Crossing the gangster

Chapter 19

Hazel's POV

I forced myself to get up, no matter how much my muscles strained under me as I did such. I knew that if I stayed here, I may not survive the night in this dark, dangerous place.

I brushed my hand across the wall, uncaring that it was now tainted red. Rivulets of blood trickled down, almost as if the wall was crying teardrops or blood.

My back protested with the movement, my legs threatening to crumble down beneath me but I forced myself to take a step and then another, the prospect of safety a minute away the only thing pushing me.

I rapt my knuckles against the door softly, the strength wearing out within me like a drain as I prayed someone would hear me. My wishes were granted as a pair of striking blue eyes greeted me only after a moment of anticipation and I let out a loose sigh of relief.

I was safe, finally safe.

With that final thought, I collapsed forward, the last thing I remember was a pair of strong arms gripping me tightly as everything went blank once again.

When I woke to, I was surprised to find myself surrounded by three peering eyes. Blake, Noah and Izzy were sitting in chairs around my bed, concerned expressions on their faces as they stared down at my probably extremely pale figure.

My eyes flickered from the harsh intense light blaring down upon me and it took me a minute to get used to the sudden change before I coughed, trying to clear my parched throat.

"Here," Noah told me as he passed me a glass of water, which I accepted gratefully as I swallowed gulps of water greedily.
I placed the glass back on the bedside table before they started their curious questions that I dreaded answering. Telling the truth would only put them in a lot of worry that I didn't want to do. The only person who wouldn't pester over me like a mother hen once he knew the truth would be chris because neither was he my friend and nor did he like me one bit, I could just tell.

I knew I had to tell chris the truth since he was my leader and he deserved it after finding me half-dead only to have to carry me to the infirmary. But I could just tell my friends the vague details because I didn't need them to worry about me like I knew they would.

Also, the more they knew the more danger I would put them in. Chris was the only exception I was willing to make because I knew I didn't have a choice ever since I signed the contract legally placing me under his rule.
"How are you feeling?" Blake asked and I glanced slightly at Izzy who was staring at me with sharp eyes though she hadn't yet opened her mouth. I sort of missed her full of-life attitude at this moment.

"I'm fine, just a few days and I'll be back to fighting again," I responded truthfully and slightly sarcastically only to realise that was the wrong thing to say when Izzy let out a frustrated exhale.

"So, that's it?! You'll just return to fighting and not caring about your life again and suddenly we will find you back on the hospital bed. YOU NEARLY DIED HAZEL, does that not mean anything to you?"

"And what about the rest of us, don't you care about us? We all were worried about you, you were out for fucking eight hours. Even chris was at edge!" She yelled and I glanced at sobbing slightly as I opened my mouth but the words failed to come.

I couldn't stop fighting, I just couldn't. They may not understand but I needed to be able to fight in order to feel better about myself.

I knew I couldn't defend myself and I knew I would never be able to defend myself against him but at least I could at least mostly everybody else. Something about him just made everything about me go weak and made me into a helpless rag doll that was just inviting him to throw me around.