*Bruno*
It felt nice to always see Lucia with me at the club. I made sure she was with me most of the time. I started to wonder if I made a mistake. Maybe she should have been my secretary. It wasn’t too late to make her one but I didn’t want to seem like I was ordering her around. We spent a lot of time together, alone. We made out more too. Her defense and resolve grew weaker and weaker with time. She likes me more than she thinks she does though she is too headstrong to admit this.
It was time to walk around the club for my usual inspection. I walked out, closing the door behind me. As I walked out I looked around. Taking note of everything in the hallway. When I walked out, I noticed a small crowd gathered. The music was still on but most people seemed more interested in whatever was happening there. And that was the receptionist position.
I furrowed my brows.
I walked towards the small crowd wanting to know what was going on there. I placed my hands on the shoulders of those in front of me. When they turned and saw me, they quickly moved away giving me the space I needed. Taking a few more steps, I got to the front. I stitched my eyes immediately after I saw what was in front of me.
My chest tightened in anger. She was being held roughly by a man. Her shirt was slightly torn on her chest exposing the pink bra she wore. I walked as fast I could towards the man. My hands grabbed his shirt and I pulled him, flinging him away. He fell to the side. The crowd gave way for him to fall.
They all had their eyes wide open. He was a VIP customer.
I took off my jacket quickly and wrapped it around her. “Are you alright?” I asked Lucia who was inspecting her hands. She seemed relieved to see me. Looking at the man, I felt my anger boil. Lucia shook her head. She wasn’t fine. There was a small cut on her hand. My chest heaved up and down as I turned slowly to face the man who looked puzzled not knowing what he had done. “Why did you push me like that?” He asked, careful not to raise his voice at me.
“What did you do to her?” I said through gritted teeth. He was still sitting on the floor. His eyes moved behind me to settle on Lucia and he pointed at her, “that bitch was being disrespectful. Too disrespectful, she needed a lesson and I was teaching her one.” He paused to catch his voice. His hand fell to the side.
He seemed not to notice the look in my eyes.
“You should fire her. People like her should not be allowed to work in this club. She doesn’t deserve to walk here. I want her out of this club she should not be,” he paused and raised his hand, “give me a hand first. I need to deal with her before she gets fired,” he said and I smirked.
“How about a leg?” I asked.
“Hmm?” He raised his eyes to me but before he could comprehend what was happening, I lifted my leg and kicked him hard on his chest. He fell back. His head hit the ground. He had not expected it. He held his chest. Coughing as he tried to stand up. I didn’t give him the chance to stand up fully. I walked up to him and placed my legs on his chest pressing him down. Everyone froze.
I was angry. No one dares to touch what is mine and expects to go Scott-free. That was impossible. Since he dared to lay his filthy hands on my girl, then he should also accept the repercussions of his actions with a good heart. “What are you doing Bruno?” He struggled to ask, his voice breaking as he spoke.
I pressed harder. How dare he try to speak. “Can’t you tell?” I asked him. “But I didn’t do… do. an.. this… ng wrong,” his hands were on my legs trying to push me off. But that was as impossible as Jim going off without getting punished. I pinned him to the ground completely. I didn’t want to hear him speak. “You will soon know what you did,” I said.
I removed my legs from his chest and picked him up, lifting him from the ground myself. He felt relieved but that wasn’t for long as next I landed a blow on his jaws. His head fell to the side, and two of his teeth fell off instantly. I picked him up and threw him to the side. “Which hand was it?” I asked as I got closer to him. He moved back dragging himself on the floor. “Don’t make me repeat myself,” I said, making sure he understood the meaning behind my message.
“Ok don’t know what you are_” I lifted my legs and stepped on his right hand. Something cracked. He yelled holding his hands. “You filthy bastard, you dare to touch her?” I said breathing heavily. Maybe I should cut off both hands. I kicked him in the hands again and he screamed louder. Mummering could be heard around.
I turned around, walking away from him to stand beside Lucia whose eyes were wide open. She kept her eyes on me as I approached her. I took the hand that was injured in mine blowing on it. It may be a cut out but there was no doubt it was painful. Seeing her in pain didn’t sit well with me. I wished I was the one in pain instead.
“Come with me,” I said, pulling her gently behind me as we walked away. “What are you looking at?” I shouted seeing the crowd that had gathered. They were quick to disperse. When we got inside, I led her to the sofa. She sat down. I had ordered one of my men to bring the first aid box. The door opened and he walked in with it. “You don’t need to, it’s a small scratch,” she said but I wasn’t going to listen to her.
