by M. T. Ossler
Someone argues with him to bring me into the apartment, and his answer is no, he says he won’t leave me again.
Then he tells Red and Tiny to get the girls settled, and he’ll check on them later. He says all this through a tunnel as he carries me running down the stairs across the field and back to the clubhouse to his room.
I’m in and out of consciousness on the way, but then in a room, he places me carefully on the bed. Then I hear him yelling, she yells back at him in a southern accent.
Apparently, he already filled her in on ‘my condition’ and my stay in the hospital.
She orders him to leave the room so she can examine me alone.
She talks to me, telling me what she is doing to me as she removes my pajama pants, then exams me.
Once she is done, she administers an IV with fluids, antibiotics, pain medicine, and a sedative to keep me comfortable until the infection and fever are gone.
After righting my pants, covering me with the comforter and settling my head on the pillow that smells like Gio, she calls him back in the room. She tells him what’s going on with me, the infection and fever are back. She gives him instructions on how to care for me and also tells him I will probably sleep a lot for the next couple of days.
He needs to keep away from people until she removes the IV and if he needs her, she will be in the building not far.
I hear them through my haze until the lights are out for me.
****
The next night, I wake sometime in the middle of the night, screaming to the point my throat hurts and crying from a nightmare. I’m flailing all over the bed fight the air almost knocking my IV out my arm. “Bella, Bella, Princess. You’re safe, I’m here. You’re safe, baby!” I hear Gio through the clouds in my mind and feel his hands gently on my shoulders to wake and calm me. I open my eyes and see him looking at me with shock and pain all over his handsome face. He’s kneeling at the side of the bed next to me. I’m drenched with sweat, crying hysterically and crawled into a ball on my side now. He tucks my hair behind my ear off my face.
I scan the room taking in my surroundings and clearing my mind.
A nightmare, that’s all I was having, reliving the incident of what happened to me again.
I’m safe now. I’m in Florida away from Anton with Gio. My sister and Jules are here too. We’re all safe. I tell myself this over and over again to reassuring myself and calm down.
Gio gets up cautiously sitting on the side of the bed taking me in his arms. He lays on his big king size bed with me holding me as I cry into his chest. A minute later there's a soft knock at the door, and I hear it open.
“Beast, is she okay? It sounded like someone was being fuckin’ slaughtered up in here,” the man says to Gio, I think it’s Ace. I sneak a peek through my tears and sobs to see Gio’s face. He has a murderous look in his eyes.
“Out!” he shouts. I jump and winces in his arms feeling the vibrations of his words from his body to mine.
I can’t see the man, but I know he’s hesitating by the door.
“I said get out, Ace!” Gio yells a little calmer.
“I’ll be next door if you need anything, man,” Ace says before shutting the door behind him.
“I’m sorry, Princess,” he whispers as he buries his face in my hair.
I don’t reply, I just hold on to him and continuing to sob in his arms. He holds me rubbing my back in a calming and loving way soothing me.
A half an hour later, I finally calm down and feel exhausted. He holds me for a while longer in the quiet, dark room.
Once I’m asleep, he lets go of me laying me down on the bed under the covers before getting up. I feel him leave me and wake the second I lose his warmth and stop him. “Stay with me, please. I don’t want to be alone,” I whisper hoarsely pulling his hand back down to the bed next to me. He grunts then nods and lays down taking me back in his arms, and I crawl up into his side resting my head on his covered chest taking in his warmth and security.
I can’t fall back to sleep without asking. “Are Gigi and Jules doing alright?” He’s quiet for a few heartbeats then he says, “They’re settling in just fine. Gigi came up earlier today to check on you while you were sleeping. She’s scared, but Jules is looking after her, and the guys won’t let anything happen to them. Gigi is strong just like her beautiful big sister.”
He pauses taking a deep breath. “We need to get you healthy, for you first then for her. She needs her sister now more than ever. We all need you, Princess.” He’s right I need to get myself healthy, in more ways than one. I am all she has, and she needs me.
The only way to be there for everyone is to get myself better. Even, if that means faking it for a while.
“Rest, Princess.” He kisses my forehead, and I allow myself to sleep.
Chapter 7
Isabella
After a few days of being in Gio’s room and his bed, I start to feel better. Wakening up in Gio’s arms and him watching me is a new experience. Embarrassing at first, but comforting too. I like it, but I know it won’t last long. Once I’m healthy, I’ll be on my alone once more. “Mornin’, Princess. How are ya feelin’?” I raise my head leaning on my elbow to really get a better look at this handsome man lying next to me. Now, that my fever has broken I’m feeling much better and seeing a lot clearer.
I didn’t get a chance to really evaluate his body closely in the SUV on the way down or the last few days. He’s grown-up into a gorgeous hunk of a man. A tattooed bad boy since I last saw him. His face is more defined and so is his body. Wow, he was built when he was a teenager, but now. Now, he’s like ‘The Rock' built. His eyes are harder looking than years ago, probably from seeing a lot of horrible things, but they soften some when he looks at me.
My heart skips a beat at the sight of him, shiny black hair is longer on top with waves and shorter on sides. He’s sporting some scruff on his face.
