Crossfire Queen

16.

Alessia ran me a bath as I sat quietly on the sofa. I didn't know how to feel, how I should feel. I just felt numb still. I was reassured now that I knew Alessia had chosen to protect me. I felt sad that she had also been given a difficult predicament but the Di Russo men hadn't told her to cut me off completely, they didn't know me and yet they knew I meant something to her. The Marchetti had been firmer with me, it was them or her and right now she was the only choice.
"I've run the bath" she said softly as I nodded. "Sof, did he. Did he do anything" she gulped. "You know." She said sadly. I stood up not wanting to think about it. "Not quite" I said as I walked passed her and into the bathroom.
Would I have liked it, if he had. Did I want that from him. Or had he lulled me into a false sense of security once more. Had he played me, just to get me to sing from his hymn sheet. Thinking about it, I didn't know if it was his fingers or his words that made me slap him. Both seemed to hurt. Cause me pain and turmoil.
"You ok in there sof" Alessia's soft voice called as a tear slipped from my cheek. "Yeah" I replied weakly as I gulped back a cry. Realisation flooding over me, that I had let another man walk into my life and all over me. And this time I was sober. This time I had no excuse. I'd fallen straight into Lucas arms, fallen for every lie on his tongue. He was about to use me to his advantage, just as the person who had raped me had 18 months ago. Sure luca would've stopped when I told him, but it still wouldn't have stopped him from trying. He knew the only way to get me to listen was for me to be putty in his hands. He'd lured me in, kissed me warmly and held me close, just to taunt me with half truths and take from me what he wanted.
"Sofia" Alessia's nervous voice cut through my thoughts. "I'm here" I said softly through a sob. "Can you let me in" she asked as I gulped. "I'm okay" I sobbed again. "You're not though hunny" she said sadly as I nodded, not that she could see me. I felt utterly broken and alone. Now I had slapped Luca, I had probably shunned myself from the Marchetti family anyway. I was so alone it hurt.
"Please let me in Sof" she begged as I wiped my tears and removed myself from the bath. Pulling a towel around my body I dried my feet and then walked to the door, relief flooding her features as she walked the short distance to me and hugged me tightly. "I've got you" she whispered as I sobbed on her shoulder. "Let it all out" she said as she held me whilst I cried silently.

"Better" she asked as my tears rand dry. "I let him in" I choked on a sob. "He would've" I stammered as she nodded. "I saw." She said as she wiped my eyes. "And I heard what he said. They, Leo. He wouldn't ever make me choose Sofia. He knows your too important to me. I just had to be more careful. I didn't want you to get hurt. Turns out you've been hurting all this time" she sighed sadly. "I won't lie to you, Marco didn't want me to be so close to you. He said it was a risk and he didn't want my safety jeopardised. So I agreed I'd see you less, when we met I always had someone tailing us just in case. They didn't make me choose Sofia, they just had to make sure you weren't a threat to me" she said sadly as I nodded. I could understand that. "Is that why we had to meet the other week at that restaurant" I gulped. "Yeah, Marco wanted to meet you before the wedding. I've told them countless times you didn't know anything but he had to see it for himself. I'm sorry I had to do it" she sighed as I shook my head, again I could understand why she had done it, why Marco had wanted to meet me. He had to ensure I was no threat to his family. "How is your shoulder. Leo filled me in" she asked. "Ok" I said turning to see the soggy dressing.

I wasn't meant to bathe with it dressed but in that moment it felt like the right thing. "Can you change the dressing for me" I asked as she nodded with a small smile. Grabbing one of the spare dressings I handed it to her, as she gently peeled the soggy dressing from my shoulder. "I can't believe they shot you" she said sadly as her fingers traced the outline of the wound. "I've been assured I was not the intended target" I said simply, both sides had assured me of it. "They wouldn't hurt you Sofia. They know you mean too much to me. I think part of the reason they hadn't told me till this morning was so that I didn't bust their balls to hard" she said with a soft smile as I found myself chuckling lightly. "I wish you had told me though, I could've been there for you" she said sadly. "I didn't want to burden you, I know I have been a bit. You know. Over the last year or so" I sighed as she rubbed my shoulders now the dressing was nearly fixed.

