Reckless Games (Reckless Mafia #1)

Chapter 28

Angela

I was trapped in a sea of darkness, my body feeling like it was weighed down by an invisible force. The rhythmic beeping of machines punctuated the silence. Despite the overwhelming heaviness, I could feel a faint trembling in my limbs, a subtle shake that mirrored the turmoil within my mind. My fingers twitched, curling slightly as if reaching for something just out of grasp. My breathing quickened .

The headlights of an oncoming car blinded us, the screech of tires, the sound of metal crashing, bending, and then... nothing.

The car spun out of control, the world outside a blur of rain and darkness. I felt myself being thrown around, the seatbelt cutting into me. There was a deafening crash, followed by an eerie silence.

I could hear my mother’s soft voice in my head like a haunting echo . "Angela, we love you. Always remember that." Her words, the last she ever spoke to me, lingered in the void, a reminder of what I had lost.

I felt a sharp jolt, and the nightmare dissipated. I was back in the void, the beeping sound more pronounced now. My body ached all over, and I was acutely aware of the sterile smell of the hospital room, though I still couldn’t open my eyes or move.

But the memories wouldn’t leave me. They played on repeat, blending the innocence of my childhood with the terror of that night. Each loop left me more exhausted, more desperate to wake up to escape this endless cycle of nightmares.

Somewhere in the distance, I thought I heard someone calling my name. I wanted to respond, to reach out and tell them I was here, trapped in this prison of my mind. But I couldn’t. I was a spectator, powerless and lost, caught between the past and a reality I couldn’t touch. "Angela, please. Wake up. You have to wake up." The voice was familiar. My mind clung to it, desperate to escape the torment of my memories. The warmth of the hand holding mine spread through my body, and I felt a flicker of hope. Could it be Lorenzo? My heart ached at the thought, and I mustered every ounce of strength I had to respond.

"Angela, come on. You can do it. Wake up."

I fought against the heaviness, my eyelids fluttering as I tried to open them. The effort was excruciating, as if I were lifting a thousand-pound weight. But the voice continued, encouraging me, urging me on. I focused on it, imagining Lorenzo's face.

With a final, desperate push, I forced my eyes open. The world came into view slowly, a blur of colors and shapes that gradually sharpened into clarity. My heart leaped in anticipation, but then sank just as quickly when I saw who was beside me.

It wasn't Lorenzo.

It was Jacob.

He sat by my bedside, his face etched with worry and exhaustion. His eyes met mine, and relief washed over his features. But I couldn't hide the disappointment that flooded through me. I had hoped—prayed—that it’d be Lorenzo.

"Angela? Thank God," Jacob whispered. He squeezed my hand gently, his eyes searching mine for any sign of recognition. "I was so worried."

I tried to speak, but my throat was dry, and the words wouldn't come. Instead, I just nodded weakly, acknowledging his presence. The room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the monitors and the faint hum of machinery. The air felt heavy with unspoken emotions, the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on us

A sudden, sharp pain pierced my chest, as if something had almost ripped my heart out. It was an unbearable pressure, a sensation so intense that it forced me to confront the reality I had been evading. Memories crashed over me.

The diamonds. The rooftop. The gunshot. Lorenzo.

Everything fell into place with brutal clarity, and I gasped, the realization flooding back all at once. My chest heaved as I struggled to breathe, my hand instinctively moved to clutch at the source of the pain.

Jacob's eyes widened in alarm. "Angela, stay with me," he urged, his voice laced with urgency. He pressed a button on the side of the bed, calling for the doctor. "We need a doctor in here, now!"

The room blurred around me, the beeping of the monitors growing louder and more frantic. My vision tunneled, and I could feel the panic rising, threatening to consume me.

The door burst open, and a flurry of medical personnel rushed in. I could hear their voices as they assessed my condition. Jacob stepped back, giving them space, but his eyes never left me.

"She's experiencing significant chest pain," Jacob explained to the doctor, his voice steady but urgent.

The doctor nodded, leaning over me to check my vitals. "Angela, can you hear me?" he asked gently. "I need you to stay calm."

I nodded weakly. He asked me a series of questions, testing my memory and awareness. Each answer I gave seemed to ground me a little more, pulling me back from the brink. As the doctor continued his examination, the pain in my chest began to subside, replaced by a dull ache. The initial shock was wearing off, leaving behind heavy exhaustion.

The doctor finished his assessment, nodding to the nurse beside him. "Her vitals are stabilizing," he said. "We'll keep monitoring her, but she seems to be coming around."

Jacob let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Thank you," he said to the doctor before turning back to me. "Thank goodness you are finally up. You don’t know how…how scared I was,” his voice cracked slightly.

“What happened?” I finally managed to ask after a few minutes, my voice trembling. The memories were so clear. I remembered the bullet's trajectory straight to my chest. I had seen it coming and hadn’t flinched. I wanted it. I wanted to escape this harsh reality people call life. I took it willingly. Then what was I doing here? Why was I still alive?

“I was on the last floor when you ran up to the rooftop,” Jacob began. His voice was distant as he relived the moment. “I was busy getting rid of Lorenzo’s men when I saw you falling from the window view.” He paused, his eyes glazing over as if the memory were too painful to recount. “I couldn’t… couldn’t…” He inhaled sharply, unable to finish the sentence. “I jumped right after and brought you here. The bullet was removed. You survived because it missed your heart by a few inches. But the damage was deep. Since then, you’ve been in a coma.”

“How long?”

“Five months.”

My heart stopped, and for a moment, I felt like I had lost everything. Five months? It didn’t feel real. None of this did. I wanted to slip back into the endless sleep I had just woken up from and maybe not wake up this time. I couldn’t live with the guilt of what I had done. I had betrayed the only man who had ever loved me, who had treated me like I was his world. And I used him.

The weight of my actions pressed down on me, threatening to crush my spirit. I closed my eyes, wishing I could undo everything. But I knew I couldn’t. The damage was done.

“You shouldn’t have done it,” I said plainly, not looking at him.

“What?” Jacob looked confused, his brow furrowing.

“Saved me.” Anger simmered in my gaze as my eyes snapped in his direction. “You shouldn’t have saved me!”

“Do you even realize what you are saying, Angela? You wanted me to let you drown—”

“Yes!” I yelled, my voice echoing in the sterile room. “Because I wanted to! I knew what I was doing!”

“Are you out of your mind?” Jacob stared at me, wide-eyed and incredulous.

“No, I was finally in control for once! It was the only way I could have paid for my sins! For destroying the only good thing that ever happened to me! I ruined it. And if you want to tell me otherwise, then save it. Because you will never understand the feeling of loving a person to the moon and back, even after knowing that you have no future with them, Jacob!”

Jacob froze, his eyes not leaving my teary ones. He looked hurt, almost broken. It was as if he was ripped away from something he loved and could do nothing but watch. The heavy silence stretched between us. Finally, he opened his mouth to speak. The pain in his voice caught me off guard. For a moment, I saw my own suffering mirrored in his eyes.

“Trust me, Angela, I know.”

***