“We would be visiting Enzo Carrao tomorrow.”
Roberto spoke as he walked to his room. They got to his flat in Southampton quite early.
Enzo Carrao happened to work with Roberto’s father when he was alive. He wasn’t one of the good ones, and Roberto was going to discipline him for that.
“Yes, sir. I will take her to one of the rooms.”
Vincenzo carried Martina in his hands because she slept off while they were driving down to the house. Roberto instructed him to carry her out of the car.
“Put her in that room.”
Roberto pointed to the room that was next to his.
Vincenzo nodded and walked into the room. He managed to switch on the lights without dropping her.
He walked to the bed and laid her carefully on the bed. He lifted the duvet and tucked her in.
Her scattered hair covered her face as he laid her. Vincenzo moved his hand to her face slowly, and he adjusted her hair so that he could see her face.
He heaved a sigh and stared at her face. She looked so calm and beautiful as she slept. She was like a baby.
He traced his finger on the side of the face, and a smile crept up his face.
He gazed at her symmetrical and full lips, he loved the way they looked.
He lowered his head to hers slowly, his eyes were glued to her lips.
His face was a few inches away from hers when he heard someone approach the door.
He sprang up from the bed and pretended to keep tucking her in.
The door opened, and Roberto walked in, in his cotton night robe. The robe extended to his knees.
“She didn’t wake up at all?”
“No, sir. She must be very tired because of the long journey.”
Vincenzo moved away from the bed and walked to the door where Roberto was.
“Has she eaten anything?”
Vincenzo furrowed his brows after hearing his question. Martina was with him through the journey, and Vincenzo believed he had the answer to his question with him.
“Not yet sir.”
“Get something for her to eat. When she is awake, make sure she eats something.”
Vincenzo lowered his head showing consent to what Roberto said.
Roberto took one last look at Martina, and he turned to walk out of the room.
Vincenzo looked at her too. He switched off the light and walked out of the room. He closed the door behind him and shuffled down the hallway. He felt so exhausted, but he wasn’t going to sleep, not until he got dinner for Martina.
He sat in the living room and placed an order for the Magic Bowl, a Chinese-Mauritian dish that is a special stir fry finished with a fried egg on top.
Vincenzo’s mouth watered as he stared at the picture of the meal.
“Roberto would love to have this.” He thought.
He stood up from the sofa and rushed down to Roberto’s room. He got to the door and knocked on it softly.
“What would you love to eat Mr. Roberto? You haven’t eaten anything today,” He placed his ear against the door to hear his response.
The door opened all of a sudden, and Vincenzo staggered into the room.
His heart pounded against his chest as he almost fell. He quickly regained his balance and gulped hard.
He looked at Roberto who stood at the door and he saw he had a stern look on his face.
“I’m so sorry sir. I wanted to show you the picture of this meal, that is why I was at the door. I wanted to be sure you would love to take it before I placed an order.”
Roberto looked at his phone and checked out the dish he was talking about.
“Are you getting this for her too?”
“Yes, sir. I believe she is going to love it.”
“Place the order. When it arrives, let me know. I would use the dining table tonight.”
“Yes, sir.”
Vincenzo proceeded to the door with his head bowed and walked out. He turned to look at Roberto and gave another bow. Roberto slammed the door in his face, and he jumped in fright.
He exhaled and began to place the orders as he walked to the living room again.
***
One of Roberto’s men walked up to the sofa where Vincenzo laid. He was fast asleep before the order arrived.
“Vincenzo, the package is here.”
He placed the bag on the center table and tapped him on the leg.
Vincenzo opened his eyes, and when he saw the man, he sat up quickly.
“Thank you.”
The man left, and Vincenzo carried the bag of food on the center table to the dining table.
He removed the three disposable plates that were used to package the meal from the large bag and placed them on the table.
He rushed down to Roberto’s room again.
“The meal is here, Mr. Roberto. I have placed it on the dining table.”
He stood far away from the door this time. He wasn’t going to let the same thing happen again.
Roberto opened the door and walked out. He wore brown fluffy slippers and dragged his feet on the polished wood floors.
He got to the dining room and sat on the chair. He pulled the plate closer, and before he ate, he looked at Vincenzo.
“Wake her up. She would eat here.”
Vincenzo reacted shockingly to Roberto’s order.
It was a weird order, and it left Vincenzo wondering what exactly was going on with his boss. He had never allowed anyone to sit at his dining table with him.
“You want her to sit with you at the dining table?”
“Don’t question me, Vincenzo! Go fetch her.”
Vincenzo gulped hard and rushed to get Martina.
A smirk crept up on Roberto’s face as Vincenzo was out of sight. His favorite hobby at this point was to annoy her.
And this was because he wanted to see how long she was going to confront him.
Vincenzo got to the room Martina was. He opened the door, switched on the lights, and walked up to her. He sat on the bed and gazed at her face.
She was still asleep.
“Martina.”
He tapped her softly on the arm. She exhaled loudly, and she turned to lay on her side.
Her buttocks brushed Vincenzo’s hand slightly as she turned and continued sleeping.
He swallowed his saliva and looked at his hand where her buttocks brushed.
“Martina.”
He tapped her again, trying to distract himself from looking at her body.
“Hmm.”
She moaned and opened her eyes slightly.
“Dinner is served. Come and eat.”
“What?” She asked in a low tone, trying to sit up.
She looked around her and saw an unfamiliar room.
“Where am I?”
She rubbed her eyes with her finger as she spoke.
“Mr. Roberto’s house in Southampton. Come, let’s eat.”
He held her by the hand and helped her out of bed.
She hauled her feet on the polished wood floors, following Vincenzo. She moved her messy hair from her face, so she could see properly.
She wasn’t fully awake.
They got to the dining room, and Roberto gazed at her. She was in the same clothes she wore two days ago before they left for the hospital.
Her eyes cleared, and she saw Roberto in front of her.
Her eyes widened, and she looked at Vincenzo, who held her. She yanked her hands from him and moved backward.
“What do you want from me?”
Her voice was shaky, and this made Roberto scoff.
“Sit. You should eat.”
“I never asked you to feed me, Roberto. Can’t you just let me be?”
“No, I can’t. Now sit and eat something. You would need your stamina for tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? What is happening tomorrow?”
Roberto looked at his food with a filthy smirk on his face, and Vincenzo understood what he meant.
“Not again Mr. Roberto,” Vincenzo said inwardly, with a sad look on his face.