Adriano

Chapter 43:

I can't breathe.

I try to move around in my bed but my head is stuck in one position and pressure is being applied to it.

I move my hands around to my face, scratching to get some air in my lungs.

Someone is pressing a pillow down on my face, trying to suffocate me.

I start scratching at their hands and start kicking, trying to get them off me. I try to scream but all that comes out is a muffled Yelp.

'Get off me!' I scream.

I dig my nails into their hands and the exclaim in pain. It's a man.

A man is suffocating me.

Suddenly, I feel a weight get lifted off me and I get up from my bed.

'What the fuck!' Jasmine exclaims, flooring the man.

A masked man, dressed in all black is fighting Jasmine. He pins her down and I grab my knife and take him off her.

He swings to punch me and I dodge.

I block his next punch and knee him in the groin, bringing his face down to my knee and I hear a crack.

Jasmine pulls him off me and pins a hand behind his back. I step forward to help her and feel someone grab my hair and pull me to the floor.

There's two of them.

It's too dark in my room to tell if there's anyone else.

I hold onto my knife tighter and dig it into their leg. The sound that comes from this one is much higher.
She's a woman.

She pulls me up by my hair and knee her in the stomach causing her to let go of me and double over in pain.

The man grabs me from behind and I swing my head back hitting him on his face. The woman comes towards me and I kick out my legs making her stumble back.

I elbow the man in the face and scramble around for one of my other knives. I feel the cold metal of the blade, grab my knife and sink it into the shoulder of one of them.

The man groans in pain and I sink my knife deeper.

'You son of a bitch,' I mutter.

He swings for me and lands a blow on my jaw. I stumble back, taking my knife with me.

I hear a gun cock and a feel a pain searing through my shoulder. I grit my teeth.

The man runs towards me and pushes me back onto the wall. I knee his groin.

Enough games.

I grab my knife, search for his neck with my free hand and slit his throat. The man slumps in front of me and I hear him choking on his blood.

Another gun cocks and two women are fighting. I try to figure out where Jasmine and the woman are in my room when a gunshot goes off.

The light turns on and Adriano, Alessandro and Matteo stand at the door, weapons drawn, ready.

Matteo's pale face says it all and I turn to see Jasmine's white shirt soaked in blood.

Someone screams and I takes me a while to realise the sound came from me.

I run to her side as she stumbles backwards, her hands shaking.

'Jasmine!' Matteo yells.

My hands shake as I try to stop the blood from spilling out of her chest. Xuan moves behind us to take the masked woman somewhere.

Matteo goes on his knees next to me and he cradles Jasmine close to his chest.

I can't hear anything going on around me. I feel someone grab me and I push them off.

I scream and cry so much that I'm sure something breaks in my throat.

My hands are shaking and covered in blood. Matteo rocks back and forth, holding Jasmine's limp body to his chest.

'Jasmine!' I scream, a heart wrenching sob escapes my throat.

Adriano grabs me and pulls me close.

'Get off me!' I scream, my voice hoarse. 'Get off me!'

'She's gone,' Adriano mutters. 'Dilara she's gone.'

I push him off me and scramble to Jasmine. My eyes hurt but I can't believe it.

Just a couple hours ago, we were laughing and watching Christmas movies.

She died, protecting me.

It's my fault.

Matteo's head hangs and he continues rocking back and forth.

I wipe my nose, smearing blood along my face.

'Please no,' I mutter, grabbing Jasmine's hand.

Her hand is cold and limp.

Lifeless.

I cry and don't stop. Alessandro kneels next to Matteo trying to get him to let go of Jasmine, but he refuses.

If he had the choice he will stay holding her all night, and I'd join him.

Adriano tries to pull me from her and I push him off me.

'She died because of me!' I scream. 'She was protecting me!'

'It's not your fault Dilara.' He says, trying to get my hands off Jasmine's chest.

Bleeding.

I need to stop the bleeding.

She's survive if the blood stops.

'First the fire, and now this,' I gasp. 'It's my fault.'

'Matteo she's gone.' Alessandro mutters.

He still refuses to let go of Jasmine.

Her brown hair hangs over his lap and her brown eyes are covered by her forever closed eyelids.

Alessandro finally manages to make Matteo let go of her an she picks her up.

'No!' I yell.

If she leaves this room then it'll make everything real.

Jasmine is dead.

Adriano holds me back and I can't stop my sobs from getting heavier.

A pool of blood is left on the wooden floor where Jasmine's body once was.

Matteo sits their, limp and just staring into oblivion.

I'm going to throw up.

I run to the bathroom, locking the door and I throw up into the toilet, leaving bloodied handprints on the seat.

I wipe my mouth and lean against the door. I pull my knees up to my chest and the heaviest sob escapes my lips and I clamp a hand over my mouth.

*AUTHORS NOTE*
Well, that was a great chapter 😃
I hope you're all enjoying the book!
Have a nice day!