Crossfire Queen

37.

I hadn't expected the door to open again after Marco left, and I certainly hadn't expected luca to walk in with Romero in toe. I tried so hard to fight the feeling of pressure in my head, but by the time they reached the foot of my bed I was submerged in blackness again. I'd barely glanced at Romero but simply knowing he was there was enough to trigger me.

"Sofia" luca pleaded broken as I snapped back into reality, my body aching. "She's coming round" Louisa said softly as I felt my eyes darting. Where was Romero? Why couldn't I see him. Was he lurking, ready to pounce? "Breathe" Louisa encouraged. "You're ok" she said soothingly. "It's just us" she said. "Just us" I whispered breathlessly. "That's right" she said softly. "No one will hurt you here Sofia" she tried to be supportive. "My head really hurts" I groaned with a cry. As luca bent down and brushed my hair from my face. "I've missed you" he said softly, apologetically, as I gulped. I couldn't reply. Not yet. Not if Romero was still here. "Can you help me sit up" I asked as he nodded looking slightly hurt. As he rolled me off my side and onto my back my eyes caught sight of Romero at the foot of the bed and I tried to regain my breath. "You ok" Luca asked. "Sof" Louisa asked on my other side. It was like I spaced out again. "She's going to go again any second" louisa said. "I've never known anyone seize so traumatically." She added as I shook out of it and looked at her. "I'm sorry" I said as vomit seemed to creep up, her quick thinking putting a bowl their instantly. "I'm still not happy we haven't scanned her abdomen. That's the fifth time she's vomitted now" Louisa said looking at her watch as I flicked my eyes to her. "I don't feel good" I said feeling woozy. "I'm not surprised" she msaid as she put a warm hand on mine. "You were banged up pretty badly" she said as my eyes glanced to Romero. Was this satisfying for him. Seeing me here. I found my eyes lingering on his hand looking for my bite mark. There was nothing there though. I clearly hadn't bitten hard enough. I was weak, he'd ruined me and I hadn't even marked him. And now he was stood in a room of people telling me I was safe. I felt the uneasy feeling creep up when he caught my eye. Within seconds my body ached again as I heard utter commotion around me.

"Sof" Alessia's soft voice soothed me as I opened my eyes. Tears gently falling as she stroked my hair. "Did it happen again" I said feeling my tight muscles clenching. "Yeah, the boys came and got me. Luca thought you may want to see me" she looked at me sorrowfully. "Sofia, you're sure you've only ever had one seizure before today" Louisa asked as she appeared beside me. "Yeah, after I was... I - I - I was taken to the station to write a statement, it just-t happened" I said shakily as she nodded. "It triggered you" she confirmed as I nodded. I haven't ever relived the events of that night since. Not fully. "Lessia. Could you grab luca for me. Just him. I need to check something" Louisa said as I felt Alessia's hands leave my head. "Sure" she said as she walked back over to the door. "You fancy sitting up a bit" Louisa asked as she came over to me. "Sure" I said Although truthfully I just wanted to lie in bed forever. As she helped me up, she looked at me seriously. "Can I pop this monitor on" she said as I nodded, letting her hook me up to the machine. As luca walked back in he looked broken. A sadness filled me, the likelihood was I was the cause of it. I'd pushed him away, so far that I doubted when I needed him he'd want to be here. "You know you don't have to stay here." I said softly to him. If he wasn't here, Romero wouldn't be either. "You know full well I do. I'm not letting Marco anywhere near you without my say so. What if it was one of them who did this" he said glumly. "It wasn't luca, how would they get in to the house. And why would I let Marco in, why would I ask to come here knowing he would turn up if it was him" I said honestly as Louisa looked at me wide eyed. "You asked to come here" he said confused as he looked at his sister. "To be fair, I did and still do need more specialise help. Her seizures are triggered with trauma. They're extremely violent and Dr Dolton is far more experienced in the field. I also hate to say it luca, but she is probably safer here. The likelihood is this was an inside man. And I have an inkling as to who. When she asked to come here, using the medical need was the only way to convince you and dad" Louisa said as my head shot in her direction. "What do you mean you know who did it" I stammered. If she did and she exposed him I'd be dead meat. He was only just outside the room. "I've been watching you. Pre seizure, I've been trying to look for the trigger. Perhaps a word, or in your case a person." She said as I gulped. "Just because they trigger me doesn't mean it's them who did this Louisa." I said firmly. "Did you ever think maybe I was covering for them for a reason" I snapped as I felt my stomach recoil again. "Enough" Luca said firmly as I vomitted into the sick bowl again. "Sofia you need to tell me who did this" he said firmly as he rubbed my back. The last time he'd done that I'd just fucked Marco. Now here we both were in a hospital room. "Louisa" Luca said hesitantly, as I looked at her, her eyes focused on my sick. "Why's it red" I said feeling more nauseas. "We need to get her scanned." Louisa rushed as the room seemed to get hectic, my eyes darting to luca. "I need you to tell me Sof" he said softly as Louisa laid the bed flat again. "Not now luca, I think she's internally bleeding" Louisa rushed as I gulped. This sounded bad. "Fuck" he roared as he let his fist collide with the wall. The commotion causing the door to swing open and Marco rush in. "Christ" I muttered as I looked at both furious men, their eyes locked on my now exposed stomach. "I'm fine. Really boys" I said as I felt another wave of nausea hit me, before more red silky vomit lined the bowl. "Please stay calm" I pleaded as Louisa paled. "Luca go and tell Dr Dalton I need a theatre slot, were going to need to operate. I think she's perforated her stomach." Louisa said looking at an ultrasound of my stomach. "What" I stammered as luca paled. "I can see a leak, likely to be a ruptured vessel from the trauma. Hopefully it'll just be a few stitches" she said with an unconvincing smile. "If you don't work out who the fuck did this, I'll be serving you up on a platter" Marco hissed at luca. "Boys" Alessia scolded. "Shall we all just focus on Sofia for now" she warned them as Marco grunted before throwing a vase across the room angrily. "Please" I requested, the last thing I wanted was for them to go at each other.

