THE MAFIA’S MISTAKEN BRIDE

Jasmine’s POV

When his body goes limp, my heart jumps into my chest. This is when I realize he is holding onto my left hand with his right.

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But he isn’t breathing.

“Xavier”, I jerk his shirt, hoping he would open his eyes and smile at me and tell me this is over. But he isn’t moving. He isn’t breathing. His hands are becoming cold and finally, his grip on my hand slackens.

With trembling hands, I continue to jerk him back and forth, tears rolling down my eyes and falling onto his pale face.

“Xavier, no. Don’t do this to me”, I let go of his shirt and hug his body to mine. “Please stay with me. I promise never to be out of your sight henceforth. I won’t leave anymore. Just stay!”

I know I am screaming with every ounce of energy in me, even though I have been battered and starved. But I don’t care.

What I care about right now is Xavier opening his eyes. I don’t need him to say a word to me. I just want him to open his eyes and smile at me.

When the realization dawns on me that I might actually lose him, I cover my mouth with both hands, my whole body trembling as I begin to cry. A sharp pain of loss sears through me as I fall back on my buttocks, watching him lying lifeless.

It is all because of me.

If I hadn’t crossed paths with any of them, none of these would have happened.

I caused this.

The sound of running feet breaks the silence and I look up to see Alex and Ethan running towards us.

Alex’s hands are soaked with blood.

If I was not crying right now and hoping for a miracle so Xavier would wake up, I would have been scared by the sight of this blood.

I am not scared of it.

In fact, I feel a sense of satisfaction.

Xavier did it. He said he would and he did. He promised to keep me safe and he has.

I would never feel safe with any other person but him. This is why I need him back. I can’t lose Xavier. I love him and I always will.

He is my savior. Crossing paths with him was meant to be.

We are meant to be.

I move back towards him and tap him again, hope rising inside of me. He is still not moving.

My sobs turn into a loud cry of agony.

This isn’t happening!

No!

While in a state of shock, I shift backwards again, hugging my knees to my body with tears all over my face. I watch as Alex and Ethan pick him up on the cold floor and race to a waiting ambulance.

Alex comes back to me. His mouth is moving but I can’t hear anything. He demonstrates with his hand while still talking but I can’t make out what he is saying.

He whirls around with a terrified expression and signals to Ethan to come back before helping me up. With Ethan’s help, he hoists me onto Alex’s back and he darts forward towards another car.

I want to protest and tell them I want to be in the same van as Xavier but I can’t find my voice.

I don’t know what is happening.

My eyes are becoming smaller too but I am forcing myself to keep them open.

I don’t care what happens. Xavier needs to wake up first before anything will happen to me. I need to see his blue ocean eyes again.

Alex drops me on the back seat of the car which jerks to life instantly. I don’t know if I am asleep or wide awake but I know I am not moving.

Every part of my body is still but my thoughts are still intact, running wild back and forth about Xavier.

I don’t know how long I stayed curled up in the back seat until we got to the destination and the door is pulled open.

Alex helps me out again and I wonder if he was in the car all along.

He practically race into the hospital with me on his back. I can’t see Xavier.

Where is he?

With my full sense back, I tap Alex. “Xavier.” I manage to say.

He does not reply as a wheeler is brought and he places me on it carefully. Before he can move, I grab his shirt, a surge of energy running through my veins from nowhere, my eyes wide awake now.

Xavier.

Where is he?

“I need to see him. Where is he?”

He shares a knowing look with one of the nurses who nods and attempts to push the wheeler. I sit upright, and grab him tightly, attempting to jump off when he holds me down.

“Calm down”, he mutters softly. “Xavier is fine.”

“I need to see him. I need to be sure he is fine just like you have said.”

I saw him. He was shot. If he is fine just like he said, then I need to confirm that.

He shakes his head in disagreement. “You need to go with them. You are not…”

“I’m fine. Just let me see him and then I will do whatever you want me to”, I plead with my two hands up at him.

He watches me for a moment before nodding and helping me back on my feet. With his hand on my back, he guides me through a long corridor and we finally get to a ward where I see Mathew and the rest of the guards waiting.

I walk closer and see the doctor from the transparent door pushing two objects on Xavier’s exposed chest which makes him jerk upright and fall back again without opening his eyes.

I gasp.

They continue to do that for another minute before the doctor puts the object away. A nurse rushes to the door and pulls at the curtain to cover the transparent door.

A whimper leaves my mouth and I find myself falling to the ground when I can’t see anything again.

Just then, the doctor comes out and I manage to get back up.

“How is he?”

“Is he alive?”

Alex and I ask at the same time.

The doctor shakes his head and replies. “I’m sorry. He is in a coma.”

My eyes go wide instantly as the word processes slowly in my head. Suddenly, the weakness from earlier engulfs me and I find myself swaying.

Before Alex can grab me, I fall to the ground with a thud and my eyes close on it’s own accord.