Tall, Dark and Dangerous

twelve

The sleep I was supposed to have never happened, and the sleep after that, and the third night. I didn't sleep a wink throughout the first two nights because every time I shut my eyes, it would be the lifeless men, or a bloody Dominic, or the car ride to this place. The third I hardly slept, having nightmares throughout the night to keep me up. It was obvious that I hadn't slept, with the dark circles underneath of my eyes and the bloodshot color. Looking through the drawers and drawers of feminine clothes that I was skeptical of, it all looked new and clean. Picking out a pair of spandex shorts and a large t-shirt, I grabbed undergarments before heading to the shower. 

The water I stepped into was scalding, but my skin was numb to it. The heat was waking me up, and quickly after I was scrubbing my body until the skin was sensitive. I felt dirty, I felt as if there was bugs crawling all over my body. I wanted to scrub away what happened within the last few days. I just wanted it all to be one bad dream, but this was my reality.

Once I had finally left the shower, my skin was pink, and I still looked beyond exhausted. Changing into the clothes I had picked, I went downstairs to grab some breakfast. I never usually skipped breakfast, to me it was an important start to the day, but I had been. I hadn't really left my room very much but today needed to change. Maybe falling back into my old habits and my old routine would make life feel a little less alien. 

The kitchen was empty, thank goodness, I really was not in the mood to deal with any of the other guys I didn't know. Grabbing an apple, I sat at the breakfast bar, thinking. I thought a lot recently, nothing ever really good. 

"Well look who it is- again." I heard the same deep Italian voice from before. Brazer. Turning my body in the chair, I glared at the man that entered with two others. "You already know not to get very close to me, so what are you doing here?" I asked hotly, annoyed that he was taking the time out of his day to bother me. 

"You have such an attitude, I'm afraid I'll have to sew those pretty little lips shut." He threatened and I narrowed my eyes. "You won't get close enough." I replied in a mockingly sweet tone, and his eyes darkened. He took quick steps towards me and I was quickly pulled out of my chair. "Sure about that Sweetheart?" He asked bitterly, and I brought my elbow back to hit him in the sternum. 

"You fucking bitch!" He growled, before going to grab me, his hands pulling at my hair.

"What the fuck is going on in here?" I heard a deadly voice ask, and I flipped my eyes to see Dominic taking intimidatingly long steps towards us. "Strike two Brazer, don't make it three." He hissed before his fist went flying to hit Brazer in the face. My skull ached from where he yanked on my hair, but Dominic grabbed onto my bicep and pulled me into him. "If you so much as touch another hair on her head.." He began before finishing his sentence in Italian. 

He lead me out of the room, holding me close until we were on the other side of the house. "I'm okay." I assured blandly, and his eyes flickered around my face. "Have you been sleeping?" He asked after a moment, and I shrugged. 

"I guess." I mumbled, as it wasn't a complete lie. I tried yesterday. "You're staying in my room for now." He concluded, obviously catching my lie. I wanted to defy him and argue, but I was so tired and I was actually able to sleep when I was with him. I don't know why, but he made it easy.

I hated feeling so weak and scared. I hated having to feel like somebody had to protect me. I could defend myself but my mental state was on the fence. I knew that it wasn't going to be easy but I didn't think that it was going to be this hard. My body itself felt so worn out, and my limbs were heavy. My head was spinning, but I could manage. I was just tired. Not only was I tired, but I was on edge about everything. I didn't feel safe.

It was quiet for a few minutes and I couldn't really complain. My head was pounding as if I had the worlds worst hangover- but I wasn't drinking. 

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" I heard Asher tease as he entered the room looking well-slept. Dragging my pink eyes up to meet his own, he looked surprised. I mean who wouldn't be? I looked dead. "Speaking of sore eyes, how much did you sleep last night?" He asked cautiously, and I shrugged. "An hour give or take." I replied carelessly, and they both decided against saying anything.

"Somebody needs a nap." Harrison added as he walked in, looking as confident and brutal as always. "Somebody needs to shut the hell up." I mimicked, earning a murderous glare from him.

Harrison and Dominic exchanged a few quick words in Italian before turning to me. "The three of us have some business to attend to, but we should be back around ten or eleven in the evening. Carlisle will be looking after you for the time being." Dominic explained, and in walked another attractive pasta head. 

"I don't need a babysitter." I muttered, my eyes narrowed at the dangerous men. "I am just here in case anything were to happen." His voice was calm and collected, and smooth. There was no huskiness to his voice. He as well as everybody in this house except me, had the Italian accent. 

"If you don't come back I'm running away and going home." I deadpanned, before shooting Dominic a bitter sweet smile and turning my back. "You won't even get past the steps." Harrison sneered and I rolled my eyes as I headed out of the room. 

The first hour, Carlisle didn't speak to me at all. The second and third, he would just loom around me for minutes at a time. "You don't need to watch me Spaghettini." I croaked after a moment, my voice coming out strange. My body was acting all weird due to this fatigue and it was getting harder to want to keep my eyes open. Standing up, I had originally planned to walk away in annoyance, but my body felt as if it was being tied down, as if rocks were hanging off of my shoulders and making my knees weak. 

"You don't look so good.." He spoke with caution as he began taking long steps towards me. I was sure people could last longer than I had without sleep. Days and days, insomniacs had to suffer. "I'm just tired." I tried to reassure, but from underneath of me I could feel my knees buckle. My head was spinning, and suddenly, the world felt light again.

As I fell to the ground, narrowly escaping landing on the back of my skull, I felt arms grab at my body, and it all felt so light. I didn't have to hold up my weight anymore. I didn't have to hold onto anything, I just felt- empty. Empty in a good way, empty of the bad and the negative and the.. death.

All of the blood, everywhere. From left to right- blood and lifeless hooded eyes. Pale, stiff skin. Hands grabbing at me and glass sprawled everywhere. Then finally- the bullet. Coming so quickly at me that I couldn't even begin to move out of the way. 

My eyes shot open a shrill scream falling from my lips as I shot upwards, thrashing. My breath was falling in quick harsh puffs, before my flailing fists were wrapped around me like a coffin, another set of arms keeping them in place. "Gabriella!" I heard Dominic shout at me, and I could feel his chest rumble as he spoke his words from behind me. Taking in a deep breath, I halted my movements of terror.

Looking around, I realized we were in his room, it being a little past eleven in the evening. He must have just recently came home. "Dominic?" I whimpered, my tone low and hoarse, and he confirmed that it was him. "You need to get some more sleep okay? I'll be right here when you wake up." He murmured, his arms still wrapped tightly around my to secure me. 

"I can't." I cried out, in fear that after I closed my eyes I would return to my nightmare. He adjusted the position so that he was still around me, but instead of sitting up, he was leaned against the bed frame, and my head was on his chest. "You're safe." He spoke, and he had never been so soft to me. Steadying my breathing, I found myself slowly capable of relaxing, and loosening my muscles. His thumb was rubbing circles on the blade of my shoulder, my breathing matching his soon enough.

As impossible as it seemed, I was capable of falling asleep after just a few minutes.