His chest is covered, but I can see the colors of his tattoos through his lite gray tee shirt. One of his arms has a tribal sleeve, and the other has two Marine tattoos. He’s defiantly an Adonis, Mister God’s gift to all women.
Unfortunately, he’ll never want me. No man will… I’m fine with that, I’m broken, and my scars aren’t on the outside. Inside scares are a lot harder to heal. They feel like the worse kind a person can have.
I will always love him, though.
“Enjoying the view, Principessa?” he asks winking at me, and I shake those thoughts away and blush.
“Sorry, I’m good, but I could use a shower,” I say looking away from him. My body feels a little weak and dirty. I haven’t had a shower in days, and I’ve been sweating on and off from my fever and night terrors. I must stink to high heaven.
“Don’t be shy, Princess,” Gio says laughing and shaking his head.
“Come on.” He gets up from the bed to comes around to go into the bathroom. “I’ll get you a towel, your shampoo and body wash are already in the shower for you. Your toothbrush and hair stuff are on the counter. There’s also one of your bags with your underwear and bras under the counter. Your clothes are hanging in my closet, for now.” Wow, he had all my things brought to his room instead of my sisters. I wonder why I’ll have to ask him later.
I go to get up off the bed to follow him. I don’t make it off the bed, falling back closing my eyes feeling the dizziness take over my body.
“Whoa,” Gio says running to help me lay back down on the bed gently. He props me up against the headboard with a couple of pillow behind me.
Then I feel him place a bottle of water and some pills in my hands.
“Take these first, and I’ll set you up a bath instead.” I open my eyes seeing him watching me making sure I take the pills before he walks into the bathroom.
I close my eyes again when I’m done than hear the sound of the water running filling up the tub.
After a couple of minutes, he returns to help me up. “Can I bo
rrow one of your shirts, please?” I ask shyly. I don’t know how many of my big shirts my sister packed. I don’t want to wear anything too tight. One of his shirts will be perfect.
“Sure,” he pauses looking cautiously at me.
“Do you want me to help you or should I get Jules?”
“Help me into the bathroom, and I can take it from there,” I say, and he nods helping me up from the bed. He walks me into the bathroom and places me on top of the closed toilet lid.
“I’ll be right outside the door if you need me.” Before he leaves I grab his hand feeling our familiar electric current.
“Gio,” I say as he turns back to look at me.
“Can you get Gigi? I want to see her when I’m done, please,” I ask needing to see and talk to her.
“Sam says you shouldn’t be around people until the infection is completely gone,” he says regretfully.
“I don’t give a shit what she said Gio, I need to see my sister. Bring her here, or I’ll find her myself,” I shout with a little sass feeling stronger than I’ve felt in days.
He gives me a stern look. “Don’t sass me, woman. I know you’ve been through hell, so I’ll let it slide, this time. Next time, I’ll take you over my knee and spank your little ass red,” he pauses a minute to deliberate, and I take in his words. I don’t know how I feel about being spanked even though his words are making my body tingle inside. He probably didn’t mean it. I’ll let it go, for now, I have too many other things to worry about.
“Fine, I’ll have Dusty bring her up when you’re done for a few minutes.” I give him a stern look.
“Thank you, and thank you for everything you’ve done. I don’t know how I’m ever going to repay you and your club.” He gives me a small smile.
“You just worry about getting yourself better. That’s how you can repay us.” With that, he walks out the room closing the door to give me privacy. Not completely, though, just enough allowing him to hear me if I need him.
I undress slowly and gingerly submerge myself in the warm lilac bubbly water. I lay my head back on a rolled up towel he musta left for me. I close my eyes enjoying the heat soaking into my sore body.
Clearing my mind of all the questions running through it. If I dwell on what happened, I’ll be living in a cloud. I can’t do that. I have to think about how I can be strong for myself and Gigi. How am I going to take care of a teenager by myself?
After a few minutes, I let it all go till later, and darkness takes me under.
Knock, knock I hear through the cloud of sleep.
“Princess, you okay in there?” I open my eyes blinking to adjust to the light.
“What?” I clear my mind. Shit, I must have fallen asleep.
The door slowly opens, and Gio stands by the door. I register that I’m in the bathtub naked and the water is cold, and the bubbles are gone. I immediately cover myself in shock, and God bless Gio’s soul, he keeps his eyes up on the shower wall.
“Did you fall asleep?” he asks me not looking happy. He already knows the answer before I can reply. I avert my eyes from his face.
“Princess, do you know how dangerous that could be especially with your fever,” he says then he mutters to himself. “Fuck.”
I look back up at his face seeing the lust in his eyes as I catch him checking out my body. It should repulse me or creep me out, but it doesn't. Instead, it sends flames of heat rushing through my body straight to my core.
I clear my throat, and he looks in my eyes shaking his head.
“Sorry. It’s time to get out you must be cold. I’ll give you a minute,” he says as he turns and points to the counter. “Your towel and my shirt, Princess.”
