Chapter 30

(Kaoru's POV)

I thought I knew what losing someone felt like but that pain was nothing compared to the claws slammed into my gut when Kozue shouts. My head turns and I watch Sophia fall, her body caught by Baki and my feet move. The world slowed around me, falling quiet as I watch her head slump back and the thick red line of blood now oozing from her nose and down her cheek.

To see her lifted in Baki's arm, helpless, lifeless like a broken doll. I wanted to die with her.

I sat by the bed, feeling a hand on my arm. It was Kozue, a small smile on her lips

"Why don't you get some food. Go to the washroom, wash your face. I'll sit with her."

I looked up, seeing all the numbers on the machines, the beats of her heart and bite my inner cheek. This was just like my mother. I can't do anything but sit here and wait. Doctor Kureha had been in here before, dousing Sophia in another round of sedatives as her mumbling slowly dies down. Now she was resting. It didn't seem like the amount mattered, nothing seemed to calm Sophia's shaken mind.

I wanted to stay, to sit by her every second but Kozue wasn't the only one that's stopped in. Kazaki had come by twice, hoping to lure me back to the office but I ignored his words, my eyes were on Sophia every second until he stops talking and leaves phone in hand. I felt my phone buzzing and sigh. If I'm not leaving I should at least settle my affairs.

"Okay."

..

..

I stood in line for the coffee, raising the cup to my lips when a chill runs down my spine. The cup falls to the ground in slow motion and I look down at the brown liquid spreading on the smooth white tile.

Sophia.

The single thought echoed through my head and I bolt, running up the stairs. I thunder down the hall, swerving around doctors and all but rip the door off the handle. I freeze in the doorway, taking in the now dark room. The lights were off, the window was open, blowing the curtains over the bed and when they fall my eyes fall on a masked figure. He was kneeling in the window cell, one hand holding the top but my eyes were on Sophia's unconscious frame in his arms. The wind blows, the curtains masking my view and when I bolt to the window they're gone. Only the empty parking lot stares back at me.

My eyes fall on Kozue's unconscious frame slumped against the corner of the room and kneel down to check her pulse. "Kozue!"

I pick her up, placing her on the bed as Baki runs in, he jolts, taking in the scene and turns "Someone help us!"

(Kozue's pov)

I blink, shaking my head and slide into the chair by the bed. It seemed like just last month we were here. My hand lifts, gently running my fingers over Sophia's forehead. She was sweating, her face twitching, eyes flickering back and forth behind her eyelids. I rinse out the cloth by the bed and place it on her forehead.

"I'm sorry Sophia." I whisper, taking her hand in mine "I knew you were stressed and I ignored it. I failed as your sister and your best friend."

I kiss her knuckles. I knew she wasn't sleeping well. I heard her stressed murmurs in her sleep and saw the bags under her eyes but I didn't want to acknowledge it. I also knew she wasn't one to lie, so her secret must have been big. I sigh, placing her knuckles on my forehead and silently pray for her recovery. I swore when she woke up we'd talk about everything, no matter what. She needed to know she could tell me anything, even if that meant lying to the boys.

My eyes open when the wind hits my back, blowing my ponytail across my face. I don't move, only raising my eyes to see the shadow of the now open window against the setting sun. I feel my heart beating, that cold sweat runs down my neck.

"Are you going to behave?" At his voice, I turn, seeing one of the convicts, Doyle, leaning against the window frame. I take in his muscular form, strong confident stance and sure eyes. His lips curl into a hint of a smirk when I stand before Sophia. "I mean you could always call for help, your boyfriend must be around somewhere."

"And risk a blood bath?"

This time he smiles "Are you implying you will fight me then?"

"It might be dumb but I have a feeling you're not here to fight." My confidence grows in his silence but my heart jumps when he moves, walking over to the bed "You care about her."

"Let's not overstate things."

I move to the end of the bed, placing a hand on her feet. Having him so close was messing with my senses but I couldn't miss the way Sophia jolts then relaxes at his touch. His blood lust made me shiver. "Can you help her?"

His eyes snap up to me and I feel my stomach drop "Are you saying you trust me?"

This time my eyes narrow "Let's not overstate things." Doyle smirks, moving some hair off her face and I force my anger and any stupid thoughts away "If you can help her..."

