♥️

My heart pumped vigorously as my finger tips brushed over the cold medal.

I snatched that gun right off of one of Oso's men's torso.

No thought went into my next action, as I raised the gun, cocked it, and aimed at the snarling beast.

I shot Oso.

And as Marco came barreling through the door in perfect time, I aimed the gun to shoot him too.

"DON'T SHOOT!"

The brothers rang out in unison as the barrel clicked twice, indicating it had been cocked again.

My heart beat quickened as I followed the barrel of the gun she held pointed at my brothers face.

Oso let out an agonizing scream of pain, causing my fingers to itch to inflict it.

"Madison, put the gun down, now."

My brother ground out, clenching his jaw, likely to keep from attacking her. I stood motionless, silent, letting my eyes dart around to each scene unfolding before me. Truth was, my brother would have never had her aiming to shoot him, if he hadn't brought her here in the first place.

"Why should I, huh?"

My neck turned once again to take in her angelic face, tears flowing freely down her cheeks, and I swear I would never get used to her raw beauty. Even in the wretched moment, every bit of her drew me in. The way her tears made her cheeks shine, looked as if she glowed brighter somehow beneath the dim lighting, something out of the heavens.

Wait,

what was I doing?

Here my father was before me, the most prevailing man to walk the Earth with only a bullet in the foot, slowly making his way to her. I was just caught up in letting my vexed Amaretto take out her frustrations on my deceitful brother, meanwhile I noticed he watched as Oso crept slowly behind her, dragging a dysfunctional foot behind him. He waited, knowing she'd never pull the trigger. He watched, knowing she'd soon be dead.

Rocking my jaw in anger, I stepped to her quickly, snatching the gun from her hands before she was even able realize it.

Grinning at the cutest form of confusion splattered on her face, I pointed the gun at my father's face, successfully spilling his blood and chunks of his head across the bodies that already lay motionless.

Now blood splattered her face, and as I waited for the look of horror she'd give me as she feasted her eyes upon the demon that inhabit me,

I was taken aback to see her form a small smile back. Her eyes shone sinister but glowing a foreign emotion as she eerily moved her body closer to mine.

"I'm sorry, for all of this." she breathed out.

My heart clenched achingly at her words.

If only she knew, then she'd be sorry she ever laid eyes on me, more like I never laid eyes on her. I'd have to tell her, it was selfish to keep her from knowing so she would stay, as if she has a fucking choice in the matter.

You made sure of that

"Marco's going to take you home while I clean up. Get some sleep, we will talk later." I made sure my eyes avoided hers waiting for her defiant reply.

Instead, her head drooped instantly as she dragged her feet along the floor in the opposite direction of me.

"Madison, wait," I moved quickly to block her path so she would stop moving away. Towering over her, I lifted her face gently to mine.

Swiftly pulling her wrist towards me, she was in my arms, safe. Her scent wrapped around me like a blanket around a child and I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath of her to calm the devil inside me before speaking.

"I'm so glad you're okay," My voice came out barely above a whisper, but I could tell she heard me by the ways she slowly relaxed into my arms.

"I was so scared..

Ashton I'm still so scared.

What happens next? What about all of Oso's men?

When they find out I killed him, they--"

"I killed him."

There was no way I would let her carry the heavy weight of his body on her shoulders. Besides, she really had only shot him in the foot. She was so enchantingly innocent, and there wasn't a doubt in my mind I had already begun tainting that.

"And don't worry about them hurting you, they are.. Well they, they're my men." I looked down ashamed to admit, but nonetheless wanting to confess at least one truth. Before she could reply, I scrunched my eyebrows together and decided she needed to vanish.

Now.

"ROMANO take her home, I'll be done in 30."

With that I turned the opposite direction of her, deciding not to watch her walk away from me. I waited to hear the door click before turning back again.

$

Every sound I heard, was unmistakably drowned out.

