ALESSANDRO'S POV

A white room, a couch, a window and curtains.

My eyesight finally focuses and I'm able to look around, k turn my head and find Dante talking to some nurse in fake purple while Emilion stands next to them with an angry face.

Emilion blows air out of his mouth and rolls his eyes, when they land on me, they widen and he pushes through Dante and the nurse.

A second later, Dante realized and said something to the nurse before rushing to my bed. "God. You got me sick worried" he breathes out of relief and Emilion asks how I'm feeling.

I don't know how I'm remind, I don't know how to handle this, I don't know to deal and live without her, without her by my side through everything, everything she has always been there, she always made sure I'm okay, I'm healthy and happy, now she's gone, she's gone forever and I'm left with her memory, her images in my mind when she would wraps me in her arms and tell me it's alright, it will be fine and I will grow up one day to the person I dream of, to achieve my plans and find true happiness into a world of my own.

It just doesn't sit right with me, my heart doesn't want it to end, my heart doesn't want to accept she's not here, she's dead and never coming back.

I feel Dante's band on my shoulder, I look up at him and he smiles weakly. I release a defeated sigh and try to let it sink in, let her last words wake me up, push me back up because I have to, I have to do it for her, for them, for me.

Everyone crashes into the room and thank God I'm alive. Apparently, I've been out for days, almost a week after we came back. The doctors said I've lost too much blood and a rib, it would be a miracle if I survived.

They wanted to take down the machines the first few days and let me die in peace but someone refused, someone was too stubborn and crazy to let me go that easily.

"Where is she" I ask, adjusting myself on the bed. They've all seen it coming, of course I was going to ask where she is but I'm not given any answers, I'm given strange complications, unclear messages I'm not liking. "She saved all of us. She brought us back here with a boat I believe she had back up in the plane. The second we landed, she drove you to the hospital and we followed, she checked you in and paid a ridiculous amount of money then left"

"She would come back at night, every single day, at one in the morning sharp. We left the room for privacy but she never really did something. She stood far away from you and stared for two hours. She enters the room and keeps her distance from your bed and looks out as minutes pass. When it hits three o'clock, she's getting herself out" Adriano stops to catch his breath and Lilianna patts him on the back.

Tension breaks into the room, Armando scratches on the back of his neck and they share glances. I feel my temper erupting and I grind on my teeth, "what is it" I demand even when I know it's bad, I know it will upset me but I have to know. Armando signs and looks at me nervously, "She hasn't come back for the past two days"

Lord save me from this, help me because I can't help myself anymore, help me because I'm tired, my bones are wrecked and I can't hold on for any longer, I'm trying, I'm trying but it's only getting harder, only getting worst and painful, so painful I don't want to feel, I don't want to see nor live it, I don't want it at all.

"I'm sure she will come back to check on you, she wouldn't leave without knowing whether you're alive or suffering" Julia assures me, she tells me with a smile through her worry to calm mine but she doesn't get it, she doesn't understand, none of them will.

They don't know Akila has been watching us, from close or afar, she's here, she's present, I can see her around us standing in the dark shadows, I can feel her.

"Come on, you just woke up. Cheer a bit. I will go get the doctors to check on you" Kira smiles and takes my hand in her, she gives it a little squeeze before letting go and walking away with Emilion to get the doctors.

They checked my blood pressure, my lungs and a few more of their many tests. It was around. Four in the afternoon when I got sent back to my room for some rest until results come out. The guys spent the evening with me, eating lunch and rambling about things to distract me.

Jokes on them.

I bite into my apple and assist the nurse with taking our empty plates. She blushes and flusters as she guides  herself out, "I will never get enough of the way women react to you" Adriano confessed with a grin while Emilion decided to add, "And men"

"For God's Sake" I run a hand down my face and we laugh it out. I don't really like talking about my special unintentional skills to affect women or men. I'm always minding my own business, I swear. I would be looking out a damn window but no, I'm making a server or whoever blush and twirl their hair.

It's not something to be ashamed of, it's okay if you find a man attractive but if he's not giving any sign of interest then why the hell bother me with your failed attempts to get in bed with me.

It can get very frustrating sometimes, frustrating to the point where I'm sure Akila wouldn't hesitate a second  to kill those women.

