Crossfire Queen

36.

His fist found my neck pretty quickly, hauling me against the wall as the air was knocked out of my lungs. My first cry was muffled by his hand as soon as I let it out. "Shut up" he sneered as I scratched at the wall behind me, my legs dangling as he held me off the floor. As soon as he let my mouth go, my body followed as he let me flop to the floor just before the last breath was about to leave my body. He chuckled at the pile my body created on the floor. "Why are you doing this" I choked out as I looked up. "Shut up" he spat as his foot collided with my stomach. I couldn't help but scream in pain. This only seemed to anger him as he pulled me up by my hair and threw me across the room. My foot tripping over the floor causing my body to clash with the marble. A strangled cry left my body, as he stepped on my ankle. He immediately dropped down, straddling me, his hand around my throat as I tried to fight him off me. "You make a noise again and I'll make this much worse for you" he said as He placed his hand over my mouth my teeth clamping down to try and at least wound him. It only angered him though as he treated my stomach as a punching bag. It wasn't enough for him though. He ripped my top from my body, staring at the scar on my arm that he'd made before. He retrieved a knife from his waistband and trailed the scar up further. Fresh blood pouring out. I couldn't help but think back to eighteen months ago, being restrained beneath a stranger as he took what never belonged to him. It felt awfully similar being at Romero's mercy. "What do you want" I sobbed as his knife stopped above my heart. "Stay the fuck away from luca. If you so much as share a bed with him I will kill you Sofia" he said as I sobbed. "Why" I choked as he slapped me. "Don't question Me" he said angrily as he sent his knife spiralling into my hand, pinning me to the floor before his hands wound around my neck once more. The air getting heavier as my eyes sagged.

"Sofia" I heard Louisa's desperate voice. "Fuck Sofia" she said as I felt her fingers on my neck. "Lucaaa" she screeched but my eyes we're still rolled back. Unable to move. I felt paralysed. "Sofia, if you can hear me, I need you to stay with me" she begged. "You've got to stay with me Sofia" she said as I felt her lift me with no success. "Fuck." She said sadly. "LUCAAAAA" she wailed again as I lay like nothingness. "Sofia please" she begged. I didn't hear anything else. I didn't feel it either.

"Sof" Alessia's voice sobbed when I next roused. "I don't know if you can hear me" she cried. "Alessia keep going" Louisa encouraged. "Sofia please wake up, I need you" Alessia cried. I tried, so damned hard. But I just couldn't open my eyes. "Sof" she sobbed as I succumbed back to silence.

