Chapter 43 Purgatorio #3
“After she disappeared to Roger’s and came back disappearing again…
of course, I knew something was off. Not to mention our dinner, but how you helped her that night, I couldn’t care.
Yet, I noticed things. Small stuff. With her.
Leanne. Even you.” She takes a deep breath in.
“And doing some more digging, I saw a last name that I remember being in her paperwork years ago.”
“Marchetti.” The name is ragged upon his tongue. She nods. “How long?”
“December. I should’ve just talked to her, but I was worried after you got engaged. And was gone for work, and then Roger disappeared.”
“Wasn’t me.”
“I know. They told me, including who did it.”
She starts to rebandage the right arm. Anger flicks through him as he clenches his jaw, chest feeling heavier.
“I was scared for her, to go back into a world that I’d seen hurt her,” Trix says somberly.
“Break her. Almost killed her. But the loneliness that followed her for years, finally left when you came around. Even with the lying, well…I watched her lie to Leanne and Nan for years so they wouldn’t know horrible truths.
Nightmares. She has this habit of protecting the people she loves a little too… fiercely.”
“Go to hell.” Leo swallows hard; Autumn’s voice echoing.
She finishes wrapping his arm, and then holds out her hands for the other. He hesitates, and her hands drop.
“They don’t know how bad it was,” she whispers, tears glistening in her eyes.
Leo’s face begins to crumble as they fall down her cheeks.
“Those weeks in the hospital were horrendous. I couldn’t save her from it.
And watched as they just… took from her.
Ignored her cries. How she hurt herself more, trying to escape as they…
“ she clears her throat, “…but you…knew. What that did to her.”
Hot tears slide down his face next. They don’t feel real as they fall. Throat tightening as that torment pulls at him. Loneliness and fear. “Yes.”
“Thank you.” Leo looks at Trix, who smiles sadly through her tears. “For protecting her. You listened when no one else had. Even if it’s terrifying.”
Carefully, Trix reaches for his left hand, and he jolts at the contact.
She waits, and then tries again gently, gripping him as she says, “You are not selfish or some kind of asshole keeping her here. You are being completely selfless by trying to abide by her wishes. Four years ago, even now, I think she’d rather die than be back in a hospital.
It’s scary right now, not knowing, but I truly think you’re doing the right thing.
No hospital is going to magically wake her up. ”
More tears fall from his eyes, sobs wanting to escape as his chest trembles. “All I feel…is failure,” he murmurs. “Weak. Guilt.”
“You are not a weak man, because one who is could never do what you are doing. You are surviving, while trying to be strong for your wife. Only an honorable man who loves his wife, so dearly…” a sob breaks out of Leo, “…would risk so much to give what she’s asked.
Once begged for. It’s not easy, but she trusted you to listen. Because she loves you, Leo.”
Leo weeps, breaking down as Trix holds his hand tenderly. He covers his face with the other, clutching himself as he cries.
“She’ll wake up. We have to believe that. Have hope. Give her time.”
“I miss her,” he gasps. “I need her.”
“I know. Hold onto that hope. For now, hold onto that, not despair. Do everything to keep her comfortable.”
A darkness fogs his brain as he eventually stops crying. Minutes, hours later, who knows. Trix rebandages his other arm. She then checks his other injuries, cleaning some areas as he sits numbly once more staring at Autumn.
“I’ll talk to the others,” she tries to reassure.
“No. Let me be the villain. It’s what I deserve.”
“Leo, you are not.”
“Until she wakes up…if she does…that’s all I’ll be.” Resignedly, he looks over at Trix’s sad expression. “It’s fine. Please.”
With a deep breath, Trix finally nods her head. “How about I get you something to eat? Alba made potato soup. Smells good.”
“Fine.”
“We can even put on a movie. You have a favorite Autumn and you liked to watch? Could be comforting. For you both.” She starts to leave the room.
He glances over at the shelves. “Face/Off.”
Nine
Leo pulls the blanket back over Autumn. He helped give her a sponge bath after her physical therapy, a daily routine that’s starting to take form. The nurses care for her other vitals, but he helps care for her alongside them, even with their mutterings of complaints.
