Chapter 105 Second Chance
Dakota's P.O.V.
I feel better after kicking Aubrey's ass. I hope she has gotten it through that thick head of hers that I don't mind burying her in a very deep hole and letting her become worm food if she doesn't leave us alone. I tell the nurse Ari needs pain medication, and she won't meet my eyes. Maybe I scared more than just Aubrey. Oh, well, they can all take it as a warning to keep their hands off my man.
"Dakota?" I turn and see Tyler walking toward me. I'm not ready to talk to him, but I'm not going to run like a coward.
"What do you want?" He hesitates and stops a few feet away from me.
"I want to apologize. My mom called and told me what happened. I just left Sarah's room. I know you know how I feel about you now, and I should have told you rather than doing what I did. When I heard about how close I came to losing you, Sarah, and Noah, it brought everything into perspective. I may have had a crush on you since I was four, but you have never indicated that you thought of me as anything other than a brother. I saw how you were with Ari and knew from that moment you were lost to me forever. It broke my heart to know that what I had imagined for years would never be mine. If I had any doubt that he didn't love you or you didn't love him, I would still fight. However, I see how you look at each other, and it hurts because I had hoped you would look at me that way. I promise to back off. I don't want to lose you as a friend." He seems sincere. When I look into his eyes, I can see the regret, but I'm not ready to fully forgive him.
"I don't want to lose you as a friend, either. I'm not ready to return to how things were before, but I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself. You need to go stay with your parents for a while. Someone was able to get into the compound and plant a bomb in the SUV while it was in the garage. None of us will stay there until we figure this out. I'm going to be here with Ari until he's released, and then I'll be staying at the Buccheri compound. Sarah and Noah will probably be with me." I look into Ari's room, and he's shooting daggers at Tyler with his eyes.
"Okay, I get it. I haven't unpacked yet, so I'll grab my bag and go to Mom and Dad's. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help." He acts like he's going to hug me, but I hold up my hands.
"I'm not ready for that yet." His face falls, but touching him right now reminds me of what he did this morning, and I don't want any reminders of that.
"Oh, before I forget. Ari's ex-girlfriend, Aubrey, approached me today. She wanted me to work with her to separate you two. She knew how I felt about you, but she wouldn't tell me how. I didn't think anyone knew other than you, Sarah, Ari, and Noah, so I don't know who told her." I narrow my eyes at him.
"What did you tell her when she approached you?" He won't look at me, and I shake my head. "You told her you would help her, didn't you?"
"I told her I would think about it. I would have never hurt you, Dakota. You have to know that." I believe him, but it still hurts that he would stoop so low as to even consider helping someone like Aubrey. Although maybe his stupidity can work in my favor.
"I'm going to give you a chance to make it up to me. Tell her you'll help her and see what she says. I'm hoping she'll tell you she's done after the ass-whooping I gave her today, but I doubt it. People like her never know when to back off. So pretend you want to work with her, and then tell me what her plan is." Tyler smiles and nods.
"She actually showed up here?" he asks in disbelief.
"If you had come a few minutes sooner, you would have seen them scraping her up off the floor," I reply.
"I'll blame Sarah for missing that. I'll let you know as soon as Aubrey tells me anything. I'd better let you get back to Ari before he comes out here and tackles me. Tell him I hope he gets better soon." He turns to leave, and I sigh in relief. At least that's one issue that's been taken care of.
I walk into Ari's room, and the nurse follows me in. I notice she keeps looking at me each time she has to touch Ari, and Galdino isn't even trying to hide his laughter. When she's done putting the pain medication in his IV, she practically runs out of the room.
"Well, Dakota, I think you've made your point with the staff here," Galdino says as I sit in the chair next to Ari's head. I smile at him and kiss Ari.
"At least I won't have to worry about anyone being inappropriate if I'm not here." Ari's eyes widen.
"Why? Where are you going? Are you leaving?" I run my fingers through his hair.
"I may have to use the restroom occasionally and get a shower, but I'll do that here. Don't worry, I'm not leaving until you leave. Now get some rest, and I'll be here when you wake up." I kiss him lightly and continue stroking his head. A few minutes later, he's sound asleep.
"Did he tell you about his mother?" Galdino asks.
"Only that she left when he was little." I look from Ari to his dad.
"Yes, she did. She was a woman I had a fling with. One day, she showed up with Ari and said he was mine and she didn't want him. I took him from her without hesitation. I wanted a son but never thought I would have one. I still checked paternity to verify that he was mine, and he was. We never heard from her again. When she dropped Ari off, it was the best day of my life. That was the first time I truly loved another human being. My mom left when I was a kid, too. Dad only tolerated her because of me. This life isn't for everyone. I'm telling you this because neither of us has ever felt a woman's love." Galdino sounds so sad. I reach over and take his hand.
"You're not an old man. You can still find love. It has to be the right woman, though. If she's not, let me know, and I'll give her the Aubrey treatment." I wink at him, and he chuckles.
"You, my dear, are one of a kind." He kisses my hand.
"She's mine," Ari mumbles in his sleep, making us both laugh. Even in his sleep, he's possessive.