chapter 17

Isabella's POV.

The harsh glare of the overhead light sliced through my eyelids.  A hospital gown—stiff, unfamiliar—clung to my skin.  Panic clawed at my throat.  Why the hell was there a light directly above the bed?

I scrambled out of bed, the flimsy fabric bunching around my legs.  The cool air from the open window was a balm against the suffocating feeling of the room.  I leaned against the sill, drawing in ragged breaths, when the door creaked open.  Assuming it was one of my biological family, I didn't turn.

"Why are you out of bed? You just had surgery," a woman's voice said.  The tone was sharp, professional.  Shoot.  I should have turned around.  Who was this woman?

"How much do they know?" I asked, the question hanging in the air, a silent battle between flight and fight raging within me.

"The scars, the wounds, the fractures—everything we found," she replied.  Her voice was devoid of emotion, clinical.

"So, my life story is now public knowledge? Who gave you the right?"  Anger, hot and sharp, pierced the fog of my fear.

"You're a minor. I had to tell them. I'll get them now, let you calm down," she said, her tone softening slightly.

A wave of despair washed over me.  I'd crave one place, one sanctuary, where I wouldn't be treated like damaged goods, like a ticking time bomb.  That hope was gone.

My gaze dropped to the ground.  Second floor.  A jump.  It wouldn't break my other ankle.  Five minutes of internal debate, a silent battle against the overwhelming urge to escape, and then...fuck it.  What did I have left to lose?

The image of their faces flashed before my eyes: the initial anger, the pity that followed, the final, sickening wave of disgust.  I'd seen it before, that look, and I wouldn't let it break me again.

I quickly changed, grabbed my phone, and returned to the window.  Just as I braced myself, the door opened again.

"What are you doing?" Marco's voice cut through the air.  "You're supposed to be in bed, not strolling around like nothing happened, and definitely not about to leap out the window like a lunatic!"

"I'm… admiring the view?" I offered weakly, rubbing my neck, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Oh, right. Admiring the view. Is that why half your body's hanging out the window?"  He was incredulous, his voice laced with concern.

Tears welled up. "I'm sorry, Dad. I can't face them knowing… they'll be disgusted."  Shame choked my voice.

"Sweetheart, come here."  He gestured gently.  I retreated from the window and went to him. He pulled me into a hug. "Yes, we're all angry, but none of us are disgusted. We care deeply. All I kept thinking was, 'I wish I'd found you sooner,' and when I did, I hoped you'd had a good childhood. But listen to me – none of us are disgusted by you. We're disgusted by the monster who did this to you."

Alessandro entered, disrupting our fragile moment. He settled onto the bed beside me. "You two are fat asses. Why am I the one stuck in the middle?"

Marco grinned.  "First, watch your language. Second, you're smaller than us, so you're automatically in the middle."

I took their hands in mine, a fragile bridge connecting us. "What do you want to know?" I asked, praying they hadn't overheard my earlier thoughts.

Alessandro hesitated. "Whatever you want to tell us."

"Well, first, I want to know something." I asked, amused.

"Why do I feel as if this is a trap but fire ahead with your question." Alessandro seemed on edge.

"Come ti sta trattando la vita mafiosa?" Their faces were priceless. (How's mafia life treating you?)

"You little shit why the fuck didn't you tell us you spoke Italian?" Marco asked while Alessandro just sat still.

"I speak most languages thank fuck cause I know you won't be able to hide shit from me."

"Wait we never mentioned the mafia how did you know?" Alessandro asked coming out of his daze.

"Call the others in and I'll tell you what happened to me." We talked about random things untill the boys showed up 20 minutes later.

"Diego, Ryan." I nodded my head glad they showed up with my brothers.

"You you scared us you bitch." Ryan shouted while jumping up and down. Why the fuck is he so energetic.

"Ryan you are way to energised for me right now." I told him shaking my head. "Diego" I called hoping he would forgive me for not saying anything about the abuse.

"Isabella why didn't you say anything we could of helped?" I covered my face with my hands.

"I didn't want to seem weak infront of the people who looks up to me." I told him truthfully.

He quickly embraced me. "Baby this just shows how much stronger you are than we thought. Never talk down on yourself."

"How can you say that when you don't know the full story?" I asked truthfully. "All I can remember was from when I was 4 up. The first time I was verbally abused was when I was 5. That went on for a year untill it changer to a slap here and there he lasted six months at that before it started to be full on beatings."

Taking a deep breath I continue. "When I was seven, he moved my room to the basement where he kept everything to beat me with. All I had was a thin blanket to sleep with. I had no mattress. When...when I was half dead from a beating he...fuck this is hard he raped me for the first time. He kept doing it untill he realised it was no effort I'd fight him but I could never beat him, it was all a game in his sick head, he wanted a challenge."

I squeezed dad's hand to find courage. "When he got bored he sold me to the Russians they were experimenting on children. When  I was sold and in his care, I was his маленький монстр it means little monster he called me thus because I never talked and by age nine I done everything he asked. I killed with no emotion. When I escaped I was found by the old Spanish Don. He wad ruthless but I was worse. He thought he knew the devil until he meet me.

He helped clean my cuts when he did find me. He learned how to understand me and how I think. I never had an education until he appeared in the space of a year he realised how smart I was i completed high school and collage with multiple degrees. At the age twelve I opened a company and it was a hit. At the age of thirteen he passed away leaving me his mafia all the members trusted me. No one knew what I went through but the all gave me there trust and we even passed everyone and became the number one mafia in six months."

I was looking down as I was saying this not daring to look at anyone. After a few minutes and nobody saying anything I look up to see everyone with shock look on their faces but there eyes showed they were......proud.

I was shocked when Lorenzo walked over and hugged me. I sware I never expected this. "I knew I seen you before. 001." He whispered in my ear. I looked into his eyes horrified.

"Mine and your secret?" He laughed but nodded his head yes. Who knows, the mute brother might be my favourite.

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