Broken and Powerful

Chapter 16

"Hi," it was short and cringy but it was the best I could do. He looked over at the tray of food then at the papers beside me on the bed. Before he could speak, I did first. "I could have slept in my bed."

He seemed taken aback by my comment but just smiled. "I know you could have but I wanted you to feel safe. I said I would protect you and I failed, for that I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. There wasn't any way you could have known," I tell him and sit up as he walks closer to me. "You didn't sleep at all last night, did you?"

"If I said no would you be mad?" He asks and I raise my eyebrow.

"Maybe," I reply and he smiles.

"then yes. I slept like a baby all night," he says with a sarcastic smirk. A small chuckle escapes my lips and his eyes move to my mouth before meeting my eyes. "Why don't you try to eat some breakfast since you are awake?"

"I'm not hungry," I say plainly as he grabs the tray and placed it on my lap anyways. The food looked so good but I was scared I would just throw it up.

"Just try to eat a little bit, okay?" He asks and I look into his eyes.

"Like I said before. Therapist and a mother," I tell him while picking up the fork and cutting the pancake. I see him smile in the corner of my eye as he sat at the foot of the bed, watching me.

After I finished half the food, I laid back in bed and turned to see Stefano looking at me.

"What?" I ask when he keeps looking, not ashamed of being caught.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm dealing," I reply with a blank expression. He scans my face while keeping his hard. I had never seen this expression on his face before.

I now understood why the men feared him so much. It was haunting. As if he were looking right through you.

"How about you go outside, enjoy some fresh air?" He asks as his jaw clenched. He was thinking about something but I couldn't tell what it was. Something was bothering him.

Was he tired and just wanted me out of his bed?

Maybe Tristen was a good friend of his and he regretted killing him.

"I should look over these files," I say grabbing the stack with one hand while rubbing my forehead with the other.

I moved the blankets off my lap and went to stand up when he grabbed my forearm lightly.

"Look at them later," He says and I glance at where his hand was on my bare forearm. His hands were cold and made goosebumps go up to my arms. "Fresh air will be good for you."

I looked into his eyes as he rubbed his thumb on my skin.

"And sleep would be good for you. I want to get this over with while it's still fresh in my mind. The longer I wait, the more it will hurt to remember," I tell him before sliding my arm away from his grasp and standing off the bed.

I moved to the door connecting our rooms and stopped in the doorway, turning to look at him. He was looking at where I was sitting deep in thought.

"Get some sleep, Stefano." His head slowly moves until our eyes connect and he gives me a small nod. Closing the door behind me, I move over to the windows and lookout. The sun was shining bright in the sky, showing the trees in perfect lighting.

The leaves were a bright green and were swaying slightly in the breeze. Looking down at the gravel road, I could see people getting out of one of the black SUVs. It appeared like they were laughing about something.

Then I saw the trunk open and my heart dropped, reminding me of where I was.

It was stacked with all kinds of guns. Assault rifles, AR-15s, sniper rifles of all kinds, pistols, and what looked like a special class MPT-76.

Looking back at the men, I saw one looking right up at me with a smile on his face. Richard.

He waved at me and I returned a small one. He gestured around him then motioned for me to come outside but I shook my head, raising the stack of papers he gave me. Nodding his head, he turns back to the men.

Deciding that Stefano was right, I crack the window open a smidge and let the fresh air into my room. It felt nice to breathe it in and relax for a few seconds.

Sitting on the floor with my back to the wall under the window, I set the papers on my lap and started to look at the photos.

I scanned each of them thoroughly for any familiar tattoos, scars, or even facial expressions. But after going through half the stack, none caught my eye. It made me feel a little better that none of the men were staying under the same roof as me, but I had a feeling they were deep in the stack.

A small knock filled my room and I looked up as Richard poked his head in.

"Hey there sunshine," He says with a bright smile.

"Hey Richard," I respond and look down at the mess of papers around me. There was a messy pile of those I didn't know and a couple of random ones that I was going to relook over.

The pile on my lap I still had to look over, and it was pretty large.

"Still going at it?" He asks and I nod my head while looking at the top paper. The man's face had a deep scar going over his eye and a face tattoo of what appeared to be a spider with a web-shooting down his neck and around his throat.

"He's a real looker," I say while Richard walks over and sits beside me. I look at him to find him already looking at me with a deep stare while his eyes scan my face. I look down and gesture the paper towards him to take a look. Our hands touch for a moment as he grabs the paper.

His eyes look down at the paper and a small laugh escapes his lips. My eyes move down and see the brightness behind it.

"Oh, Smith's nothing but a teddy bear. He just looks all big and scary but when you get to know him, he's such a softy," Richard says looking back at me. I nod my head and look down at the stack in my lap.

"Why don't you take a break for a while. You've been at it for over an hour," He says and I shake my head.

"I want to get this done," I look at the next paper and scan his face. Nothing looks familiar so I throw it in the pile before grabbing the next one. In the corner of my eye, I see Richard lean his head against the wall, showing off his Adam's apple.

I scan the next photo and my heart drops.

The smirk on his face causes my throat to squeeze slightly.

"I know him," My voice was dry as I keep looking down at the photo. Richards's hand shoots out and grabs the papers like his life depended on it. He stares down at it as my eyes land on the door across the room. I take deep breaths to calm myself before I break down.

"Son of a bitch!" Richard yells beside me but I was too deep in thought to care.

I feel Richard staring at me as the combing door opens and Stefano bursts into the room. His eyes land on us in a panic.

"What happened?" He asks, his hair a mess from just waking up. My eyes stay locked on the door.

"We got one," Richard says as Stefano approaches. He snaps the papers roughly out of his hands while looking at them. My eyes finally move up to him where he stood at my feet.

His eyes were almost black and his face was stern. He throws the paper down and it lands by the side of my leg.

"Let's go," Stefano barks roughly while Richard gets off his feet. They walk out the door and my eyes land on the photo.

I hope your death is slow and painful.