Crossfire Queen

7.

I woke up to find the room in darkness. I wasn't under the covers but I was sweating profusely. My whole body felt clammy and my shoulder aches painfully. My throat felt dry and itchy and the likelihood was I was a tad dehydrated. With everything that happened yesterday, my fluid intake hadn't been on my mind. Standing up, I had to gather my bearings. Clearly I was more dehydrated than I expected. Balancing myself, I squinted as I headed for the door in search of a light. As I reached the door I opened it to reveal a dimly illuminated corridor. My mind spinning as I tried to adjust from darkness to light.
Remembering back to yesterday, Luca had carried me up the corridor and turned left, meaning now I needed to turn right.
Walking slowly due to my muscles feeling tight and my head feeling heavy I made it to the staircase. I stood at the top feeling dizzy, so I quickly grabbed the banister and lowered myself a step at a time.
It felt like it took me an eternity to reach the bottom, but the cool marble on my feet was a welcome reward. Looking around the hallway, I spotted two double doors and walked towards them. They opened to reveal an empty living area. Not the kitchen. Closing them, I went to the next set of doors, this time a large kitchen diner was in front of me. Bingo.
Luckily there was a glass on the draining board, clearly left to dry by someone before they had gone to bed. Grabbing it in my sweaty hand I made my way over to the fridge to get some cold water from the dispenser on the door. My head was growing heavier and I felt like I was in some weird trance. Everything was so groggy and heavy. Even walking felt weird. Like I wasn't really doing anything.

As the cup filled up, I took it out and bought it to my lips, ready to sip it i opened my mouth only to feel the cup slip from my hand and onto the floor, out of instinct I bent to try and catch it, only to feel my balance shift and my body face-plant the floor. My head now felt even more woozy than it had before coming down. Suddenly bright light surrounded me and I felt a warm hand on my back. "Soph" Lucas warm voice drew out. Looking at him I couldn't bring him into focus. My brow furrowing as he span infront of me. "Fuck you're burning up" he said as his cool hand touched my head. "I don't feel good" I slurred as specks started to cloud my vision. "I know" he said as he lifted me off the floor making me feel lighter instantly. "Just stay awake okay" he urged as I nodded letting my head flop against his arm. "Muscle man" I slurred quietly as he chuckled before a loud banging radiated next to my ear making me flinch. "What" I heard a female voice groan. "Sofias not ok, I need you" Luca said firmly as I giggled. "Is fine" I mumbled as the specks got bigger, like I'd been hit with a frying pan in a cartoon.
"She's hot" I heard Luca say as my head grew heavier making me want to close my eyes. A sharp pain on my cheek causing me to thrash my eyes open once more. "Let's go" Luca said quickly as he began moving again, allowing me to finally shut my eyes.

-

I shifted feeling uncomfortable. Everything felt heavy like it had when I'd gone to get water. "Hey" Lucas smooth voice said as I opened my eyes slightly. "You gave us quite the fright" he said as I closed my eyes again due to the brightness. "Water" I whispered to him as I heard him move. My mouth still felt dry, but less so. "Here" he said as I felt him being it to my lips and tip it so I could drink. "Thank you" I said relieved when my mouth was moistened. "What happened" I asked knowing I was back in the hospital like room from before. "You still had some shrapnel in your arm. Your body was trying to fight it off like an infection." He said as he set the cup of water down. "We had to knock you out to get a good look around in there" he said sadly as I nodded. "My sister said you'll feel groggy for a bit" he added as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "I do" I agreed. "Thank you" I said reaching out for his hand. "Anytime" he smiled reciprocating the gesture. "Do you know how long a bullet wound takes to heal" I asked glancing at my shoulder. "A while." He chuckled. "You'll need a dressing on it for about two weeks give or take" he explained as I nodded again. "Have you been shot" I asked intrigued as he nodded. "Where" I asked even more curious as I glanced at him. Instead of telling me, he entwined our fingers and gently pulled my arm under his hoodie. Our fingers gliding over his abs until I felt a bump. "One" he said quietly before he moved our hands further up. "Two" he added as I felt a similar sensation under my fingers. Guiding our hands back down he stopped just at the waistband of his joggers. "Three" he said, keeping my hand under his hoodie as I gently caressed the scar. "You're like a cat with 9 lives" I chuckled as he nodded. "Three down" he said as he raised a brow.