Since I've met her, women have not been there. I don't know what's the right way to say it but they're gone yet still there, I consider their existence but it's not important to cross my mind.

I've never been into dating or having a woman by my side and I still don't. Now I just want to be by her side.

I have to keep my head up, I have to hope and believe she will show herself, she will come out of the same and talk to me, allow me to see her, to touch her.

Time ticks and it hits nine o'clock, my results are out and it looks like everything is doing great. The nurse tells us I'm allowed to leave or stay for as long as I wish.

How much did you pay Akila.

My mind wanders off and I stand up to grab myself a drink when Lilianna walks in. "I've heard you're free to go" she claps her hands together and makes a little jump. I chuckled and reply with a simple yes before an idea slams I to my head, "Hey, how much does it cost, for all of this"

She swallows and plays with her fingers. Lilianna is a nurse, she must know everything around here. "A lot" she starts off and grows confused, "Like a lot Alessandro, too much, too much for a billionaire, too much for normal. She booked each one of us a separate room, she paid for your treatment and asked for the most talented doctors and nurses. She literally made surgeons hand their upcoming surgeries to their lower coworkers to take care of you first. She even called our doctors and broke the rules, she did so many things against the hospital's will, she paid, she paid millions. She ordered them to shut the place down, no one is getting in or out, their phones are disconnected and not accepting any new patients, emergencies or even check ups"

It's obvious Lilianna can't take in how Akila managed to do this and neither do I. I took another look around the room and started realizing I'm not in a normal hospital room, I'm in a luxurious king sized room with a wide bed, a long couch, a flat screen TV, a kitchen counter and a freaking balcony.

I blink, I blink so fast my eyes are in pain. I lift my chin up and straighten my back. "She bought the hospital"

Lilianna's mouth fell open and she started cursing underneath her breath. "That woman is insane"

I actually smile at her comment and let it spread around me, take over my thoughts and ease my nerves.

"I don't mean to be offensive Alessandro but what the" she continues cursing a bit more and I raise my hand in understanding. She throws herself on the coach in shock and stares at the ceiling.

I think Lilianna lost her mind, she's laughing, loudly, she's choking on her own laugh. 

Armando walks in with a bottle of water in his hand and asks what's going on. He takes a sip of water, "Akila bought the hospital" I repeat for the second time and before I know it, Armando spits out the water in his mouth and glares at me as if I just stabbed him.

Julia shows up at our little shock festival and the scene repeats itself  over and over again until everyone is gathered in the room, standing in surprise while I shrug it off.

"I knew she's rich but goddamn" I had to laugh at this and pressed the button to call someone to clean the mess Armando caused.

In the meantime, we spent the rest of the night discovering the hospital owned by Akila and of course, Armando's petty ass had to ask if she truly bought it. The crew were just as stunned as the rest of us and told him that indeed, she bought it the night we came in, she did in fact buy the whole place.

The hospital is huge, including many bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms and even gardens. It had a few stand alone buildings for workers, a garage three times bigger than mine and much useless land.

She owns everything we stepped on, everything we set our eyes on, the numerous receptions and gates, the surgery rooms with their equipment, the clinics, the people, all of it.

We're headed back to my chamber when a nurse approaches me with a phone in his hand, my phone. "Mr Santoro, the phone has been fixed and secured as Ms Lorzeno asked. I apologize for the delay, please let us know if you need anything, we're at your service sir" he lowers his gaze politely and I dismiss him. I reach down for my phone and unlock it, "let's get out of here"

[V]

We didn't have much to pack since our stuff got blown up with the plane. I called my men to bring out my cars and a few items of clothes. I walked myself out of the room and closed the door behind men, I looked down the empty hallways and searched for the closest reception.

The receptionists stand up in my presence and I give them a small nod. "Buongiorno signore, we hope you're enjoying your stay" one of them greets me with a soft smile and the others do the same. "I want to speak with your boss" his eyes slightly shift at my sudden request and he clears his throat, "We don't know when Ms Lorzeno will visit but we sure will inform you the second" I cut him off and feel irritated with this dumbass. "You think I don't know she's not here? I mean the boss of this section, the head of this wing" he lets out a silent oh and stands up immediately, "follow me, please"

We pass dozens of rooms, I look out of the windows and watch the stars lighting the black sky. The receptionist finally stops in front of a door and addresses me to one of the previous owners. I tell him to piss off and take the doorknob in my hand, I twist it open and enter without knocking.

