Obsession

Twenty-Four - Venti Quattro

Angela

I pressed his finger over his phone to unlock it and scan through his list of contacts until I find Rico. 

My fingers tremble as I hit the call button, and my eyes watch cautiously over James as he tries to slow the bleeding. 

"Ales," Rico's panicked voice cries out from the other-side. 

"It's me," I reply back to him. My voice is a little shaken as I watch closely at James's attempts in slowing down the bleeding. "Ales," I pause. 

How do I tell him when I don't wish to believe this myself? But it happen, I saw it with my own eyes. I watched as the bullet tore through his chest. He was quick to kill Moretti, but not fast enough to escape a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. 

"Just stay on the line," Rico calmly says. "We are tracing the call now as we speak. Just talk to me." 

What do I say? Do I tell him I think Ales is dead? I keep my eyes trained on his chest. Is it rising, as it should be? I can't tell. My eyes are blurry. 

I don't know how long I've been in a daze. I only jerk my head to the side when someone grabs my hand. I look over to see Vince and beside him was Matteo. They both shared the same look as me - Shock. 

Vince wraps his arms around me and brings me in close. I do the same and bury my face in to his chest. It wasn't Ales's, but it was family. 

"He is dead!" 

Vince doesn't correct me, he just holds me. I wanted him; I needed him to tell me I was wrong. That Ales is alive, just was just sleeping. 

"We should probably go," Matteo voices. 

I felt Vince nod his head. He brings the hold on me. His chilling blue eyes bore into mine. "He is going to be ok." I turn to where Ales's body is, but Vince tilts my head back to look at him. 

"Angela, listen to what I'm telling you." 

"We have to go, Vince. Like now!" 

The sounds of police sirens could be heard from afar. "James has managed to get the bullet out, and we cauterized the wound. He is alive." His rough hands drag lightly under my eyes. Matteo grabs my hand and tugs me in the direction he is heading to. I turn my head to see if Vince was following, and frown when I noticed he was walking off in the other direction. 

"We have to lose the cops," Matteo murmurs. 

"So why am I going with you?" 

Matteo stops just as we got to his car. He turns to face me and produces a toothy smile as he opens the passenger door. "Because after Ales, I'm the next best thing, Piccola." 

He places a hand on my head and pushes me inside the car, at the same time as telling me to get in, slamming the door the moment my feet lifted off the ground. 

"You are just going to leave him there?" My voice cracks. Is that what he would do if I got shot? He would leave me laying there, cold and alone? I don't believe he would. I glance at Matteo. I know he would leave me dying alone. 

"If we stayed when the cops arrived, there is a high chance none of us are walking free." Matteo starts the car and drives away. 

"Are you going to meet him at the hospital then?"

Matteo clicks his teeth, and flicks the indicator on. "I asked you a question! Are we heading to the hospital?" 

"No!" Matteo says. 

I glance out the window. It's late now, but the city seems to never die down. There are people walking to where they need to go, shop lights, luminate the pavements. Eventually, the bustle city life blurs, and my thoughts are paramount to whatever is around me. I didn't even notice that we had stopped moving until Matteo nudge my shoulder. 

"Where are we?" I ask glancing out the window. Then my heart sank. I know where we are, this was where it all began. 

We are at the airport. 

"Where are we going? Is Ales already on the plane?" 

Matteo sighs and runs his hands down his face before looking at me. "Ales isn't coming. He will most likely fucking die. If it wasn't from the gunshot then it will be from the infection." 

His words hit me like a brick. My hand cups my chest, as I locate the source of pain. It does nothing to soothe it. 

"But Vince said."

"Not going to lie," he says. "Vince is an idiot." 

Matteo opens his door and walks around to my side, doing the same. He reaches in and grabs my arms. I'm pulled out of the car, and if it wasn't for his tight grip on my arm I probably would have fallen to my knees. 

He walks us to the plane and forces me up the steps. "Where are we going?" 

"Home!" He says. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Home. 

Matteo shoves me into a seat and clips my belt on. 

Home. 

After all these months, I'm finally going home. I wonder what my father would think. Did I want to see my father after what I have been told? 

I shake my head and unclip my belt. Just as I stand, a hand shoves me back down. "Sit, stay, and shut up," Matteo voices from beside me. 

"I'm not a dog." 

"No, just a spoilt little bitch." 

It happen before I could stop myself. The sound was loud, and the impact stung. Matteo slowly turns his head. His eyes made my body shiver. There was nowhere to run to. I was trapped in my seat, next to a man who is about to murder me. 

"I told you what would happen if you slapped me again." 

My chest thudded against my ribcage. Matteo's hands wrap around my throat before I could even get out of my seat. My hands try to pry his off me. 

"Did you know," Matteo says, coming closer to me. His minty breath blows against my face. "A million thoughts run through people's eyes the moment they no longer can breathe." 

I believe this to be true. 

I have a few crossing over now. "Usually they start with all the things they didn't get to do, or finish." Matteo presses harder. The pain makes me wince. I dig my nails into his skin, but it only made him press harder. 

"The final thought before they die. Is why were they so stupid." 

His eyes flicker from mine and down to my lips, then back to my eyes. The pressure of his grip slackens, but he doesn't let go. "Your lips are purple," he murmurs. 

"Non si puo' negare, sei bellissima - no denying you are beautiful." 

The plane lifts up, and Matteo drops his hand. "Get some rest, we have a few hours to spare." He stands up and makes his way to the back of the plane. I guess to where the bed is, but I chose to stay seated. Thinking about how Ales is, and did he know I was going home? 

Home. I wanted to go back for so long, but now, I don't think Italy will ever be my home. Home is where my heart is, and that was with Alessandro.