Then he’s gone. I wash my body with the loofah he left for me then drain the tub and dry off. His shirt is huge and fits like a dress ending above my knees. It feels perfect against my naked skin.
I emerge from the bathroom and find Gio with his back to me on his laptop at his desk. He hears me and darts to me helping me into the center of the bed, which now has clean sheets.
He props me up on a couple pillows and hugs the blanket up to my waist tucking it around my bare legs.
“Can I ask you a few questions before you call for Gigi,” I whisper as he sits at the side of the bed next to me.
“Shoot.” I take a deep breath and gather my thoughts.
I look away from him towards the window on the other side of the room. I can’t see the look on his face when I ask these questions. I have to try to keep my emotions in check.
“How much do you know about what happened the night my parents died?” I feel him get up from the bed and I turn to watch him pacing back and forth in his decent size room.
He rubs the back of his neck furiously and running his hand through his hair. He looks nervous about answering my question.
Finally, after a few minutes of silence, he breaks it. “I know Anton’s been working with the Mendez Cartel to take over you father's organization. He had 20 of Mendez’s men with him that night. They ransacked your home, probably looking for documents and killing all your guards including your parents…” he pauses obviously uncomfortable.
He’s still pacing the room and rubbing the back of his neck. “Vito, one of your guards, switch sides at some point and is working with Anton. Vito removed your sister when they entered your property and brought to Jules saying there was trouble on the Estate. Ricco - Jules bodyguard - was suspicious, especially when he stayed with them until the next morning when…” He stops pacing and stares up at the ceiling taking deep breaths while rubbing his hands over his face.
My hands and body are trembling, the front of my shirt is wet from my tears rolling down my face, and my heart is racing.
Oh my God, he knows what happened to me. As much as I didn’t want him to know how tainted I am, he does.
“The next morning, Vito got a call from Anton to tell Jules and Gigi that your parents were murdered during the break-in. He also said that you were in the hospital.
“At first, Jules thought you had been shot during the break-in. Once she got to the hospital and saw you, and she learned you had been attacked. Actually, you had been sexually assaulted in a violent way.”
He stops again as a sob rock through my body. Crawling to side in a ball with my back to him, I let it all out. Gio cautiously touches my shoulder, and I don’t recoil from his touch, I allow him to touch me. He gets into bed behind me taking me in his arms, my back is flat against his chest with his arms wrapped around my shoulders.
I calm myself down enough to speak after a few minutes. “Did you hack my hospital records?” I ask in a shaky voice. I know he can hack into anything on the internet. He’s been doing it since we were kids.
“Princess, please don’t be mad at me, I had to know what that bastard did to you. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. I truly am,” he says with anger, regret, and sympathy laced in his voice as he rubs my arm. I’m not upset with him; I just wish he didn’t know.
“I’m not mad, I could never be. I just wish you didn’t have to know, I wish no one knew,” I say taking a few deep breaths before I ask my next question.
“Does your club know what happened to me too?” I sob out the words.
It’s one thing for him to know and another for his club to know. That’s a whole other ball game that I need to prepare myself for.
A few minutes pass before he speaks.
“In order to get the club to help me, I had to appeal the table members. Gator and Ace are the only ones that know the whole story about what happened to you. The rest of the club only knows he hurt you, but they don’t know the details of your attack. They probably figured you were beaten almost to death with the bruises on your face and the fever when you arrived. I’m the only one that saw...”
He sounds as heartbroken as I feel. I can’t fault him for telling his club certain things, they are helping to keep us hidden from the monster. I just ne
eded to know what I was dealing with to handle myself right.
I lay there staring out the window at the sunny day. I begin to feel exhausted after our talk, but I still need to see my sister.
My eyes become too cumbersome for me to keep open. They are giving me no say in the matter, so sleep it is. I’ll talk to Gigi when I’m refreshed after a nap.
When I wake, Gio is back at his desk on his laptop. I lay watching him for a few minutes fully waking myself up.
So much has happened in the last couple of weeks. I’m still overwhelmed with a ton of questions running through my mind. Emotionally, I don’t know if I can handle them all at this point. In time, one day at a time that’s what I need.
“How was your nap, Princess?” Gio asks still looking at his computer startling me.
How did he know I was awake? “How?”
“I heard the change in your breathing.” He answers turning to face me with a half-smile.
I look at the window in front of his desk and see it dusk out. I’ve slept most the day away.
“I have soup coming up for you. Do want a sandwich too?” he asks watching me. I’m hungry, but not enough for a sandwich. I don’t think my stomach could handle that much food. “Soup is good. Thank you. Where’s Gigi now?”
I miss my sister and need to make sure she’s handling this move.
“She’s in the dining room with Jules and the guys having dinner. I told Dusty to bring her up when she’s finished. She’s fine, Princess, I promise you on my life. My brothers won’t let anything happen to them,” he says reassuringly, and I nod sitting up leaning on my pillows.
Gio comes over to me checking my head with the back of his hand for any signs of a fever. It’s there just low grade one. It’s sweet how he’s been taking care of me.
He takes a bottle of water out of his mini fridge and hands it to me with a couple of pills. I accept them graciously.
