His Hidden Treasure (Completed)

Fifteen

My fingers fidgeted nervously with my new wedding ring as I paced back and forth in the sterile waiting room, anxiously awaiting any news from Eric. My wedding dress had been exchanged for a borrowed hoodie and joggers from Zephyr, since I had no clothes at his place. At first, I had refused his offer and asked for an outfit from one of the female staff members, but Zephyr wouldn't budge. It seemed he was using this favor to manipulate me, and I was growing annoyed with his tactics.

Despite being too big for me, the joggers hugged my curves perfectly and I tied them tightly around my waist. The oversized hoodie provided some warmth in the cold room.

"Would you please stop pacing and sit down?" Zephyr's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He was seated on one of the uncomfortable waiting chairs, clearly irritated by my constant movement.

"Oh, am I bothering you? No one asked you to come here, jerk face." I knew my insult was uncalled for, but he wasn't exactly being sensitive to my situation either.

"Keep insulting me and you'll regret it, moglie." This was the third time he's called me his wife in the span of coming to the hospital which only further fueled my anger. I stormed over to stand in front of him, pointing an accusing finger in his face.

"Don't call me that," I growled through gritted teeth. Instead of backing away or challenging me further, he surprised me by using that same finger I was pointing at him to pull me onto his lap. I lost my balance and landed on top of him, our faces dangerously close.

"Much better," he murmured, his golden brown eyes boring into mine, causing my heart rate to accelerate. I tried to push myself off of him, but he held me tighter.

"Let go," I whispered, unable to tear my gaze away from his lips. The same lips that had kissed me multiple times before were now so close that I could almost taste them. But then reality hit me like a ton of bricks and I quickly fought off the temptation.

"Are you going to sit?" Zephyr's voice broke through the growing tension. "I can keep you like this until the doctor comes, it's no problem for me." I pressed my lips together and pushed at his chest with my fist, silently demanding for him to let me go.

"Fine, let go," I whispered fiercely, trying to ignore the racing of my heart. He released his hold on me and I hastily moved two seats away from him, still feeling the heat of his body lingering on mine. He chuckled, clearly amused by my reaction.

The wait for the doctor felt excruciatingly long until Eric finally arrived. My heart fluttered with hope at the sight of him, but I tried not to get too excited just yet.

"It worked?" I asked eagerly as he approached us.

"We won't know for sure until we see how he responds, but the surgery was a success. Dr. Kinnen was able to remove the bullet fragments, and now we just have to wait and see if he wakes up once the sedation wears off," Eric explained calmly, his professional demeanor in stark contrast to my anxiousness.

"How long will that take?" My heart raced at the thought of my brother waking up after two years in coma.

"The sedation should wear off in 10-20 minutes, but remember Nila, we can't guarantee anything. He's been in a coma for two years," Eric cautioned, bringing me back down to earth. But I refused to lose faith now - I had fought so hard to get this surgery for my brother.

"Thank you, Eric. You're the only one who kept trying, so truly, thank you," I said gratefully as I wrapped my arms around him in a hug. He reciprocated, but I could feel Zephyr's intense gaze burning into us both.

Reluctantly pulling away, I risked a glance behind me to see him glaring daggers at us. Finding it best to have Eric leave soon, I quickly changed the subject: "How long until he's back in his room?"