“Little Red,” I say to her, slapping her on the cheek lightly, trying to rouse her. She doesn’t move, so I lift her up bridal style and walk swiftly down the hallway, leaving the boys to clean up the mess. Kicking the bedroom door shut, I race her to the bed and slowly lower her onto the soft mattress.

“Little Red,” I say again, louder, as I shake her shoulders, trying to wake her up.

“Fuck. Annie!” I yell at her, panic now filling me.

“Dante?” she groans softly, shaking her head as she comes to.

“Fuck, Little Red. Bella, are you alright?” My hands run over her body to check for any injuries. I see blood, but I don’t think it is hers.

“What did I do? Dante, what did I just do!” she screams, and tears break through, spilling out over her cheeks as the realization washes over her that she just killed a man in cold blood.

“Fucking nothing, Annie. You protected your family is what you did.” I pull her into my arms, securing her small, shaking body to my chest, and hold her as she weeps, with no plans to ever let her go.

My arms wrap around her like a vice. “I fucking should have kept you with me. I’m so sorry, Annie, I am so sorry I let you down,” I grit out to her, keeping her with me with no space between us, where she should have been for these past few weeks. I run my hands up and down her back as she cries. I kiss the top of her head, breathing in her scent. My shirt is wet from her tears, and I hear her slowly quiet her crying and take a few deep breaths.

I grab her head with my hands and look at her, my beautiful broken woman, and I lean down, kissing her tears away. “I want you with me, always. I was such a fool to walk out on you like I did,” I say to her softly, peppering kisses all over her face, willing her to stop crying.

Pulling away from her again, I look down at her beautiful, big wet eyes. “I fucking love you, Annie. I have from the moment I first saw you, and I haven’t stopped. I am sorry for being an asshole, but I want you to come home. I want you to come home with me.” Desperation seeps into my voice, hoping that she still wants to be with me after everything that I have put her through.