As I drift off, the sounds of reality fade and so does the pain. Having visions of past events cause me to tremble in my sleep, how can one be so strong yet so damn weak? Another flash of that distorted face shocks me awake and I sit up immediately grabbing for a phone.
•Luca's POV•
I'm awakened to my ringer blasting next to my head, I answer mostly out of it all I hear from the other end is Natalia begging and pleading for me to get her out of there. I hate hearing her like this, I know she's miserable and not wanting to be there longer than she needs to... but she needs to be watched and cared for.
I tell her 'As you wish Amorè, I'm on my way!' I roll out of my warm bed, throw on my joggers, white tee and sneakers and head to grab my keys. Trying to figure out a game plan for how I'm going to do this because I already know this is going to be a pain in the ass ordeal. I drive with the windows down so the cold air wakes me up, after a short while I'm back parking in the large lot.
I get to the elevator, push the number I need and wait. The elevator dings and I head to the front desk where there's an older, stocky woman sitting there watching me as I make my way towards her. I let her know I'm here to see a patient! We go back and forth as I request to see the head doctor.
Waiting for a few minutes I hear footsteps walking towards me and I see the familiar man I seen just the night before. He asks me what's going on and I tell him the best I can. He brings his arm up and makes a motion with his fingers to follow him..
So that's just what I do, leading us to just right outside Natalia's door! I watch as he knocks gently on the door and waits for permission before heading in. I follow behind him as we both see her sat up in bed with a red face well between the bruises and tear filled eyes.
I rush to her side begging her to tell me what's going on. I watch as she looks the doctor up and down then turns to me and says calmly 'I refuse to stay here I'm leaving one way or another!' I turn to the doctor and listen as he let's out a not so subtle sigh of dismay before responding....
'Well Miss. Volkova we can't force you to stay but I highly recommend it!' She nods as she says 'I appreciate it doctor but I'd like my discharge papers now please!' He shakes his head and says it'll be ready in a few as he walks away.
I turn to her and ask her if she thinks this is a good idea. She laughs and says 'We'll have to wait and see' I dont like this answer but I don't want to push it. We hear the nurse come in and unplug her from everything and take the i.v out. After a few moments the nurse says the papers are at the front and we can grab them on our way out.
I watch as she Shakily gets out of the bed and stand up, she so resilient it's beyond impressive! I watch as she unties the gown and let's it pool at her feet. Rubbing my chin I can't help but still finding her beauty un-comparable. I continue to watch her as she goes for the bag Ella brought the night before.
As our eyes are locked she still doesn't miss a beat, she steps into the long flowy dress, sandals & shades that are covering her swollen bruised eye. I stand up and extend my hand after grabbing the bag and her hand we head to leave. They give her the papers and have her sit in a wheelchair per policy and we're escorted out.
I don't want to leave her alone so I tell her to wrap her arms around my neck as I pick her up and carry her across the large parking lot without her having to suffer. She rests her head on my shoulder and cries, trying to hold it in I power through the pain not physical but internal... I let her down, I wasn't there... and that haunts me.
Her being so vulnerable with me is something I'll forever want and cherish. I know her cold, hard exterior is a front but she'll never have to worry again. We get to the car and I place her in her seat and buckle her in making sure she's comfortable. I rush to the other side and hop in.
I lean over and place my finger under her chin and turn her to me, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead I tell her that I love her, feeling a bit vulnerable myself.. I watch as a tear falls from under the shades as I hear her tell me she loves me too! I smile and start the car to head back to the house.
It's after 3am and the roads are pretty clear so it doesn't take long for us to get back. We quietly unlock and open the door as to not wake up the house, little to our knowledge Mark and Ella were already up. Ella was up crying worried about Natalia.
She squeals like a banshee when she sees the both of us, immediately rushing to Natalia's side helping her to the couch. I let her as I grab the bottle I had sat aside chugging a good amount before setting it back down and heading to the lazy boy letting the girls talk.
After about an hour and a few more shots we all had to our respective rooms, Natalia and I make it into ours and she heads to her bag to grab her night gown and she changes before slipping into the bed next me. They did her dirty, her little body is so beat up and I just want to kiss all of the cuts and bruises away.
I hold her until the both of us fall asleep which doesn't take long, it also doesn't take long before I'm awakened as I feel her thrashing around mumbling things I can't understand I hold her a bit tighter before I fall back asleep. The next morning I'm awakened to rays of sunshine boating my eyes open.
I immediately feel the fuck out because Natalia is gone. I shoot up and I hear that faint song coming from the bathroom and I open the door, seeing a naked Natty in the bathtub washing herself I watch as her eyes dart straight for my soldier standing at attention. As she smiles and says 'Good Morning handsome!'
Giving her a half assed crooked smile I tell her 'You can't just leave me like that! You gave me a scare Amorè!' She laughs and says 'Hey just remember ... I'm good, even when I'm not, I am!' I dont know what to say to that so I don't say anything. I close the door the door and get a funny feeling. This woman was just put through hell and she's laughing and singing in the bath.
Again, I've never met a more resilient person in my life! Which brings me to feel happy, proud and unbearable sorrows. Knowing only a bit of what she's gone through it really is such a sad story for such a beautiful soul. I change into some jeans and a tee I wait for her to finish and before long she is in front of the vanity changing the bandages on her throat.
I watch in awe as I watch her do what she's doing. I walk over to where she's sitting brushing her wet hair aside and kissing her exposed neck, watching as goosebumps fill her skin. I whisper in her ear telling her that I don't want her over doing anything as to heal nicely. Adding that I want to take advantage of catering to her. Mostly to show her that I truly want to take care of her in every way... Something I know she's never had.
I know what I've gone through is nothing compared to the cruel world she grew up in, which says a lot because I've been to hell and back a few times. I've never been with a woman who is like Natalia, being in the public eye brings beautiful but soulless women, after their 15 seconds. I must be doing something right this time around, knowing Natalia is fucked up and for good reasoning makes me want to just do better... Be a better man just for her.
I'll do anything and everything for her if she'll let me. The way she looks at me tells me we're both in over our heads, in way too deep to coward out now. I'm shaken out of my head when I hear her tell me 'Luca I want you to train me after I heal! Take me to your gym after hours so don't be a bother and train me to fight!' I shift in place trying to avoid the movie playing in my mind at the mere thought it.
I smirk and tell her 'As you wish Amorè' she smiles as she turns back around smiling. Me on the other hand is picturing us in the ring, that's definitely something I've somehow never done but now needing it to and worth the perfect one.
The next few hours go by in slow blur before the pizza that Ella orders arrives and everyone sits down and we enjoy each other's company making small talk and getting drunk to pass the time. It's a nice start to the evening. I spend nearly the whole night almost never taking my eyes off of Natalia, she's so sexy without even trying... I watch as she takes the bandage off to air it right as I hear her dark humor come out 'This is going to leave a gnarly scar!' She spits out before she laughs.
The drunker I get the more I want to ravage her, but I know I have to let her heal first. It sucks but needs to be done, because what I want to do to her I'm going to need her in tip top shape.