Mafia Connections

Thirty Four

I freeze. It feel like everything stops.

Red blood stains the white night shirt she has on and spreads out around the wound on her stomach even as she holds it with a shaking hand.

She steps forwards and her knees buckle beneath her. I'm there to catch her before she hits the ground. My hands go beneath her arms and legs and I place her on my desk and quickly swipe the surface clear.

"I don't want to die" She whispers.

"I won't let you princesa. You're not leaving me. Sorry, but you'll have to deal with me for a lot longer than this" I say.

She smiles and it looks like she's going to laugh but she starts to cough. I grip her arm, not entirely sure what to do. I'm used to ending lives, not saving them.

When she lies back again there's blood on her lips. Pressure on the wound. Isn't that what they say in those shitty TV shows?

I place my hands over the bullet hole and press down firmly. That should have been agony but she hardly flinches. She grabs my wrist weakly and I remove one hand to hold hers.

"I'm so sorry. I.. I... didn't mean for this to happen" I stutter. God, this woman. I didn't know it was possible to love someone this much.

She laughs but it sounds painful "I should sure hope so" she says.

Keeping my hand over the wound, I move up to see her face. It's white as snow and the blood on her lips is more prominent. "I never got to thank you" she breathes. She's struggling now.

"No" I whisper. Her eyes flutter shut "Stay awake!" I cup her cheek in my hand and her eyes open.

"You saved me" She says "Thank you"

"No" I say again as her eyes close. "I'm going to get Artie, stay awake"

I go to pull away but her grip on my hand increases and I stop "I don't want to be alone"

"Oh Bella. What have I done?" I stroked her cheek and she leans into my hand.

Everything I touch dies. Bella is proof of that. She was the light in my life but now she's flickering.

I hear a hum and I frown. My phone is vibrating against the floor. I duck down and grab it, putting it to my ear.

"Boss?" The voice says. Thank fuck it's Artie.

"Artie. I need you in my office. Now" I say "I shot Bella"

"You what!" He shouts "Don't tell me. I'll be there in a minute"

The call ends. "You're going to be alright princesa. Everything is going to be okay" I say.

She frowns "Don't cry" But I can't help it. I'm going to lose her.

"I'm sorry princesa. I'm supposed to look after you" I say.

She smiles "And you have"

She stills "Princesa?" I ask and a tear falls from her eye before it closes. "Princesa!" I shout.

Her body twitches and her eyes open again "Sorry. Did I scare you?" She asks.

I let out a breath and hear Artie charge in behind us. "It's going to be alright now" I say as I'm pushed out of the way.

"It has to be" I breathe out quietly.

****

"I'm standing at Greyside Cemetery where the funeral of Bella Eden is just about to begin. The wanted serial killer disapeared four years ago when she was only sixteen. Six days ago, her body was found in a dumpster behind a bar after being shot in the chest.

Her parents, after not knowing who she was friends with, made it an open invitation and people from all over have gathered here today to say goodbye. Even the other five convicts who were kidnapped with her six years ago have been allowed out to see her one last time" The news reporters voice drones on and on.

"Serial killer" I say gruffly "Hardly"

"Daddy. What's a serial killer? Do they kill coco pops?" Rya asks. She wriggles as I try to sit her on my hip comfortably.

I smile at her innocence. "Something like that sweetie"

"Why did mummy kill coco pops? Why isn't mummy here?" She asks.

The little black dress I had struggled to get her in this morning suited her nicely. I even managed to braid her hair.

I don't answer her. I don't even know how to answer her.

I see them. Rose, Rob, Gus, Isaac, Angelica. Each with two guards. They all wore silver handcuffs and black clothes of mourning. Little Matthew holds onto his aunt Rosalind and Angelica watches them almost worriedly. She's missed the first four years of his life. I can't imagine if someone took me away from Rya.

Rob seems to be doing the same thing. Matthew looks at him as if he's seeing a familiar face he can't remember quite right.

When he reaches out for his father though. That was heartbreaking. Even I could say that.

I had to look away as the father was taken away from his son.

It was an open casket. She lay there peacefully, her hands covering her chest. The dress she wore covered the bullet hole. I frown down at her. Her hair was too light.

"Why is she sleeping?" Rya asks. I kiss her forehead and she laughs. "Can I go play with Uncle Awex?"

I laugh. Alexander was a bit of a mouthfull when she was younger so, reluctantly, Alexander was known as Alex to her. Then it turned into Awex. It stuck.

I shake my head "Not yet. The show's about to begin"

She shrugs and rests her head against my shoulder without another word.

Twenty minutes pass and most peope are in a seat, myself included. I watch as one of my cars pull up and smile. Shit was about to go down.

I stand and place Rya on the floor. People turn to stare but it takes me a second to realise that they weren't staring at me. They were standing at the idiot behind me.

Alexander hasn't even bothered to conceal his face. I guess it doesn't matter anymore anyway.

The officers guarding Bella's friends seem to be tense. We have to be quick. Our opportunity wouldn't last long.

I make the first shot. It hits the first policeman in the chest. The second hits the woman beside him. She goes down as the bullet rips through her shoulder.

Alexander starts shooting. His targets are different. His are her friends.

It only takes a few seconds before there's utter chaos and the fifteen people lying on the ground.

Alexander spots his last target making a run for it and he shoots. It hits Rosalind in the back and she goes down.

Matthew screams and Alexander grabs him. I pick up Rya and we run back to the car. Police cars are already here and we slam the doors shut just as they start shooting.

"To the airport" I say breathlessly.