"You're not a burden Sofia. Far from it. I'm just sorry I kept everything from you" she sighed. "You had to, I understand. I truly do" I said as she enveloped me into another cuddle. "If you want, you can stay with us again tonight. If you'd feel safer" she said protectively. "I'll be ok. I think, I actually want to be in my own bed" I said as she nodded. "Okay, do you need anything, I can order you a take out" she offered. "I'm ok Alessia. I actually need to finish your bridesmaid dresses." I said as she smiled excitedly. "Okay, I'll pop over tomorrow though to see you. And the dresses" she added with a smile as I nodded and escorted her out.
After saying goodbye, I locked the door. Checking it twice before clambering into my pjs and sitting myself back at my desk ready to sew. It was the perfect escapism from the day, sure it could be tedious, up, down, up , down, up, down. But something about the repeated motion was soothing to me, calming almost.
As I finished stitching the appliqué on the first dress I heard the screech of tyres outside. I wanted to shake it off as boy racers but given recent events I felt dread build up in the pit of my stomach. 'Just keep sewing' I repeated in my head trying to create a distraction from the world outside.
My distraction was cut short when a brick was launched through my window causing glass to shatter everywhere. Before I could even think the room filled with smoke and noise, causing me to drop to the floor and clutch my ears. I could feel my body shaking as the door came down from its hinges across the other side of the table and my body be dragged upwards and onto the hardwood I called a workbench.

"Let this be a warning Russo" a thick Italian voice filtered in my ears. "If you ever disrespect the Marchetti again, this will be the worst of your problems" the man said as he held me by my neck as the smoke simmered. His face was cold and heavily tattooed as he spun me off the table and against the wall with ferocity. "When you disrespect a man such as Luca, you have to understand there are consequences" he spat at me his hold on my neck so tight, "my friends here have all been told to send you a warning from Lorenzo. That if you ever disrespect his son, or the family again you'll be dead to us. You'll loose our protection and your independence" he hissed as I heard clattering and smashing all around me. "And a final gift, from Luca himself" the man said as I felt a searing pain in my arm. "Hopefully now you know how he felt when he got stung by you" he said as the throbbing increased in my arm. "Ro, let's go" one of them said firmly as my neck was released by the tattooed assassin and thrown sharply backwards against the wall.

As they left, I allowed my body to fall to the floor. I was so weak, I hadn't even fought back. Looking down at my arm, a knife lay sticking out of it as blood slowly dribbled from it. I felt numb again. Violated and distraught. Crawling to the table I picked up my phone and dialled Alessia's number. I know Marco had said that if I was in danger I had to call him, but he hadn't been sensible enough to give me his number.
"Hey, you ok" she answered instantly as my sobs prevented me from speaking. "Oh Sofia. I can come and get you if you've changed your mind" she said obliviously. "No, you can't come. It's too dangerous" I sniffled. "Can you get one of the boys please" I choked on a sob. "Sof, what's happened" she panicked. "Just get me one of the boys Lessi" I begged her as I heard her movement through the line. "Leo's not with me Sofia. He's with Marco" she said as I heard doors opening. "Gio" I heard her call quickly making my hopes raise slightly. "Speak to Sofia please. I think she's in trouble" she said as I gulped. "Sofia" he said softly yet urgently as his voice came down the line. "Gio, I need you to come get me. There's a black Range Rover outside still. Other than that I think you're clear. And you'll need Fran" I said trying to hold it together. "Sofia what's happened" he said worriedly as I heard keys jingling. "They sent me a warning" I said through a sob. "And now I have a knife sticking out of my arm and no front door" I said through my tears as I tried to stay strong. "Fuck, ok. One Range Rover. Your sure that's it" he asked hesitantly. "That's all there has been. I can go check" I said as I wiped my stinging eyes. "Is it safe. Don't move if you can't" he urged me. "They've gone, I heard them leave. It'll just be the one range" I said. "I can move" I said as I hoiked myself from the floor, holding the knife to try and prevent it from dislodging. Creeping around what was left of my home, I peered out the window to see two men against the black Range Rover. Looking directly at me. Ducking I hissed in pain as the knife jolted. "Sofia" Gio said worriedly. "Two men, outside the car. Looking at the house." I said. "You won't be able to come" I realised. "I didn't say that" he rushed but I shook my head. "You can't Gio. You'll be fucking shot at. I'm not having a shoot out on my driveway" I hissed. "I can't fucking leave you, the boys would kill me" he roared. "I'd kill you too" I said as I thought of a plan. "Meet me in the alley two houses down and round on the right" I said. "I might be able to sneak out the bedroom window and down the road" I explained. "You have a knife in your arm Sofia, you can't go jumping out of windows." He said firmly. "Just meet me there in ten minutes. I'll sort the rest" I said firmly before hanging up. I guess the old saying of if you want something doing, do it yourself worked in most situations including when you've just been stabbed.