แชร์

73. Feverish

ผู้เขียน: Angela Lynn Carver
last update ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2024-08-15 00:56:14
River woke with a start, his body on fire. The sheets were soaked through with sweat, clinging to his skin like a second skin. His head pounded, vision swimming as he struggled to orient himself.

With trembling limbs, River pushed himself up and swung his legs off the side of the bed. The room tilted and spun, but he gritted his teeth against the nausea rising in his throat.

River stood on unsteady feet, clutching the bedpost for support. He took a deep breath and steadied himself, jaw clenched in determination.

He was fine. He was not getting sick. He never got sick!

One step. Then another. His muscles screamed in protest, and the wound on the shoulder hurt like hell, but he pushed onward.

He made it to the door and paused, vision dimming for a moment. When it cleared, his gaze sharpened with purpose. He put the key in and unlocked the door.

He found Riley in her room, staring out the window. Her shoulders were tense, and her hands curled into fists at her sides.

Waiting. Watch
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  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   74. I Can't Leave

    Riley quickly pulled the phone from River's pocket, her heart pounding as she fumbled with it. The device felt foreign in her hands, but she had to focus. Her father had to know where she was, and she needed to figure out her next steps. She dialed the number, praying that her father would pick up. The phone rang several times before a familiar voice answered. "Foster!" he growled. "Dad, it's me," Riley said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Riley! Where are you? Did he hurt you?" he said. Riley hesitated. The logical thing would be to tell her father she was at River's house so he could send his men to rescue her. But there was another part of her, that didn't want to do that. If she did that while River was lying here, weak and vulnerable from fever, her father's men would easily overpower him and could possibly kill him. As much as Riley claimed to hate River, she couldn't just get the man killed! Riley took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. "Dad, I'm okay.

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-08-15
  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   75. Promise Me

    Riley's guilt intensified, knowing that Ellie's absence was tied to the turmoil River was experiencing. "No, River," Riley said softly, trying to keep her voice steady. "It's me, Riley. Ellie isn't here." River's eyes fluttered open, still clouded with feverish delirium. He looked at Riley with a puzzled expression. "Ellie? I thought you left me." She gently placed a hand on his arm, trying to offer some comfort despite the complexity of the situation. "I'm here," Riley said softly. "I am not Ellie, but I am here." "You should've never left," River continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Oh, Ellie. Why did you leave me? The kids...the kids..." he groaned as if in pain. Riley's heart ached at the mention of River's children and the way he spoke of Ellie. She tightened her grip on his arm, her voice soft and soothing. "Shhh...Ellie is not here," she said gently. "She's gone. But you need to focus on getting better. Your fever is coming down." River's eyes were glazed with confusion

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-08-16
  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   76. Get Her Back

    Meanwhile, Alexander Torres was seething, pacing back and forth in his study. The news that Riley hadn’t taken the opportunity to escape from River baffled and infuriated him. He had been preparing for an all-out assault to rescue her, but her refusal to run complicated things. What was keeping her there? What hold did River have on his daughter? He slammed his fist on the desk, his frustration boiling over. “Damn it, Riley,” he muttered under his breath. “What are you doing?” A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. “Come in, he said grimly. Giovanni stepped in. “I’ve got some news.” Alexander waved his hands, motioning him to go on. “We found Frank Milani, your daughter’s fiancé,” he said Alexander’s eyes narrowed, his frustration momentarily giving way to interest. “And?” he prompted, his voice cold and measured. Giovanni hesitated for a fraction of a second, then continued. “He’s been laying low since the engagement party. Seems like he’s more concerned about his

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-08-16
  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   77. Until He is Better

    River lay motionless on the bed, his body wracked with fever. Sweat poured down his face, soaking the pillow beneath his head. He coughed violently, his chest heaving with each labored breath.Riley watched him from the doorway, her brow furrowed. She couldn't understand the confusing mix of emotions swirling inside her - fear, anger, but also a strange twinge of concern for this cruel, dangerous man. The man who had kidnapped her to use as a pawn in his vicious game of revenge against her father.Backing away, Riley retreated to the living room. Her mind raced as she paced back and forth across the hardwood floor. She really ought to find a way out of here.Her heart hammered in her chest. She couldn't just sit here, a helpless captive, not knowing what comes next. Her father must be going out of his mind with worry, marshaling all his resources to find her.Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps shattered Riley's thought. Her body tensed, her heart leaping into her throat as s

