Taming a Dark Heart - Ch. 8 - Independence

Hi guys, Thank-you for the comments and for the people who did the poll in the previous chapter. Most of you said you liked TADH for the romance and originality. It’ll help with writing the next ones. Ah, I'm sorry it nearly broke your heart Welsh- cant let that happen! :)

This chapter is an emotional slide for our main character. Not much romance unfortunately but there will be more coming up, don’t worry. I like romance too much to leave it out for too long :). You can’t add romance if it doesn't fit otherwise the plot is weaker right?

(Don't you think the pic is so relevant for the story? :))

Hope you enjoy. Vote and comment :)

*************
...Danny’s point of view...

Thank God she was okay. I held her in my arms and tried to calm her down. She was breathing very fast and shaking. She went on to tell me what she had seen in her room. I didn’t know what to tell her so I just led her to my car and drove off.

***********
My flat isn’t very big. It only had one bedroom but I knew that I couldn’t let her go back to her apartment. It just wasn’t safe for someone in her position.
"Danny, could you please do me a favour?" – She said as she sat down on my old sofa.
"Yeah, what is it Kara?" – I was relieved to see she had calmed down.
"Please don’t tell Gabriele that I’m here, I don’t want to speak to him...ever again" – she had her hands in tight fists as she spoke. I could tell her that it wasn’t Gabriele’s fault, that Candice had actually given him a date rape drug in his drink. But that wouldn’t explain to her how they knew each other. She probably wouldn’t even believe me if I told her. Would she?

"I don’t know Kara, Gabriele was just beginning to trust me-"
"Please Danny I’m begging you!" – She held her hands together to show how she was really begging.
How could I say no to that? I nodded but knew that I had really put myself in a bad position.

********
...Gabriele’s point of view...

I was finally out that damn hospital. I hate hospitals.
But all I could think of was Kara. Where was she? How would I ever get her back?

My mind wondered off to Trey. How could I stop him from hurting her if I didn’t even know where she was or if she was safe?

*********
...Kara’s point of view...

I had been living with Danny for two weeks. It all seemed pretty surreal.
I went to college during the day, even when I had no lectures. Life had seemed to go back to normal. Mae and Dakota had leant me clothes and Mae had been spoiling me rotten buying me all my essentials. I couldn’t go back to the club. I had no income and it troubled me so much.

I didn’t know what the future held with my loan repayments. I knew I would need to ask someone for help. I didn’t want to ask Mae for more money but knew I may have to eventually.

Danny had become such a great friend. He had changed as well. He was getting more muscular and he seemed more confident and, I guess, more mob like.

I knew he had a crush on me. I guess I sometimes took advantage of that. Like this morning: there was only enough Coco Pops left for one person. I batted my eyes a couple of times and he eventually let me have it. I gave him a big kiss on the cheek to say thank-you and laughed when I saw his cheeks get a slight red tinge. Mr Mob guy still had a shy side to him and it was pretty cute.

He pulled on his jacket and I saw a flash of his gun.
My mind immediately raced.

Gabriele

Why was I thinking about him now? I didn’t need this. Things were kind of okay and I hadn’t had a gun pointed to my head in awhile.

But I couldn’t get his green eyes out of my mind... the way they seemed to see my soul...his lips...on mine...

"I’ll see you later Kara, you okay?" – Danny snapped me out of my thoughts and I nodded quickly.

********
"Kara, do you have a name yet for the song? I mean, why are we battling to name this one?" – Kyle and I were sitting on the lawn practicing and really trying to finalise things for the recital just around the corner.
I looked over the lyrics as he spoke and tried to find a line or words in the song that would stand out as the title. Nothing stood out above the others yet.

Dakota and Mae-Ling were sitting a little distance away practicing too. Dakota was sitting in between her boyfriend David’s legs. Every now and again she would lean back and kiss him or he would kiss her neck and cheeks while she was playing her guitar with Mae. They were so sweet together. They were so happy.

I looked at Mae’s face and knew she was thinking exactly what I was thinking: I wish I had that.
Well maybe one day someone would come along for us. Someone who was just normal - someone that actually kept you safe and didn’t hurt you intentionally.

But I couldn’t let my mind wonder now.
Mrs Avery had just announced that a talent scout would be at the recital. It was stressing everyone out even more, especially me.

"We don’t have much time left but I know you’ll get it right" – Kyle smiled at me and tapped my chin.
We seemed okay. We had moved on from the kiss because I felt really embarrassed about it. I think he knew and respected that.

"Excuse me Miss Rossi; can I have a word with you?" – I knew that voice... I looked up and into the eyes of none other than Paul Keller. What did he want with me now? I didn’t respond to him so he opened his jacket and revealed his badge along with glimmering hand-cuffs and a gun. Damn.
So I got up and knew Kyle was worried.
He walked me around the corner and before I could even blink he pinned me against the wall with his hand grasping my arm tight and his face to the side of mine.
I gasped but was frankly angry - "let go of me Mr Keller, I’m warning you..." - I think he was stunned with my tone of voice. Even I was surprised how vicious I sounded.

