I was feeling all stiff, exhausted, weak, pained and the list goes on. As I tried to open my eyes they felt really heavy so I've decided to keep them close for a few more minutes. At first my brain was a bit fuzzy and I was confused as to where I was or what was happening but then hearing two voices and recognising who they belong to, I started remembering.

I remembered being knocked out and kidnapped by Snakes. Then waking up before in a rat motel and him threatening me, me hitting him with my gun then shotting him. Then Gio, Dominic and Lucas showing up and me getting shot from behind by a partially dead Snakes who had managed to conjure up enough strength to reach for the gun with his undamaged hand and then Gio finishing him off. I also remember my black jacket covered in blood that was oozing from my wound and me starting to get weaker from bleeding and them trying to contain the bleeding as they took me to the car. I had started apologizing to Gio for shooting him before now realizing how much it hurts getting shot. And then passing out on my way to the hospital.

"This is all your fault, you know that?"

"How exactly is this my fault? I didn't shot her and I clearly remembered me trying to stop it and taking care of the idiota who did it"

"He was your idiot. Ever since she met you things like this is always happening to her. You're the cause of it all"

"So are you telling me that before she met me she's never had a dangerous run in like this before? I find that hard to believe. Sure, few of the incidents that happened to her maybe linked to me. Or people trying to get back at me but it doesn't mean its something I wanted to happened or haven't tried preventing. It could've happened just by her being a Luciano and others knowing that, or by any sick pervert who thought she was just another weak or vulnerable female. Yes, I may have enemies but don't tell me you or anyone from your 'family doesn't'.

"You don't deserve her, I won't hide it that that's how I feel, but for some reason she wants you and you make her happy, and that's the only reason why you're still allowed to be here around her because nothing we do is going to change how she feels about you".

" You don't think I deserve her? Based off what judgment do you place that? That you don't like me? And why, because I'm not just another one of those people who you can intimidate? Because I also holds the same position you hold? You ask her if I had ever mistreated her in any way, except for that one time when I was angry because I thought she had better me by working for you. I'd never do anything to hurt Lexi, I'd protect her with my life that's how strongly I feel towards her. So no matter how much you hate me or how you feel about me, it's not going to change the fact that I'll always be there for her as long as she still wants me around"

"Could you guys please stop arguing?" I managed to mumble out despite feeling weak and groggy and the oxygen mask over my face.

"She's awake" Dominic said as they stop arguing and turned to me.

"Lexi?" Gio said with relief coming to sit beside me."How are feeling now?"

"Like I had been beaten with a metal bat" I said coughing a bit as I used my good hand to weakly pull the oxygen mask off.

"Are you feeling any pain? I could get the doctor" Dominic said to me.

"Yeah" I said trying to nod but winced at the heavy stiffness and pain I felt in my neck. "By the way...can't you-cant you guys be in a room together for a couple hours without being at each other's throats?"

"Sorry a more, but your brother started it" Gio said taking my good hand in his and bringing it to his lips.

"Because it's his fault you're..." Dominic started but I cut him off.

"Its doesn't who started it, you two are always behaving so immat.... Ow!!" I said trying to get up but cried out when my entire back hurt.

"Hey don't try to move by yourself yet okay?" Gio said to me before turning to Dominic. "Are you gonna get the doctor or what?"

"Look Cavelli, I'm not one of your little errand boy so..."

"Nic just go" I said in frustration.

"We could just buzz them from in here you know, there's the..." Dominic started saying but again I cut him off.

"They may not hear, so could you..." I started coughing before getting it under control. "Could you just personally go get someone... Please".

" You see, he's hardheaded and thinks he knows everything and everything should go his way" Gio said shaking his head.

"Yeah" I agreed. "Just like you".

"What?" Gio asked incredulously. "I'm definitely not..."

"You're exactly like Dominic. Maybe the reason you hate each other guts like that. Its because you both have so much things in common" I said to him.

"Like what?" Gio said in a 'you're crazy you have no idea what you're talking about right now' tone. "No offence but your brother is an asshole".

" And I rest my case" I tried laughing but stop as realizing it really hurts to do so. Groaning slightly as a result of my pain and discomfort from the position I was in. "How bad was it anyway? How long was I out?"