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-08-17
  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   78. Not a Nurse

    Riley watched quietly from the doorway as Valerie leaned over River in his bed."River Foster, you need to eat every last spoonful of this chicken soup if you want to get your strength back," Valerie said sternly, tapping her finger on the bowl. Her brows were furrowed with loving concern.River grimaced. "I am not a fucking child, Val. I am your older brother. You don't need to spoon feed me spoon.""If you are not a child, stop acting like one," Valerie said and nearly shoved the spoon into his mouth."God, Val. Did you just come here to bully me?" River asked. His voice had lost its edge. He was still weak from his fever.Valerie's face softened. She squeezed his shoulder. "I just worry about you, big brother. Someone's got to take care of you."As Riley observed the tender exchange, a lump formed in her throat. Memories of her own mother flooded her mind - the way Mama used to scold her to eat all her vegetables, the gentle hugs whenever Riley skinned her knee, the fierce protecti

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-08-18
  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   79. Searing Kiss

    The house was unnervingly quiet after Valerie left with the kids, leaving Riley alone with River’s guards silently watching her every move.She looked at one of the guards and flashed them a smile. “Are you intending to follow me everywhere?”“That’s the order,” the man said gruffly.Riley shrugged and headed toward the room where River was lying.She paused outside his door, hesitating. What if he was awake? Will he bark at her and order his guards to lock her up again? Or will he be more appreciative that she agreed to stay and take care of him?Hah…Riley didn’t see River as someone who’d be appreciative.Taking a deep breath, Riley pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, the heavy curtains blocking out most of the afternoon light. River lay on the bed, his chest rising and falling in a shallow, uneven rhythm. His face was flushed with fever, beads of sweat clinging to his brow.Riley frowned. Why was it taking so long for his fever to get better? He wasn’t g

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-08-21
  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   80. I Kissed You

    River was annoyed.He was supposed to be using Riley to punish Alexander, but here he was, bed-rested. And to make things worse, being taken care of by her.Ridiculous."I brought your medicine," Riley said as she held out a pill and a glass of water.River's first instinct was to lash out. The vicious, vengeful part of him wanted to snarl at her to get out. But another part, a deeper part he tried to deny, felt a flicker of relief at her presence.River eyed the medicine warily, his jaw tightening. He hated being dependent, hated showing any vulnerability, especially to her."I don't need it," he gritted out, trying to push himself up on shaky arms.Riley arched an eyebrow. "Really? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you can barely sit up." Her voice was firm but held a note of wry amusement. "Now stop being stubborn and take your antibiotic. I'm not leaving until you do."River scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he fought against the weakness in his body. "Get out of my face

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-08-22
  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   81. Harsh Words

    Riley anxiously fiddled with a loose thread on her shirt, her heart racing as she waited for River's response. His intense gaze was fixed on her, his lips pressed together in an unreadable expression. She had thought it would be better to be honest about her feelings, but now she second-guessed herself.Keeping her emotions bottled up was like a torture of its own. Ever since that unexpected kiss, she couldn't get him out of her mind.His touch, his scent, his voice - they all lingered in her thoughts like a sweet addiction. She had barely slept the night before, consumed by thoughts of him. And when she woke up this morning, she could hardly contain her excitement at the thought of seeing him again and being able to take care of him.Even when he was being grumpy and mean, she found herself wanting to kiss him again. The memory of his soft lips on hers made her pulse quicken and her cheeks flush with desire."You can't like me," he finally said. His voice sounded rough.She tilted her

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-08-23

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  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   209. Kiss Him

