[BL] The Mafia Boss Wants My Body

Chapter 262: Chapter 262: I Thought I Lost You Again

There was no anger in her voice, only calm, unwavering determination.

Her eyes never left Annie’s.

"Do you like me?"

Trapped between the door and the woman she had sworn to protect, Annie’s defenses finally crumbled.

She looked into Risa’s eyes, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes."

A slow, knowing smile spread across Risa’s lips.

The moment Annie realized what she had admitted, panic flooded her face.

"N-No! Not like that," she blurted out, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. "I mean... I like you as my boss. I’ve been your bodyguard for years, so... of course I care about you. That’s what I meant."

Risa stared at her for a long, quiet moment, her eyes tracking the frantic rise and fall of Annie’s chest. Her fingers slowly slid down Annie’s jaw, her touch lingering just a second too long before she finally dropped her hand.

"Iris is my friend," Risa said softly, her voice dropping into a low, deliberate cadence that made the space between them feel impossibly small. "And she’s not the one I like..."

Annie’s breath caught in her throat. She looked at Risa, her gaze locked onto her lips, completely frozen as she waited for her to say the name of the person who actually held her heart. The anticipation in the air was thick, suffocating, and entirely unprofessional.

Risa watched the desperate curiosity flare in Annie’s eyes, a knowing, highly amused smile slowly spreading across her face. She took a step back, breaking the spell and instantly restoring the cold boundaries of the room.

"Go back to your position, Annie," Risa told her smoothly, her tone shifting back to that of a composed madam. "And stop overthinking things that aren’t real."

Annie swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, her posture instantly snapping back into a rigid, military stance to hide her racing thoughts. "Understood, boss."

Without another word, Annie turned, opened the heavy front door, and stepped out into the cool night air. The moment the door clicked shut behind her, leaving the foyer empty and quiet, Risa let out a soft breath. She looked at the closed door, shaking her head as a bright, unstoppable smile took over her lips.

Meanwhile, by the time the sun had begun to rise, Matteo and Adrian finally returned to the hotel after spending the entire night at the hospital.

After examining Adrian and running several tests, the doctor diagnosed him with a stomach ulcer, explaining that prolonged stress, poor eating habits, and irregular meals had likely contributed to the condition.

Adrian was prescribed medication to reduce the stomach acid and help the ulcer heal. Before discharging him, the doctor emphasized that he needed to take the medication exactly as prescribed, eat regular meals, avoid skipping food, and get plenty of rest if he wanted to recover properly.

By the time they reached the hotel, Adrian was completely exhausted. He barely had the strength to keep his eyes open. The moment he stepped into the suite, he walked straight to the bed and lay down without a word.

Matteo gently pulled the blanket over him, brushing a few loose strands of hair away from his forehead before quietly reaching for his phone. Since Adrian had to eat before taking his medication, Matteo ordered a light breakfast, making sure it would arrive by the time Adrian woke up.

Only after he was certain everything had been taken care of did Matteo settle into the chair beside the bed, keeping a silent watch over the man he loved as Adrian drifted into a much-needed sleep.

Adrian slept peacefully for several hours, his body finally surrendering to the exhaustion of the past two months. During that time, his phone lit up silently on the bedside table. Maya was calling, but with the phone set to silent and Adrian fast asleep, the call went unanswered.

Anxious for an update, Maya immediately dialed Matteo’s number instead.

The moment his phone began to vibrate, Matteo rose quietly from his chair. He glanced at Adrian’s peaceful face before walking to the far corner of the spacious hotel suite, making sure he wouldn’t disturb his sleep.

Pressing the phone to his ear, he kept his voice low.

"Good morning, Maya."

"Good morning, Matteo," Maya replied, her voice laced with concern. "I’ve been trying to reach Adrian ever since you both left last night. He isn’t answering his phone. Is everything alright? What happened?"

Matteo glanced back toward the bed before answering.

"We spent the night at the hospital."

Maya immediately fell silent.

"The hospital?" she asked, panic creeping into her voice. "Is Adrian okay?"

