Better The Devil You Know

Awaiting My Imminent Death

The May sun shone through the windows, contrasting the bleak, dreary atmosphere inside Aurora's room. May. 5 months or 20 weeks since the attack. Dr Hamilton had been hard at work, Aurora's only major injury being her broken leg. And her brain, but that was a hopeless case, in her opinion.

Still, she refused to get out of bed and refused visitors. The room still stinks of spinach from when Aurora threw her smoothie at Danilo for walking in.

People entering the room had become a medical concern now, Aurora's reactions and fits becoming a health risk to both her and the visitor. Well, everyone but Nathan and all Aurora's medical team. Medical team because, well, they keep her alive and Nathan, because, well, because he's Nathan.

The little shit.

🖤

Nathan sat at his desk, papers scattered around him, hundreds of screens open. His office doors were open and his men were busy running around like headless chickens. Weapons were being packed, boats prepped and rations dolled out.

The Romano Mafia were getting ready to attack.

Moving into Italy was extremely high risk, and Nathan had been working nonstop for the past 72 hours, trying to avoid as many fatalities as possible.

Throughout all the shootouts, break-ins, and attacks, only 35 men were killed, 23 from the Romano gang.

Thanks to Aurora's efforts lots of other gangs and mobs had pitched in, and the estimated numbers were fairly equal.

But Nathan was tired. And hungry. Sighing, he shut his laptop and headed home.

🖤

Turning off the garage lights Nathan trundled into the main hall, where Dr Harrison was talking to Sarah.

'Good evening Don.' Dr Harrison greeted, 'I wanted to talk to you about your wife.'

'Evening. What's wrong with Aurora now?'

'She is still mute, I'm afraid. And, well, she's refusing physio, which isn't too much of an issue as she's still in a leg cast, but her muscles are extremely weak and my concern is increasing.'

'Can't one thing in my life go right?!' Nathan stormed past them and up the stairs.

Barging into Aurora's room, Nathan practically threw a nurse to the side and moved up really close.

Tugging on Aurora's shoulders he pulled her into sitting, causing her to try and push him away.

'Sir, please,' Dr Harrison ran in, but Nathan wasn't up for listening.

He swung her legs over the bed, ignoring her attempts to push him off.  'I am in the middle of a war. My men are dying.' Aurora had tears down her face as Nathan practically shook her. 'My entire dynasty is on the line.' Dr Harrison tried to pull him off Aurora and the nurses all stood near. 'And you can't even be bothered to get up.'

Dr Harrison yanked on Nathan's arm causing Aurora to fall out of his grip. She fell onto the bed and the nurses swarmed her.

Looking up through her sweat soaked hair, her eyes met Nathan's, swirls of pure anger.

'Pathetic.'

🖤

Aurora squished her nose uncomfortably.

'This is only temporary, until your weight increases to a healthy number.' Dr Harrison said softly, gently squeezing her hand. All the nurses and doctors had been treating Aurora nicer since they uncovered the true horror that is her husband.

The food tube felt scratchy on her throat, and her nose was slightly sore from the tube being practically duct taped to it.

Why had she stopped eating?

Because it hurt her throat from where she had been intubated, and partly because she was too tired and just had no sense of hunger at all.

When Dr Harrison left everyone resumed their jobs, the two nurses tidying the room and then leaving to attend Nathan's men in HQ.

Aurora was scrolling through tv channels when she heard a cough causing her to practically throw the remote across the room.

'Sorry. Sorry, I'm sorry I should've, I should've knocked, ah god, I'm sorry, so sorry, ah god, I've fucked this up, I'm sorry.'

Aurora stared at Christina. The last time she had seen her was the morning after the club incident.

Christina stood cautiously by the door, until Aurora flimsily waved her hand, gesturing her in.

🖤

T

hey were sat outside, right by the pool, and Aurora shivered in her chair.

'I've missed you, you know. It's been weird without you.'

I've missed me too.

When Aurora said nothing, Christina continued.

'I... I can't imagine what you've been through. It must have been horrible. I'm so sorry. But you can't let them win. I know you're hurting, and you're allowed to hurt, you're expected to hurt. But they didn't break you. They didn't win. You can't let them win. You've got to show them that they didn't break you.'

But that's the thing. They did win. They did break me.