His Greek Love | 18+

5.

R E G I N A

I wake up to the consistent sound of beeping coming from beside me. My eyes are heavy, too heavy to open. It takes me a few moments, but when I manage to get them open, I see I'm in a dark hospital room. I only know I'm not in a hospital because I remember coming here after last night's events. Or at least I think it was last night. I look down at my legs to see a very thin blanket covering them. I peel it back and glance at my wrapped-up leg. I guess they got the bullet out. I don't feel a thing.

I fully pull the blanket off my body and sit up ready to stand and walk out of the room when suddenly the door opens and in walks an old man. He's old enough to be my father, maybe a little older.

"Miss Armstrong. I'm glad you're awake. I was just coming to check on you." He says before walking up to the bed. He asks permission to check my leg for any infections or complications. Once he's done he gives me some pain medication and tells me to take it slow and rest before pulling out his phone and dialing a number then leaving.

I sit back on the bed, via the doctor's orders, and lay there for a while thinking about my boys. They must be so worried or scared right now. They have never seen me hurt or sick before and I don't want that to change.

They don't even know that their grandfather is dead yet. When I tell them, I don't want them to know that I'm hurt or sick too. I don't want them to be afraid to touch me, thinking they will hurt me. I want them to know, or at least think, that all of us are safe and healthy.

I'm pulled out of thought by the door opening again, this time Ambrose walks in with a blank expression plastered on his face. "Where are my kids? Do they know anything?" I ask. He shakes his head and closes the door before stepping toward me. "They don't know anything. But your car just got back a few hours ago. It's in the garage, not in the best condition though." I take a sigh of relief both for my boys and my car.

"How long was I out?" I ask as it feels like I've been sleeping for years. My mind is relieved but my body is exhausted. "About half a day. Plus last night. You lost a lot of blood." I nod and close my eyes until I hear his deep footsteps coming closer to me. "They want to see you. Iris told them that you were asleep before you came home so I took you to your room. They don't know anything." I open my eyes to see him standing at the side of my bed, looking down at me.

"Okay, then let's go see them. I'm fine. I'm numbed up, I can't feel a thing." I say while getting up. A sharp pain rushes through my leg as I stand, but I quickly regain my balance and stand with the help of the crutches the doctor left for me. "You shouldn't be up right now. It would be best if you were resting. Plus, what are they going to think when they see you on your crutches?" He says while trying to get me back onto the bed.

I know I'm supposed to be resting but I want to see my kids as soon as possible. But I know that if they see that I'm hurt, they'll start asking questions, and I can't have that happening.

They don't know what I do. They don't know that I go out and kill people mercilessly then come home to tuck them into bed. They don't know that I torture men and women with families like ours for hours and then come home and act as if nothing happened. They think Mommy is a successful businesswoman who is the most innocent person in the world.

How will I explain this to them? I'm going to have to see them today. I can't stay in this place forever. I can't just say, 'Mommy got ambushed and shot while she was on her way back to you.' for obvious reasons. I might tell them when they're old enough to know, but not right now.

"I want to see them. I'm not in pain as long as I don't put much pressure on it." He doesn't say anything more as he reluctantly walks over to me and helps me off the bed. Once I'm standing with the crutches, he lets me go and I follow him out of the room we were in prior.