Chapter 33

Kay I wake up to a noisy room, and I groan. Fuck, they're hurting my ears. "Keep your voice down," Carl snaps, and I whine in frustration. Guess the effect of the painkillers has finally worn out cause my head hurts like no one's business. I open my eyes and I'm surrounded by all of Carl's friends, including Theo. They're all sitting on my bed, none of them aware that I am awake. Marcello's voice is the loudest, even the black eye and busted lip don't stop his mouth from running. I wonder who he fought. Theo is on my other side, going through his phone while Carl and the others are on my right, discussing whatever. "Hey," I mumble, startling Theo, and he almost drops his phone. Looks like Theo is into naughty stuff because this is the second time he's behaving the same way. "I'm sorry, princess, that day you visited me, I wanted to warn you about something, but I forgot," he says in one breath, and I stare at him with raised brows. Is that how you acknowledge a friend who almost died? I wanna get out of this bed or at least sit up, but my whole body feels like a rock, and it's sore. I am so fucking unfortunate, this is the second time I'm in this kind of shit, only that the first one was more unbearable. With the way I am feeling, I don't even know what's better, living in this misery or dying. I know shit is bound to happen again, I just don't know if I can take it any longer. "Are you okay?" Carl whispers, shifting close to me, and I look from him to the guys staring at me with pity. My gaze lands back on Carl's worried eyes, and I shake my head no. "Everywhere hurts," I murmur, sniffling. I can't anymore, I just wanna give up because worse will keep coming, as long as I'm part of the mafia. "Get the doctor, Sam," he quickly instructs, trying to lift my head, but I groan out in protest. It's fucking painful. "I'm sorry, baby," he whispers, wiping at my eyes with his thumb. I see it in his eyes, pain. Carlos stares at me as if he feels my pain. The doctor rushes in with Sam following closely. "Do something, she's in pain," Carl says urgently, squeezing my hand. "The painkillers wore off; this will make her sleep again," the doc says, injecting some liquid into the drip above my head, and I wait patiently for the effect. After a while, my body calms down, and my eyes start getting heavy. No doubt I am going back to darkness. When I wake again, I am no longer in pain, and the room is quiet, contrary to the first time. The boys are still here, but each one of them seems to be in their own thoughts. Carl has our fingers laced and his eyes solely on me. Has he been staring at me all this time? "How are you feeling now?" He asks, brushing away the hair on my face. "Better," I croak out, and he instantly grabs me a glass of water. He's learning fast. "Thank you," I mumble after taking a few gulps, and he places the glass back on the table. "Help me up, please." I'm really sick of this position and the whole hospital thing. I will beg my dad to allow me to go home and have a nurse look after me there. "Sure, angel," he gently lifts me into a sitting position and moves behind my back to support my body. I lean back into him and sigh when he wraps his arms around my abdomen, careful enough not to hurt me. I look at the quiet boys, expecting them to say something, but they're just looking at me wordlessly. Even the most talkative one is just staring at me blankly. I know I look like crap, but at least I'm alive. I don't know why Rico looked hurt when he saw me holding his brother. I'm assuming he wanted to see me, but Carl was here. No way the two brothers will share a room without hitting each other, or worse, pointing guns. "What was it?" I face Theo, referring to the thing he was blabbering about. "Well, you know that investigation thing," he hesitates, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Go ahead, everyone knows," I urge him to continue. I'm sure everyone is aware of that already, considering I was almost killed. "The day I got into an accident, I was coming to your house," he starts, and I nod. " That morning, your grandpa was in Thomas's room, and it looked like they were arguing," he gazes at me for a reaction, but I nod for him to continue. "I didn't think anything out of it until the photos," he looks at Carl, and I quirk an eyebrow at him. Is there something I missed? "What photos?" I ask, stunned, looking at the boys who do everything to avoid my gaze. "Carl?" I whisper, expectantly. "It's nothing you should worry about, princess," he says, but I'm not buying it. "Please," I beg softly "Tell her Theo," Carl lets him, and he nods before proceeding with the explanations. "Carl's informant gave him photos of your grandfather with a woman in red, the same woman Andrea described had ordered her to call you." " So what's with the woman?" It can be a coincidence that he was seen with the same woman who talked to Andrea. "She handed him the flowers in your room, and we suspect he's got something to do with the threats you have been receiving," Theo explains. "Who is the woman?" Why don't they go after her if they know her identity? "She had a mask on, we couldn't see her face, nor did Andrea," he sighs. I'm desperate, but doubting my grandfather is another level of hopelessness. I trust him, and I know he would never hurt me. I recall when he shot Thomas before he could say who the master was, the cookies with a note, and the wild training. I also remember him telling me to be careful around everyone. It can't be him. I trust my grandpa. " No, grandpa can never do that," I deny, shaking my head. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth, princess. That's why you are living with me from now on," Carl mumbles, and I feel my heart clench. Unless someone is blackmailing him, he can't willingly hurt his own blood. Does my dad know about this? "Where is my father?" The last time I was here, he never left my side even for a second. I am surprised I haven't seen him since I opened my eyes. "He and Ed, with a few men, went to look for Santino Senior," Carl says, and the boys offer me that sad look again. "Why is that?" I strain my neck to look at him sceptically. "Because he has been missing from the day you got injured, he took your sword with him."