Their bambina

24 ~ Without him

Isabella's POV ~

My head pounded violently as I peeled my eyes open, wincing as I adjusted to the brightness of the room. I took in my surroundings but all I could see were the bland, beige walls of the hospital. So bland. Everything else surrounding me was just a blur.

The smell of the sterilised hospital equipment hit my nose, making me cringe slightly. As I did, I felt a tube poking out.

I try making out what happened and how I got here, but my mind is just a fuzzy mess, nothing but empty blanks in my head.

Hands stroked my face gently, but my senses hadn't fully returned and I couldn't tell who was caressing my face.

"Bambina?" I can just about hear a voice call out.

"Give her a minute for her body to adjust. She's been out for a while so it might take a minute."

My eyes open fully and I look around at where I am.

The first thing that my eyes fully adjust to is Elijah, who's looking down at me with tears brimming his eyes.

"Oh thank God." he mutters, wrapping his arms gently around me and snuggling into my hair.

"W-what happened?" I croak out, my voice tender from what I assume is from being unconscious.

I look around the room seeing the rest of my brothers along with Noah, Sadie and Alex all looking at me sympathetically.

"G-guys?" I ask worriedly.

Nik isn't here.

"Where's Nik? W-why isn't he here? Did something happen to him?" I start panicking, my heart monitor spiking.

"Breathe, Bella. Breathe." Luca comes to my side and holds my hand, eventually slowing my heart rate and that stupid beeping.

"You were stabbed. Well, nicked, in the abdomen." Darien explains, giving me a small, warm smile, probably to help calm me down.

It isn't helping.

"The doctors managed to stop the bleeding but there was some damage to some other organs and you fell into unconsciousness. You've been out for about 9 days." Ricco mutters quietly, but just enough for us to hear.

"Where's Nik?" I repeat my question from earlier, but again, everyone just looks at me with solemn looks.

"God damn it. Tell me!" I shout, my voice croaking slightly at the end.

"He's gone." Alex looks at me, clearly suppressing tears of his own, "He left a week ago."

A ringing fills my ears as I take in what he said.

He's gone.

He left.

He left me.

Nik is gone.

"Why would he do that?" I ask, but it was more of a question to myself.

Was it me? Was I the reason he left?

Thoughts from when I lived with Alessia come rushing back.

Of course he didn't like you, you dumb slut.

Worthless piece of shit.

God stop crying, you pathetic whore.

Worthless.

No one likes you.

I feel something fall onto my lap and I look down to see an envelope. An envelope with my name written on it.

"We'll let you read it in peace." Gio smiles softly as they all file out of the room one by one.

With shaky hands I peel open the envelope and start reading.

~~~~~

Dear amorem,

If you haven't already noticed by now, I've left. I've left and I'm not coming back. I've thought about it, about us, and I think it's best if we go our separate ways.

You got hurt today, because of me, because of something I said and I thought I was protecting you, but I wasn't. Or at least I failed.

You deserve the world. And it's not me.

So I'm leaving. You may hate me, but just know that I am keeping you safe. By doing this I am keeping you safe. I failed today, but I won't let that happen again.

You mean everything to me, but I need to let you go for your sake.

I hope you find someone who you deserve.

I love you, forever and always.

Nik.

~~~~~

Third person POV ~

Bella sat there in the hospital bed, void of any emotion.

They tried talking to her, they really did, but they had no luck. She wouldn't speak. Or even indicate that she was anything but a shell of a person.

She's been like that since her heart had shattered after reading that god forsaken letter.

She didn't know how to feel.

Betrayed?

Heartbroken?

Angry?

Empty?

Maybe she felt all four right now. But she was too out of it to tell. She just sat there, staring at the blank beige wall.

She'd never realised how beige the hospital walls are. She'd been here many times before, she should have noticed.

Her brothers sat there, worried for their little sister as they watched all emotion drain out of her.

As stupid as it sounds she really was an egg without the yolk. She's simply just the shell; all emotion left when he did.

Bella knew he wasn't coming back. If he was coming back he would be here right now, with her.

But he's not.

He was simply gone, and she was going to have to accept that.

She was going to have to learn to live without him.

A/N ~ And that is the end of the book. There might be a third book 😉 Love you all and thank you for all the support for these books <3