Actually, he had wanted to say this for a long time. With her, he still had too many concerns. Otherwise, given his personality, he would have already acted on his thoughts. He would stop her from taking birth control, leave his seed in her body, and make her pregnant. Then she wouldn't be able to leave him.
Sophia was extremely frustrated. "How can you just have a baby? Without the best father and mother to love him, he would suffer so much coming into this world."
Capone closed his eyes, his breath buried in the hollow of her shoulder. "Have you never thought about being a mother? It's a natural process. Many children don't have perfect parents, but they still grow up."
"That's not what I meant!" Sophia felt stifled. His words made her think of him and his brothers, who had lacked love growing up, each carrying secrets or even hatred. How difficult their lives must have been.
"It was you who said you didn't want a child with the daughter of your enemy!"
Capone felt a bit tired, but hearing that, he opened his eyes and looked at her. His gaze was deep, like an ocean, as if it could pull her whole being into it.
"At this moment, there's no such thing as enemies or allies, only the two of us. Maybe it'll be like this for a lifetime. If I don't have a child with you, then with whom?"
Sophia pouted, growing more frustrated. He made it sound like he was being forced, as if, given the choice, he wouldn't want anything to do with her. Did that mean she was still just a tool for his lust? How was this any different from when they were on land?
She must have been foolish to think, in a moment of crisis, that she had heard him say "I love you."
Such sacred words—how could they ever come from his mouth?
She must have misheard!
"What's wrong?" Capone's heart tightened as he saw her reddening eyes, as though she was about to cry. He took her soft, cold hand, intending to pull her into his arms, but she sat up and turned away from him.
He felt a bit dizzy, his throat burning like it was on fire, his mouth parched, craving water. He had no strength to pull her back, so he could only say, "Sophy, can you bring me a bottle of water? I'm thirsty!"
Sophia turned her head away, ignoring him. She moved to the opposite corner and began tidying her clothes, looking around to see how she could make the cabin a bit more comfortable.
She pushed a few wooden crates together and found a large rug from the lower deck that seemed fairly new. This way, they could sleep on the crates at night, covered by the rug, which would keep them from getting too cold or damp.
Once she finished all that, she glanced back and realized that Capone had already leaned against the wall, drifting off to sleep. His breathing was heavy, and his face was unusually flushed.
She walked over, squatted down, and gave him a gentle push. "Hey, get up for a moment. You'll be more comfortable sleeping on the crates."
He didn't respond, only frowning uncomfortably and mumbling a few words she couldn't make out. Sophia shook him again and felt the heat of his skin. Only then did she realize he had a fever!
Sophia was startled, but considering his wound, it was expected that he would develop a fever. The real problem was that they were isolated, with no medical supplies or assistance. A fever could be dangerous in this situation.
"Capone, Capone, wake up. How about drinking some water before you go back to sleep? Didn't you ask for water earlier? I've brought it, so please drink a little."
Capone's eyelids felt incredibly heavy, and his consciousness floated in and out. Any movement made him feel dizzy, like the world was spinning, and he wanted to throw up. The girl in front of him seemed to have a double image, with two of her, and he couldn't tell which was real.
Sophia brought the water to his lips, but he only took one sip before pushing it away, mumbling something. Sophia heard him clearly—he said, "Save it for yourself."
Tears welled up in Sophia's eyes. She knew he was worried about their limited supply of fresh water, afraid there wouldn't be enough for both of them. That's why he didn't want to drink any more.
"It's okay, just drink a little more. You're the one who's sick! I'm sorry for getting angry earlier. I didn't know you were feeling this bad. Come on, drink a bit more—staying hydrated will help your fever go down faster."
She coaxed him like a child, trying to get him to drink more, but when he refused, she tilted her head back, took a sip herself, and then leaned down, transferring it to him mouth-to-mouth.
Capone didn't resist. He opened his eyes, glanced at her, and gave a weak smile. "You're improving! I'm fine, just let me lie here for a while and I'll be okay."
While Capone acted nonchalant, Sophia's heart was in turmoil, like a kitten scratching inside her chest, leaving her uneasy.
She helped him lie down and draped his thick coat over him. He had spent most of his life in the south and disliked wearing bulky down jackets, preferring more functional outdoor jackets—waterproof on the outside and warm on the inside. Just like last time on the mountain, when he had wrapped it around her bare body to keep her warm.
She had to admit, no matter what he wore, he was a strikingly handsome man. Handsome enough that girls would blush just from stealing glances at him. But he never carried the arrogance of someone born under a lucky star. He'd weathered storms and waves, burdened by missions and hatred. From childhood to now, he hadn't had much chance to enjoy happiness.
The jacket was thick, making him look tall and handsome, but right now, it couldn't warm his body.
He seemed cold, constantly trying to curl up. Meanwhile, the weather started to worsen, the sea was rough, and wind and rain began to pour through the broken window, making the air damp and freezing.
At that moment, the blanket served another purpose. Sophia tied it to the window, blocking a good deal of the wind and rain.
But for Capone, burning with a fever, it still wasn't enough.
Sophia took off her own coat and laid it over him. When she touched his skin, it was scorching hot, terrifyingly so, yet he still trembled slightly as if he were freezing. His lips were dry and cracked from the fever, like a spring dried up in the summer, completely devoid of the proud, effortless charm he usually had when he pressed them together.
"Capone..." Sophia heard her own voice break. She couldn't believe the fear she felt now was greater than at any other time—even greater than when she had feared being caught by him while trying to escape.
She was terrified that something would happen to him, that he might die, or that his fever would never break and leave him brain-damaged.
"Sophia... Sophy..." She heard him call her name. Maybe it was unconscious, but he called her so clearly.
"I'm here. You're going to be okay, you'll be fine!"
Instinctively, like an animal, she wanted to hold him close. At that moment, she remembered something he had once told her—the most effective way to warm someone up was body heat.
She also remembered the stash of vodka they had, and without caring about the storm outside, she rushed down to the lower cabin to retrieve it, not even fearing the rats.
She brought the alcohol back, took a large gulp, and then leaned over, passing it to Capone mouth-to-mouth, using her tongue to pry his teeth open, forcing him to swallow.
This was also something he had taught her—drinking alcohol could warm the body.
She unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his chest, the blue and white tattoo of the wolf's head standing out against his skin. The sight made her eyes sting with tears again.
He was sick, and even the white wolf on his chest looked lifeless.
She gently stroked the tattoo and whispered, "You have to get better soon!"
She soaked a piece of cloth in alcohol and rubbed it across his chest. The evaporation of the alcohol helped reduce his body heat, preventing him from overheating. After repeating this a few times, Sophia unbuttoned her own shirt, pressing her warm skin against his, and covered them both with their coats.
"Is it still cold? Are you feeling any better?" she asked softly, even though she knew he couldn't answer.