"How'd you get them all" I queried with him. "This one was from a shoot out in a factory. The di Rossi we're smuggling women and they somehow used our network. So we basically opened fire in our own warehouse and they turned out to be everywhere." He shrugged like it was nothing. "You thought there was only one or two rats" I asked as he nodded. "Yeah, they were everywhere. We were lucky to all get out Alive" he added as I grimaced at the thought of young men dying for nothing.
"This one was actually an accident. Romero picked up a gun as a kid and didn't realise it was loaded. We were bickering and play fighting and he shot me." He chuckled at the memory whilst I sat looking at him with my eyes bulging from their sockets. "People just left guns around and let you shoot each other" I scoffed absurdly. "It was a mistake. That was actually Lenny's fault. He'd come in from a raid and was covered in blood so he went for a shower but had put his gun on the side." Luca explained as I gulped. The thought of lenny having a gun, the thought of nearly being brought up in a house with so much violence. It was all a bit overwhelming. "Then this one was from Di Rossi himself. After I fucked his girlfriend" he said smugly like a huge man whore. "Proud of that one aren't you" I chuckled with an eye roll. "Kinda. No pain no gain" he smirked as I shook my head at him. "I bet that hurt" I said honestly. "Truthfully it was quite satisfying" he shrugged as I smacked his arm. "I meant for Di Rossi not you. Having your misses cheat on you with the enemy, that's got to be tough" I explained. "Mhmm, did him pretty dirty for a while. Hence him shooting at me" Luca babbled on as I nodded.

"Is there like a huge rivalry between you two" I asked curiously. "Yeah, although Marco is currently head of his family. His dad died two years ago. So he has the advantage. To him I'm still my dads little boy. One day though, I'll be his equal." He said with a heavy sigh. "So your dads like the alpha male" I asked and he chuckled. "Christ he'll love you for saying that. Sort of. I guess. He's the dogs bollocks, how's that" he made me giggle at the colloquialism. "Sounds important." I smiled at him as he nodded seriously. "Just sucks he has to die for me to get there" he shrugged indifferently. "Yeah, that's pretty hefty. Like the royals" I found myself saying. "Yeah, kinda" he agreed as his sister walked back in. "Hey Louisa, she's awake" Luca said obviously to his sister. "I can see. Just came to tell you that dad wants to see you" Louisa smiled at her brother softly, almost pitifully. "He's up early" Luca said quietly, almost to himself. "Go" I said pushing him up from where he'd made himself comfortable on my bed.
As he walked out I noticed Louisa looking at me with a curious brow. "Hey, thanks for sorting me out again" I said shifting slightly uncomfortably. "Just doing my job" she said as she grabbed a clipboard and sat on a wheely stool besides the bed. "You know what I don't get" she pursed her lips. "I'm not a mind reader" I said hoping she'd elaborate. "Why someone whose gone through so much, would be so comfortable around my brother" she mused. "How so" I asked feeling on edge. "Well, you were raped just over a year ago and now here you are cosying up to a man far more dangerous than anyone who'd fuck you on a street corner" she explained as I gulped. "How'd you know" I stammered. "I'm a doctor. I have access to everyone's records. Even yours." She said like it was the most obvious explanation.
"Now I don't want to sound like a territorial bitch. But stay away from Luca. He doesn't need any trouble." She said firmly. "I don't mean to cause any trouble" I defended as she rolled her eyes. "Like you didn't mean to get shot. I know how this works Sofia. You meet him, you fall head over heels for his charm, he swears he can protect you and you fall in love. Until the next man comes around and then you move onto them. Everyone knows your history. Everyone knows you could be a Di Rossi rat like your father" she sneered as I gulped my heart racing in my chest. "I don't plan on falling in love with him" I said firmly. "I don't care if you aren't planning on it. Just don't do it" she spat angrily. "I won't. Trust me when I say my relationship with men is tainted. I haven't so much as looked at a man since, you know" I said sadly as she nodded. "Understandable. Rape does that to people. I just don't want you thinking big brave Luca will save you. Because he won't. Dad and I won't let him" she said harshly as I nodded. "Noted" I mused awkwardly. "Out of interest do I need to hang around here?" I asked referring to the medical room. "Nope, you can leave. There should be a man on the gate who will let you out." She smiled sourly. Wow, she was happy to just let me leave the entire house. In the middle of the night. Gulping I took my cue and left her room, retracing my steps to the spare room id been residing in and grabbing my phone before storming back down the stairs and out the ginormous house.

The cold air hit me like a truck and as I marched passed the guard on the door I flipped him the middle finger before storming down the road. Getting to the bottom I spotted a cab and thanked my lucky stars. Hailing him over I gave him my address and sank into his cheap leather seats. "Good night" he smiled through the wing mirror. "That's questionable" I huffed as I glanced at my phone to see it was 04.42. Clearly this man thought I'd been doing something promiscuous. Luckily though he didn't press further and instead drove steadily to mine.