"Doctors said you were fortunate enough the bullet didn't hit any serious nerve or organ that's going to result in any permanent long term damage.Luckily the impact didn't shatter any bones"Gio said to me. "It just barely touched the area right below the acromion above the spine of scapula. They managed to get it out within approximately 15minutes top but you were out for over five hours, I was starting to get worried".

"Must've been the anaesthesia. I'm still feeling all tired and groggy" I told him. "I don't even know where those parts you mentioned are even located. I'm not very familiar with the human skeleton system".

" The doctor could explain everything to you when she gets here" Gio said using the back of his hand to rub along my cheek.

"What did you tell them about how I got shot?" I asked curiously.

Knowing the doctors at the hospital they always want to know how the patient acquired whatever injury they had, and if they should report it to the police. However, my situation wasn't one that could involved the police not that I'd want it to.

"The state and anger we had came in here with they didn't dare to question us until you were in surgery. I told them it was a stray bullet".

"And they bought it?" I asked.

"They had better" Gio replied. "When the doctor gets here and assess you then I can go get you something to eat. You must be hungry"

"Now that you mentioned it, I'm starving. And I just feel so weak and drained" I said to him.

"Probably because you lost some blood but don't worry you'll feel a bit better soon" Gio said pointing a bit above my head on the left side where there was this almost empty bloodbag on a stand which had attached IV cords to my hand.

"I never noticed that before" I said in surprised.

"Maybe because you weren't really focused on anything else" Gio said to me.

"Yeah, I'm trying to ignore the fact that I'm in a hospital again" I said to him just as Dominic came back.

"Mom, Dad and the others are here but you're not allowed to have more than two visitors at a time" Dominic said eyeing Gio.

"Where is the doctor?" Gio asked just as a middle age dark skinned lady in a white coat came in.

She had one of those clipboards in her hand and a friendly smile on her face.

"Hello Mrs. Cavelli how are you feeling?" She asked me.

"Sore, exhausted" I mumbled even though my eyes widened in confusion as I turned towards Gio for answers.

"I had to tell them we were married since they insisted on only families and I didn't want to have to threatened and sue them" Gio said lowly so only I would hear.

"Oh, thats quite expected Mrs.Cavelli, considering your wound is fresh and the anaesthetic is still in you slightly" she said to me. "But I can assist with that".

"Thank you, but its Luciano though" I told her.

"What?" She asked confused.

"My surname, its Luciano" I repeated.

"Wait, but I thought you two were married. I just assumed you were Mrs. Cavelli as well" she said in confusion.

"Yeah I know but I had decided to keep my maiden name" I smiled at her.

"Oh, I totally understand" she nodded. "Alright so let me check up on you now ms.Luciano".

I looked at Gio who was giving me a what the hell look as the doctor checked my blood pressure, administer antibiotics and painkillers as well as asked a few questions etc. I just gave him a smile and a little shrug as best as I could considering my injured shoulder. Dominic had on an amused expression probably as a result of seeing Gio's unsatisfied expression when I told the doctor my name was Luciano, he was enjoying this too much. After the doctor finished assessing me and telling me that I would have to stay at the hospital a few more days before going home, she left saying she'd be back in a few hours. Mom, Dad, Kathleen, Emilia as well as Marc had visited me after and spend a while before leaving. Emilia told me how she freaked out when I didn't returned and when she came looking for me she saw my phone on the ground near the dumpsters. That was when she immediately called Gio and Dominic who was on the phone with me had also contacted Gio after hearing me say Snakes name before not hearing anything else.

*** "Ow, Stop pulling my hair so hard" I complained as Gio tried to catch my hair in a ponytail or messy bun.

"Lexi, I'm not pulling your hair hard" Gio replied. "I'm hardly even touching you".

" Yes you are you're pulling it right out my scalp" I frowned.

"Alright fine I'll try to hold it a bit slacker okay" Gio said loosening his hold on my hair.

"How long does it take to just wrap a hair tie around the hair a few times?" I asked as he was taking a little too long to catch it up.

"It's a bit hard to do that as quick when I have to be holding the hair like this" Gio said pulling out the hair tie and starting to gather the hair again.

"It must be hard if you're holding the hair that flimsily. You're supposed to have a certain grip on the hair" I said to him.

