I never made it to the airport, just one hour had turned into several hours later and that moment I was stuck in the hospital with my brother's blood smeared on my face and the creamy dress I wore stained with his blood.
"It was the Anotti clan" I heard Paulo say to my distraught sister and mama. Mama was hysterical, papa had been shot same with Luca, but Luca had died on the spot and Papa was in critical condition and from the looks of it, he wasn't going to make it.
I couldn't listen anymore to mama's hysterical sobbing after the doctor announced that Papa indeed didn't make it, I needed to leave, go somewhere the smell of antiseptic and bad news wasn't clinging to me like a second skin. My legs were shaking, but somehow they carry me forward into the hot afternoon air.
I stumble out into hospital courtyard, gasping for air, feeling like I'm in a nightmare but just as I step out, I see Dante approaching.
I don't have strength for this
Immediately, I turn back around willing myself to suddenly disappear, but just as I make a few steps, his hands wrap around my wrist, firm but gentle and stopping me in my tracks.
"Let go" my voice shakes and I hate that it does. I hate how raw I sound, how vulnerable but he doesn't let me go, instead he pulls me with him to a corner of the hospital where the blazing sun didn't reach.
"Stop being defensive, I'm not trying to hurt you"
A bitter laugh escapes my throat, hollow and full of anger at how hypocritical he sounds. Even in the dark shade, I can see the weariness etched unto his face, his perfectly tailored suit was now rumpled, his hair disheveled as if the attack had worn him out too, but somehow he still looked so infuriatingly put together.
"Then what are you here for? To gloat? To remind me that I didn't get on the plane and I'm still here stuck with you"
His eyes darkened at my biting words, I bore a lot of animosity towards Dante because of the way he had discarded me but still it wasn't an invitation to be rude, I couldn't help it, I was blinded by grief..
"I'm impressed by how determined you are to think the worst of me" he said and I scoffed out loudly "But I'm not here to score points with you Helena, I'm here to talk about the attack"
My ears perked up immediately "What about it?"
"Your father had issues with the Anotti clan, something about money and misplaced goods so they came for revenge"
"So?" I wondered where he was going with this.
"Your brother is dead Helena, you're next in line to take over the De Luca clan"
"No – no – no " the words were rushing out of my mouth without control, taking over papa's business meant one thing and it was kissing my ballet career goodbye, the realization dawned on me like a bad cold – I was stuck here in Algreen Cove.
"I can't take over papa's business, what do I do know about any of it? Papa's sheltered me my whole life, I've been away five years what do I know about handling the business"
"Why do you think they went for your brother? It's one thing to kill your father and it's another thing to kill the only heir the De Luca clan has, why do you think they did that? so that it'll be easy to infiltrate and take what's theirs and even a little extra if they're greedy and trust me they're really greedy"
I stared at Dante, he was speaking words that I could barely understand. My mouth opened and closed because I couldn't fathom the words to speak.
"So what does this mean?"
Dante inched closer to me, only a step forward but I could feel the walls closing in. His hands reached out to touch my cheek, swiping at the dried blood on my face and I shivered slightly from his touch.
"You need protection – allow me help you. I have enough resources to make sure the De Luca clan remains untouched"
This only meant one thing, he wanted something in return. Give and take was the order of the day in Algreen Cove, and most times it was more taking than giving.
"So you want to pay back the debt my father owes" I asked back, dragging it out and he nodded with a glassy look on his eyes.
"And what do you want in return?"
This time he smiled, a slow smile spreading across his lips but his eyes remained fixed on me as the words left his lips
"It's simple – you"
I didn't want to listen to me, so I turned around to leave but he caught hold of my wrist before I could walk away
"Or what, you prefer the slimy bastard of the Anotti's to lay his claim on you? What did I tell I'll do if you let another man lay his hands on you?"
I pulled my wrist from his hold "Well Dante, maybe I'll take my chances. Don't think I'm going to let you use me and discard me like you did but for now, I'll think of other ways to save my family that doesn't involve giving myself to you"
Dante only smiled, a dark look hovering around his eyes "You'll be back Helena, that's all I can say"