*Bruno*
The time I spent with Lucia last night felt like a dream. I had craved her and rushed home. When I pulled her in for a kiss, I expected her to refuse. I knew she would push me off, but I half expected her to give in, and slowly, she drifted lost. A slight grin adorned my lips. I toss the lighter in my hand, opening and closing it. I had just finished walking around the bar. I kept turning around on the chair in front of my desk.
I wanted to spend time with Lucia.
She drove me insane. I left her room early this morning. She would be a little embarrassed when she woke up, and I didn’t want to worsen it, not that I would not want to see her red like a tomato, though. I turned around and kept the lighter on the table with a light thud. I tried to push the thought of Lucia away from my mind, but I had to. But I couldn’t.
I felt she had me wrapped around her fingers, though she had no idea about it. I will see her later. Maybe she would allow me to hold her. Perhaps she craves my touch and kisses as much as I crave hers. My eyes moved to the door when I heard a knock. I didn’t respond immediately. When I invited whoever it was in, they entered slowly.
Two men stepped inside.
One of the men had blood all around his body. His hands were tied with thick ropes. I gazed at him, moving my eyes up and down his body. He was unable to meet my gaze. He was forced to kneel by the man who brought him in. His black shirt stuck to his body, and his hair was covered in dirt. I moved my eyes to the man next to him. Hoping he would start speaking before I got fed up with the sight in front of me.
He took the clue immediately and started to speak. “He is the man that stole three bars of gold from the treasures the last time,” his voice was deep and husky. One side of my lips pulled to the side. Oh wow. I had almost forgotten about this little rat. “He was about to escape from the city when we caught him,” the man spoke. There was a little crack in his voice, as if something was stuck in his throat.
Sunlight streamed into the room from the window on the side. From the corner of my eyes, I could see the curtain dancing in the breeze through the window. “And why did it take a long time to get him?” I asked. I remembered that and was informed about this little rat three days ago, “you mean you took three whole days to get him?” I spoke in a harsh voice, and he bowed his head. He didn’t dare to meet my eyes or make excuses; that would only make him take a place next to the thief.
“Did you think you could run away from me, Martins?” I asked. His lips shook violently. He wanted to say something but didn’t seem to have the courage to speak. I turned left and right on my chair. “You are one bold man,” I complimented him. He deserved one.
I picked the dagger that lay on the side of my table.
Martins tried to cradle on the floor when he saw me holding the darger and twisting it in my hands, but the other man held him back. I squinted my eyes briefly, wondering how he planned to crawl with both hands tied. “I’m sorry, I had to feed my family. My mother was sick and needed the money. Please give me another chance. I promise not to steal from you again,” I scoffed. He was one hell of a dramatic man.
“You know what came with stealing from me, Martins. There is never a second chance with me. You had your chance and decided to blow it off. You shouldn’t blame me now,” I said, my voice cold and intimidating. I was not one to give second chances because I hated stealing.
“It was my family…” he began looking at me as he had raised his head. “My mother was…” I threw the dagger I was holding, and it grazed his skin before hitting the table behind him. Blood rushed out from the line on his face where the knife had passed. He groaned. He had not expected that. “Do I look like I care about your motherfucking family? That’s not enough reason to steal from me,” I said, emphasizing how serious I was.
Martins had been one of my trusted men. I had entrusted most of my valuables to him, only for him to steal from my gold, and the fact that he expects to be forgiven is hilarious. He fell face down again.
I wanted to end this quickly.
It was no longer funny. “Boss, I promise,” he paused to catch his breath. “I have been faithful to you all my life, please for the sake of my faithfulness, please let me…” I banged the table furiously. The table vibrated. Martins flinched and stopped speaking immediately.
“You want to tell me what to do now?” I asked. He raised his head and shook it violently. “I… I would never dare,” he said. I turned to look at the man next to him, who stood like a statue and moved when he had to hold Martins down. I moved my eyes away from him and settled them on Martins.
I was not one to forgive. I would never spare a life because of some few words. Martin’s lips shook as he kept muttering inaudible pleas. “Take him away,” I said to the guy behind him. He bowed and began dragging Martin’s out.