Movement comes from the doorway as he leans over to kiss her forehead, stroking her hair back. Everywhere his body still hurts, a constant ache that never leaves. It drains him constantly. Although he’s less disorientated than the days before, his thoughts are still constantly fuzzy.
“Boss,” Isaac’s voice comes.
He looks over at the man with bruises on his face, arm in a sling. He holds up a phone. “Renaldi.” Leo starts to ignore him. “Michael’s alive.”
The name echoes through Leo, causing his breath to catch. Brows furrowing with confusion, he holds his hand out and Isaac places the phone into it.
“Vincenzo,” Leo greets.
“Leonardo, how is she?”
“Breathing.”
“Better than not. Straight to the point. One of your men was found in the rubble, alive.”
“His throat should’ve been slashed.”
“Oh, it was, not enough to kill him. Nor the two bullets, and another that grazed his head,” Vincenzo clears his throat.
“Wasn’t going to tell you unless I knew he’d live, but he needs another surgery due to complications.
It’s risky, capisce?” He pauses, making a humming sound.
“Do I allow surgeons to try…or is it a waste of time? Your choice. Your man.”
Leo gazes down at Autumn. His heart clenches. Flashes of her crying, admitting she wanted Michael as a bodyguard. Standing between him and the gun.
“Do it,” Leo answers.
“Very well, hopefully I’ll send him back not in a casket.”
Nothing else to say, Leo begins to hand the phone back to Isaac, until Vincenzo says, “Did the motherfucker suffer? Gabriel?”
The snap of chains. “Go to hell.”
Leo’s jaw clenches as his mind tries to go crawling back towards the haunting memories.
“She hung him with chains.” Leo’s voice is distant.
“We all owe her,” Vincenzo says, clearing his throat. “She’ll wake up. She’s a god. She has to. Ciao, Leonardo. I’ll try to send your man back alive.”
Leo holds the phone out, and Isaac takes it. He moves past in a zombie like state to the shelves of movies.
“Anything else?”
Isaac clears his throat. “Leanne wanted to come by this afternoon to see her.”
“Fine.”
Leo’s fingers move over the movie titles.
“We’re certain Matteo called Gabriel. Used a guard’s phone.”
Gabriel’s sneer. Licking his blood off his fingers. Ejaculating onto her shirt. The drag of a knife. Screaming. Leo recoils, shutting his eyes harshly. His stomach knots, grimacing.
“Bobby still with him?”
“Yes.”
“Keep him working in the hotel.”
“Leo—”
“Do it.”
“Bloody hell, Leo he—”
“She wanted him in the hotel.” Leo’s rebuke is harsh as he looks over his shoulder at her. The constant beeping of the monitor. “Keep him there.”
There’s more muttering, but Isaac leaves and Leo can hear him talking with another. Likely Jameson or Alba. Perhaps Trix. Alba moved into a guest room upstairs to be here 24/7.
He grabs a movie, putting it into the player. He goes back over to Autumn, kissing her head. Leo lingers there in hopes she’ll open her eyes. To wake up. To move.
Nothing.
He sits down, keeping her hand in his as Pride you don’t have to.”
“Yeah, boss, maybe it’s not best—”
“She’s my mother….” his stomach clenches, suddenly feeling sick, “…she won’t leave otherwise.”
Inhaling sharply, Leo straightens himself once more and walks out of the penthouse that he hasn’t left in almost two weeks. He’s silent, frowning as he stares at the ground of the elevator as they go down. He can feel the other two watching him, but ignores them.
He didn’t want to meet with her. Or even have her in the states, but she’s been causing problems in Italy. He’d given up the Salvadori organization to Renaldi, but Giovanna wanted it. Claimed it. Apparently, she wanted to be a mafioso now.
The elevator stops, doors opening as he steps out into the main lobby. Xavier stands at his old post, arm still in a sling. All of the Crew and Mila are spread out in the lobby, glancing between Leo and their unwanted guests.