"You'll what?" Doyle grins, amusement layered in his voice "You'll let me take her? Is she my prize?" his eyes flicker to me "Are you?"

I swallow roughly, feeling his blood lust spiking once more and try to force my legs to stop shaking "Can you help her or not?"

My voice doesn't sound nearly as convincing as I wanted.

Doyle shifts, looking down at Sophia again, his movements to tender for someone of his history "I have before," I knew it! "But taking her now would cause problems. Your boyfriends are always lingering and I doubt Kaoru Hanayama the legendary street brawler will let his queen go quietly."

I look at the floor knowing he right and feel my eyes shifting to Sophia "... How much time?"

"What?" Doyle muses.

I shut my eyes, remembering what I'd promised her moments before and steel my resolve.

"How much time do you need?" I swallow, balling my fists "I don't like lying but I will do what I need to to help Sophia."

I wanted to rip his blood-soaked fingers off her body, my scared mind imagining trails of blood smearing down her skin.

"Three days. Three days should be enough."

I swallow roughly and nod as he walks around the bed.

"...So what happens now?"

He turns to me with a predatory grin, following my movements around the bed. I feel my back hit the wall and gasp, forcing my shaking hands to grip onto my skirt. He was so close, I could smell aftershave and cigarette smoke, the smell made my stomach turn and I fight every nerve in my body to not push him away.

"Now?" he smiles, lifting a hand to me slowly "Now you sleep."

..

..

"Kozue. Kozue!" I gasp, sitting up suddenly.

Instead of a team full of doctors, there's only Kureha standing above me. His fast reflexes are the only thing at stops our head-on collision, his hands steady my shaking frame and only move when my eyes flicker from them to him. Unfortunately, gravity catches up with me and I groan as the room starts spinning.

"Kozue."

"Kozue, what happened?"

I hear both Baki and Kaoru, worry laced in each of their voices but my mind only focuses on one.

Three days. Three days should be enough.

I steady my breathing, removing the plastic mask giving me air off my face and run my hands through my messy hair. I wasn't sure if I had lost it when Doyle left or in the struggle to revive me, yet for all the trouble I wasn't in any pain. Doyle's hand moved towards my face then... darkness.

"Kozue, can you follow the light?" I blink, flinching back at the sudden brightness.

Baki was standing to the side of the bed, his fingers hovering just beside mine and Kaoru was hovering behind him like a second shadow. Both were watching me like a hawk and I felt my heart jump slightly.

"Well, she seems alright."

Kaoru clearly done with waiting moves, grabbing my hand tightly "Kozue, where's Sophia?"

(Sophia's POV)

I groan, blinking a few times. My body felt tired and heavy like I'd been sleeping for days but the oddest thing was the silence. My buzzing mind was quiet. The noise, the pain, all of it was gone. The silence continues around me, no beeping of machines or IV drops running nutrients into my body. My fingers move slightly, feeling the soft sheets under a heavier blanket. I feel the breeze on my face and with it the subtle smell of cigarette smoke, I can't help but scrunch up my nose in disgust.

"Welcome back."

I open my eyes, turning to see Doyle sitting in the bed beside me. He was leaning against the headboard in nothing but a thin pair of black boxers and a cigarette in his fingers. He blows out a thin cloud of smoke towards the ceiling and taps it off on the ashtray by the bed. The second thing I notice is our distance. I was lying in the bed, my head on his firm thigh and his fingers in my hair. I move my hands, feeling the sheet slide off my sweaty body and notice that I'm also wearing nothing but underwear. Considering I was in the hospital before the red lacy garment must have been from Doyle.

I swallow again, feeling the dry flesh burn and gladly accept the glass of water he hands me. "W-where are we?"

"At my place."

The room was large, with white walls and brown baseboards. The ceiling had boards running along it, the various directions made large squares filled with thin bamboo paper. There were a few pictures placed in the centers of the walls but the massive space surrounding them made me wonder why they bothered at all. A small Tv was in the corner of the room and the large poster bed was in the middle. This room was beyond bare, there wasn't even a cupboard for clothes only a green duffle bag tossed in the corner.

I sit up, not caring about my lack of clothes and run my hands over my face "God, I feel like I was hit by a truck... How long was I out?"

