I Don't Need Anything Else

72: The Only Thing Acceptable

Elena

At some point, we all fell asleep.

Rico's soft snores echo in the room along with the beeps of the machine hooked up to Valentino.

I lift my head from Valentino's side and wipe the sleep off.

"Hey," he whispers.

I jump an inch from my chair. "Oh my god you're awake!"

"Shh," he tells me, eyeing the guys. His face drops when he sees my body. "Are you okay?" he asks, trying to get up.

I look down at my once lavender dress, stained with blood. "Oh yeah. This is yours."

Valentino winces.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

He smiles faintly. "Like I was shot 5 times."

A nervous laugh echoes through the room. "Thankfully, only 1 of them penetrated the vest."

His hand caresses my cheek. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay."
Our gazes lock. "Elena," he says my name once and I break into a sob.

"I thought I lost you," I cry, violently wiping the tears from my face.

"Come here," he says, making space for me in the hospital bed.

Careful to not hurt him, I cry into his neck but this time it feels okay, because his arm is patting my back.

"I'll be okay," he says.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Do you want anything? I ask. "I'll get it for you. Anything."

He pats me and I snuggle my face in his neck. "Just tell me how my sisters are."

"They're okay. Richard and Stephanie are with them."

He sighs. "Good."

"Valentino," I whisper.

"Hmm."

"Did you see who shot you?"

He hesitates. "I'm pretty sure it was Carlos."

I get up. "Rico's brother?"

He nods. "I don't really get it."

"Well, you're not gonna get this at all."

He cocks his head. "What?"

"William was the one who shot me last year. I remembered his tattoo and-"
-It all clicks as I speak.

I don't even hear Valentino's questions. Every little strange moment adds up and I finally make sense of it. The cards, the shooting, my mom's murder. They all click together with ease that I wonder how I didn't know from the beginning.

"I gotta go," I tell him, getting up.

His eyebrows scrunch together. "What do you mean? Where are you going?"

"I'll be fine."

"No, no Elena. You were just shot at and you're going home to the person who's shot you before!"

If he raises his voice anymore, he'll wake the guys. "You were the one actually shot," I whisper. I place a kiss on his cheek. "Don't worry."

Quickly, before he can even start to protest, I get out of the room.

********

The mansion stares back at me as if it were tauntingly waiting for me.