The Rock Star and The Mafia

Chapter 32

Alessio just stared down at her, his eyes turned strange, and then he popped up and started redressing himself.  Cheri had never felt so humiliated.  

He stuffed his shirt in his pants, fastened them back and then just disappeared out the door of their room.  Cheri threw her head back on the bed and stifled a sob.

"What in the actual fuck was that?" she whispered.  She wasn't hanging around here, not now.  She jumped up and grabbed her bag, threw in her laptop, cords, phone charger and several legal pads and pens.

She threw on some skinny jeans, a Pink Floyd tee shirt and her Chuck's.  Making sure she got everything she wanted, she left their room.  No note, no anything and headed downstairs.

The house was busy tonight so she knew the gates would be open.  Thank God no one was in the room where they keep the keys for the vehicles.  She grabbed Alessio's Ferrari keys and left.

The top was down, so this was going to be a helluva ride and she was looking forward to it.  She still was trying to wrap her head around what had just happened between her and Alessio.  She'd only told one other man in her life that she loved him and that was Paulo.  She had been afraid to say it after that.

Angrily wiping the tears from her eyes, she started the car and it roared to life and then idled like a purring kitten after a bowl of warm milk.  She burned rubber out of the back parking area and roared up to the gate.

Thank God!  They were still open and much to the surprise on the faces of the guards at the gate, she drove past them like a bat outta hell and fish-tailed as the tires hit the main road.

Driving this car made her feel the same as when she sang or played the guitar.  It was very freeing.  She grabbed her phone and turned it completely off.  She wanted nothing to do with him at this moment.  She just needed to be alone.

The first stop she would make would be the Jersey Shore.  Parking under a light, she stepped from the car and took in the sounds and smells of a place she frequented as a child, with her mother.  

Just to be on the safe side, Cheri put her bag in the trunk, grabbed her mace and stuck the keys and the mace in her pocket and headed for the shore.

She just walked up and down the sandy land form, far away sounds of her laughing and playing with her mom filled her ears.  She could still hear her voice, like it was just yesterday.

"Oh mom, I really miss you!" she cried.  "I could really use your advice right now.  Sometimes I just feel completely lost and have no idea why I'm even here.  I love you and wish you were here" Cheri finished.

Wondering how long she'd been there, she checked her phone when she pulled her bag from the trunk.  Wow...she had been there two hours!  

She also noticed she had sixteen texts from Alessio and twenty missed calls from him and Lorenzo.  Powering the phone off, she knew where her next stop would be, St. Vincent's.  She was hoping that Cassidy would be there.  She needed a friendly face right now.

It took her about forty-five minutes to get to the hospital and grabbing her bag, she headed in the main entrance and walked up to the elevator.  She pressed '11' for the ICU, stepped in and let the air release from her body.

She hadn't realized how stressed out this evening had made her.  Her hand was shaking, so she just stuffed it in her pocket when the elevator dinged that she had arrived at her destination.

Thank Holy Mary!  She saw Cassidy!  The woman smiled when they made eye contact.  "Hey Cheri!" she greeted her warmly.  "Hey Cas.  How are you?" Cheri asked her.  "Tired but it's been good.  We are pretty quiet tonight so I'll let you slip in to Tommaso's room.  They are supposed to do a brain scan tomorrow and hopefully he can come off the machine" her positive vibes were just what Cheri needed.

"You okay, Cheri?" Cassidy asked.  Cheri had been hoping that she wouldn't notice she'd been crying.  Cheri tried to shrug it off.  "I drove my boyfriend's car and it's a convertible, everything goes in the eyes" she tried laughing but she had a sneaking suspicion that Cas didn't buy it.

Putting a gentle hand on her arm, Cassidy reminded Cheri that she was there if she wanted to talk.  "I might just take you up on that" Cheri smiled wanly.  Cassidy had to get back to her duties so the women parted ways at Tommaso's door.

Throwing her bag down on the couch, Cheri walked over to her cousin's bed.  "Hey Mas" she whispered as she took a rag from the drawer, wet it and ran it over his forehead and face.

"Well your cousin is a solid gold ass hat" she said ruefully, knowing very good and well that he would have a fit if he knew what Alessio had done to her.  She continued to talk to him for a while and when she was done, she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

She studied his face for a moment, his long dark eyelashes fanned across his upper cheeks, the structure of his face was beautiful and he had amazing lips.  Shaking her head, she went and plopped down on the couch for a moment.

"Coffee" Cheri said to herself.  "That's exactly what I need, is coffee."  Getting up she walked to the door.  "Be back in a jiff" she told Tommaso.

After getting the coffee the exact way she wanted it to taste, she headed back to Tommaso's room.  The sight that greeted her made her blood run cold.  A man was standing over his bed with a pillow in his hand!  She watched in horror as he moved the pillow over Tommaso's face!

Everything moved in slow motion after that.  Her coffee cup fell from her hands as she ran to the man, jumped on his back and started raising the alarm as loudly as she could.

He was strong as he tried to whip her around to make her release her hold on him.  When that didn't work, he turned suddenly and went into the metal window frame.  Fuck!  That hurt!  

The breath was knocked from her body as she struggled to stand.  The man's eyes were cold and empty as she watched his hand go around her throat and then she felt it.

She was seeing black dots swim before her eyes as she fought for each precious breath but there was none to be found.  She scratched at his hands trying to hurt him but he just wasn't phased by any of it. Right before the darkness came to her, she heard shouting and lots of footsteps.  The man released her and she hit the floor.

"Cheri?  Cheri?  Can you hear me?" she recognized Cassidy's voice as she tried to open her eyes.  "Alright, there she is" she heard an unfamiliar voice say.  "Let's get her up" another voice said.

Her throat felt like it was on fire.  What the hell had just happened?  She tried to talk to Cassidy but grabbed her throat as it ignited, feeling like it was on fire.

"Don't try to talk" the nurse said soothingly.  "You were choked trying to save Tommaso's life.  Your throat will be sore for a couple of days."  Cheri just nodded.  "You want some water?" Cassidy asked.  Cheri nodded gratefully as a straw was put to her lips.

The cold water automatically soothed her burning throat, numbing it good.  Cheri was now sitting on the couch, she grabbed her legal pad and pen and hastily scratched out a note.

Is Tommaso okay?  Who was that man and did you get him?  She couldn't have imagined what would have happened if she hadn't been there or walked back in the room when she did.  He'd be dead now.  The tears started and she couldn't stop them.

Cassidy stroked her hand.  "Tommaso is fine.  You saved his life.  Security couldn't get the man.  He was too quick" she said and then leaned in to whisper "The police were called.  I had nothing to do with that.  Security called them.  I'm sorry."  Cheri just scribbled It's okay and watched Cassidy leave the room.

The hospital security team left two men outside of Tommaso's room and frankly she felt better knowing they were there.  Her heart was still pounding away in her chest as she went through all the events of the day and decided to close her eyes for just a minute.  She just needed five minutes.  That's all.