Breaking Free

Heartbeat

Isabella's POV

I can hear it, thumping loudly in my ear, I try to open my eyes but they are too heavy and I'm just too tired to try very hard. 

It's a heart beating under my head, I can faintly smell Dominic's masculine cologne.  I know I'm in his arms.  The last thing I remember is sitting in my shower with a gun and Noah...poor Noah, I've never seen him broken like he was...I did that, I caused him to break. 

I let my mind go back over what happened, every detail.  Why am I alive?  I was supposed to die, I don't want to deal with life after "this" again.  Especially with my brothers and cousins to witness how messed up I am, how weak and pathetic I am.  Marcus's words about the mafia and how my brothers will use me when the time is right for them to benefit, plays in my mind.  Maybe he's right, maybe that's all I'm good for. I have to be ready to leave them but for now I'll just play along, what other choice do I have?

"Has she woken up yet?" I hear Noah ask in a whisper.

"No, not that I know of, she is stable though so don't worry" Dominic replied.

"It's almost 10 a.m., do you want me to hold her so you can get some sleep?" He asks Dom.

"Sure, I've got some things I need to take care of, you'll find me in Elijah's office if you need me and let me know when she wakes up, okay?" He tells Noah as he stands up with me in his arms.

Noah sits down and I am placed on his lap resting across his chest and shoulder.  I feel him kiss my head.  A blanket is tucked around me.

"I'll have one of the guys bring breakfast up for everyone, call me if you need me." I hear Dom say before I hear him open and close a door.

Noah gently takes hold of my hand, threading his fingers between mine.

"I'm so sorry, Bella, I never should have left you with him. Please forgive me. You scared me, I watched you dying, please, please don't ever leave me, I love you and I need you, so please fight.  I'll help you, I'll even teach you how to fight.  Your the strongest person I know, you can get through this, I will help you in every way possible, I promise Bella."
Noah whispers to me as he gently squeezes my hand.

His words bring tears to my eyes and I slowly open them, they are still heavy as if I have weights on them but for Noah I will try.  I blink to get the tears out and clear my vision but it's still a little blurry and out of focus. I'm hoping that goes away but I'm too tired to care much.

Noah moves his head back so he can see me better.

"Hey Bella, did you hear what I said?" He asks me.  I give him a small nod in response.

"I meant everything I said." He pauses and then a mischievous grin plays on his face showing off his dimples.  "You know if you play your cards right I bet you could get anything you want out of this...like maybe even a horse." He tells me and winks.
I try and give him the slightest crack of a smile but my eyes refuse to stay open any longer and I fall back into a light sleep.

"Sleep Bambina, I'll be right here, your safe with me always." He kisses my head as I drift off.

I feel like I'm floating, it must be the pain meds. It doesn't feel like long after a female nurse comes in and helps me to the bathroom. When I come out all my brothers and cousins are in my room.  This time Nick picks me up, I wrap my arms around his neck and lay my head on his shoulder as he sits down.  I don't feel like saying anything so I just close my eyes and relax in Nick's arms.

The guys were all eating breakfast and Elijah woke me up and forced me to eat something so I ate a hash brown and fell back to sleep on Nick. 

When I woke up again I was in Alex arms, my back was throbbing and my head was splitting.