"Three days."

My hand's pause

"Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

I smack him in the chest when he blows smoke too close to my face "Gross!"

"You're boyfriend smokes."

I snatch the cigarette and squish it in the tray above him. Not caring about the distance until his hands wrap around my waist, the movements causing our bare chests to meet, my squeak of surprise only adds to my humiliation but that thought fades when Doyle shifts, pinning my body to the bed with his large frame. His eyes dark and predatory and I shutter in pleasure when his fingers run down my bare skin, igniting my flesh.

"You should thank me. I have much better things to do than lie in a bed with you."

Despite his obvious attraction, I feel myself smile, oddly feeling safe in the embrace. So much so I cock my head to the left "You know, I've never met anyone so keen on getting their ass kicked."

Doyle grins, looking down at my flesh displayed before him and moves, falling on the bed beside me with a bounce. "We both know it's a complicated subject."

When he goes to grab another cigarette, the box hidden somewhere in the bed I smack it. Doyle is fast, moving it out of my reach but I manage to break the end. Doyle looks from the now ruined smoke to me and I smile "If you wanna smoke go do it outside."

"That's pretty risky considering it's the middle of the day."

"And this is coming from a man that broke out of prison." I carefully pull my feet to the end of the bed and already know he's smirking "Do you have a bathroom in this place?"

"To your left."

I go in, pleasantly surprised it's stocked. A spare toothbrush, a brush, shampoo and conditioner, a hair drier, deodorant, and a fresh change of clothes. The relaxing shower felt nice, the toothpaste was better and when I step out in a towel I see breakfast on the bed.

..

..

"Where are you going?"

I pause, slipping on the shirt "I'm going home."

"Why?"

"Because it's my home?"

"Hasn't this little stunt only proved you should stay by my side?" When I spin staring him down he snorts "I'm not saying I'm in love with you, I mean I'm the only one that understands your mind." he steps over to me "I meant what I said in the change room. You have potential and it's been a while since I've had a promising offer."

I chuckle softly "Are you forgetting the part where you signed up for a deathmatch with my boyfriend and his friends?"

He rolls his eyes "Semantics"

This time I snort "Well what about your desire for defeat? I can't learn anything if you're stuck in the hospital or dead for that manner."

"Well, I don't plan on losing any time soon."

I smile, zipping up the smaller jean jacket as I finish the walk to the door "Goodbye Doyle."

"Wait." His voice was firm and I pause, hand on the door. I hear a small thunk and something scraping along the floor and jump slightly when it hits my foot. It was a small disposable flip phone. "There's one number. Call me before it gets that bad, we can rest here."

I now hold the phone in my hands and smile softly "Thank you, Doyle."

(Doyle's POV)

Sophia slides the small phone into her pocket with a smile and I roll my eyes.

"I don't understand why you're so attached to them?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your friends, if you can even call them that."

"They aren't friends, they're my family."

"Oh like that makes it better."

Sophia crosses her arms, leaning against the wall "Like I told my boyfriend, your not the only person in my life Doyle."

"True, but I'm the only person in your life that's being honest with you." at this she pauses. Seeing as I had her attention, I strike up another cigarette and take a drag "I paid a visit to your boyfriend's office yesterday. It was late so no one was there but the cleaning staff." I blow out a small cloud of smoke "I was trying to figure out what you liked about him and I might have done a bit of digging."

"What are you talking about?" Sophia was clearly getting worried.

"Most of its honest work don't get me wrong, but I did find something unusual in the bottom draw. Under the older folders and paper clips." I move to the counter, pulling out the thick red binder full of papers "It seems your boyfriend was also doing some digging, found a lot of interesting stuff on your old man."

I see her straighten "So? I asked him to look into my father, that's not shocking."

"Yes, that's true but I'm wondering if you know what happened next?" her hesitating caused me to smile and I open the folder to the last pages "Aren't you a little curious?" I slide the folder across the floor to her feet but Sophia doesn't move and I shrug "You can take it or not, I don't really care I am just a death row inmate" I take a drag and exhale "but I think people should know who they're dealing with..."

Hey guys, this is the end of book one. I hope you liked it, please check out the next installment of the story in book two!