Submerged

Chapter 10

Alessia

I lurch from my bed, still half asleep as I stumble into a chair that's oddly blocking the way to my ensuite.

"What the hell?" I mutter, two seconds away from puking on the floor.

Strong hands grip my shoulders and guide me through the dark room. "This way." Dante murmurs, flicking on the light, revealing a hotel ensuite instead of the one I have at home.

I squint under the harsh lighting, my vision swimming. Oh yeah, I'm not at home. I'm in a hotel suite with my husband— my stomach churns harshly and I cover my mouth with my hand— and I'm about to throw up on his feet.

I quickly scramble to the blurry toilet, barely managing to lift the lid before projectile vomiting. My fingers grip the toilet for dear life as my body heaves the contents from my stomach. Dante pulls my hair away from my face and I feel a wave of embarrassment wash over me but I can't stop puking long enough to push him away.

By the time I'm done, my ribs and back ache from all the heaving. I slump against the toilet with a miserable moan, any energy that had been previously in my body completely drained.

"Prosecco does not taste as good coming up like it did when I was guzzling it down." I mutter, my eyes drooping closed.

Dante leaves me there and a second later I hear the sink running but don't bother looking to see what he's doing. I'm only moments away from passing back out when he presses a damp washcloth across my forehead and the cool fabric feels so good against my heated skin I can't help but sigh.

"You okay?" He asks in a quiet voice.

Just as I open my mouth to reply my stomach churns again and I whimper in protest, my throat burning from throwing up so much.

"Shhh. It's okay, piccolina." He murmurs, lifting my hair and pressing the rag against the back of my neck. He grabs my hand and presses it against the cloth. "Hold that here, I'll be right back."

I clutch the washcloth tightly, pressing my head against the cool tile wall.

I manage to peel my eyes open when I hear Dante renter the ensuite. He's carrying a few pills and a bottle of water. I don't even question it as he offers me the pills. I toss them back and take long drinks of the water to wash them down.

"Gratzi."

I take a few more drinks of the water and hand it back. He screws the lid on and places it on the bathroom counter. Before I realize what he's doing he scoops me up into his arms and cradles me against his chest. I melt into his warmth, eyes fluttering closed as he carries me back to bed.

He places me on the mattress and covers me with the blankets, brushing a kiss across my forehead. "Go back to sleep, you still have a few hours before we have to leave."

I sigh in content, burying my face in the pillow, noting it smells like him as I fall back to sleep.

~•~

"It's time to wake up, Alessia." A deep voice coaxes me from the dream I'd been having.

I groan and roll over, burying my head under the pillow in protest.

"Okay, you can sleep longer but you'll have to go to the airport wearing nothing but my shirt and your lingerie." He adds.

My eyes pop open and I quickly sit up, immediately noting I don't feel as bad as I did when I woke up previously, just a minor ache in my head. I look down at my body, taking in the sight of the large shirt that covers it and question how it got there.