    “Have fun on your date.” That’s what he had said.Amy had been annoyed at him since then and refused to look him in the eyes for the rest of the day. And then it was time to go home.“Maybe I should ask Mom and Ben to drive me back to the apartment. No reason for you to drive all the way there,” Amy said when they were near his car.“I have every reason to,” Lucas barked.Amy blinked, taken aback by the sharpness in Lucas’s voice.She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. “Why are you being so weird about this? It’s just a ride home.”Lucas scoffed, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “Because I brought you here, so I am taking you back. Since when have you had a problem accepting rides from me?”“Since you started acting like a jealous control freak,” she shot back, her irritation flaring.Lucas’s jaw tightened. “I’m not jealous.”Amy let out a dry laugh. “Right. So, what was all that about earlier? Telling me I can’t go on a date with Asa? Last I checked, you’re not my boyfr

  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   208. Idiot

    Lucas couldn’t stop worrying about what Amy implied throughout dinner. He found himself stealing glances at her.Was she serious? Was she bored of him already? How could she already be bored? They had barely just started!When the meal finally ended, Lucas didn’t have the chance to get her to be alone with him again because Tiffany decided to pull her away from him. “What are you doing?” he growled without thinking.Tiffany arched a brow. “Relax, little brother. I just want to get to know Amy better. You did say she’s your girlfriend, right?” she teased, pulling Amy along before he could argue.Amy gave Lucas a nervous smile but didn’t resist as Tiffany led her away.Lucas clenched his jaw, watching them disappear into another part of the vineyard. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. This is ridiculous. He needed to talk to Amy. Now.Jacob chuckled beside him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “You’re acting like a dog whose favorite toy was taken away.”Lucas shot him a glare.

  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   207. Never Again

    Lucas waited until they were out of earshot of Amy before turning to Alicia.“What’s wrong with you?” he asked, glaring at her.“What do you mean?” Alicia asked innocently.Lucas sighed. “You know exactly what I meant, Alicia. Why are you being so rude to Amy? What is wrong with you?” he barked.“What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with YOU? What are you doing, dating my stepsister, Lucas? I didn’t realize you’d play dirty just to get to me,” she said.Lucas stared at her. “Get to you?”Alicia crossed her arms. “You can deny it all you want, but I know you, Lucas. You don’t just accidentally end up with her, of all people. It’s a game, isn’t it? A way to—what? Get back at me? Make me jealous?”Okay, technically, she was right. This was supposed to be a game to get close to Alicia, but Lucas had no intention of doing that anymore. So all he could do now was to deny the accusation.“That’s actually insane, Alicia. You really think everything is about you, don’t you?” He took a step close

  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   206. Jealous

    “Ah, Luke! Come on up, my boy,” Antonio Costello exclaimed jovially as Lucas led Amy and her family inside the building.Lucas grinned and stepped forward to shake Antonio Costello’s hand. The older man clapped him on the back.“Good to see you, Uncle Tony. Thank you for letting me bring some guests to tour your Vineyard,” Lucas said.Antonio waved a dismissive hand. “Nonsense, Lucas! You’re family. My home is your home.” His sharp eyes flickered over to Amy and the rest of the group. “And who do we have here?”Lucas placed a hand on Amy’s lower back. “This is Amy,” he said. “And this is her mother, Margaret, her stepfather, Benjamin, and…” His voice dipped just slightly. “Her stepsister, Alicia.”Antonio smiled warmly. “It’s nice to meet you all. The Vineyard here is one of my pride and joy. I can’t wait to show you all the true beauty of making wine.”Margaret clasped her hands together, clearly delighted. “That sounds wonderful, Antonio.”Antonio nodded. “Come, let’s not waste any

  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   205. Perfect

    Amy kept pacing back and forth in her bedroom. Her room was tiny, so there wasn’t much room to pace, but she made it work. She had to think.“This is stupid,” she muttered under her breath. She touched the hem of her shirt—a shirt she had changed three times already.“Jeans and a blouse. Jeans. And. A. Blouse.” She spoke each word like a mantra. She looked at herself in the mirror and blew out a breath. It was a simple outfit, and she looked plain as usual. But who really cares? Lucas had seen her already, so it was not like she had to impress him.“Lucas may have that smoldering, infuriating knack for making me second-guess myself,” she acknowledged to her reflection, “but not today. Today, I am the epitome of casual indifference.” Besides, she was still kind of mad at him.Okay, maybe not mad. But irritated.She thought about Asa and how he asked her out. How would she break that to Lucas? He would go ballistic!But she had to admit…it was kind of nice to be wanted.“Let them fight

  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   204. Is She Mad?

