Awake

Adonis's POV

I was stuck in an unknown place—I'd been stuck there for a while. Living through the same horror over and over again.

The crazed look in Natasha's eyes as she aimed for Cara and gow I jumped in without a second.

The repetition caused me to keep reliving the pain.

The pain and anxiety I felt when I thought Cara was going to die.

The pain as the shot pierced through my chest.

At first, it was all I kept seeing until that one time when I heard her voice. 

'Adonis. I need you.'

It reminded me of that night in the room. I wanted to go to her but couldn't. In the empty hollowness of my mind, I felt lost.

Once in a while, I'd hear her voice and other times; it was just blackness. 

Then, the very day, I saw her in the void, and she reached out to me... the moment I took her hands, my eyes fluttered open.

They lazily fluttered about the space. What I laid on felt extremely soft and comfortable.

I recognised it as my bed; then my eyes took in the familiar sight of my room.

Everything came back to me. 

Although the room was looking unusually bare. 

Where was Cara?

My body felt heavy.

How long had I been asleep?

Pushing back, I dragged myself off the bed, using the wall as a support to get to the living room.

She still wasn't there, so I turned to the study, praying she was in there because I didn't think I had the strength to go down for further searching, but the sight I met wasn't one I'd imagine in a million years.

My best friend was sitting in my chair with Cara's friend on his lap while they discussed in whispers.

I couldn't make out what they were talking about, but when the words,

'Men. You. Capo.' reached my ears, I knew I had to step in.

"Luca?"

His head jerked up, and I saw the subtle slump of his shoulder in relief.

"What did I just hear about you becoming Capo?"

"You're awake?" Tina spluttered in disbelief, and I raised an eyebrow in question. Sweat already pooling on my face.

My eyes darted to the woman on his lap. I felt like the question I asked should come second, and the other one that was giving me an icky feeling, making my swollen eyes twitch, should be addressed first. So with a steady breath, I asked again.

"Tell me why you're in my study with Tina sitting on your lap."

My legs being too weak to support my weight for too long, suddenly wobbled.

I needed to sit down before I passed out. Slowly walking in, I gently deposited myself on the sofa, closing my eyes as I drew in a few calming breaths to stabilise my harsh breathing.

"I should text Doctor Bruno," Luca said, pulling out his phone, and I waited quietly for him to be done. The next question was shooting out of my mouth as soon as he dropped the phone.

"Where's Cara?"

"Which do you want us to reply to? The first, second, or third question?" Tina asked with a disturbing smile.

My eyes opened with a frown.

I didn't remember her to be this open and freely spoken.

What was going on?

"Where's my wife?" I asked again. 

No one replied.

Luca looked away.

"She's gone."

Gone. I repeated in my head.

"Okay. Gone for a check-up or an outing or what?" I tried to emphasise in a hard voice, but it came out hoarse, and I broke into a fit of cough.

"Be careful, man. Have you had something to drink? Why don't we take this back to the room, and we can talk after Doctor Bruno gets here and checks you over? 

"Is there something I should know about Luca?"

He remained silent again.

"Why don't we just tell him? There's nothing he can do about it anyway." Tina burst out, pulling Luca's face closer to hers, any extra inch, they'd be kissing.

 

"Wait," I squinted at them. The stress was beginning to get to me, and my head was pounding. "You're not with Cecelia anymore?"

"Look, Adonis—

—Shut it!"

Her lips glued shut at my low growl. "I'm trying my best to respect you as Cara's friend, but you're pushing it."

She must have thought I was a joke because I just came out of a coma.

"Now, Luca, tell me. Answer my questions."

However, when his gaze finally met mine, I didn't need to hear it from him for any confirmation.

"I'm going to become Capo, Adonis. Yes, I'm with Tina now. Cece and I didn't work out, and Cara... she left. Like, left the mansion."

"What?" I asked incredulously.

That was impossible. There was no way she'd leave me without a word. We'd grown over that stage. Studying Luca, I didn't even believe a word he said. They might be true but I was sure he had his reasons.

Exhaling deeply, I rose to my feet.

"You know what? I think I'll take your advice, let's discuss this after I get checked over. I feel like hell right now." 

"Why are you letting him go?" Tina screeched. "Tell him the truth now. He still believes he's in charge here." 

"Luca, tame your woman's tongue or I'll do it myself." 

I waved tiredly over my head with the arm that wasn't holding onto the wall. Just as I was about to pull the door open, it was pulled back and the woman I'd sworn I'd never see again till the day I died, stood in front of me. 

She hadn't realised that I was the one.

"Oh, thank you, Luca." She said, searching her bag. "I think I lost my pack of blunts. Do you have—

My mother trailed off as her eyes came in contact with mine.

Suddenly, the weakness I was feeling wasn't the main priority anymore. Without turning away, I gritted out in a low, stressed, cold tone.

"What. Is. This woman doing here?"

That innocent look that she always had was still there as she stared up at me, open-mouthed.

"Adonis?"

It was a whisper but I heard.

Breathing heavily, I took a step back turning to Luca, 

"I asked why this whore was here?"

"My mother isn't a whore. Where are your manners?" Tina's annoying voice chimed in again.

My ears began to ring.

"Your mother?"

"I told you to tell him the truth." She accused Luca. "If you won't, I will. Look, Adonis, you are—

—enough!" Luca thundered. "I said I was going to do it myself."

"Yes. Please proceed." I encouraged, and he dived into it all.

Cara's birth origin, mine, and even the littlest negligible information, filling me in on everything I'd missed out on during the last two months.

That was another astonishment.

I was out for two months.

"Now you know why you don't deserve to be Capo. Cara left because we promised not to reveal your true identity to the men and leave you with nothing."

"She sacrificed herself for me, and you let her go, Luca?"

"It was better that way." He replied plainly and I nodded.

The news shook me to my very core but I wasn't going to let it show. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of watching me crumble.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell me before I make my decision?" I asked him for the last time.

I wanted to be sure we were on the right page, if not the same.

Luca stared back at me with that same plain look. 

"Fine." I began dragging myself towards a shelf in my study. "Of everything you all did, nothing is more unforgivable than what you did to Cara. She's pregnant, for fuck sake, Luca. Pregnant and you sent her away?"

"She agreed to for you. If anything it's your fault."

"Her father's rich enough to support her too." Tina giggled which I ignored.

"So you also allowed that woman in for my sake? Like you didn't know I'd rather die than have her come within two feet of me!"

"Adonis!" My mother exclaimed

"Take my name out of your filthy mouth. Who knows where it has been?" I shot back.

"Adonis. You're not fit for this; just go back, and we can conclude later. We'll be kind enough to compromise like we did for Cara." 

I chuckled darkly.

"It's the fact that you think I'd watch you all go through with your plan." 

Reaching for the object I'd had in mind, I raised my shaky hands and sweaty face, aiming the gun at the whore.

"Not one of you undeserving bastards would be taking the throne from me."