His Hidden Treasure (Completed)

Twenty-Six

The echo of loud voices reverberated through the hospital room, jerking me awake from my peaceful slumber. As I slowly opened my eyes, the world was a blurry haze. Rubbing at my tired eyes, I felt an unfamiliar sensation on my hand - an IV drip. Panic began to rise in my chest as I surveyed my surroundings, trying to make sense of where I was. A hospital room, but unlike any I had seen before. It didn't have that cold and sterile atmosphere that most hospitals did.

The voices outside the room grew louder and more distinct. I strained to make out who it could be. My heart skipped a beat when I recognized Luca and Dante's voices, sharp with worry and anger.

"Dante, calm down," Luca's voice tried to soothe him, but it was clear he was struggling to stay calm himself.

"Calm down? She almost died, Luca!" Dante erupted. "And she needs proper treatment at a hospital."

"She's stable now, you need to calm the fuck down or get out." I tuned out their bickering as the pieces of the shooting slowly came back to me. The hospital gown I was wearing and the bandage on my abdomen confirmed it all. Two IV bags hung by the side of my bed, and multiple monitors beeped and blinked on my left.

But this wasn't a hospital. It was Zephyr's home. With a determined grit of my teeth, I pushed myself up into a sitting position, wincing at the sharp pain in my side. A pair of strong hand pressed gently against my shoulder, forcing me back down onto the pillows. Zephyr.

"Don't move. You had surgery," his gruff voice explained, concern evident in his features.

"Where did you come from?" I asked, realizing he wasn't in the room just moments ago.

"I've been here," he replied softly, moving to the side so I could see him better. "Dante and Luca just got a bit...noisy."

I could sense the underlying frustration in his voice as he spoke. As another wave of dizziness washed over me, I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"How...?" I began to ask, but Zephyr cut me off.

"Three days." His words were stated matter-of-factly, but I could see the worry on his face. Was he worried about me because he cared? As I turned to face him, his eyes held concern, but there was a flicker of something else...anger, perhaps? I couldn't be sure. Attempts to sit up sent sharp pains coursing through my body and weakened limbs prevented any success.

My vision swam at the edges as I blinked hard, fighting off the exhaustion that threatened to pull me under. My eyelids grew heavy and before they closed completely, I caught a glimpse of Zephyr's face hovering above mine. His lips moved, but I couldn't make out the words.

When I finally regained consciousness, dawn had arrived, and a woman stood by my bedside.

"Who are you?" I croaked, my throat parched and dry.

"Oh good, you're awake. Here, let me assist you." She deftly used the controls on the bed to help me into a sitting position without causing too much discomfort to my abdomen.

"Who is my doctor?" The nurse filled me in on the details of my surgery, and while it wasn't considered serious, the missing piece of my liver could present some issues. She also updated me on my brother's recovery progress, which instantly snapped me back to full alertness.

"HE WHAT?" I winced in pain as I twisted slightly too far, and Zephyr appeared in the doorway at that moment. The nurse greeted him before leaving the room. "Why didn't anyone inform me that my brother woke up?" I needed to see him.

"When exactly would we have told you? During your surgery or while you were unconscious?" His sarcastic tone brushed past me as I focused on more pressing matters.