TRIGGER WARNINGS:
EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
SWEARING
VIOLENCE/GUN VIOLENCE
SMOKING
BLOOD
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️LIRA'S POV ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My eyes flickered open, letting the harsh light flood in. I blinked a few times before my eyes adjusted and I realised the lights were dimmed. I licked my dry lips but even my throat felt dry and sore. I felt a IV line attached to my arm and looking up, I saw it was attached to a bag of fluids. Fuck. Blood too. Shit how much did I lose? A tube was feeding oxygen directly into my nose and I could feel how sore I was.
My neck and body felt stiff. When I tried to move, I could feel the sharp pain towards the left of my chest but the morphine worked wonders. All I could remember was watching Enzo beat the shit out of James making the man cry. Then bullets began to fire and I saw one coming for Isabella. Instincts took over I guess. I didn't know her that well but she left a good impression with me and there's nothing I would not do for that child.
I tilted my head to the right to see Enzo asleep on a chair. His arms were folded across his chest. He looked so peaceful. So handsome. I smiled at how soft he looked, a vast difference to what he looked like at the quarry. There he looked cold and angry. And now he looked innocent as can be. Fuck, do I prefer him angry or calm. Regardless, I'd still fuck him all the same. Was he by my side all this time? How long had it been since I was out.
I tried to choke out a word but it came out as a raspy sound. So I tried again. "Hey." I spoke more loudly and more like myself. Enzo heard me straight away, perhaps he was waiting to hear my voice. Shit, I can't imagine how worried he must have been. Oh fuck, is Raphael all right?
I watched him smile as he straightened himself out. I could see his forehead was slightly red and had some stitches. Nothing too major. "Hey." He replied with a gentle smile. I fucking loved this man. He reached forward and grabbed ahold of my hand gently. I could see his knuckles were bruised and all cut up. I don't blame him, what James did was personal. So fucking personal, he deserved a whole lot worse. I wanted to beat him also but it wasn't my place and besides Enzo did a good job.
"How's Raphael?" I asked with worry. He looked so beaten and bloody, it even shocked me and I've seen my fair share of bloody bodies. Even if it was me inflicting the wounds. He smiled and I felt his warm hand caress mine gently. "You have just woken up and you're asking after him?" He chuckled.
I tried to nod and grinned loosely before I gasped. "And Isabella? Is she all right?" I asked with worry. That poor girl could be traumatised or maybe she got hurt. "Raf is completely fine and so is Isabella. Everyone's fine thanks to you. Now how are you feeling?" He explained calmly. I couldn't help but smile at him. He's so perfect, well almost but definitely more than me. I don't know what I've even done to deserve him. I'm a shitty person but I'm trying to be better, for him.
"I'm..well I guess I'm fine. My side does hurt and I'm cold." I said with a sigh. "What happened?" I asked. He called for a nurse to bring me a blanket. I watched as he tucked it around me ever so gently. I could get used to this. He's such a softie, definitely a simp.
When he sat back down again he explained what had happened and what happened to me. I think I was more shocked that he was going to give James' body to his father more than anything else. I would have thrown him into the ocean to be eaten by the sharks. I chuckled as I looked at him. "Since I have been with you, I've got shot twice. Can you believe that?..but these scars, they just remind me how much I love you."
He leaned forward and kissed the back of my hand. "Well you definitely get thrills being with me....I love you so much. I thought I had lost you." He looked at me. I looked into his dark eyes, cold and piercing to anyone else but to me all I saw was love. "Never Enzo. I'm not going anywhere. Hate to say it, but you're stuck with me." I grinned while reaching out to stroke his cheek.
"Lira!" Isabella yelled out with happiness. Enzo called her as well as telling everyone that I was awake and completely fine. I smiled as I tried to not move as much. "Hey Isabella. Are you okay?" I asked her. She bounded up to my hospital bed and looked at me with concern in those big brown eyes of hers.
"Enzo put her on the bed." I instructed and he looked at me as if to ask if it was all right, to which I nodded at. Isabella sat down beside my legs and she brushed back her wavy hair. "I was so scared Lira. I thought you were going to die." She mumbled as her small lips began to quiver. I saw her mother and father enter the room. I reached for her hand and held her tiny one in mine. "It's okay Isabella. I'm happy that you're safe...it didn't frighten you did it. Those men didn't scare you did they?" I asked her. She shook her head but then bowed it. "I was scared. I know you told me not to but it was scary. And I don't want to be scared. I want to be like you." She said softly. Poor girl. She was not speaking how she usually spoke.
"You don't want to be like me. I want you to be you. You are so kind and funny. So it's okay if it was scary. I was scared too. But just remember, everyone will always keep you safe." I smiled making her cheer up. Isabella smiled before stopping herself from hugging me.