I tried to first focus on the meticulous beeping prominently heard in my left ear.

Then, the faint murmur of jumbled voices from my right.

Simply failing, I began to panic pondering why I had no control over my body. I felt the familiar coolness of a layer of sweat beginning to form over my skin.

Where am I?

"Her heart beat is speeding up, does that mean she's responsive?"

I recognized this voice as Marco's and couldn't help but wonder if I was having sleep paralysis.

Sleep paralysis except its Marco in the corner mumbling sure to be your death plot after you tried murdering him in front of his brother.

Why was he here, where ever here is, if minutes ago I had tried shooting him?

"Her arm moved! I.Saw.It.Doc. Do NOT tell me you missed that arm movement?"

A very faint voice, I assumed 'Doc' replied to him, regarding something about getting to leave this miserable sunken hole.

"Should we notify Ashton?"

My eyes shot open, still no control over any of my limbs.

"It's ALLIIIVEEE," Marco screamed, causing my eyes to shoot him a look and my arms to flail up, almost noodle-like.

"Where is Ashton?"

My voice was scratchy as if it hadn't been touched by a drop of water in days.

"Slow your roll, little one.

We've got some things to talk about with Doc over here."

His eyes were trained on her, while her eyes screamed fear, leaving me wondering what they had said to this poor girl to make her fear such an imbecile.

"Uh-yes Mrs. Diaz.

You lacked any serious physical injury but we are a bit concerned about your mental health sweetie. Have you been on any type of medications up to this point?"

I studied her face, wondering what she was getting at.

"No..

I'm a little confused as to what's going on right now. One of you care to enlighten me?"

My tone came out a bit more irritated then I'd meant for but I felt almost confined.

What bullshit to be woken up to from a paralysis-like nap.

"Well you-You see, we've never quite seen anything like this.. Like your, your response to .. whatever trauma you endured."

I sat quietly waiting for her to continue, my patients running thinner and thinner by the millisecond.

"We believe you experienced a great amount of trauma before you

were emitted, and it seems as if your entire body shut down because of it.

Miss Diaz, you have been out for six days."

She paused a moment, I guess waiting for a reaction but I sat silently, assessing her every word.

So why was Ashton still here?

He is hurt badly..

"Because we have never seen such a ...A reaction to trauma, we'd like to keep you here a bit longer, run some tests to try and figure out what's wrong."

I grounded my teeth together, my jaw visibly rocking as I thought about the outcome, the cause, and the solution.

Turning to face her finally, ever so slowly, I let a smile slowly arise topping my cheeks as well.

"No, I will not stay here a second longer. You think I believe you didn't receive all of the test results you needed in the six days I was unconscious? You, will however take me to Ashton. Now." I spit, as my fists shook with rage.

Her mouth fell open and closed as she let out a strangled noise trying to come to a reply. She gaped at me, one minute too long.

In seconds, I was up, ripping IV's carelessly out of my arm. I stretched the nasal cannula, practically tearing it in half. Animalistic noises I didn't even know I could make came from my throat as I found the nearest sharp object around, making my way towards the doc eerily.

"See sir, this is what we're--We are worried about. The side effects.

Your body can't just shut down for days at a time like that with no

repercussion. The truth is THE CHEMICAL BALANCE OF HER BRAIN HAS

BEEN TAMPERED WITH."

Marco stood eyes wide, no longer beside her but feet behind her.

Her eyes were shut, as I now stood face to face with her, finally intrigued by her words.

"And what will this chemical imbalance mean for me

and.... Everyday life?"

I smiled wholeheartedly at her, lowering my weapon before letting it clatter to the floor.

"We-we-Well it could mean a number of things actually,

we see you have a quick to anger tendency, where was her anger level before?"

She turned to Marco, as I turned slightly towards him to.

Yeah Marco, where was my anger level before?

My subconscious mocked the annoying, measly woman.