Within minutes Louisa had wheeled me into a different room. I trusted her but I also didn't trust Marco and luca being left alone in the previous room. Louisa had made me inhale some weird gas which caused me to drift into a peaceful slumber. For the first time in ages my muscles relaxed as I succumbed to the nothingness. My mind numb and unable to even picture the boys let alone worry about them.

I woke up feeling groggy. My stomach was even more tender and all my limbs felt heavy. "Good, you're awake" Louisa smiled at me. "You had indeed ruptured the wall of your stomach. I've stitched it so you should start to feel less nauseas soon" she smiled as I nodded. My eyes glancing over the rest of the room curiously. "Everyone's outside. I can get them if you need them" she smiled warmly. "You really think you know who did this" I asked her quietly. She looked at me indifferently before nodding "If you really do know, please don't say. If this goes wrong, if they find out. I'll be gone. Marco asked you to protect me, if this ever got out I'd be done for." I said intensely as she looked at me in distress. "If I don't tell them Sofia. If I let this continue, you're also in harms way." She said. "I need to tell them" she sighed as Marco walked in looking firm. "Tell me what" he said firmly as his eyes fell on me. "That I'm glad I'm Here" I said quickly as he scowled. "Stop playing games with me Sofia. Tell the truth" he ordered darkly. "I can't do that" I said turning to look away from him. "Why" he spat annoyed. "You're really trying my patience Sofia. The longer you don't tell me, the longer I keep you here. The longer I keep you here the longer they have to be here, the longer I have to refrain from shooting each of their tiny brains" he grunted. "Send them home then." I spat annoyed. "Then they would deem you unsafe" he said through gritted teeth. "I'd feel safer" I said throwing my head back. I was totally conflicted. Marco could help me, but Romero could also get wind and kill me. "Just tell me" Louisa urged. "You said you knew" I mused at her. "I have an inkling" she sighed looking frustrated. I wasn't about to tell them, not till I was convinced I'd be safe.
Luca walked in, easing the tension slightly when he asked His sister if she wanted to go home with Romero. "Your sending him home" I queried, it was an odd choice. They usually did everything together. "I'm sending him to collect you a few bits. Clothes. That sort of thing" he said redundantly. "You really don't need to" I said, not liking the idea of him rummaging through my stuff. "I know I don't need to, but you need to be comfortable in order to recover. I trust him not to sniff your pants if that's what you're worried about" he said light heartedly but I didn't reciprocate a smile. The thought panicked me. What if he planted a camera in my room, or took my things to taunt me. "Subtle" Louisa smirked besides me as I gulped, a monitor ringing out besides me. "Start talking" Marco said sternly. "Nothing to say" I gulped. "Seriously" Louisa said frustratedly. "What am I missing here" Luca said concerned. "Nothing" I said with a sigh as Louisa shook her head. "Luca, I do think maybe, given the situation you should send two people to her room. Just to check nothing untoward happens" Louisa suggested. "Why would it" he queried back. "It wouldn't" I almost spat at her. "Everyone at home is a suspect, everyone but me and you. It would be better if two people went" she said as he nodded softly in agreement. "Fine, I'll go tell Ro. There anything in particular you need" he asked sadly as he looked at me. "Ok, if you think of anything tell Lou. She'll be able to call him. Marco, dad wants to meet with you and I." He said looking exhausted. "Luca have you slept recently" I asked softly. "Not yet. I'll sleep when you're safe" he said before turning and walking out clearly annoyed. He was almost in auto pilot and it saddened me. "You could end this" Louisa said looking from the door her brother just exited and then to me. "How can I. He has me hospitalised. He'll rape me next. Then what" I spat harshly as Marco swore besides me. "You're not going back" he said. "Not till I have him buried" he scowled. "How do you know who we're on about" I grumbled. The more people that knew, this worse it would be. Especially when the people in question were Marco and Louisa. "I know when you're scared. I also don't think it's coincidence that you fit everytime he and Luca walk in. I thought it was Luca at first. But you just proved otherwise" he said firmly. "And believe me, I'll fucking kill him when I get the chance" he said ruthlessly. "No, you can't" I hissed quietly. "Try and stop me Sofia." He scolded as I frowned. "What if you fail" I gulped worriedly. "I won't. I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, I won't let anyone hurt you." He warned before storming out.

"Can you see why I don't want him interfering. If Romero gets a whiff of you both knowing I'm in a worse predicament than I am now. I'd be much better to just listen to him" I sighed putting my head in my hands. "No, you don't listen to a thing he said. Marco will get him, just be patient" she said glumly as I groaned into my pillow. "Why are you so ok, with him wanting to murder your cousin" I said confused and frustrated. "Look, you need sleep. How about I work outside so you can get some shut eye" she suggested, clearly avoiding my question. I nodded knowing Romero was not here. I was safe, even if only temporarily.