Finally making her dream come true of becoming a doctor and making her mother proud Francesca begins to believe her life is complete. After what she had been through with her father and seen how her mother was treated by him she never cared for love...
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"It was so easy to get sick or hurt as a kid. I hated hospitals. The smell sucked. Doctors were out to get me. At the end of the day being in a hospital became my favorite place because of you Vanni. You sat on the edge of the hospital bed every time. Missed school, ditched hanging out with your friends. All to make sure I was okay. That I'd wake up, because you swore you wouldn't live without me. Well Vanni now I'm the one swearing I won't live without you. I can't. You're my little brother, it's my job to protect you and mess that up."
I laid with my head on his chest crying to him. I listened to his heart beat and I kept my fingers on his wrist for a pulse. For the first time in forever I don't trust those machines Giovanni was hooked up to. It's the next afternoon and he still hasn't woken up. Beverly was asleep in the next room. My phone rang over and over for several hours but I ignored it. People walked by, peeked in and asked questions, I ignored them. Until Jocelyn came in. I didn't move. I didn't look at her but I let her in.
"I brought you a change of clothes, do you want to change love?" She pushed my hair back and softly grazed my face with her hand. She took my hand from Giovanni's and slowly pulled me away from him. I stood and just collapsed in her arms. She hugged me tight and held me up right. "It's all my fault." I sobbed. "Blame won't help you love. Giovanni is strong and he's going to pull through but when he does he needs to see he has his strong sister waiting for him." She whispered in my ear as she rubbed my back. I wrapped my arms around her neck and pulled her in closer. I wanted to be strong but I needed to see Giovanni open his eyes first. I needed to know he was still with me.
Jocelyn turned around with me and sat me on the chair. She pulled out a light and checked my eyes. Took off my jacket and looked for cuts, lifted my head and checked my neck. "Your whole neck is bruised." I had stopped crying and instead my eyes dried over. As I stared over at Vanni. "He held me by my neck." I whispered. "Tell me what happened." She bent down and looked up at me as she held my hand. "He kissed me. Slammed me against the wall. Forced me into working with him. He said he'd kill them, Joc." She turned away before I could see her eyes fill with water. "Who's he?" She asked with her head down. "He'd kill you too." I told her, my voice was shaky.
Then I really looked at her. She was in six inch heels, her hair slicked back into a ponytail with her curls clipped up in the back. Her wedding ring that she never wore because it would always rip through gloves was now on her hand. Short short dress and makeup did. Today was her off day and they called her in. My problems clash with her life. That only made me feel worse. I didn't know what to do with myself anymore.
Before we both could open our mouths and say anything the door swung open. Beverly walked in and looked numb. Her nose was covered in a bandage as she wasn't as beat up like Giovanni. She came to me and bent down in front of me as Jocelyn stood up and leaned on the bed. "Are you okay?" She asked. "Why are you home Beverly? Why'd you come home?" I asked through a breath. She shrugged and smiled at me. "It's not your fault." I shook my head in disagreement. "He told me what he wanted." She whispered.
"I said yes. I have no idea what I'm going to do but I said yes." Slow steady tears fell down my face again. "You're going to find a way to tell them, so they can help us. They owe you that. But we have to be smart about it, tell them in a public place, no where near cops or anyone we know. He respects you to go to them fast and unplanned. He told me if you tried," she paused and wiped my face. "If you tried he'd get to your mom seconds later."
I leaned back in the chair and covered my face with my hands and cried loudly. I felt dirty in my skin. The way he touched me. I wanted to scrub my lips off, peel off the skin on my neck. I wanted the headache to go away. I didn't care that he was using me to get to the twins, I cared that he had my family at gunpoint without even trying. I didn't care about the contract that ran in the blood of this hospital. I didn't care that I wanted some form of a relationship with King. I cared that I just lost myself when I just got it back a year ago.
I was not only hurting but confused as well. Pull the brothers apart? Who am I and what weight do I carry to do such a thing? Those boys act like two different people who couldn't care less about each other until you actually look at them. They walk side by side and walk in and out together. They share the same sense of humor. They trust each other to come into one another's home like it's nothing. They look at each other when they find something amusing. Matching tattoos with a deeper meaning than the brain can tell. So who am I to put a blade in between them?
I took deep breaths and used my jacket to wipe my face as Beverly stood up next to my chair. Jocelyn stood still, I could tell she was confused at what was going on but how could I explain? Though she stayed quiet and didn't push for information.
"You look like shit." A voice said through a laugh from behind Jocelyn. She turned around quickly and I ran over to Giovanni's bed side. I laughed and hugged onto him tight. "You look worse." I said as he brought his hand up my back tugging me closer. "So?" He cleared his throat as I looked up to him. "My all mighty, baby sis has a shady past?" He said through a laugh followed up by a cough. I stopped laughing immediately and started to apologize. "I never saw this coming, I swear. I'm so sorry Vanni, but I promise nothing will ever happen to you again." He nodded with a smile on his face and his eyes shut again.
"Me and Eve came to surprise you for a movie marathon for your win on that kid. Didn't think it'd end up like this." He never dropped his smile and kept the room light as he continued to comfort me by rubbing my back. "Ready to tell me what you got into?" He asked, opening his eyes and looking down at me. "Mom has horrible acquaintances and it sucks being first born after whatever past she has." I told him as I shrugged my shoulders. "When isn't she screwing with us?" He laid back and closed his eyes again.
"No white coat Joc?" She laughed as I looked over to her. "No, not today. I have to clean up some times." He put his hand up and she high fived him. "Max is a lucky man." He coughed. "Beverly, you gave me such a headache last night. I passed out and your screams echoed." She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes as I smiled. "You should quit modeling and try acting for horror movies. With the busted nose, you're not going on any stage." He pointed to her face and she lightly hit his leg. "Bro what am I going to say to Ava?" She shook her head and looked genuinely concerned.
This right here. That's what I cherish. Not one person outside of this room matters. My mom I love her to death but her death will be a natural cause. Though my gut says I hate her for what she's done to my life. I couldn't see my life without her. King and Reid are an hour away in Padova with no idea what's going on.
Beverly was right. If I wanted to warn the boys so they could help me out I had to be smart. Halston probably bugged my phone, laptop, and home. Maybe even the same for the boys. Probably Beverly and Giovanni's phones. He could be listening right now. A hospital which is to be safe, is the least safe place for me right now. It's a smart building, with all types of electrical systems to be hacked into.
I had to start as he wanted. Act as if I was driving a wedge in between them until I find a safe way to talk to them.
I closed my eyes and pulled Giovanni closer, appreciating that he's still here. "I love you Vanni, and I'm sorry." Jocelyn and Beverly walked out leaving us alone. "I have a shady ass mom and an okay sister." He scoffed.