    Lucas did not like Asa.Not at all.How could Amy choose to stay with him?Lucas ran a hand through his hair, breathing hard. He hadn’t stopped thinking about her and that asshole ever since he left his apartment, his blood boiling with jealousy.Another thought suddenly occurred to him. What if he had pushed Amy toward Asa even more by acting like a caveman back there?Stupid, stupid, stupid!Lucas gritted his teeth, pacing his living room like a caged animal. His fists clenched at his sides as frustration clawed at his insides.What the hell was wrong with him?He had been acting like a lunatic, snapping at Amy, throwing accusations, and now—now she was probably going to go out with Asa.His stomach twisted at the thought.What if Asa made her laugh? What if she actually liked him? What if she realized she didn’t need Lucas in her life anymore?His pulse pounded in his ears.This was his fault. He’d let his jealousy get the best of him, and now she was probably thinking he was a pos

  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   203. I Like You

    “He is not going to come back in the morning and beat me up, is he?” Asa asked after Lucas stormed out, slamming the door behind him with a loud bang.“I doubt that. He acts all tough, but he is just a giant teddy bear inside,” Amy said.Asa looked at her intently. “So, is he your boyfriend or what?”Amy bit her lower lip and shook her head. “No. He is not.”“Then why was he acting like a jealous boyfriend?” he asked." It’s…it’s complicated,” Amy said.Asa arched an eyebrow. “Complicated, huh? That’s just a fancy way of saying I have no idea what the hell is going on.”Amy groaned, flopping onto the couch. “Tell me about it.”Asa plopped down next to her, propping his feet up on the coffee table. “Well, from what I gathered, he’s either in love with you, in deep denial, or on the verge of a mental breakdown.”Amy let out a tired laugh. “I hardly think he is in love with me, but the mental breakdown part might be true.”Asa took a thoughtful sip of his beer. “Whatever it is, I think y

  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   202. Prince Sweatpants

    “What do you mean you are coming over?”That’s what Amy said in the text, but he didn’t bother replying. Instead, he grabbed his car keys and rushed out of his penthouse.His jaw was clenched, mind racing with thoughts of Amy staying at some other guy’s place—alone.Who the hell is Asa?The thought of her being in another man’s home was enough to make his blood boil.The moment the elevator doors opened, he strode toward his car, sliding into the driver’s seat with barely restrained fury. His fingers drummed impatiently against the steering wheel as he backed out and sped off toward her apartment complex.Why couldn’t she just call him? He would’ve picked her up and brought her to his place, Lucas thought.The thought of Amy choosing to stay with another guy instead of calling him made his grip on the wheel tightened. His jaw ticked as he switched lanes, weaving through traffic like a man on a mission.Why Asa? Why not him?By the time he reached her apartment complex, his patience wa

  • The Mafia Boss's Pregnant Bride   201. Just For Tonight

    Amy groaned as she unlocked the door to her apartment, tossing her bag onto the couch before kicking off her shoes. Her feet ached, her back hurt, and all she wanted was a long, hot shower.She had to deal with the worst breed of customers today at the Diner.She sighed in relief as she padded toward the bathroom, already imagining the steamy water cascading down her skin. She turned the knob.Nothing.“What the hell?” she muttered, twisting the knob back and forth.Still nothing. No water.“You’ve got to be kidding me!” she cried out. Did she forget to pay the water bill? But it wasn’t due for another two weeks!Frustration bubbled inside her as she crouched down, inspecting the pipes beneath the sink. Maybe something was loose?Amy grabbed the wrench she kept under the sink for “just in case” situations and started messing with one of the valves.That was a mistake.With a loud crack, the pipe snapped, and suddenly, water exploded everywhere.“Ack! No, no, no—oh my god!” Amy shrieke

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