Florence

Chapter 27 - Francisco's POV

It's been a week since I told Florence about the mafia and everything has been going great since.

I was honestly surprised that she was so okay with it. But after her explaining how she noticed things that were unusual I understood why she wasn't as shocked as I assumed she'd be.

I'm currently in my office while Florence is in the living room playing with Snowball. Ever since the library incident I've been more cautious by having cameras installed all over the house.

I set up the camera footage in my office to make sure I can check on her while I'm working.

She's started to slowly be able to be away from me for a period of time. It started off with her deciding she would get ready by herself, then staying in the library for about twenty minutes, to now being away for at least thirty minutes.

That might not sound like a lot of time but to her it's so much. After she comes back, I see the toll it takes on her physically and mentally. She fidgets with her fingers, stutters more, has tears in her eyes, and doesn't want me away for even a second.

I've told her to not push herself and to come back as soon as she feels like it's too much but she never listens. She's determined to get better even if she has to hurt herself in the process and that's what scares me.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts by a knock on the door.

"Come in baby" I call out knowing it's her from the softness of the knock.

She pulls the door open making sure to shut it once she's in the room. She walks over to me and plops herself into my lap burying her head into my neck.

I rub her back up and down while stroking her hair gently.

"What's wrong baby?" I ask not used to her not telling me how her time by herself went even if it was through tears.

"I-I t-think I n-need t-to s-see a-a pro-professional" she whispers.

I still not expecting her to say that. She's been doing better from what I could see.

"You sure amore mio (my love)?" I ask her wanting her to be completely sure of her decision.

"I-I n-need h-help. I-I c-can't g-get o-over ever-everything w-without kn-knowing h-how t-to h-handel m-my t-thoughts. A-And I-I n-need h-help w-with f-feeling o-okay be-being a-away f-from y-you b-because w-what I-I'm d-doing n-now i-is h-hurting m-me a-a lot" she confesses quietly.

I hold her closer not liking how she's hurting. I can't help her with this though. No matter how much I'm there for her it's a battle she has to face.

"Okay baby we'll find someone" I tell her kissing her forehead.

"F-Fast o-okay?" she basically pleads with me.

"Fast baby I promise. Did something happen today that made you feel like you need this?" I ask her wanting to know if something in the house triggered her.

"N-No I-I j-just d-don't l-like m-my t-thoughts a-and I w-want t-to g-get b-better f-fast" she tells me holding me tighter.

I hold her tighter to make sure she knows I'm right here and I'm not leaving.

"When you say thoughts what do you mean baby?" I question hesitantly not knowing how she'll react.

"I-I m-mean f-flashback. E-Even d-during t-the d-day th-they c-come a-and I s-see w-what h-happens a-all o-over a-again. I-I'm r-reliving t-the t-torture a-all o-over a-again" she sobs loudly.

I almost stop breathing when she finishes speaking. She's reliving it in her mind everyday.

She's only told me small portions of what that bastard did to her but from what she's told me it was horrific and for her to relive it everyday is fucking wrong.