A middle aged man looked up with gray eyes to meet my gaze. He frowns and hides away his surprise before speaking, "Mr Santoro, it's been a few days since I've been waiting to meet you" I walk closer to his desk and stand still. "Oh, my apologies" he rose to his feet and bowed his head. "Walk" I order him coldly and he clenches on his jaw, "Of course"

Gabriele is one of the former holders to this hospital before Akila came in and took the entire place for herself. He explains how many years required to build the hospital and its many shared history around the globe. He claims business men from all around the world tried to buy the land but the prior owners refused fortunes, that before Akila showed up.

I listened to him complain about his old inverters and how they shouldn't have accepted the offer Akila put, it was more likely they couldn't reject it either.

He talks about inconsistency and no normal person with money should buy hospitals from left to right, not anyone is worthy of being the owner of his precious company.

He predicts problems and creates scenarios to prove a point I didn't care for. I didn't care whether Akila had any medical experience, she doesn't have to, she's not the one healing nor dealing with patients, it's the doctors. What she can do out of kindness is provide them with their wants and needs, that's it but it's obvious she got under his skin for taking over when she's only twenty four with no major into their business.

A twenty four years old woman with no roots nor paper to clarify her identity, broke in one night with a group of other men and women, forced a meeting upon the owners and simply rules after their retirement. She didn't have to convince them, she didn't have to wait for an answer, they signed off on the money and never looked back.

Gabriele's voice is slowly fading away as my mind travels somewhere else. I rest my hands in my pockets and push my legs forwards into the garden. It's green and wide, trees lay from one side to another in a beautiful way with the same length, leading to a highway where I spot my men.

My lips crawl into a smirk and I turn to Gabriele, "See you in hell" my words echo through the void, projecting back the sound of the bullet burying into his heart.

His body falls back lifeless and I call for the other to join us while my men take care of the bloody mess Gabriele made.

We leave the hospital through the main gates and find each of our cars parked outside. Armando flashes me an excited grin before running to his baby. We settle in and I start my engine, four other engines roar and shake the whole neighborhood and we drive off.

The roads are empty, clear and quiet. I roll down my windows and feel the cold breeze against my skin, I tap my finger on the wheel and think about tomorrow, about my mother's funeral, about Enzo, Marcello, Akila, Akila and her secrets.

I need to find a way, to figure out whether she's planning to tell me or not, I need to hear her say it, say it in my face that it's not necessary, it's not something I should worry about, it's not something I should know even when it's associated to my neck on the throne.

I'm breaking the law, every step and breath I take as the leader of the Italian Mafia is counted, watched and observed. They know where I stand and where I go, what confuses me is their silence, allowing me to roam Italy with a title that doesn't belong to me, with the most wanted woman on earth.

She must have done something, anything because it is becoming impossible. No one breaks our laws and lives, no one and I mean no one witnesses another dawn if they sinned to our beliefs and greatest legends.

I should be dead by now, I shouldn't be here, I shouldn't be driving back to my house as if nothing happened, I shouldn't be so many things.

My thoughts are cut off by a group of cars blocking the entrance to our neighborhood. About thirteen men in black stood chin high and four cars lined the street horizontally.

I push on the gas brake and speed to them. I turn the wheel and hit the brake, making a drift with a sound traveling back and forth through streets.

I don't wait to stop the engine and storm out of the car, I slam the door shut behind me and advance to three men holding guns to their chest.

I twist my neck to each side, cracking the bones and ready to attack when I recognize one of them, Pablo.

"Alessandro" he calls for me and gives me a half hug. "I'm so glad you're okay" he tells me and everyone gathers around us. Dante and the rest get out of their cars and approach, "Who set you here?" I ask Pablo, unsure of their sudden security checks. "Ms Lorzeno's orders"

I take Pablo to the side away from the greetings and wait for him to explain. "What? Is there something you want me to say?" I almost smack him but hold it in, "Yes. Speak" I hiss, feeling my irritation with every human around me grow.