"He’s alright," Matteo reassured her gently. "The doctor ran several tests this morning. It turns out he has a stomach ulcer. They prescribed medication and told him to rest, eat properly, and avoid skipping meals. He’s sleeping now."

A long breath escaped Maya.

"Thank God..." she whispered.

After a brief pause, she asked softly,

"And... did the two of you get the chance to talk?"

Matteo looked through the window, a faint smile touching his lips. "We did."

"And?" Maya pressed.

"We talked about everything," he answered quietly. "Everything we should have talked about a long time ago."

Maya smiled to herself. "I’m glad."

Her tone became serious again.

"Matteo... I know how much you love my brother. I’ve never doubted that for a second. I know how much you’ve done for him and how hard you’ve tried to take care of him.

"But please... be patient with him. Adrian is a very sensitive person. He’s never been the type to say ’yes’ when his heart means ’no.’ He values his independence more than anything, and when things become too much, he gets overwhelmed very quickly.

"He’s been through so much already, and I hope you can understand him a little better now."

Maya paused before letting out a quiet sigh.

"To be honest, I pushed him too hard too. After everything he told me, I realized I was wrong. I learned from it, and I hope you did too."

Her voice softened.

"We both love him, Matteo. But now... he’s your responsibility, and I’m trusting you with him completely. I trust you to take good care of my brother."

There was another brief silence before she spoke again, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Matteo..."

"I love my brother more than anything. I hope you know that’s why I’m saying all this. Please... don’t ever let something like that happen again."

Matteo closed his eyes briefly, guilt washing over him once more.

"I know," he admitted quietly. "I finally understand that now I give you my word, Maya. I’ll never let something like that happen again. I’ll listen to him. I’ll respect his boundaries, and I’ll never make him feel trapped again."

There was another moment of silence before Maya spoke.

"Thank you. When Adrian wakes up, tell him I called, alright? Ask him to call me back when he feels better. We still have a lot to talk about."

"I will," Matteo promised. "I’ll tell him as soon as he wakes up."

"Good."

They spoke for a few more minutes before exchanging their goodbyes.

Once the call ended, Matteo slipped his phone back into his pocket and quietly returned to Adrian’s bedside.

Adrian was still fast asleep, completely unaware of the conversation that had just taken place.

Careful not to make a sound, Matteo climbed onto the spacious bed, slipping beneath the crisp white sheets. He settled beside Adrian before gently sliding an arm beneath his neck, carefully lifting his head until it rested comfortably against his chest.

Adrian let out a soft, contented sigh in his sleep, instinctively nestling closer into the familiar warmth surrounding him.

Matteo tightened his arms around him, holding the man who meant everything to him. Only then did he close his eyes and finally allow himself to rest.

By the time the warm afternoon sun streamed through the blinds, casting a golden glow across the suite, Matteo slowly stirred awake.

Still drowsy, he instinctively tightened his arms around the space where Adrian had been sleeping against his chest.

Nothing.

His eyes snapped open.

Adrian was gone.

"Babe?" Matteo called, his voice rough with sleep.

He pushed himself upright, his gaze sweeping frantically around the suite.

Adrian wasn’t there.

A sudden wave of panic slammed into him, wiping away every trace of drowsiness. His heart pounded violently against his ribs as the nightmare of the past months came rushing back.

Did he leave again? Was everything that happened last night just a dream?

"Rian!" Matteo shouted, throwing the blankets aside as he stumbled out of bed. His voice cracked with raw panic. "Adrian!"

Silence.

Breathing hard, his thoughts spiraling into the worst possibilities, Matteo searched the suite with frantic eyes. He rushed toward the bathroom just as the frosted glass door slid open.

Adrian stepped out, blinking in surprise.

"Babe?"

Relief hit Matteo so hard it nearly brought him to his knees.

Without saying a word, he crossed the distance between them and pulled Adrian into a crushing embrace, wrapping both arms tightly around his waist. He buried his face in the crook of Adrian’s neck, holding him as though he were afraid that letting go would make him disappear.

Adrian froze in surprise...