He let go of my arm and even though it throbbed I refused to wince.
"Rossi, what can you tell me about this?" - He thrust photos into my hands and I looked...what the hell.
"Where did you get these...?" - How did he get hold of pictures at the party? In my hand was a picture of Mr Adam kissing my hand and another photo of Gabriele and me talking.
"Don’t worry about that just answer the question or I could take you in right now for questioning, we both know which the easier option is" - he was really pissing me off. How dare he threaten me like that?

"Mr Keller, I realize it is your job but you have no grounds to question me on. I am an employee at the club that that man owns. Do not threaten me, or you will regret it when I take you to court, do you hear me?" - He looked down at the necklace on my neck and pushed away from me almost afraid. Where was I getting all this courage from?

And he walked off.

***************
Later that day, after more rehearsing, I said my goodbyes to everyone for the day and I began my walk home.
I normally went to the park for about an hour before heading home. I enjoyed watching the sun set with a book in hand. I would stay until there wasn’t anyone left except joggers going by.

The sun had nearly disappeared when I heard a click and felt something cold on my right temple.
"I suggest you don’t move miss..." - oh no, that voice so familiar... it couldn’t be?
"Now get up and do as I tell you to, Now!" - I felt my heart rate increase. It was the guy from the club. Trey.
"You can take my stuff, here, the there's some money in my pocket and my keyboard..."

You can never explain the feeling of having a gun to your head. In just one movement you will be dead. The fear is overwhelming.
But he didn’t sound right. His breathing was fast and shallow. He sounded like he would pass out.

He moved the gun to the front of my forehead and came around while holding onto the bench.
I held my arms up. I knew I had a gun in my bag. But I would never be able to get to it.

Then he laughed and must have laughed too hard because he began choking.
"You have no idea how good this feels babe, finally" – (cough, cough) – "revenge..." – he began coughing even more and battled to hold the gun up.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about..."
"Shut-up!" – And he continued coughing. I looked to his chest and saw blood. He was bleeding. Really badly. That’s why he was coughing...he was coughing up blood. His coughing got so bad that he dropped his arm and slouched over the bench. Oh God no, what do I do now?
He just tried to kill me?

I walked away and he stopped moving. I walked backward looking at him, my heart still racing. He looked up, the gun still in his hand. He raised it and fired. I jumped at the explosive sound. It hit the ground and disappeared into the bushes. His eyes were still on mine. They reminded me of someone... Gabriele...

His head dropped again and he went limp. There was a trail of blood coming out his mouth and I knew he was in major trouble.

I don’t know why, but I went over to him very cautiously. I couldn’t just leave him? What the hell? Of course I could. He just tried killing me.
I flipped open my cell phone and called Danny, he would help.

*************
"So you’re telling me that he tried to kill you?" - Danny and I were in the hospital waiting room and he was furious with me. We both had blood on us from carrying him.
"Yes but you don’t understand Danny..." - how could I explain myself?
"Then what the hell did we help him for?!" - He practically screamed and I just looked down.
I had just saved someone’s life. Shouldn’t he be happy?

"Okay Kara, I’m sorry for shouting but you have no idea who he is. It’s not safe and you could have been killed. Trey Lombardi is a really dangerous..."- I looked up suddenly. Did I hear right?
"What did you just say Danny?"

"You heard right Kara" - I turned around and came face to face with him - with Gabriele Lombardi. He didn’t look good. Even though he was still dressed to the T he had circles under his eyes and his hair was ruffled.
A part of me wanted to run over and hug him. But instead I felt my temperature rise. It was all because of him! All because of Gabriele Lombardi. Once again I was screwed because of him!

I held my hands in tight fists and clenched my jaw starring him in the eye.
"He’s my brother Kara, I’m so sorry..." - I felt myself explode.
"You’re so sorry? Do you really think that’s gonna change anything Gabriele! Do you really think that I need someone to shove a gun in my damn face? Do you think I need to find out that it’s your relative - your damn brother?!"
"Kara please listen to me first..." - I didn’t even want to hear him talk.
"Listen to you?! Gabriele the last time I saw you, you were in between that, that... sluts legs! I don’t even know who the hell she is!" - I was screaming and I knew I was over - reacting but I was just so angry. I watched his eyes dim over. Like the life was draining out of them.

"Kara she..." - he tried talking again and I wouldn’t have it. I lowered my voice to normal level and calmed myself a bit.
"I don’t need this Gabriele. I don’t need your half- truths. I don’t need your deceit. I just want to be normal -to play my music and live happily- and safely... I don’t need a two-timing, no-good, playboy-who-thinks-he’s-the-damn-Godfather, in my life. Leave, me, alone" – I saw the hurt and maybe a little anger in his green eyes at my harsh words. I couldn’t believe I had said that but he had hurt me so bad. My words could never hurt as much as he hurt me, could they?
He then tried reaching out for me.
"Don’t touch me Gabriele..." - and I pulled my arm away and turned walking out the hospital. Away from Danny. Away from Gabriele.