"Definitely uped a few notches," he let out a wobbly laugh, indicating he was apprehensive which caused me to laugh along.

"I say we play Questionnaire with the Maniac later, and let her go see Ashton,

before we don't endure a later."

His hands rested on the small doctors shoulders, and my eyes focused on a familiar cool metal peeking out from the chair.

"Sir, I'm not sure it's safe for Ashton. You just witnessed why and we barely pushed her, I mean this could end up being a fatal-"

"I want to see him, and you will take him to me NOW," I cried out, a cool metal in my hands, aiming to kill for the third time in such a brief amount of time.

"She stole my gun!"

Marco stated the obvious, frantically searching around his chair for the gun that was, in fact, in my hands.

"You CANNOT bring a GUN to the hospital!?!? What is wrong with you people?"

Cocking the gun, I let my head fall to the side showing her I was done with her incessant chatter.

"R-roo-roo-roo-Room 236 Righ-Right this way ma'am."

I followed shortly behind her, the gun pressed against her back as we walk so closely I could feel her fear emitting off of her small frame.

Stepping towards the elevator, I leaned into her ear from behind, making sure only she could hear me with clarity.

"Don't make a fucking peep."

As we loaded ourselves on the elevator, I made sure to assess each member. Most wore employee badges, and I marveled over the best place to stand to conceal the gun all while pushing it firmly into her back.

Not quickly enough, we reached floor 2 and shakily walked to see what I hoped was a healthy Ashton.

232

234

236

"Ashton's room."

She hurriedly tried forcing her way out of my grip, and I quickly yanked her coat tail, making sure Ashton was in there.

"Thanks Doc, you truly have been so much help with this new disorder I got going and finding Ashton. I Do hope to see you in the near future." A sickly sweet smile came over my face and I let the wave pass through me of her undeniably terrified appearance.

Walking into the room, I noticed Marco was beside me and I hoped he'd give me the chance to tell Ashton I fucked up my mind myself.

For his sake, that is.

As soon as my feet were in the door, his eyes fell to me.

I noticed the doctor sitting closely in front of him but it didn't bother me.

I rushed over to the bed he was sitting in and threw myself at him to which he gladly obliged. His arms encircled me instantly, and I felt tears of relief began to pool in my eyes.

"God,

I didn't know if your were okay. No one would tell me where you were." I rolled my eyes accordingly, restraining my tears from falling as I tried to get closer.

"I'm right here, little one." his whisper was so faint, I let it echo through my mind freely.

The moment was damn near perfect,

but then there were doctors.

"So .. You are Madison then?"

I lifted my head from Ashton, noticing Marco sitting closer to the doctor.

"I'm Madison then." I replied, watching to see what'd he'd require from me.

A blood sample?

More tests?

A seventh night here?

"Mr. Moore refuses to let anyone stitch him and I'm concerned. We've

just preformed a procedure that requires a stitching from chest,

down to ribs."

I looked over at Ashton curiously to which he mouthed the words 'bullet infection.'

"So this becomes about me because?"

Doctors and their inability to get to the point.

"Because out of any of our qualified staff in the hospital today,

he refuses to let anyone but you do the work."

His voice began to trail off towards the ending but I just smiled knowingly, remembering our talk after the party skirmish.

Instead of continuing to speak aimlessly, the doctor handed me a tray of professional tools, and stepped out of the room quickly.

Marco stay sitting in front of us, looking from me to Ashton concernedly, as if we were entering a couples therapy.

My heart skipped a beat as I let my eyes wander over all of the professional tools.

"Marco." Ashton moved his head in the direction of the door and Marco promptly bolted out of the room, leaving it barren.

"Finally." Ashton sighed, grabbing me by my waist and pulling me onto his lap. He inhaled deeply into my neck, then let his cool breath out to dance across my skin.

"Imissedyousomuch," his voice was muffled into my skin and I laughed quietly focusing on the weird blanket pattern.

