Calloused

31

We arrived at a larger dock after sailing through the canals for at least 2 hours. We had taken several turns through the winding, never ending canals that webbed themselves throughout the city of Venice. It was beautiful there. The buildings were large and had a renaissance gothic-style architecture to them.  

The dock was made from a beautiful dark oak wood. The posts were carved with an array of swirls and simple patterns. There were a group of men near the entrance of the dock. They watched as we tied the boat to one of the posts. I stood from H's lap, careful to keep my balance.

It had been a few days since I had checked my stiches. I hoped they weren't infected. If they were, I prayed they had a doctor here.

The men were puffing on cigars and chatting, they looked very proper and well dressed. Their hair was clean and slicked back. They looked like brothers.

"Ciao." Matteo smiled at us. He kissed my checks and gave me a warm hug. He went to my father and said a few things I couldn't hear before her moved onto H and Niall.

He gave them a hug and said a few more jokes before he climbed back on the boat. We stood at the end of the dock, watching as the group of men started to walk towards us.

"Lorenzo?" One asked as they were a few feet from us. My father looked at the man as if he had seen a ghost.

"Antonio?" They looked each other up and down, stunned for a few moments.

"You're alive!" My father exclaimed in Italian. They hugged, exchanging words.

The other men stood there, whispering to one another as they looked in my direction. H stepped in front of me, glaring with his arms crossed over his chest. His protective nature showed fiercely in the face of potential danger.

"Papa." I called to my father. His attention turned to me, and his face became more serious. 

"We need help. Our empire in America has fallen." My father admitted shamefully. 

"Who is responsible for this?" The man asked, his brows furrowed. 

"Vincent, he has set out for revenge on our family." I interjected once my father hesitated to speak. The man looked at me, his expression softening. 

"This is a problem. Mama will not be happy. The elders too." He sighed. 

"He wants my daughter dead. He will not stop until he gets what he wants. My wife is already dead because of him." My father scowled. The anger in his eyes made me uneasy. I had never seen him this furious. 

"Settle brother, we will resolve this." The man reassured him. 

Brother? Was this man my uncle?

"I want you to meet your Uncle Antonio, he is one of 4." My father smiled at me, placing his hand on my shoulder. 

"Yes! Yes! We have a large family." My uncle smiled widely. He stepped around H and hugged me. I sucked in a sharp breath as my chest started to hurt again. 

"What is wrong?" My uncle asked, pulling away to look at me.

"I was shot." I said, trying to block out the pain. I closed my eyes, feeling lightheaded. My legs started to shake as they threatened to give out from below me. I started to fall backwards but someone caught me. I opened my eyes to see H. He had a concerned look on his face. 

"She must see a medic. Carry her into the house, we will call for one." My uncle insisted as he turned to walk back towards the shore and off of the dock. H didn't hesitate as he picked me up bridal style. He held me close to his chest as we followed behind my father. Niall walked behind us to make sure we were safe.

I continued to slip in and out of it. I caught glimpses of the pathway. We walked on a dirt trail for a while before it transitioned to a beautiful brick pattern. There were lush trees and flowers everywhere. The next time I woke up, I way laying in a large, soft, bed. A man with glasses and white hair was looking over me. He held a stethoscope up to my heart and he listened closely. I looked down to see an IV stuck in my arm. They had a drip set up, it was probably pain meds or fluids. 

I looked behind him to see H, my father, and my uncle. They were having a hushed conversation between themselves. 

"I changed your dressing and checked your incision. It looks like it is starting to heal. No signs of infection." The doctor smiled; his Italian accent was thick.

"Thank you." I smiled back. It was nice to know there were a few there that had spoken English. The doctor left, leaving the IV in.

"You need rest. I will meet with the Elders and come back to you." My father sighed while he walked up to the side of the bed. He leaned over and kissed my forehead. 

"Be safe, please." I warned him.

"Always, mi amor. Maybe once you're up for it, you can meet the rest of the family." He reassured me, smiling. 

"I'd like that, thank you papa." 

He turned back to my uncle and nodded to each other. They left the room, closing the door behind them. 

H stood in the corner of the room, watching me intently. I looked back at him, waiting for him to say something.

"I don't bite." I smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I wouldn't say that." He chuckled as he walked towards the bed. He sat next to me, looking around the room.

"How bad is it?" I asked.

"Your father is going before the elders to plea for mercy and forgiveness." H sighed. He leaned back and wrapped an arm around me. I took the invitation and scooted closer to him; I laid my head on his chest. I listened to his slow, steady heartbeat. 

"If they don't forgive him..." I trailed off, the lump in my throat made it hard to speak.

"They will. Even if he has failed, it's not completely his fault. They will see Vincent as the enemy. They will destroy him. They will help to take back New York." H reassured me. I nodded into his chest, feeling sleepy.

"Thank you, it means a lot to me that you are here." I sighed.

"I'll always be here. Now get some sleep baby girl." H spoke softly as he kissed my head.