「THREE AND HALF MONTHS AGO」

I was woken up when muffled voices around me started to get louder. 'What happened? Shouldn't I be dead? How can I hear voices if I remember the gunshots? Did I miss it? That's impossible I remember holding a gun against my head.'

I didn't want to open my eyes and show them that I'm awake, so I kept my eyes closed. After a couple of seconds, I could clearly hear Xavier's and someone else's voice.

"..that would be the reason why she fell unconscious." The unknown voice said making Xavier hum. "Yeah, she had a bad appetite over the past month. She would eat only a couple of bites then she would just push a plate away. And her sleep is also irregular." Xavier said with a heavy sigh.

"Yes, that's exactly what caused her body to weaken. Not enough nutrition and lack of sleep." The voice said and I think that I could be a doctor's voice because of the formality and certainty in his voice.

"But I must ask you something." The doctor said and I heard Xavier hum in response "She is your girlfriend, right sir?" Doctor asked and Xavier answered him in an instant. "Yes. Why is that important?"

"Well, umm.. when we checked her body for any injuries we found a couple of bruises. The bruises were barely visible but they were still there. So that is nagging a question how did she get them. Because of those bruises, we sent her into the x-ray and there we found that a couple of her ribs were broken but healed, not fully but enough. Also, her wrist and a finger were broken on her left arm. She had-" Xavier cut doctor off.

"Yeah, umm a month ago," he started then stopped to clear his throat "..she was in a car accident. She broke a couple of her ribs, had broken wrists and fingers on her left arm, just like you said. She also had a concussion and she... umm, she," Xavier stopped himself and took a deep breath "..she also lost our baby because of the accident." He said and I heard the doctor take a sharp breath.

'Why is he lying. I wasn't in an accident. Those disgusting men did this to me, not a car accident. Is he ashamed to say that to the doctor? Is he disgusted by the truth that I was abused and beaten? He is, isn't he? He hates me.'

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. That could also be a reason for her appetite and lack of sleep. I mean a losing a baby usually affects mothers the most. Did you try to take her to a therapist?" Doctor asked making Xavier sigh again.

"No. We didn't, but we planned to do so if she doesn't get better." Xavier said then cleared his throat "Umm, is that everything?"

"Yes, of course. If you need anything just tell the nurse to get me or tell her if she can help you with what you need." The doctor said and I could hear shuffling around the room before doors were closed and silence fell over the room.

I didn't still open my eyes knowing that Xavier probably stayed behind. And I was right. After a couple of silent moments, I could hear footsteps near my side of the bed.

A chair was pulled towards a bed making a scratching sound over the floor "Merda." Xavier cursed quietly as he stopped to drag the chair and I'm gonna guess lifted her and placed it next to my bed.

Sighing he sat down. I could feel his heated gaze on me and a few seconds later I could feel his hand gently crease my cheek and move a strand of my hair that fell over my face. He twirled a strand between his fingers then tucked it behind my ear.

"Scusate tanto, amore. Scusi." He said and I could hear his voice shaking like he is crying "I'm so sorry for what happened. Blame me but please don't do something like this ever again. Please hate me, not yourself. It was all my fault. What happened to you and the fact that we lost our baby is going on my soul. I beg you don't blame yourself. And the thing you said that no one loves you. That's not the truth. We all love you and we couldn't deal with ourselves if something happened to you. I love you more than you could think. I can't imagine my life without you, vita mia." Till the end, his voice shook so much that he needed to stop and take a deep breath to calm himself. ("I'm so sorry, love. I'm sorry." ".. my life.")

"You don't know what thoughts went through my head when you pulled the gun and placed it against your head. My whole life ran before my eyes. Please don't do this ever again. If not about me.." he took a shaky breath ".. then think about Emiliano or Dante or Marino. Dante and Marino were telling me that I was wrong the whole time while you were in that room, but I didn't want to listen. I was sure that you did it everything was pointing towards you, but they never believed it. They begged me to wait for Fabio till he arrives so they could prove to me that I was wrong. And I was. I was so wrong. And I'm so sorry. I regret everything I did to you. You didn't deserve it." He started to crease my cheek again.

"And if you feel hurt from their side, okay.. then think about.. about your brother. What was his name.." he sniffed as he hummed lost in his thoughts probably "..umm, Daniel right? Right, that's his name. Think about him. You wouldn't like to leave him alone here right? Imagine how would he feel if he needs to hear from Dante or someone else that you killed yourself. I know that I would be broken in his place. Per favore, amore don't do something like this again." He said then got up and kissed my forehead. ("Please love..")



"I know that you can hear me, amore. I know that you are awake. Please listen to me. If you need to shoot something or someone, then shoot at me." He mumbled brushing his lips against my forehead "Ti amo, vita mia." That was the last thing he said before pecking my cheek and walking out of the room. ("I love you, my life.")

I stayed still for couple more minutes just to be sure that I was alone in the room. After I was sure that no one was with me in a room I slowly opened my eyes, blinking them rapidly to adjust my eyes to light then looked around. I was indeed in the hospital room but not like the one I was before.

