Leo (Vigilance #3) - Silvia Violet Page 0,69
going straight home.”
“I’m going to my shop.”
Giorgio snorted. “You think someone’s going to trust you to do their ink in this condition?”
“No, that’s not—Never mind. I also need a few things.”
“What are they?” Niall asked. “This house is very well stocked.”
“A dozen pink roses. No, two dozen. The largest box of chocolates you can find, a good quality sketchbook, a quality fine line pen, and a set of watercolors.”
“Wow. You’re quite the princess when you’re injured,” Giorgio said.
I scowled at him. “They’re for Ezra.”
Niall was smiling. “So you aren’t going to be an idiot?”
“Fuck no. I’m going to my shop to see him and make sure he knows he’s never getting rid of me.”
“Then I’ll get you what you need.”
33
Ezra
I’d allowed Niall to bring me home because I knew Leo would want someone to check on the shop. Also, the doctor said he’d need several days of bed rest, and I knew if I didn’t clear his calendar, he’d insist he was fine like he’d tried to as he wavered on his feet in front of me.
As I worked on placing a supply order, I thought about the last moments before Leo had given into his pain meds. What he’d said as he’d fallen onto the bed had sounded so much like “I love you,” just like the words he’d said to me as he lost consciousness after killing Swain. Was there any way I’d heard right?
I’d sent the order off and headed to the storage closet when I heard the door open. I froze. There were guards outside the store, but after all that had happened the last few days, I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel fully safe again.
“Ezra?”
It was Leo. I ran to the front of the shop. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be resting?”
Before he could answer, Six came in carrying an enormous bouquet of pink roses. He was followed by Muffin who had two boxes.
“Where do you want these?” Six asked.
“On the desk is fine.”
Once they set the things down, they headed back to their posts.
“What’s all this?” I asked, staring at the flowers and the boxes, one of which obviously held chocolate truffles.
“They’re for you.”
How had he gotten all this and why? “You didn’t need to bring me anything.”
He smiled. “You said you wanted the whole fairy tale. This is the closest I could come on short notice. My home doesn’t have a fence or a garden or a dog.”
“The dog part could be remedied.”
He smiled. “Maybe, but for now I brought you what any good romantic hero would. Flowers, chocolate, and… Open the other box.”
I pulled off the ribbon and lifted the lid. Inside was a watercolor of roses that matched the ones in the vase except these were on a climbing vine. They curled around a trellis, and the detail was amazing. They reminded me of the tattoo picture I’d admired the day Leo had hired me.”
I looked up at Leo. “Did you paint this?”
“Yes. For you.” Not only had he chosen to share his art with me, he’d made me a special piece. “The roses remind me of you. They’re beautiful and delicate, but they have thorns to defend themselves. They aren’t as fragile as they seem.”
No one had ever said anything that incredible about me. My heart thumped against my chest. I wanted to respond, but I couldn’t. All I could do was stare at Leo in wonder.
“Giorgio told me what you did. How you saved us. I didn’t even know you knew how to use a gun.”
“I hadn’t touched one in years, but… I guess I just did what I had to do.”
“Are you all right?”
I drew in a shaky breath. I hadn’t slept much the night before. After waking from a nightmare where Swain and the man I’d killed rose up like zombies and chased us, I’d been afraid to fall asleep again, but I knew I’d done the right thing. The man would have killed us. “More or less.”
“I’m sorry you were there. I didn’t want to—”
“I’m not sorry. I would do anything necessary to save you. You’re not the only one who wants to protect those he cares about.”
“Ezra, I…” The intensity in his eyes was overwhelming.
“What were you trying to say yesterday before you lost consciousness?”
If I didn’t know better, I’d say he looked frightened. “I wasn’t sure if I’d actually spoken.”
“You said something, but I couldn’t understand it. It sounded like the same thing you said after you realized I was there