Martins knew what was next. He pleaded as he left, but I wasn’t having it. He should have known that stealing from me would cost him his life. He should be grateful that I didn’t include his family and would only take his.
Immediately after they left, my phone rang. I picked it up and placed it on my ear. I have never heard Rave speak with so much fear in his voice. His words were missed with his breath, and I almost couldn’t make out what he was saying. “Calm down and speak softly,” I told him. He took a deep breath.
“Now what’s wrong?” I asked him.
My brows widened immediately, and he told me what was wrong. Lucia was gone. I banged the table in front of me and stood up. “What do you mean you can’t find her?” I asked. He had taken her out of the house without my consent, and Lucia had run away. I clenched my fist. I wanted to hit something badly. I would surely deal with Rave, but I must find her now.
“Where are you?… Mall?… Alright…. Have it closed down this minute. Block all exist… it’s either you find Lucia or lose your head,” I hung up immediately and threw my phone on the table. My stomach boiled in anger.
I stepped out of the room.
I took significant strides to the underground car parking. I had given orders to the men to find her. I don’t care if they turned the City over; I must find Lucia. I was about to step into the car when I heard a shoe clicking sharply on the floor. I turned to see Natasha.
I had no time to entertain her, and despite all the signs she gave me to wait for her, I stepped into the car. She moved to stand in front of the car, trying to block me from leaving. I closed my eyes. It took me all I had not to run over her. I brought my head out through the window. “Move away,” I ordered, but she stubbornly remained there.
“Not until you explain why you left me in the middle of being fucked yesterday,” she said. She spread her hands wide open. You can’t blame me for igniting the car and preparing to drive. I was in the middle of something more important and had no strength to explain.
“Fine,” I said and sat down with my eyes fixed on the road.
I held the steering tightly and drove forward at full speed. She jumped off the road and fell to the side. I made a mental note to remind her of her place since she seems to forget. I called Rave as I drove to the mall. I sped past many cars and didn’t wait for the traffic light to turn green. I wasn’t a patient man.
I called Rave as I drove. The call connected after a few rings. “Has she been found?” I asked only to receive a negative response. I gritted my teeth. I wished I had placed a tracker or something on her. It would have been easy to trace her. “I’ve had the
CCTV camera checked,” Rave said, “I’ll let you know about the response we get,” I hung up.
I took a sharp bend. I could feel my heart in my throat. I have never been so afraid of losing someone in my entire life. I horned madly at the car in front of me, “Move your motherfucking cartoned away from the road,” I yelled at him, sticking my head out of the window before bringing it back.
The driver muttered some words, but I was too worried to hear him.
He moved his car to the side, and I sped past him. When I got to the mall, I saw Rave standing outside. He was giving instructions to some men. They nodded and left. He walked towards me. I glared at him. His steps were unsteady. Fear was written in his eyes, but I could care less.
“I’m sorry, Bruno, I didn’t know she would run away,” he apologized, but I wasn’t here to receive his apology.
“Where is the manager? What’s the update?” I asked, walking into the mall. Rave tried to keep up with my hurried steps. I walked into the mall, heading into the manager’s office. The mall was empty. I pushed the door open to find a skinny-looking man sitting behind the chair in the office.
On the desk was his name, “Jean Hope,” he wore a round-trimmed glass in the bridge of his nose. On the side of the table were files which were neatly arranged.
He stood up immediately when he saw me.
I sat behind the screen at the table. “How do you explain yourself? I lost someone in this mall,” I said. He shivered in fear. He kept putting one hand on the top of the other to stop it from shaking. His head bowed deeper and deeper and feared that he would break his neck before he had the chance to speak.
“I have men looking for her already. She would be found soon,” he said.
“You think your men are more capable than mine?” I asked him. He held my eyes briefly before turning away. He shook his head, “I wouldn’t dare,” I turned around. I closed my eyes, inhaling the scent of breath. Where could Lucia be? There was a knock on the door, and when it was pushed open, one of my men walked in. I turned around sharply. He paused for a while to steady his breath. “Speak,” I commanded. He could catch his breath later. I needed to know where Lucia is right now.
“We’ve found her,” he said. My eyes widened, and I stood up. A wave of relief washed over me.
“Where is she?”
“King’s Hotel,”
“Gather the men; we head over there this instant.”