"Thank you for saving her." Her mother spoke up. "Thank you Lira. She could have got hurt even if you did give her the vest. Putting yourself before Isabella...I owe you." Kaden spoke. I could tell he was upset at the fact that he failed his daughter but he owed me nothing. "Don't thank me. Honestly. Isabella is my family, just like you both are. And look I'm completely fine." I smiled making Kaden smile.
We all talked some more before Enzo made them leave, saying that I needed to rest. His parents soon came and I told Enzo to get me a drink. Alessia was looking at me with softness and so was Ace. "My son said he loves you." Alessia blurted out.
I felt my cheeks redden, I hope I was still pale and numb. Alessia came to sit beside me. "I like you a hell of a lot. He couldn't have picked a better girl. And with what you did, saving Isabella and that thick shit Raphael. Welcome to the family." She smiled. Her face was bare and her words sincere. Fuck. Family. I had a family other than Admir. Oh shit!
"Admir..I haven't called him." I said in a panic. Ace pulled out his phone and called him. "Here." He spoke as he handed me the phone. I groaned slightly as I held the phone to my ear. "Admir...God shut the fuck up and listen to me. You can swear at me later..I'm calling to tell you that I'm alive and I'm deeply offended that you weren't by my bedside when I could have died...yeah yeah..I'll see you soon." I turned the call off and held out the phone for Ace. He took it from me and replaced it back into his pocket.
"I'm sorry I didn't bring you any flowers." Ace smiled. I turned to face him. "That's all right. I'm going home..I mean to your home with Enzo soon." I flustered feeling a bit embarrassed. I'm never embarrassed but being in the presence of Alessia and Ace did all sorts of things to me. I heard Alessia chuckling and Ace shook his his head at me. "Our home is your home but I don't think Enzo will allow you to leave so soon." He said.
Alessia walked around to her husband. "No he won't. He's like his dad. Better to be safe than sorry. Walking around you like you're made of glass...I hate to say this Lira, but he won't even fuck you until your fully recovered." She chuckled and leaned in to kiss Ace. "What the fuck are you saying mom?" Enzo said with wide eyes. She looked back at him in the doorway. "Nothing." She shrugged her shoulders. "Come on Alessia, let's go. I'm sure Lira needs her rest." Ace stood up and held onto Alessia's hand. They said their goodbyes and left.
Enzo came back to sit beside me and placed the bottle of water down. I've never had anyone who cares so much about me. Admir was the only one and he wasn't even here. I don't blame him, he's a busy man. "Can I have a cigarette?" I asked him as the urge of smoking was greater than the pain I felt. I didn't feel as tired or jet lagged either. He frowned at me, pouting his perfect lips. I grinned.
"Come on please. Don't be a bitch." I tried to look innocent. He always gave in when I feigned innocence. He sighed and pulled out a pack from his pocket. He lit up one and handed it to me. He then lit up another and smoked it himself. "You aren't allowed to smoke in hospitals." I spoke up while watching him blow out a soft cloud of smoke. He chuckled and relaxed back. What a fucking God. I looked down and contemplated saying the next few words but I think I needed to.
"Enzo." I spoke grabbing his attention. He hummed. "When James asked for you to kneel..I would have done the same. It doesn't make you a stupid man but only a man who loves so much he would do anything. So please don't feel guilty because you are fucking perfect." I said slowly and carefully. He gulped lightly and nodded before sighing. He didn't reply for a while but I knew he was thinking.
"I just wanted to do more. What's the point of being who I am when I can't do shit." He breathed and inhaled his cigarette. "Shut the fuck up. Isabella is safe. Raphael is fine. And I'm fine. James is dead. So if you think about it, you didn't screw up at all." I said. I needed to reassure him. Sometimes he could be his own worst enemy.
He sighed and leaned forward. Before I could react he pinched my cigarette from my fingers and leaned back into his chair. "You should rest." He smiled as he continued smoking. "You should rest too." I smirked at him. He tutted and God, was he fucking sexy. "I'm not the one who got shot." He smiled. I listened him to talk some more and I soon drifted off to sleep.
It was a week later now and I felt so much better. Although I still needed time to fully heal and recover. Enzo wouldn't let me leave the hospital until today. It was early morning, with the fresh light spilling into the room. I was packing away my clothes when I felt two hands wrap around my waist. I winced in pain as he touched my side which was still tender. "Oh fuck sorry." Enzo apologised as he removed his hands. I turned around to face him and smiled. "I don't care." I leaned in and kissed him, wrapping my arms around his neck. His hands found my waist but this time he was being extremely gentle. He looked much better and even his burnt palm was better. I felt his tongue invade my mouth and before I could taste it properly, Raphael the annoying idiot walked into the room.
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You have no idea how much I love Lira.
She's such a different character. It's so fucking hard to make up characters with their own flaws and feelings and to make you hate them and love them sometimes. But I feel now her character has grown more. We know more about her. Why she is like how she is.
But is she true? Or is she lying to everyone? Or is walnut messing with you? I think I feel like killing someone 🤣 I'm joking! No death threats please lmao
