"If you had a choice between killing or being killed,
What would you choose?"
"WHERE. THE. HELL. AM. I." Astrid's voice was a piece of wood against sand paper, so hoarse that Austin was sure she had to force the word out of absolute pain. The question was more of an order than a question—
Her entire throat was cover in a plaster and her left hand had a sling on it, it physically seemed impossible to lift someone by their throat with a single hand.
"Someone grab her!" Austin glared at the audacity of the woman, who was pointing her finger towards Astrid.
"Stop it, Ash!" Austin was near her, careful not to touch any of her bruises. They looked nasty.
She didn't budge, did not even blink or even show a sign that she heard him. Could she even hear him?
Instead, her grip tightened around the woman's throat, her knuckles turning white and the woman's face turning red.
"Ash!" Austin yelled at her, grabbing her hand which was around the woman's throat, "Leave her, Ash."
Astrid tilted her head towards him, her empty, tear-filled gaze promised death, and yet—
Yet it was the most emotion she had shown in the short time he had known her.
"Come on," Austin hoped she would agree and just lay back down on the bed— a wishful thinking. She looked, no, analyzed him head-to-toe, and then looked back to his face.
She rolled her eyes and looked back to the woman.
For fuck's sake—
"You don't recognize me, do you?" He muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.
Astrid didn't move, though. Neither did she show any sign of recognition nor did she show a sign that she heard him.
Her grip loosened, around the her neck but her hand remained there.
She scowled.
"Leave," Her hoarse voice was an answer to the woman and she was never more thankful to any person more than she was to Austin.
"Thank you," The woman said before casting a pitying look towards Astrid and silently leaving the room.
"The show's over, get out." Astrid croaked.
—
It was hard for Astrid to decipher what she was feeling. Was it regret that she killed Ajax? Or the desperation to help him but she couldn't? Or the reminder that she still was as helpless as she was on her first day at the agency?
I hope your guilt consumes you.
The exact words he said before he left. Stupid...
She was so fucking stupid for letting his words get to her.
"Does it hurt when you speak?" The doctor asked for the hundredth time, and Astrid was sure she was going to throttle him if he asks the same fucking question again.
She glared at the Doctor, but nodded nonetheless.
Leave behind no witnesses.
"Your wind pipe had been scarred, Astrid." The doctor informed, "We had to perform a laser surgery to widen the trachea, and we had to remove the scar tissue."
'Would it mean that I'd have trouble speaking?' She wanted to ask.
"You won't experience any pain," The doctor smiled with contentment, "However, I'd advise you to not speak resoundingly."
'Translation: you'd be in pain if you spoke too loudly,' that's what Astrid thought.
She nodded stoically, tired of the protocols.
Resisting the urge to groan, Ash fell back on the bed with an audible sigh before closing her eyes as soon as the doctor left.
Ryder and River. What happened to them? Were they alive or were they—
It was Astrid's fault. If she had just denied that stupid mission, she would have never had to fight the twins off every time they managed to track her.
Ajax was the older brother of Ryder and River. Being the heir of The Greek Crime Organization never stopped Ajax from being kind— Astrid knew that because of the way he had accepted his death.
And River and Ryder loved Ajax, so naturally, they wanted revenge. Obviously, Astrid wouldn't let them kill her, so she fought back... not to kill but to injure.
She owed Ajax that much. Maybe he hadn't done much, but... he didn't beg, didn't even blink—
Maybe he knew Astrid would never have the courage so he saved her the trauma...
Fuck, she shouldn't be thinking about it right now. She needed a distraction.
The sound of a window opening made Astrid snap her gaze open to the window. Quickly abandoning her need to stay in the bed— even if her bruised ribs protested— she jumped into her fighting stance.
"Hey."
♣︎
Astrid sighed in relief.
His familiar brown curls were entangled in front of his eye brows, and his tan skin was lighter than she remembered. His lean body was covered with an ocean blue t-shirt and grey denim. His brown eyes was the same color of his hair, and if she were being honest, she found them so pretty.
Pretty as in the way chocolate was melted, pretty as in the way fallen autumn leaves decorated the cobblestones at the park Eve took her and Aria to... or pretty in the way the embarking flames had danced across the bonfire her schoolmates had made when they were younger.
"Zane." Astrid rasped, "What're you doing here?" She did her best to cover up her accent.
"Al told me what happened," Zane smiled fondly at her, "I came to see what how you were."
Of course. How could she forget that all three of them were closer than brothers?
"You saw me," She said, in a dismissal way, "Now, leave."
The truth was, the lesser the people knew how bad her condition was, the better it was for her. It was relayed to Zane.
"I was worried about you." Zane said, "Nate told me you had a blood transfusion."
Astrid nodded. But... was he really worried about her? Were there any feelings towards him too?
It was no secret that Zane was a very attractive person, and he knew it too. But, allowing herself to feel for someone after what had happened with Aria...