"But you just said I was pulling your hair too hard" Gio retort.

"You were" I said to him.

"Okay fine I know how to handle this" Gio sigh letting go of my hair and heading to my cupboard.

"What are you doing? What are you looking for?" I asked as he ruffled through my cupboard.

"This" Gio said walking back to me with a shower cap in his hand then slipping it over my head. "There problem solved".

" I didn't ask you for a shower cap" I said using my good hand to push tendrils of hair under the cap.

"No but you don't want your hair to get wet. A shower cap will prevent that more than catching your hair in a bun will" Gio said before pulling me up.

I've been discharged from hospital over a week now and ever since I have to be getting assistance in doing simple things such as taking a bath or combing my hair. Mom and Gio are the ones who have been helping me with these things. Emilia had helped in combing my hair and stuff as well but she had flew back to Italy for a few weeks, two days ago. Kathleen had stopped by to help a couple times but mom and Gio were mostly my caretakers. Because of my situation Gio had slept over most of the times since I've been discharged. Dad seem to be coming around with him and even him and Dominic weren't at each other's throats of late so I was thankful for that. Currently Gio was helping me get prepared for a bathe since I couldn't exactly lift or move up my left arm due to the wound in the back.

"Let me get this off" Gio said lifting the hem of my blouse.

"Ow, no down lift" I said to him. "Pull down the straps".

" Sorry" Gio apologized before pulling down the straps of my blouse down my arms.

After I had finished with my bath Gio decided to change my gauze plaster. And redress the wound but I wasn't having it.

"Gio your not a doctor I'm not sure you should be messing with it" I said to him.

"No, but I've gotten shot before so I know how to dress it" Gio said to me. "Now sit down"

"Do you think it's that bad" I asked as I sat on the bed and Gio went to get the first aid kit.

"Only one way to find out" Gio said as he came back and started lifting the plaster.

"Gio ow, why do you have to be so rough?" I asked once he started lifting it.

"Lexi I'm not being rough at all, your body is probably just tender" Gio said pulling it off.

"Ow! You are being rough. First it was my hair, then taking off my shirt, scrubbing off my skin and my back and now its ripping off that damn plaster" I said feeling aggravated. "When mom is helping me she isn't that rough".

" I didn't scrub your skin or rip off the plaster and I'm not being rough either. You're mom is a woman so maybe her touch feels a bit more gentle than mine but I'm trying to be as gentle as I can" Gio said to me as I felt him wiping around the wound with what feels like a damp cotton or something.

"Doesn't feel that way to me" I replied.

"That's it, I think you need to stop taking those medication soon, they're making you too damn grumpy" Gio said to me.

"And not being grumpy I'm just stating the truth" I said to him. "You haven't even told me how the wound look".

" See? And you complain about everything. Its either this gunshot wound or those medication are making you extremely aggressive and agitated or you're just turning into a grumpy old lady on your own" Gio said to me.

I grabbed the first thing I could reach and using it to hit him. Maybe he was right, I had been extremely moody and grumpy since I've left the hospital but not that I wanted him to point it out or compare me to an old lady.

"Stop it" Gio said as he pulled the pillow from me and throwing it to the top of the bed. "You'll make me spill this"

"It's your damn fault" I huffed.

"Alright, enough with the grumpiness let me dress this and cover it" Gio said to me. "You're surprisingly healing much faster than I'd think".

"Oh? Is it scabbing already?" I asked him.

"Not quite but its already closing well" Gio replied. "By the way I thought you didn't want to know how it looks".

" I said I don't want to see it not that I don't want to know the healing progress it's making " I replied. "Do you think its going to leave a scar?"

"Probably, but not a huge one. It'll probably be unrecognizable" Gio said to me as I felt him dab something cold around the wound then covering it again.

"It better be" I replied. "That bastard really damaged my skin".

" And he paid for it. Don't worry babe, you'll still have beautiful skin " Gio said placing a kiss on my shoulder. "As you are beautiful".

I couldn't help but blush and smile at him. How can a guy who run a mafia and not afraid to kill anyone who crosses him be this sweet?

Your long awaited update guys. Sorry for any errors that may have been present, I didn't proofread or edit it. Hope you liked it though.

Don't forget to vote and comment.