Leap of faith

Chapter 3

Before I could even utter a word, hands clasped on my throat, squeezing hard as a heavy, stifling weight struck me to the ground. I chocked helplessly, struggling and trying to fight the arms as I looked up with a rapidly fading vision in the faraway blue gaze of my brother.

Consequently, before I could loose my consciousness the weight above me was abruptly removed. I wheezed as the pressure on my throat vanished. It hurt. I coughed and coughed, breathing hard as tears flowed down my cheeks.

Oh Fuck! I was going to die. I was almost dead. Fuck!

Shit!

"-hear me? Ellena? Ellena!"

As the voice  slowly registered in my mind, I recognised it. Blinking through the tears and the haze of pain, I looked up at the concerned face of ...Rolando? When did he came? My breathing hitched as I wiped tears from my eyes. I realised the room wasn't dark anymore with just the dim light of bedside lamp. When did the room turned this bright? Who turned on the lights?

Rolando was crouched in front of me, still dressed in the clothes I had seen him in the morning. He looked tired. He tried to give me a smile but it looked more like a grimace.

I heard a groan and looked behind Rolando to see Dante trying to sit up. Rolando might have tackled him on the floor away from me. I flinched and stumbled backwards, clutching my bruised throat and stuttering a breath. My rapidly decreasing heart rate shot up again and so did the tears. I was scared. It even hurt to cry.

"I am here." Rolando said to me. His striking emerald eyes stared calmly at me and then turned towards Dante. I watched wide-eyed, tears-stilled and a bit short of breath as Rolando approached his brother with his hands raised and then kneeled by Dante's side.

"Hey, Dante. It's me." Rolando said softly. Dante didn't look at him. The guy made a move to get towards me but Rolando put a restraining hand on his shoulder. Dante's gaze was still faraway but I could see the tremors in Dante's body. It mirrored with mine. I shuddered, scared. "It's okay. She is your sister. Not one of them."  Dante didn't stop shaking but he didn't launch himself at me either. "She is Lia Marino's daughter."

I was shocked to see something like recognition flashed in Dante's eyes as he heard my mother's name and then unexpectedly he was slumping in Rolando's hold, blinking back in present.

"What's happening?" It was my father's voice and I startled looking to the entrance of the room to see him standing there. Behind him was Daniele and Valentino. It took them a second to analyse the scene before my father moved towards me while both Valentino and Daniele made their way to the still and now staring at me, Dante.

"Are you okay?" Domenico asked me. His voice was kind and it triggered the sobs again. It was so scary. If Rolando hadn't been there then I might have died. Even creepy Cole hadn't come this close in killing me. It was the other way around. I trembled blocking the memory of the 'incident' as it tried to flash in my mind.

It helped that Domenico then made a motion to touch me and my whole attention turned to him as I flinched back, my sobs increasing.

"Hey sorellina, it's okay." It was Rolando's voice again. He sounded closer, "You are okay."

I doubted. I really really doubted that. My throat hurt. Breathing hurt. Crying hurt and I was afraid.

I would have died.

I had thought that the feeling of horror and scare would be behind me.

I thought I was safe here.

*****

I sat on my bed with my back to the headboard, with a blanket wrapped around me. Domenico paced the room with a very visible furious aura around him while Rolando sat on the bed with me. The guy hadn't left my side since he had saved me from being choked to death. I was still shaking and afraid. Being the one who saved me from a tragic and unexpected death, his presence was appreciated.