Coloured lights flash, my mind whirls.
Pain distorts my reality and my stomach threatens to rebel.
Outside the rain hammers down around me, the lightning only adds to my disorientation. Somewhere in the distance I hear Myles call out my name and I turn to the sound, behind the shimmering fabric of Valentina's blouse I see another body loaded onto a stretcher.
Myles stares directly at me so I feel every ounce of the hatred and anger that weighs him down. He has restraints on his wrists and blood-soaked bandages around his shoulder.
It's hard to tell what is mud and what is blood, but it appears he's received just a small amount of the justice he owes us.
As he's loaded into another ambulance, I see Rome behind him, he's bound by cuffs behind his back and his shoulders are slumped. His eyes also watch mine, concern and remorse darken his features. A police officer keeps hold of his elbow and my throat closes over with dread.... or paralysis..... I lose my breath completely.
Involuntarily, I start to jerk and consulse. My eyes roll back and I can no longer see either of them or feel Valentina's hand in mine.
All I hear is the sirens and the sound of choking.
I feel the cold flush of fluids in my arm, then nothing.... Finally, sweet nothing.
I feel like I'm floating on one of those storm clouds, I know there's trouble and turbulence below, but none of it can reach me up here. There's just a soft jostle and a head filled with nothing. It's hard to think of a single thought at all.
I can't remember the last thought I had or the last time I wasn't thinking.
It feels weird to think about thoughts when you can't think at all.
In my empty unthinking mind one thing comes to focus, Rome's smile. I see it as we laid face to face on a dance floor, it feels as though that moment was the first time my heart started to beat.
Damn, that was a moment.
Damn, that was a smile.
That smile alone is worth living for.
I try my best to peel open my heavy eyes, suddenly all I want is my mother and my girls. All I want is that smile and hot hands.
"Rome...." I mumble past dry lips.
"Shhh"
That whisper takes me back to a dark basement and an inkling of terror, my heartbeat leaps and my fingertips tingle.
A warm hand gently strokes my own, instinctively I tangle my fingers around his and hear a quiet exhale, I can almost feel it on my cheek.
"Rome" I repeat, his strength encourages me to try harder.
There's nothing but light, it burns and forces me to blink rapidly until my eyes adjust.
Focus brings water stains on popcorn ceilings, bright overhead fluorescent lights and a blinding headache.
"Well, there she is" a deep whisper with just enough gravel to cause goosebumps comes close to my ear, I turn towards the sound and he's right there.
Face to face.
I blush, I can't help it. This face makes me think all the naughty thoughts.
I look down my body to see Rome's hand entwined with mine, and I see the rings on the finger he brushes with his thumb.
My stomach clenches.
"Oh.... " I jump, rushing to clumsily take them off. I give them back to Rome while he watches me curiously. "Sorry, your mother..... she thinks we're.... I'm sorry, I didn't have the heart" I close them inside his palm with both my hands.
"Just breathe, Lucy. It's okay" he smiles like the devil. "I thought I lost you, but when I got here, I see you lying there. My ring on your finger.... it gives a man all kinds of feelings. Feelings I think I quite like. But one step at a time, huh?" He murmurs thick with emotion.
"What happened?" I place my hand on his handsome face, his dark obsidian eyes look over my face.
"You had a heart attack, Luce" he whispers. "That fucker almost killed you"