"She basically crashed into our house and held a dagger to my neck. She demanded a group of us to go out past midnight and secure the place since she was expecting your arrival. I didn't believe her at first, why would I but now I can see it was true"

"How did she convince you" I know Akila can get whatever she wants whenever she pleases but Pablo is one stubborn bastard. "I asked myself the same question on the way here. She's so, I don't know how to say it without sounding like a dick, but she's seductive. Not in a sexual way I promise, I mean don't get me wrong the woman is drop dead attractive" he stops himself and stutter for a moment. "Anyways. It just happened okay. Ugh stop stressing me out about it, and who cares? In the end she was right and you're here, we're all happy" he smiles one last time before I clench into his throat and choke him.

"Let go Alessandro" I hear Dante's voice as he gets closer to us. I'm focused on Pablo who's fighting for air when Dante makes a sound to distract me. I snap out of it and let go of Pablo. "Sorry" he manages out of breath and I roll my eyes when I notice a woman's figure.

Valentina's face lights up with a smile, she heads my way, almost running to me.

I close my eyes shut and deeply wish to disappear. It's been a long exhausting day, I was dying with a destroyed rib, I lost maybe more than half my blood and I seriously don't have time for her annoying hugs and kisses.

"Alessandro" her high pitched squeaky voice ruins my eardrums and I have no choice but to ignore her, act as if she's not standing there, as if she does not exist.

"When was the last time you saw her" my question gets the best of me that I can't hold them back, they all saw her at some point yet I didn't, I'm the only one who didn't get a glimpse of her these past few days.

Pablo steps back for his safety distance and takes a minute to think, I glare at him when he utters. "What time is it?" he asks, I catch Armando from the corner of my eyes check his watch and answer him, "Two thirty" Pablo turns to me and grin, "Two and half hours ago"

"Don't kill him" Adriano whispers in my ear and I bump into his shoulder as I walk away. He giggles and they follow my lead. "Pack your things, we're going back home"

Getting back on the road sure was a hundred times more tempting. I hated it, I hate how much they know and seen of her when I can't even get a call back.

I keep telling myself I'm overreacting and maybe I am but I don't care. I need to see her, I haven't saw her in a week, I haven't saw her since the day on the island, since I got shot and left her alone, left her after I promised to stand by her side, after I sold my soul away to her, for her to play with, to own and order yet I fell, I broke apart and she had to take care of me, she had to fix for my mistakes while I was passed out, while I was dying on my deathbed.

I don't get it, I don't get why she did any of this. I want her to tell me, I need her to tell me because I'm desperate, I'm desperate for her, I'm desperate for her assurances, her affection, I'm desperate for anything from her, anything.

We dropped off Pablo and the group of men he brought due to Akila's instructions, he invited us in for drinks but I refused on behalf of the rest. And the two crack heads had to whine for a second before I gave them a warning look to shut up.

I signal my men who drove our cars to the hospital to go back home and get some rest and now it's back to the eight of us.

My house finally comes into sight and I feel some sanity and peace descend my body.

We park the cars in the garage and I'm the first to walk in the doors, my eyes trace down every corner of the living room and I let my lungs take in a deep breath. I've missed this place.

"Home sweet home" Kira jokes and leaves her bags on the floor, "You know this is Alessandro's house and he's letting us stay here for charity" Emilion corrects her and they laugh, I don't pay much attention to them at this point and walk up the stairs to my room.

My body is heavier by each step I take, my eyes are barely open when I reach the second floor. I shake my head aggressively in hope to stay awake for a few more minutes to shower and slam my body on the bed.

I can sense my mind drifting off but I'm moving, thankfully my legs didn't stop working quite yet.

I pass Dante's room after Emilion's and it seems like my bedroom is a dozen light years away.

Eventually, I make it in front of the door and I can even lift my arm to grab the doorknob. Hell.

I'm not going to knock out here, not in the hallways for God's sake.

I collect every strength and energy left in my veins and force my hand to grip the knob. I kick the door open and my shoulders fall, I can't move.

I chuckle at my current condition and try my best to take another step in. I slightly turn and punch the door to shut. I shouldn't have punched.

My head connects with the back of the door in tiredness, I press both my hands on the wood and push myself away. I sigh and face the bed, I sigh and look up at the bed, I look up at the bed and find AKILA.

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