My lungs burn as I am pulled through the water, still submerged. I begin to kick and thrash trying to make my way to the surface, though not knowing what direction that is. The grasp on me tightens until I begin to fade. I start to lose some of my drive and my motions become more sluggish. My body screams for oxygen as my lungs ache, desperate for a breath of air. No longer able to withstand the need I suck in a deep breath. Water rushes in filling my lungs and making my body feel heavier as I begin to choke on the water. I begin to feel dizzy as I panic, and terror holds me tight until it all begins to float away replaced with calmness. With my eyes open in the dark water I begin to see Nico with me. His lips upturned in his casual smirk reserved just for me, before he too begins to fade and my vision is sucked into blackness. The image in my head is the last thing I see before everything goes black and still.
31
LILIANA
"Fuck Lil!" A deep growl is the first thing I hear before I feel the compression on my chest and lips pressed against mine as they try to force air through my unmoving body. As my mind slowly awakes I feel a painful rush before I roll over throwing up and choking out more and more water as my body convulses trying to clear my lungs. Nico helps hold my body on my side while I struggle to empty my throat and breathe. Gasping for the sweet taste of oxygen it is greeted by a deep burning as it enters my lungs.
Feeling weak and defeated I fall onto my back. Closing my eyes, unable to hold them open as I try to regulate my breathing once again. Each delicious breath of air sears its way down my sore throat and airways. As my body lay cold and wet against the hard rough ground, I began to notice a dull pain coming from my arm. The ache begins to grow as I focus on it, becoming more piercing and raw forcing me to turn my head as I try to see the cause of the pain.
Nicos black tie is tied tightly around my upper arm, tight enough to pinch off my circulation to my arm below. I slowly try to lift my other arm to reach for it when Nico grabs my hand, stopping me.
“No, don't touch it. When Daveon pulled you back into the water Dario blindly shot at you. Clipping your arm before I could stop him."
My mind tries to focus on what he is talking about as everything still feels disorienting and hazy. Dario? Slowly everything starts to come back before hurling itself at me in a rush of events at the end. I look back up to Nico. My eyes watering as everything catches up with me in a whirl. My emotions run rampant over me as they struggle to find one to settle on.
My tears and whatever look he sees in my expression must have worried him as he begins to explain the hurricane of tonight's events. "Lil I know what you saw back at my office." Nico starts running his hands through his hair, "but it's not what you think. She was there waiting for me, then she had threatened you and I lost it on her. When you came in she tried to kiss me but I swear to you nothing happened. I wouldn't do that to you." His eyes pleading for me to believe him. I was confused at his explanation, before I realized he doesn’t know I know what really happened.
"I know." My voice is calm and steady.
"You know?" He asks slightly startled at my easy admission.
"Yes and I shouldn't have doubted you . I'm sorry."
Nico bends over me holding my face as he places his forehead against mine. "No Lil, I am sorry." He takes and releases a deep breath. "When I saw Dario with a gun pointed at you my world stopped.” He stops to take a deep breath trying to calm his raising rage I can feel. Opening his eyes he looks at me, his face mere inches from mine.”I couldn't imagine my life without you, I refused to believe there even is one for me that you're not in. Lil, I have never feared anything in my life until the fear of losing you was right in front of me. I should have protected you better. The fact that you were taken, that you could have been-…” His voice rises again before he stops trying to quell the anger. After a moment he looks back at me “I love you and I swear to you I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, this won’t ever happen again."
My mind circles back around to three little words. He loves me? All of the fear and hurt that had built itself up inside of me over the past few days melts away at those words, and I know without a doubt that he means every word he is saying to me.
Not giving me a chance to say them back he leans down softly brushing a kiss to my lips as he holds my head up off the ground. His lips gently forming to mine as he pours his feelings into
