Boston Blood

Thirty six

Frankie felt safe for the first time in her life. She could feel the warmth of someone behind her. She lay there with her eyes closed feeling blissful when the reality if what had happened hit her like a tonne of bricks.

Images of Joe attacking her caused her brain to instantaneously send a sharp, excruciating pain through her entire body. She realised then that she was half naked when she ran her hand down her stomach. It had a huge bandage across it and the pain was making her head spin. She froze when she felt him stir behind her and held her breath. Praying he wouldn't wake up. But his phone was ringing. She could feel the vibration against her back. He groaned and squeezed her body, making her panic.

She had to get out of there. She tried tried sit up but the pain piercing her abdomen made her cry out in anguish. "Hey. Hey, it's okay. You're alright." She tried to turn her body around to stare at him. He looked nervous. She opened her mouth to speak but tears were burning her eyes. She couldn't believe it. She had been shot. She remembered every terrifying detail of the night before. She thought she was dead but then, flashing pictures of Cillian's petrified face leaning over her, trying desperately to stop the bleeding made her stomach contract. She started to gag from the pain and fear.

Cillian quickly but carefully jumped up from behind her and ran to the small bathroom to get a basin. She heaved into the chunk of plastic but nothing came out. She could feel the sweat dripping down her face and then Cillian was shouting for someone. He sounded scared.

"James! James we need help in here!" A man came rushing in and immediately ran to Frankie. He checked her pulse and her wound. "It's the shock. She hasn't bled for hours. The stitches are holding." Frankie tried to get up, again. She needed to get out of this place and away from these people but two pairs of hands were on her, holding her down. "You need to relax. You were shot, Frankie. I patched you up and luckily the wound wasn't as bad as it seemed but you need to take it easy." She glared into the man named James's eyes. They looked kind and very tired. Frankie reluctantly stopped struggling and threw her head back onto the soft pillow, willing her heart to stop pounding. James left the room, calling for Cillian who was still standing over her, holding her shoulders, gently. She locked eyes with him, she wanted to kill him but she also knew that she wouldn't be alive if he hadn't found her. He saved her and in spite of herself, she was thankful for him.

He nodded and left the room, then, leaving Frankie alone. She could hear their mumbled voices in the living room. They were tense and angry. She looked around, having no idea where she was. All she could think about was Joe and how he had tried to kill. Utter panic took over her as she began to worry that he had told Tony what was going on before he came to see her. Did he know? He'll know Joe is dead and will put two and two together. Was Joe's body still on the floor of the pub? What if Marie finds him? She had to call her but she had left her cell phone at home. She was fucked.

She lifted herself off the bed, wincing and hobbled to the small en-suite, clutching her side. She sat on the toilet and stared at herself in the mirror facing her. She had bruises all over her face and chest and the bandage was wrapped around her body. The tears had come, again. She couldn't stop them. She put her head in her hands and cried, silent, angry tears.

For the most part, she was thankful to be alive but a small piece of her, as much as she hated it, wished that Joe had finished what he had stared.

A small knock on the door made her jump and she quickly wiped her wet face on a towel that was draped over the bath tub. Cillian ducked his head around the door but quickly withdrew when he saw Frankie.

She couldn't speak to him. She was so conflicted and upset that she just sat there, trying to stifle the sobs escaping her mouth. She could see Cillian watching her through the mirror and couldn't understand why she felt a pain in her chest.