Could she really do it?
"What happened?"
What happened was that she let her feelings get the control of her and almost got herself killed. Again.
"A lot," She said, flicking her with him.
"How do you feel?" He asked, pushing her by her shoulders on to the bed.
"Good enough to..." She smirked, knowing she didn't need to complete her sentence.
"No," Zane scoffed, "You're injured, Ash. I'm not taking any chances."
Astrid rolled her eyes.
"I'm not just using you for sex, Ash." Zane said, taking a seat beside her, "I'm here because I want you— body, mind and heart."
Whatever helps you sleep at night. If it weren't for the slight tinge of pain in her throat, she would have said that.
Those words weren't going to affect her. They never did.
She turned her head towards him, only to find that loving, affectionate gaze already on her.
She raised her eye brows in question— moments like these made her want to let all the damned self control go and just take her chances.
Her gaze dropped to the perfect mouth. What would it be like if she just tasted them, maybe just for once?
Fuck it.
It was her, who closed the distance between them and it was her who met him all the way. Moving her lips at a soft sync, Astrid found herself wanting to give in the soft, petal like flame that ignite inside her.
Zane's eyes widened in surprise, but he wasn't going to complain.
To her surprise, he kissed her back, with the same gentleness and reassurance that she had placed into the movement.
Soft and subdue as it was, Astrid wanted it all.
Just like a fantasy.
"The doctor said–" Astrid snapped her gaze towards the voice. Shit.
Luc.
—
Luc was happy, happier than he had been in a while, but seeing this... this made him want to the boy apart, "Get off her, dickhead."
Sandro was right beside him, watching as Astrid broke the touch between them, before she looked away.
Wasn't he the same asshole Luc saw at that lame party, he, Ash and Austin went to?
"What the fuck were you thinking, Ash?" Luc snapped, there was no fucking way this girl almost got herself killed and as soon as she wakes up, she decides to kiss someone—
"It wasn't her fault, man—" Zane tried to answer.
But the rage that flowed through Luc was not something he would want to mess with. Not when it had landed people in hospitals or landed him in suspension during his school days.
Zane was on the ground. And Luc was top of him, his fists moving so fast that his biceps hurt. Blood both Zane's and his' coated his knuckles. Maybe it was a sick way to get pleasure.
Blood rushed to his ears, but all Luc could think about was the way he was in near complete control of someone, of how he was powerful and how he was victorious.
Sandro didn't stop him. Luc knew, he wanted to be the one to break his jaw, but he had a reputation to hold. Luc doesn't.
"Stop it, Luc!" Luc could hear her distant, rasped voice. Then he felt a slender hand at his shoulder, squeezing pushing him back with a considerable strength.
That didn't stop him, it wanted to make him go faster, with more power.
"Leave him be, Ash." Sandro said. This was probably the first time Sandro was supporting him in a fight.
"He's going to kill him, Sandro." She said, "Stop it, dammit!" The same croaked voice rang.
He knew it was Sandro who placed his hand against Luc's other shoulder. A silent request or a command to stop. Sandro softly clasped Luc's shoulder.
Fine. He would stop... for now.
"For fuck's sake, Luc—" He shook his head lightly. Zane had made no move to fight against him, a wise but stupid decision at the same time.
Luciano rolled his eyes, glaring at the brown-eyed boy in front of him. Surprisingly, he didn't cower back but held his stare.
"You should be glad I stopped," Luc scoffed at him, "Many never has the privilege."
"I'm glad I'm special." Zane grinned, "At least your sister thinks so."
"No, I fucking don't."
"I suggest you choose your words carefully." Sandro interrupted.
Luc smirked at the intervene. Nothing more satisfying than watching someone be roasted.
"Are you stupid?" Ash said, keeping her voice low, "it's damn hospital, Luc. A hospital."
He hadn't forgotten. The smell was too clean and the acidic vapor of sanitizers and floor cleaners was still in the air even though it had been hours since any if the staff cleaned the floor.
"What if he files a lawsuit against you?" She asked again, "You can't be that reckless."
Zane threw her a look as if to say 'I would never do that.' Good for him.
"Leave him be—" Astrid didn't care for Sandro's words.
"Think before you act, Luc." The ironic words left her, as if she wasn't reckless, or impatient, "Think before you act."
Luc rolled his eyes, "Whatever."
Luc's attention snapped towards the door. Austin burst it open, rushing inwards.
His frantic stare found Ash's and then his'. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong to have Austin looking like that— with hair messed up, eyes wide and blood rushed to his face and neck.
"They are here!" He exclaimed, rushing towards Astrid.
"What are you talking about?" Zane asked.
"The cops," Austin answered, not caring for the unknown boy, "They are here!"
A/N— So proud of myself for describing brown eyes so nicely.
#BrownEyesSupremecy.