This one had just one bed and I was on it, while the previous one had at least five of them. And looking through the window I saw that we are not at house property or maybe we are but I didn't see this part.

. . .

I've been here for three days. I found out that I really am not near a house but instead in real hospital in the city.

The doctor left me to stay here for a couple of days so he could track my progress. Over the past three days someone was always next to me, or Xavier, or Dante, Marino, Moreno...

I was never alone. I would be alone only when they are switching. When Xavier for example needs to go home to check on Emiliano so he sends Dante to be with me for time being.

Over the past three days, I was thinking a lot. I thought about Xavier's words and came to the idea that I want to visit Daniel. I miss him so much and I really want to see him, hug him even for a second.

I know that Xavier wouldn't let me visit him because he thought that then Dani would have a target on his back.

But if I went without them knowing then there wouldn't be any targeting, right? My plan was great but the only problem was how will I leave without them knowing?

So that's about what I'm thinking now. I was in my hospital room with Xavier beside me. He was leaning in his chair while looking between his phone and me eating.

Suddenly there was a ringing on his phone and he looked at me giving me small smile. "I'm gonna go answer this. It must be Emiliano throwing a fit again." He said as he stood up and went into the hallway. I sighed as I slowly pushed a plate away from me and stood up going into a bathroom connected to my room.

After I did my business I came into a room and find Xavier standing next to my bed looking around the room. At the sound of the door opening his head snapped in my direction.

"Oh, there you are." He said as he got closer to me "I need to go. Emiliano is crying and they can't calm him, but I called Dante and he should be here in twenty minutes. Are you okay with being alone or do you want me to call guards?" He asked looking at me but I quickly shook my head.

When I came to the hospital I asked Dante to tell Xavier that I don't want to have guards around me. I don't feel safe around them.. irony. I don't feel safe around people I should be feeling safe because they are protecting me. Xavier agreed that under the deal that one of them is always with me.

Sighing he shook his head slightly "Okay, I won't call guards but please stay here and don't do anything to yourself. Okay? Promise me." He said looking at me concerned. "I won't." I said silently making him nod. He closed the distance between us and kissed my forehead lovingly making me close my eyes at the tenderness of his.

He pulled away looking at me "I need to go they gonna go crazy with Emiliano if I don't show up soon." He said then walked towards the door "Dante's gonna be here soon so don't worry. " he said as he stopped at the doorway, I think he was telling that more to himself than to me.

When he left I got an idea, this is the first time that they left me for this long so why I wouldn't try to use it. As fast as I could I grabbed my bag with a couple of my things and clothes and got dressed.

On my nightstand stood my bag with my passport and all my documents so I grabbed it. Putting my shoes on I looked at the clock on the wall, I have around ten minutes before Dante came here.

Quickly I stood up from the bed and walked towards the door, peaking out I saw that no one was in the hallway. Exiting the room I speed-walked down the hallway following the arrow that is showing exit. Walking towards the exit of the hospital, somehow I found myself at the back entrance where the only staff is allowed.

Getting out I looked around a little then decided to go down the left side of the alley. Exiting alley I found myself on the road in what I would say was the middle of town.

I turned around myself in a circle confused about where should I go now. Walking a little down the sidewalk I saw a taxi walking in my direction, slowly I lifted my hand signaling him to stop.

When the taxi stopped next to me I got in "Hello." I greeted the driver who gave me polite smile. "Hello, miss. Where to?" He asked looking at me through the rear mirror.

"Umm, I need to get to Zagreb. So how far you can drive me?" "Zagreb? Uh, that's far." "Yeah I know but if needed I will pay you to double for the ride, my brother...umm" I quickly started to think about something "..my brother had an accident and I need to as fast as I could come home." I said hoping that that would work.

"Oo, I'm sorry to hear that, but it's still too far." He said sighing. "It's okay, can you just drop me as far as you can drive?" I said smiling sadly. The driver looked at me for a moment then nodded his head. "Of course." Exclaiming he started the ride.

. . .

During the whole ride, I was anxious. 'Was this a good idea? Probably not, now when I think better of it.' Sighing I shook my head making Lucca's, that driver's name which I learned during the ride, head shot my way.

"You know I never was in Zagreb before. " he said making my head snap in his direction. Blinking a couple of times I looked at him curiously.

"Really? There are many kinds of stuff to see you will love it when you visit it." I said with a small smile. Looking at me he smiled "Well I hope you are right. I don't want to go back home to Italy without at least some good memories." He said making me frown slightly.

'Did he mean what I think he did? Did I understand him wrong?'

"Umm, and when will you visit it?" I asked tilting my head a little. He smiled at me "I can see how worried you are about your brother so I'm gonna take you all the way home." He said making a big smile stretch across my face.

"Really?" I asked making him nod "Thank you so much." I squealed looking at him. "Don't thank me yet we still didn't arrive. " he said making me nod.

. . .

After another couple of hours, we were near the border between Croatia and Slovenia when out of nowhere car came speeding towards our direction. Lucca tried to swerve to move from its way but the car hit our side making us roll to the side.



The more we rolled the more it started to be hard to breathe. Windows shattered making glass fly over us. From the impact, I hit my head against the back door making my vision go black.