Bound by my blood

Chapter thirty-five

It had been a week since we brought the men to the house, and the food had finally run out. The constant tension between Angelo and Jax about who would go get more supplies had only added to the suffocating atmosphere in the house. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, and every moment I spent there made it harder to breathe. Especially with Vincenzo always around.

I'd made it a habit of avoiding him, exiting every room the moment he walked in. He seemed to be everywhere, and the more I tried to distance myself, the more I felt like I was trapped. Jax had been insistent on me training again, so I'd spent most of my time in the makeshift gym they'd set up. Even when I wasn't training, just talking to Elisa on the burner phone, I'd retreat to that space, needing the solitude it provided.

Jax and Angelo had been inseparable over the past week. They'd grown closer, often found together in each other's company, leaving me with more space to breathe—or so I thought.

But now, this was my chance. My opportunity to leave.

I knew it would cause chaos if I disappeared. Hell, it would probably set off a firestorm, but I couldn't take it anymore. I had to go. With the keys to the car in my hand, I moved quietly, leaving behind only a note on the fridge, a simple message for them to find later.

My heart pounded in my chest as I rushed across the gravel, the crunch of the stones under my feet the only sound in the otherwise quiet night. The cold air bit at my skin, but the urgency in my movements kept me warm. I was so close.

Then, out of nowhere, a large hand closed around my upper arm, yanking me to a halt.

Panic surged through me, and before I could think, I spun around, my fist connecting with the stranger's face. The force of it sent him stumbling backward, a grunt of surprise escaping him.

But as he looked up at me, I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

It was Vince.

His nose was violently bleeding, the blood pouring down his face as he staggered back, one hand going to his face in a desperate attempt to stop the flow.

I cursed under my breath, stepping forward to check on him. The sight of his bleeding nose made my stomach flip, the guilt immediately gnawing at me.

Great, my training is working... just not in the way I intended.

"I'm so sorry," I muttered, my voice strained with a mix of panic and regret. "But I'm going to need to put it back into place."

Vince just nodded, his face contorting with the pain, but there was an understanding in his eyes. I could tell he wasn't angry, even though I had just broken his nose.

I had learned in theory how to realign a nose—once, years ago—but I'd never actually had to do it. My hands trembled as I reached toward his face, hovering uncertainly over the bloodied mess in front of me.

He must have noticed my hesitation, because his large hands carefully wrapped around mine, steadying them. His fingers were warm, and he ran soothing circles over my skin, his voice low and calm.

"Just do it, Guaio," he murmured softly, his gaze never leaving mine, "You have to do this for me."

I swallowed, taking a deep breath, and without another word, I snapped the bone back into place. Vince cursed loudly, his body stiffening at the sharp pain. But I quickly pressed my finger to his lips, hushing him, my eyes scanning the distance, praying no one had heard him.

If Angelo or Jax caught wind of this, there was no way I'd be able to leave.

Once I was satisfied that he wasn't going to scream again, I slowly withdrew my finger. He wiped the blood from his face, his shirt and clothes stained with it. He looked like a mess, but there was something oddly comforting in the way he didn't flinch away from me.

I gestured toward the car, and Vince followed, the two of us moving silently. He climbed into the passenger seat as I opened the trunk, handing him some tissues so he could dab away the blood.

He cleaned himself up, all while staring at me with that unreadable expression on his face. I couldn't help but feel self-conscious, but I pushed the feeling away, starting the engine and pulling out of the driveway.

The moment we were at the store, I sighed, breaking the silence.

"You stay here and not move," I demanded, pointing a finger at him as if he were a child.

"I don't like being told what to do," he muttered, unbothered.

I huffed, tightening my grip on the wheel. "You can't go into the store covered in blood. You'll draw too much attention to us."

"It's fine," he shrugged, clearly uninterested in the idea of taking precautions.

"No, it's not fine. We need to be discreet," I snapped, reaching into the backseat for Nico's clothes. I handed them to him, and he took them reluctantly, though he didn't protest further.

I watched as he pulled off his shirt, his muscles more defined now than I remembered. It was like he'd been training too. My gaze lingered longer than I intended, but when he noticed, a cocky smirk spread across his face.

"Like what you see?" he teased, leaning forward, his voice low and playful.

My cheeks flushed instantly, heat rushing to my face as I quickly turned away. "Shut up," I muttered, jumping out of the car and locking it behind me.

I heard him bang on the window as I walked away, and I flashed him a sheepish grin before striding into the store. A sense of pride swelled in me as I moved further away from the car. I had actually done it—I had escaped the house.

My feet carried me through the aisles, the noise of the bustling store providing a strange comfort. I grabbed a cart and pushed it toward the freezers, tossing in a tub of brownie ice cream, a peace offering for the men. It was a small gesture, but I hoped it would smooth things over when I got back.

As I turned down the chocolate aisle, two arms suddenly caged me in, trapping me between the trolley and the body of the person who had snuck up behind me.

I went to spin around, ready to hit and run, but they anticipated my move, grabbing both my arms and twisting me around, pinning me against the shelves.

My heart skipped a beat as panic flared. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to think, to plan an escape, but my mind went blank.

"Now, now," a taunting voice purred, as his hands squeezed my hips, but not enough to hurt. "You should know better than to try and trick me."