"You gonna let me stitch you now?" I asked, amused he hadn't let me go, practically since he saw me.

"Just a few more minutes like this." he muttered, sloppily tracing shapes on my exposed skin.

I forcefully pulled away, my eyes meeting with the stormy eyes of Ashton.

"Still one to disobey."

It wasn't a question or a statement that needed a reply, but I wondered if he could sense something was different with his vague reply.

I wanted to let him know I'd probably only gotten worse with the mental damage I was now carrying and knew close to nothing about. Instead, I decided on saving that chase for another, less, taxing day.

Looking at the wall clock I realized it was 7:42 pm so I would, indeed, be sleeping here a seventh night.

We sat in silent for awhile,

the needle between my fingers going in and out of his skin.

His eyes stayed trained on my face,

his hands ever so often drawing heavier

circles into my legs as we reached lower down on his abdomen.

"I want to tell you."

Ashton uttered out of the blue, almost to himself.

"Tell me what?" I hmm'd, figuring he'd brush me off as usual.

"But I don't want you to leave me."

I looked up from the needle, his eyes already searching for mine.

I thought for a moment, what was so horrible he'd done that he'd feel as though I'd leave him. I watched him murder multiple someone's, beat people to a pulp, sell multiple girls lives away, smuggle drugs out of his kitchen, he stuck a needle in my neck allegedly for MY protection,

and yet,

"I don't want to leave you."

My eyes bore back deep into his, his eyes still searching frantically for something.

"I guess I have always been in this vocation." he let out a shaky laugh, as I began my needle work once more.

"I was born into it, my father being one of the most powerful leaders in the underworld.

My father being Oso Moore."

The needle in my hand fell to the tray making a light clatter but still standing because of the thread bound to Ashton's skin.

Looking up at him,

he looked away hastily.

I grabbed the needle again holding it with shaky hands, hoping he'd continue.

In,

out,

in,

out,

in,

out,

the needle pierced his skin repeatedly causing no reaction from him.

" When I was 13, my father started training me to lead his own patrimony,

he no longer cared about the importance of the Mafia.

The war, the compromises, the betrayal."

I watched his fist clench tightly and his mind was launched aback. I could practically feel the pain dripping from his tone, and the way his brows scrunched in agony took my breath.

"My father had found something that interested him much

more then any unity ever could. We were his own fucking family.

And he left the thankless tasks to me."

The way his spat the words with such venom, made me understand

what he felt in a way I couldn't begin to comprehend.

"My father found the world of sex trafficking.

He started off, traveling to clubs and bars. He would get a girl more close his age completely

annihilated and have his way with them before having me sell them off to strangers.

I was thirteen,"

he whispered, shaking his head before raking his hands through his hair.

At this point, I had finished the stitches but kept my head trained down because it made him most comfortable.

"The girls got younger and younger but I,

only got older and despised my dad more and more

as I realized how truly fucking sick he was.

But that didn't change the fact he was the most powerful man in charge.

No one defied him, not even I, who knew damn well the monster he had become."

I watched as he, so conflicted with himself, tugged at his roots anxiously. I wanted to reach out to him, comfort him. But this was also the one time he'd ever opened up to me and it almost seemed as if he was, yet so worlds away.

"So he pitched the perfect plan.

I would quietly, traffic girls through my high school

without drawing attention, since I'd been

in the same class my whole life.

He would get what he wanted from them and

a profit and I would get my percentage also."

Now I felt his eyes burning a hole through my skull and it was my turn not to look at him. Almost everything, was beginning to make sense as ailing as it was.

Even as I'd really talked to him the first time, the fruit punch wasn't just spiked. Nashly was obliterated, just as Cal's two dates were barely intelligible. Ashton hadn't just spiked it, he drugged the punch. When I first saw Oso at the party, how he'd led me up the stairs to him, how they spoke of the percentage he'd receive from me.