Forgiving Him is a Sin

19

It's currently 1:00 a.m., and it's been about 7 hours since I gave her a shot of antivenom. I did finish making her soup but as expected, she refused to eat it. I sent Johnny to ask her what she wanted to eat, I'd send someone to get it, but she said she wasn't hungry.

Loss of appetite could be a side effect but thankfully she hasn't thrown up yet, which is good judging by her fragile body. She either has been injected with small doses of snake venom and her body has become immune to snake venom, or it's killing her and she's hiding it as usual.

I sure hope it's not the latter one.

Hours ago Johnny went out to buy some authentic food from a local place not far from here. I was hoping she'd eat just a bit but only two spoons of soup and one sip of water is all she had.

This girl is killing me... everything she does bothers me... she's torturing me mentally and she doesn't know.

A few hours ago

I was in my bedroom next to hers, sitting in front of my laptop watching as Johnny takes away the food and she lays down on the bed... at least she's not sitting on the floor...

Johnny knocks and comes in after I answer.

"Did you see?" He speaks with a disappointed voice.

"Yeah" I reply with the same energy as his, not taking my eyes off the screen.

"I'll go give these to our guys" he closes the door and leaves after hearing a hum from me.

Now

I haven't had a minute of sleep... my mind is filled with thoughts of her, and I can't find a solution...

I need that information, I need to infiltrate that fucking bastard's business, I need to ruin his life, but why isn't it working? All he's done so far is panic and call the police... he's not someone who'd call the police after his own daughter was kidnapped... I'm sure by now he knows who took her... yet he hasn't even called. 

Some things just don't add up. She'd rather die than talk, meanwhile, her father hasn't taken any step. This is strange.

I'm deep into thoughts, laying on my bed when I hear rattling noises coming from the hall. I get my gun and open the door quietly, taking slow steps forward I see Julia's figure from afar. She's standing on the last stair looking down to the second floor... she seems to be looking for something...

"Stefano?" My name has never sounded so majestic. Her hoarse voice seems to have gotten better. But why is she looking for me at this hour?

"What?" I utter. She flinches and turns around fast, did I scare her?

"Nothing" she says after catching her breath, with her hand on her chest.

I definitely scared her. 

"Get back to your room" I say as coldly as I can. I don't want her to know I care about her.

She doesn't say anything but obeys. Before walking past me she turns to me.

"Be careful"

Her chest rising up and down indicating her restlessness. I sense something too... a scent I haven't smelled before slowly filling the hall... someone is here... an intruder...

"Get behind me" I tell her as I bring out my gun and load it. There's no doubt.

She follows, as I take slow steps forward. My brain is now processing all the possibilities that could happen.

I can't take her into any room, there might be more than one intruder and they could be using the windows to enter. My phone is back in my room, but going in there might cause more problems, I can't fight if I'm cornered. I can't alarm my men in any way, using a gunshot is the only way they'd know, but that would alarm the intruder.

As I'm thinking while looking down the stairs, I feel Julia's small hands grabbing my shirt, she's trying to pull me back.

"No" she whispers a worried 'no' and I realize something's wrong.

I look right in front of us, on the other side of the hallway a man's figure leaves one of the rooms, he's wearing black from head to toe, with a black mask covering his face and a gun in his hand. He's trying to close the door quietly, he hasn't noticed us yet.

He seems to be an amateur at this, it looks like it's first job. No way someone would break into a mafia hideout and be this careless. He walked out of the room like it was his own house, he didn't even check if there was anyone there before stepping out. 

If I shoot his armed hand right now, it will alarm our men, but it might alarm the rest of the intruders... it's a possibility, but I can't take a risk... what if one of them comes from behind? I can't protect Julia like this...

Since when did I become so protective oh fuck!

The intruder finally looks this way. For a few seconds he remained still, as expected from an amateur, but in one second he raised his gun, leaving me with no choice but to shoot his hand, making him drop the gun.

"Come fast" I grab Julia's hand and run with caution towards the other hallway. Now standing over his screaming in pain body, I quickly shoot his other hand, open the door to my exotic pets room and drag him in while he shrieks in pain. In matter of seconds, gunshots are heard in the floors below us. He wasn't alone and now my men are aware. 

I take one look at Julia's terrified face, she's frozen, he eyes are unfocused, she looks like she's having a panic attack.

Gunshots continue and I know I have to do something. God knows how many enemies there are and there's only 10 of us here, excluding Julia.

I quickly check the now dying in pain intruder's body to make sure there are no explosives or anything. I throw the knife in his pocket to the other side of the room while trying to bring Julia back to her senses.

"You're good with snakes right? Just stay here, all of them are locked, I'll close this door, you stay still okay? This guy can't do anything, if he moves, you let one of the snakes out okay? Or better there's a box filled with smalls scorpions, just pour it on him."

She's now on the floor staring into void. She can't hear me at all.

"Julia! Julia!" I shake her hard trying to wake her up.

"G-g-get the kids! Go get the kids! Go save the kids I'm fine.. save the kids... save the kids... save... the kids"

She speaks so fast as she grabs my arms, begging me... she's not even looking at me!

"What kids Julia? What are you talking about?"

She's crying hysterically, unable to breathe. I notice the gunshots getting louder, they're getting closer... Fuck!

"Listen.. .listen" I lower my voice trying my best to stay calm

"Listen I'll save the kids, I'll go save the kids okay?"

She's now looking at me, finally she's hearing me.

"Really?" she says while her sobbing is slowly stopping.

"Yes yes.. I'll save them... You stay here, I'll save them then I'll come get you... If this guy moves you let a snake out okay?" I speak calmly but I can't help my heavy breathing, while stroking her hair and trying to calm her.

It seems to be working... she nods like a toddler, her red eyes, her tears, her shaky hands are killing me. What the fuck did this girl witness to make her this messed up?

She's looking at me, holding me, like her life depends on me, like she trusts me with her life. I don't fucking know what to do once this is over.

Fuck you Stefano. You were trying to break an already broken glass.

Fuck you.

Milena POV

I watch as he hurriedly leaves the room but makes sure he closes the door. I stand up afterwards, staring at the door, making sure he left.

I look at the poor guy on the floor moaning in pain, I don't know which one of us is unluckier...

"Say" I speak making him look up, still moaning. Then I continue with a wide smile.

"Do you know Tony?"