Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 183

Chapter 183

Something in his tone made my throat tight, He sounded almost…afraid. Lost. Like he was the one who needed saving now, not me.

1 shouldn’t have cared. I didn’t care.

But I stayed.

“Fine, I muttered, settling more carefully against his uninjured side. “But I’m washing up after this.”

Julian’s face relaxed slightly, though I could see the pain etched around his eyes. His good arm came around my waist, pulling me closer against him. I could feel him trembling slightly-shock, pain, exhaustion, maybe all three.

“You’re such a fucking dictator,” I said, but there was no heat in it. I was too tired, too overwhelmed by everything that had happened.

Julian buried his face in my hair, his breathing uneven against my scalp. “I know.”

We sat in silence for a moment, the only sounds the steady beep of his heart monitor and the distant hum of hospital activity. I could feel his heart beating

against my shoulder-fast, unsteady.

L

The weight of what had happened hit me like a truck. He could have died. He should have died. That bullet had been meant for my heart, and he’d stepped

directly into its path without hesitation.

“Why?” The word slipped out before I could stop it.

“Why what?”

“Why did you do it?” I pulled back to look at him, searching his face for answers I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear. “You could have been killed.”

Julian’s eyes met mine, and for once, there was no arrogance there. No calculation or manipulation. Just raw, devastating honesty.

“Because losing you would have killed me anyway.”

My breath caught. I wanted to argue, to tell him he was being dramatic, but the sincerity in his voice stopped me cold.

“I never thought…” I started, then stopped. “I never thought you’d actually—”

“Risk my life for you?” Julian’s good hand cupped my face, his thumb tracing my cheekbone with gentle reverence. “Elena, I’d do it again. Every time.”

‘Don’t say that.”

“You’re not dying, you dramatic asshole. But my voice cracked on the words.

Julian smiled-a real smile, soft and tired and more genuine than any expression I’d ever seen on his face. “Promise me something.”

“What?”

‘Promise me you won’t disappear while I’m sleeping.”

I looked at his face-really looked at him. Saw the fear there, beneath the pain and exhaustion. This powerful man, reduced to begging me not to leave him

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1:29 pm

Chapter 183

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alone in a sterile hospital room.

“I promise,” I said softly.

Julian’s eyes fluttered closed, relief washing over his features. His grip on me loosened as the medication finally pulled him under, his breathing evening out

into the deep rhythm of medicated sleep.

I stayed there, watching him sleep. For the first time since I’d known him, Julian Sterling looked peaceful.

Then there was a knock at the door.

I carefully extracted myself from Julian’s arms, making sure not to jostle his injured shoulder. He didn’t wake-just made a small sound of protest in his

sleep, his hand reaching unconsciously for where I’d been.

“Come in,” I called softly.

The door opened. A nurse-young, cheerful-poked her head in.

“Ms. Vance,” she said, her tone warm with good news. “Your mother is out of surgery now. Would you like to go see her?”

व

The relief that flooded through me was so intense I nearly collapsed. Mom was okay. She was okay.

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