Needing Each Other

Truth

I felt groggy and there was a throbbing pain in my shoulder. I did not know how long I was unconscious for or even where I was anymore. I opened my eyes and sat up quickly to see where I was, a sharp pain shot through my shoulder from the sudden movement. I grunted as I pulled my arm to my body and held it close. I looked around as I fell back again. I could feel the tears starting to sting at my eyes, I was hurting but I was also scared. I had no idea where I was and why I was here.

"Hey, are you ok?" A slightly familiar voice said, I looked over to my right and saw Nico, I think that was his name, he was slowly walking in with a woman next to him. "You've been out for a few hours."

"Where am I?" I asked as I slowly sat up again and he moved closer to help me. Normally I would have protested any help, but I was in too much pain now to care who helped me right now.

"We had to bring you back to the Marzano compound. You were bleeding pretty bad and passed out." He glanced over at the woman next to him. "This is Kate, she's a friend."

"My dad- where is my father." I cried as I quickly climbed out of the bed and felt the room spin.

The events at the restaurant came rushing back to me and I needed to see my father. I wanted- needed him to be alright. I wanted this to have been a very bad nightmare that I was waking from. I felt Nico's arm go around my waist and he pulled me close as his other hand lightly held my elbow.

"You lost a lot of blood and can't be moving that quick yet." Nico guided me back down on to the bed to sit next to him.

I shook my head at him as the tears started falling. "You have to take me to my father."

"Ms. Pallone, I hate being the one to say this to you again, but Capo Bastone- I'm sorry Roberto didn't make it." Nico said in a low voice.

Again, I did not want to believe what I was being told; my dad could not leave me. I fell to my side not caring how much it hurt and cried into the pillow that was there. The last memory I had of my father was his pain-stricken face mouthing I love you then him ordering me to leave with strangers.

How could this be happening- why was this happening to me- everything was going good for us. We were happy and it was all taken away that quickly. My father was a good man, people loved him and showed him respect everywhere he had gone. I could feel a hand rubbing at my good shoulder, but no words were said. I heard a throat clear, but I did not bother to look up to see who it was, it did not matter to me. It wouldn't be the one person I wanted the most.

"What's her problem now?" I heard Angelo's irritated voice asked. I did not forget who he was or what he sounded like, his cold evil eyes were seared into my memory bank, and I hated him now.

"Angelo, I had to tell her about Capo Bastone again." Nico said to him.

"Can you show some compassion for her?" Kate snapped at him.

"She's not the only fucking person that loss someone tonight." Angelo snapped at her in a menacing voice. Roberto was family to us also, my fucking brother was shot dead right in front of me!"

"I know, Angelo." Nico said in a calm sad voice. "Capo is taking it hard too, but he said for us to make sure Roberto's daughter is..."

I did not let him finish whatever he was saying, I quickly sat up again not bothering to wipe away the flow of tears and ignored the pain I felt. "Why was I not taken to a hospital? Did I get any damn medical attention? Why haven't the police come to talk to me?" I snapped at them, and they all looked at each other, but it was Angelo who answered me.

"First of all, we couldn't take you to the hospital because the police would be all over us." Angelo still sounded irritated. It was like my presence bothered him. "We're not complete assholes I had the family doctor come take care of your shoulder. He removed the bullet and wants you to wear this." He picked up a sling from the table next to him and tossed it to Nico along with a bottle of pills. "He said take two of those for pain as needed. Now about the cops- you can't talk to them."