CHAPTER 28 - TRUTH HURTS

Alina POV:

I take a moment when I wake up trying to focus, I hear a voice and I feel someone holding my hand. He speaks to me, I know that voice. "Romeo?" I ask trying to make sense of what's happened. He kisses me and I'm in shock, "don't touch me!" I say firmly. He tries to hold my hand again.

"Lina?" Romeo says and I notice he has tears. I don't understand.

"Where am I? Why are you crying? What happened to me?" I ask panic settling in.

"Bella, baby? You are in the hospital, do you remember what happened?" Romeo asks trying to hold my hand and I pull it away.

"Romeo, why are you calling me baby? I was at the club and I can't remember anything after that, you're my boss, did something happen to me at the club?" I ask in a flat panic.

"Let me get the doctor, just wait here a few minutes," Romeo says trying to pacify me.

He leaves the door ajar and I hear him speak to the doctor. "Doctor Monroe, she woke up, she doesn't remember anything for the last two or three months, she doesn't remember us or even know what happened to her!" Romeo practically shouts at the doctor. Oh God what happened to me.

"Mr De Luca, I have to examine your wife, we were hoping she wouldn't have memory loss, but this does occur sometimes. It's most likely temporary," the doctor says. Hold on, wife?

The doctor and Romeo come back into the room, and Romeo stands at the foot of the bed. "Mrs De Luca, I'm doctor Monroe. You had an accident, do you remember anything?" He asks.

"No, I don't know, it's all jumbled up, Romeo and I were dating. I work at The Underground, I'm a dancer. The last I remember I was looking for Romeo and we were having problems, I saw him with Hillary. That's the last thing before waking up here," I answer truthfully and give Romeo a glare, he was almost fucking Hillary.

"Alina baby that was more than three months ago. That's even worse than I thought," Romeo mumbles and I'm taken back.

"Ok, Mrs De Luca..." Doctor Monroe starts.

"I married you!" I shout, completely confused. The doctor turns to Romeo and he looks sheepish.

"Ok, I had to say that so they would let me stay with you. We are not married but we have been together for the last three months, doc her last name is Russo," Romeo explains.

"Well then, Miss Russo, let me have a look at your injuries and we will explain everything properly," the Doctor says and Romeo steps out of the room. He checks me from head to toe, "Mr De Luca was the one that found you, he can answer any questions you might have that happened before the memory loss, and something he asked me not to disclose just yet as he would like to explain it to you, alone," I nod, and I'm in serious pain and the doctor gives me a shot.

Romeo enters and he sits down on my bed and he reaches for my uninjured hand, I want to pull away but the look on his face makes me reconsider. "Alina, it's a lot to take in at the moment, and I know nothing is making sense, so I will try my best to recall the night this all happened," Romeo says and I nod, I have tears in my eyes, something tells me I'm not going to like it.

"Alina, we have been living together for a little while, about two months. You work at one of my hotels as the CFO and manager, Mari is your assistant," he looks at me as if asking if he should continue, I nod in approval. "The night before we were to go to Italy to visit my family, I was supposed to pick you up from work, but I ran late and got stuck in traffic due to an accident. You went home, told me you bought dinner and you were having a glass of wine and going to get into a bath. I tried calling you a few times but no answer. I tried security but they said there was music playing and you probably fell asleep," Romeo looks even more uncomfortable and checks to see if I'm alright.

"I'm ok, please continue," I say squeezing his hand.

"Well I got there about twenty or so minutes after I was supposed to be home, Dario was with me and we searched the house for you. We found you in the master suite laying on the carpet, beaten and bleeding. It looked like you put up a huge fight, someone had come into the house and attacked you. You were in a robe, it was undone, not all the way, you were not completely naked," Romeo shifts and can't look at me, looking down at my hand in his.

My heart is pounding, and my tears are falling freely. "Romeo please tell me everything," I ask pleadingly.

"Well you were barely breathing, there was so much blood, I was so scared I thought you were dead, you whimpered and then I saw you breath, you very weakly gripped my hand. Dario called an ambulance and we got you here as soon as we could," Romeo takes a breath. I gasp no knowing how to react to this.

"There's something you are not telling me, what is it," I insist.

Romeo looks me in the eye and I see his tears run, and my are pouring. "Alina baby, my cousin came to visit the day before this happened," Romeo starts.

"What does this have to do with anything?" My heart is thumping now, scared out of my mind.

"Well his name is Angel," he continues and I get a flash of shooting someone, and I see his face.

"I shot him," I say on a whisper.

"Yes you did baby," Romeo says with a sad smile and gets up and turns around facing the window, he can't look at me. "He was the one that attacked you and left you for dead. They done a rape kit, it's positive, but we caught him and he's in lock up, I haven't spoken to him yet, I waited for you to wake up," Romeo finally turns around I can see the heartbreak on his face. My tears are streaming down my face now and my sobs work its way through my body, causing me to shiver. Romeo reaches for me but stops.

