue over bullshit. I needed to get Enzo up to his place. He leaned against the car, his skin pale and his breathing heavy. I crouched down.

“Get on my back.”

Enzo, to my surprise, didn’t argue. He wrapped his arms around my neck, groaned, and laid on me. I wrapped my arms around his legs and hoisted him into position. Standing up, I made sure he was balanced on my back. We took the service elevator up to his place.

“There you all are,” a woman said as she stood at the door, frowning.“He looks terrible. Get him inside and on a bed. Downstairs.”

I didn’t ask questions. Moving into the guest room, I carefully unloaded Enzo from my back. Every pained intake of breath put me on edge.

“Let me get to work.” The woman laid a hand on my back when I wouldn’t move. “Get out of the way, or I can’t save him, honey. Move.”

I shifted out of the way but not too far. Pressing my back into the corner of the room, I watched her work. If she fucks up, I’ll shoot her. The thought was so sudden I jolted, but it was exactly how I felt. I would kill her without blinking an eye if Enzo died.

Enzo’s laughter made me look at him. “Stop glaring at the doc,” he said, shaking his head. “Melony is good at her job.”

“Awww, thank you,” she cooed. “Now, hold still and focus on yourself.”

Enzo winked at me before his face contorted in pain, and he swore. I stepped forward, but a sharp whistle cut through the air.

“Back off,” Benito said. “Let her do her damn job.”

I want to shoot him next.

I stopped myself from pacing. Eventually, Melony stepped back and let out a heavy sigh. She peeled her blood-slicked gloves off.

“Those stitches will hold,” Melony said. “Just be careful, and you’ll be okay. Here.” She dug into her bag and pulled out a bottle of pills. “Take one of these every eight hours to kill the pain. It’s good shit.”

I took the bottle from her. “I’ll give them to him.”

“He should have someone here to look after him. I’m guessing that’s you?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Lots of rest, water, and feed him before the medicine,” she said, checking her phone. “I have a shift in a few hours. I need to get out of here. I’ll come back to check on you after work, Enzo.”

“Thanks,” he groaned. “Pill.”

“She said I should feed you first,” I said, stepping closer to him. “Let me make something.”

He waved a hand. “Pill.”

“I know you’re in pain, but—”

“Give him the pill,” Gin groaned. “If he pukes, he pukes.”

I sighed. “Fine. I’ll get some water.” I laid a hand on Enzo’s leg. “I’ll be right back.”

He nodded. I stared at him. His shirt had been cut away, and his chest was bandaged up. I could see spots of blood trying to appear through the wrapping. Yeah, I wasn’t going anywhere because I needed to be the one to change them. It was my fault he’d been shot in the first place. He was right; I was naive.

I made my way to the kitchen, leaving him alone with his brothers. My hands were still shaky, but not as much as before. Some of the shock had worn off, but it was replaced with exhaustion. I couldn’t deal with Rourke’s death, not tonight. Tomorrow, however, I knew it would hit me like a ten-ton truck.

Cold water spilled over my hand, waking me up. I shut off the faucet and quickly returned to Enzo. The room was empty now besides him.

“Where did your brothers go?”

“Told them to give us some space.” He raised himself up on one elbow. “Let me get that pill.”

“Right.” I placed a pill on his tongue, washing it down with the water. He swallowed it and plopped back onto the bed. “I’m sure it’ll kick in soon.”

“Hmm,” he grunted, his hand grabbing mine. “Get in.”

I frowned. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Enzo tugged, and I toppled into the bed. “Hey, careful!” I growled. I sat the glass on the nightstand. “You’re going to hurt yourself if you do shit like that.”

“Don’t care,” he mumbled. Enzo tugged me closer, burying his face into my neck. “Are you okay?”

“You’re the one who got shot,” I pointed out.

“So what? You saw your friend die tonight. And we weren’t nice about it.” He turned my head so I couldn’t look away. “Are you okay?”

“No,” I answered honestly.

Enzo nodded. “I didn’t think so.” He laid his arm over me, holding me tightly as silence stretched between us. My body grew heavy, my eyelids drooping. “Tex?”

“Yeah,” I muttered.

“I love you.”

My eyes snapped right back open. “What?”

Enzo’s eyes were starting to close, the medicine kicking in. “I love you,” he slurred slightly. “Stay with me.”

My heart raced. Did I just hear that? Enzo searched my face, his tired eyes looking for something. I licked my lips.

“Fuck. I think I love you too,” I whispered.

A smile took over his lips as his eyes closed one last time and stayed closed. The soft, even breathing against my ear made my chest tighten. I stared at Enzo for what felt like ages, watching his chest rise and fall as he held onto me.

I love you more than I’ve ever loved another human being in my life.