“Bring your hand,” I said and she reluctantly placed it in mine. I cleaned the wound. It has already stopped bleeding. “Maybe I should have cut off his hands,” I paused to study her reaction. “Did he touch you?” I asked her and she shook her head slowly in reply.
I sighed. I was filled with regret.
I shouldn’t have allowed her to work there from the beginning. I shouldn’t have allowed her at first. I knew things like this would happen and I could have stopped this. “I’m sorry you have to go through this,” I said. She pulled her hands away from mine. “It’s fine. It’s not like it’s any fault of yours,” she pulled the jacket I had given her closer to herself. I couldn’t bring myself to agree with her. I felt guilty. I shook my head. There was no way I could push the fault away. No matter how I tried.
“No, I am at fault. If I didn’t tell you to work here, this would not have happened,” I paused thinking of what to say next, “I knew there were chances at things happening but still I made you do this,” I said. “I am sorry sweet girl,” I said. “I’ll right my wrong. You don’t need to work here from now on. You should continue your job as a cook and nothing more,” I had decided. I didn’t want anything like that to happen again. I had to stop it from happening and this was the best way to do so.
“I won’t be stopping,” she said and I squinted my eyes. “Why?” I asked, wanting to hear whatever reason she had. I felt she would be jubilating. It was not a hidden fact that she didn’t like the job. Though she agreed, she did it because she knew she could not reject or oppose my order. “I want to continue working here,” she says.
“Don’t tell me you fell in love with the job,” I said sarcastically. That was impossible.
“You can put it however you like,” she says, her eyes moving around. I wanted her to stop bugging me at the same time, I didn’t want to force her into doing anything I said again. I wanted her to do what she wanted. “Fine,” I agreed. “Stay here for today. Someone else would replace you,” I said. I stood up to walk away. I wasn’t done with that fool who dared to touch her. “I’ll send a new pair of clothes in a while,” I said.
“Why are you doing this?” She asked. My hands which were about to open the door paused. I turned back slowly. “Why are you suddenly being too nice and making it difficult for me to hate you?” She asked. Her eyes were so red. I was sure it took her all she had to say this. “You are being too nice,” I felt a tug in my heart as I heard her.
My mind raced. Different answers ran through my head. I cared so much about her. It was no joke or secret that I was very attracted to her. No, maybe I liked her but love, I wasn’t too sure, or was I just too scared to confess to her? I didn’t know what to say.
I stepped away from the door, about to speak when the door pushed open and Natasha walked in. Talk about bad timing. Her shoes clicked on the floor as she walked in. “What are you doing here?” I asked. Her eyes moved to look behind me. “I want to speak with you in private,” she said, her eyes still on Lucia. She kept staring at her in anger.
“As you can see I am busy right now. Let’s speak later,” I said.
My eyes moved to Lucia who didn’t seem like she wanted to end the conversation anytime. I wanted to speak to her too. This was the right time to get rid of the little hate she had left for me. “I have to speak now. Send her out,” Natasha said about walking past me but I held her back. She must think she was something. I should have long kept her in her place. “What do you think you are doing?” I asked through gritted teeth.
She freed her hands from mine. “Fine, I’ll just speak in front of her,” she says. I looked at Lucia. She kept a straight face. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking anymore. “I should leave.” She was about to stand up but I stopped her. “You aren’t going anywhere Lucia,” I said. “Give me a moment,” I said to her and I pulled Natasha out roughly.
I took her somewhere private.
“What do you think you are doing?” I asked her, a small frown on my face.
“Who is she to you? Why are you so overprotective of her?” Natasha asked me.
“Get straight to the point Natasha,” I said not wanting to listen to her spout nonsense. “I don’t think I owe you any explanation,” I reminded her of her place in case she forgot.
She fumbled with her hands. “Do you like her? You beat up a man for her. You have never done that before,” she says. I could already feel a pang of headache in the back of my head.
“You are being too clingy, Natasha. And you know what happens when anyone does this,” I said to her. Her lips were pressed away. I had barely taken two steps when I saw a hand wrapped around my waist. “I don’t want you to go to her. I don’t want you to give any other girl special treatment,” I furrowed my brows. Why was she acting like this?
“Let go of me this instant,” I ordered.
I could feel her shake her head on my back. “I can’t. I’m afraid I have fallen in love with you Bruno.”