"Hold me," I whisper and Romeo engulfs me in a warm hug and I sob into his black jumper, his smell is so familiar. It comforts me. I cry for a while and Romeo just holds me and let's me be. I was brutally attacked and almost raped by his cousin, that's fucked up.

"I'm so sorry bella, I should have been there, its all my fault," Romeo says and he sniffs, "I should have had people in the house, at least Tino or someone to keep you even more safe," he says holding me tight.

I finally pull back to look him in the eyes, I can sense how much he loves me, but it's strange because I can't remember it, but I do feel it. "It's not your fault, I just need time, time to remember, time to deal. I don't know," he nods and doesn't say anything to that.

"I think you need to rest, get some sleep, I need to call your family so they can visit you a bit later," Romeo says and I panic.

"My father? No please!" I shout.

"Lina, your father is dead, your brother Dimitri took over. Its your brothers and your mother whom has been here too," Romeo explains and I feel my anxiety lessen. "Get some rest baby," he kisses my forehead and I nod and turn around succumbing to the darkness.

I wake a few hours later to a nurse checking me out and writing down my vitals. "Hello Miss Russo, I'm Lupe your private nurse, Mr Dr Luca had asked me to look after you since you arrived here. He is currently getting some dinner and I am here to help you have a bath, if that is alright?" She says sweetly.

"Sure, I would like to be in something more comfortable," I answer. After a very awkward bath, washing my hair and brushing my teeth, I feel so much better. I go through the bag in the closet and pull out some panties, a huge black jumper that says Gucci on it in white, a white tank and some grey yoga pants with fluffy black socks. Lupe helps me put my hair in a ponytail and I ask to sit on the couch instead, my ankle is a bit sore, and so is my head, but I pop some pills and pray they work fast.

Romeo left his laptop here, I wonder if he has Netflix, so I open his laptop and I'm greeted with a password. Since I'm his girlfriend as he says, I try my name no luck, so I try something else, I try hard to think of something significant and I have an idea, my birthday and it works. I'm stunned when I'm greeted with four pictures of us on the screen. One of us staring at each other, one of us smiling on the couch, one of us kissing and one of me sleeping on Romeo's chest as he kisses my head. This brings me to tears, I can't remember any of it yet, I have been getting fragments of things but not enough to make sense. I can't remember the attack yet either. I have to say this is very sweet. The door opens and in walks Romeo with Gio, Dimitri and my mother, which I scowl at. He sets down a bag with silver holders of what smells like different pasta dishes.

I close Romeo's laptop and he doesn't say anything, he looks amused actually. "My baby, I'm so glad you're alright," my mother walks over to me and gives me a hug. I'm so uncomfortable, but hey they said she's trying. Gio and Dimitri each hug me and they speak to me, asking how I'm feeling and if I remember anything. If course I say no, but I do ask about my father.

"He's dead, you killed him Lina,  Dimitri says seriously. I gasp but I don't say anything, I killed him, so it is true he's dead. They don't stay too long but it's actually quite nice to see my mother actually being a mother.

"Would you like me to stay or leave for the night?" Romeo asks after we have dinner in silence.

"I don't know, I would like you to stay, but I do think you need some decent sleep, you have been here all week so I have heard," I say shrugging.

"I don't mind," he answers.

"Go get some decent sleep, you can come back tomorrow if you like. I'm doing fine, I'm just going to sleep anyway," I say trying to convince the man to at least get sleep, he has dark circles from no sleep and his beard is starting to grow.

"Alright, I will bring Mari in the morning and Vince and Al, my best guys will be here to look after you. I brought your cell, if you need anything, call me, and I mean anything," Romeo says looking quite panicked. "Lupe will be in here with you, so you are not alone," Romeo finishes.

"I will be fine, just please get some rest, and I appreciate everything," I answer.

As if by force if habit, Romeo leans in to kiss me, but stops. I notice, and lean in and give him a kiss on his cheek. "I love you amore," Romeo says and he leaves. I move over to the bed and Lupe helps me in. It's been one hell of a day, my mind drifts as I lay, and I feel this overwhelming wave of tears take over, I was attacked.

I can't believe it. I lay crying myself to sleep, when my phone beeps, I realise I have been sobbing for almost two hours.

I hope you are alright,

I miss you baby.

Goodnight my love.

R

I hit reply.

I'm doing ok, just a lot

to take in. Strange not

having you here.

Goodnight, and please

get some sleep.

Lina

I turn and wait for sleep to over take me, and it doesn't take long for that to happen. I do miss Romeo, but I'm so confused. Tomorrow is another day.