The next time I heard voices it was Louisa's. "You know that's not possible" she'd said. "I'm doing everything I can." She'd told them. "That's insulting. I don't need Fran" she'd argued. "Marco enough" she'd said. Her words alone, jolting through me and forcing my eyes open. "Marco I need to go" she'd stammered as she looked directly at my eyes. "I'll call you when I can" she said before ending the call. "Sofia" she said looking relieved. "You spoke to him" I stammered. "Don't hate me. I thought Alessia may help wake you. I had to ask Marco." She sighed as I nodded. "How long was I out" I queried looking at the drip in my hand. "Just over 72 hours, long enough for you to drive them both to insanity" she said as she sat down by my bed. "You also scared the shit out of me" she said as a tear fell from her eye. "I'm sorry" I found myself saying. I can imagine anyone walking into that would be traumatised. "Do you remember anything" she asked and I shook my head quickly. "Sofia, if you do. I need you to tell me. Dads lost his shit, luca is beside himself" she said worried. "I don't" I said with a sigh. "Its all blurred" I said looking at my hands sadly. One heavily bandaged, undoubtedly wounded by the knife. "Don't think about it. Don't torture yourself" she said sadly. "You're safe in here. Dad and luca are taking turns to stand guard. No one comes in but me. You're safe" she said softly. "Why are they standing guard" I asked confused. "You were assaulted in your room Sofia. They have no clue who it was and until they do, they'll be standing guard." She explained as I nodded softly. I looked out of the window, to see luca stood by the door watching outside. He didn't know I was awake, my heart accelerated at the sight of him. He looked dishevelled. Way more than usual. "He hasn't slept since I found you" Louisa said following the path of my eyes. "He does legitimately care about you" she said softly. He just cares about Romero more. I thought. The image of Romero in my mind caused bile to rise in my throat. "What's wrong Sofia" she rushed as I lurched forwards and sent vomit tumbling into the bed sheets. "Sofia" she soothed circles on my back. "I've got you" she said gently as she rubbed my flesh warmingly. "You blanked out for a second there" she said as I gulped down another vomit. I nodded at her sadly in confirmation as she sighed. "Sofia, you know you can tell me" she said dejected. "I can't tell anyone" I said feeling my heart plummet. "Will you tell Marco" she asked as I shook my head. "He could identify them and serve you justice. If you're in trouble, we can ask him." She said honestly. "I don't want anymore drama. I don't want nor need Marco. I'm ok" I said still angry at him for using me, for pulling Alessia away from me. For making Romero hate me. I took the sheet off my legs, hoping to stand up but Louisa was besides me in an instant frowning. "You're not well enough to stand, don't even try or I'll send luca in" she scowled as I groaned. "I just want to go to..." I stopped myself. I had nowhere to go. My bedroom was violated. The house was like a horror show. But I was stuck here. Maybe she was right after all... any where I went in this house Romero could get to me, hurt me. "Would Marco let me stay with him" I asked her frantically as she looked at me sadly. "You don't feel safe here" she deduced as I nodded. "I'll speak with him. God knows what we will tell my father" she sighed. "Can't you ask him to send me somewhere safe? Until you find whoever did it. I'd be safe there" I asked as she mused over it. "But we won't find them then, you won't expose them to Marco or to us and they won't expose themselves." She concluded as i sighed. "I can't Louisa. If I do" I stopped. I shouldn't even be saying it. "You're being blackmailed" she gasped as I closed my eyes. "Sofia I need to know who. You know I can help you" she sighed sadly. "Get me to Marco. I'll only tell you when I'm there" I said simply.
At least if I was in the Di Rossi house I would be safe from any Marchetti. The main one being Romero. "You know I can't do that. Not without pissing everyone off" she said,looking at me as I winced looking down at my hands. I was stuck here, stuck near him. "You really feel unsafe?" She asked hesitantly. I nodded simply feeling low on energy. "If I get you out of the house will you tell me" she asked further. "I'd consider it" I said as I rolled over. Of course I'd never tell her, but that didn't matter right now.
Glancing back over at the door I spotted luca talking to someone new. As they came into the light my breath hitched and I felt my stomach churn. The contents flying out of me as the machines beeped around me. I felt like I was sat in a room that was spinning and then I felt nothing. Nothing but pain as my entire body jolted. It felt like my head was on fire, my body fighting for survival. Then nothing.
"Sofia" I heard her say softly. Her hands on my side supporting me. "You're ok" she said as my eyes rolled back to normal. "You ever had seizures before" she questioned as I nodded my head. "Once. After, you know" I said as she nodded. I didn't need to tell her twice about my ordeal 18 months ago. Looking up at her, I felt a cool liquid on my nose. Touching it, I saw a red sticky substance I'd frequented a lot lately. "Great" she replied plainly. "I need luca. Think We're going to have to get you to the hospital" she said as my head pounded. I nodded gently, causing her to call out to him. As he ran in I panicked. Was Romero still with him. Glancing at the door from where I could on the bed, I saw four shoes. He was in here with luca. He was in here for me. Within seconds I felt my body convulsing again.
-
"Sof" Alessia's soft voice said. She felt a lot closer than when I had last heard her. Groggily I opened my eyes. Her gentle brown curls were the first thing that came into focus. Then her tear stained eyes. "Hey" she said through her sobs as she looked at me. "You're here" I said croakily. "There's no place else I'd be" and chuckled slightly as I glanced around. The room was familiar but I hadn't been here before. It was unquestionably a hospital, just not the usual ward someone like me would be dumped on. "Sofia" Louisa's voice said gently on the other side of me. "I managed to convince them to move you" she said gently. I nodded in thanks before mumbling "Luca" whilst feeling awful for him. He looked distraught last time. I dreaded to think what he looked like now. "He's outside, with Marco. Both of them haven't moved since we got you here" Louisa said honestly. "They haven't killed each other" I asked as Alessia smirked lightly. "Not yet. I think they're both preoccupied with who else they want to kill, saying that they do like to bicker" she said as I closed my eyes. "You could put them out of their misery" she offered. "Whose with them" I asked concerned. Knowing luca, Romero wouldn't be far away. "Gio and Leo. Then Romero and Lenny. Why?" Louisa asked. "They're all guarding me" I asked surprised. "You're very important it seems" Alessia smiled at me softly. "Did you want a moment with them" she asked softly. "Marco" I said huskily. My throat in need of water. "I'll send him in" Louisa said gently as she went to walk out. "Lou" I called as she stopped by the door. "Tell luca I'm ok" I said as she nodded before exiting.
"You sure about this" Alessia asked after she left. "I'm sure. He's come hasn't he, I can at least say thank you" I said as she nodded. "He'd kill for you, you know that right" she sighed as I nodded, our conversation cut short as the door hurled open and a furious Marco walked in. "Alessia give me the room" he said darkly as she nodded and scurried off. "Nice to see you're being as charming as always" I tried to joke before the air got stuck in my throat. "You want a drink" he asked as I coughed. I nodded as he poured it. He went to hand it to me, only to stop just out of reach. "Tell me who did it Sofia" he demanded. "Drink" I begged as I coughed. "Tell me and you can drink" he said as I continued to cough. This was torture. He was legitimately going to torture me for information I would never give him. "Tell me god Damn it" he roared as I continued to cough. "Marco" i wheezed out. "Fuck" he groaned, handing me the drink as I gulped it down.
After drinking it, I handed him the cup as he threw it angrily across the room. "Who the hell are you protecting" he seethed. I closed my eyes, I wanted nothing more than to tell him. But I couldn't. Not when Romero was just outside. "Me" I gulped as he looked at me like steam was about to leave his ears. "Sofia, are you fucking mental." He roared. "You we're assaulted, in your own room. You were meant to be safer there. How is keeping your attacker from me helping you" he spat. "I need you to tell me" he shouted again. "Why? So you can kill them." I retorted as he looked at me obviously. "Exactly that. What is wrong with you" he argued. "Killing them wont take away what they did" I said quietly. "It will stop them doing it again" he spat. "Are you even listening to yourself. Stop defending him" he said agitated. "You stop. I didn't call you in here for you to start a revenge party. I just wanted to say thank you for coming" I said as his eyes seemed to bulge. "You've gone insane Sofia. Of course I want a revenge party. What I don't get is why the hell you don't" he roared from besides me. "Revenge won't help. The damage is done" I said as he looked at me enraged. "When I find the fucker, and believe me I will. I'll kill them. Whether you like it or not" he roared "is that going to be before or after you fuck another cheap whore I said bitterly as he stormed out angrily.
That hadn't quite gone to plan.