It’s been three days lying in the hospital bed like a useless body being injected medicines except everytime the cruel sting helped me realise more of my animated self.
The door latched upon introducing the one man I was not intending to encounter at the moment where the situation was gravel enough enhanced by my crippled body.
His presence paraded confidence regardless of the calm and relaxed demeanour. The room was weirdly still and silent. His feet hit the concrete with each step firm and distinct.
“Barmaid.” It was barely an acknowledgement but a playful mockery.
He took a seat on the bedside stool looking mighty on the small object. I flashed him an disingenuous smile.
“Human.”
If he was amused, his expertly carved face didn’t reflect any. “I see you’ve recovered well.”
“Thanks to the almighty.” I interjected with plain sarcasm. The miniscule amount of glint in his eye told me he was enjoying this little conversation.
“You flatter me.” He chuckled and I swooned.
Earlier my very own Mother Teresa had told me how the one man I had no trust upon had been the sole reason I have been alive. Apparently, Eva had caused quite a commotion in the bar after receiving my explosive yet unanswering call. Her terror striken ass on Walsh’s voice swerved to the dragon in need of some aid. And the unmistakably sympathetic Mafias mused upon her worries and found me in the roadside crashed like a deer bruised and helpless crying for succour.
How very sweet of them!
“I would like to talk to you about something important.” His lip was stiff suddenly wearing a blank expression.
I looked at him with a hint of confusion and interest. If you have never known or never been acquainted with the Mafia, you’ll believe their empathy was undeniably kind and benevolent.
What a blatant and well performed act.
No sarcasm there, I swear.
For a moment, I was also thrown by the fact that I was saved by the murderer himself. But I was no ordinary person. I knew the dark world well enough to realise how this tragic circumstance the Irish a*sh*le had put me into had resulted into an absolute unwanted situation for me. Everything here came with a price. And I was about to deal with one.
This man sitting right here owning this place like I didn’t exist made me feel more disabled and powerless even as just a general being.
“Must be important enough that you’ve decided to visit me yourself the day I got better.” I remarked, the bitterness naturally flowing.
His placid eyes were blank for a long minute, clearly staring at mine trying to read the reason behind my inexplicable sharp tone.
I broke the stare and turned away to the glass window where the sun was slowly meeting the horizon painting the sky bright red.
“Can you tell me over a walk?” I blurted surprising my own ears.
He didn’t look away. His gaze intently boring me. I didn’t like the way my heart fluttered under his stare.
“Do you mind?” I asked.
He took a moment to tear away his gaze looking oddly disturbed.
“Are you sure you can walk?”
“I mean look at the weather.” I motioned at the window where the expanding sky was changing colour from pink to red.
He nodded unmoved but waited for me as I limped to the washroom and changed into a top and midi lilac skirt. The colour looked bright on my wheatish tone but the flared pleats made it comfortable for me to walk with the recovering wound. I did want to spend time with this man, not like a long walk in the moonlight thing but to get to know him as a person and to find out as tiny information as I could. It was evident even that was going to be very tough. But I needed to take forward the plan. More than a week had been wasted anyway. A walk wasn’t going to hurt anyone.
Stefano doubtfully looked at my wobbly stride as I wore the flats and crossed him. I turned around my head to look at him. “Catch me if I fall.”
It was dark outside and people had already started heading home. The street was illuminated by the lamppost which cast a beam of light in the thin layer of mist. A wave of wind would blew frequently. Winter was coming. I realised I should have bought a jacket. I wrapped my hands around my arms and rubbed it while looking ahead at the road. The still canal shone beautifully reflecting the lights from the shops and restaurants at its each side. Somewhere, someone was playing a soft instrument which seemed ethereal.
I noticed Stefano taking smaller steps to match mine. He managed a step behind me for my dislike. He might be the man of my yet to be accomplished mission but I was a woman who liked a good or so to say s*xy view. My assignment was not at all ugly or boring unlike others’.
I slowed my pace to match his disturbingly slower steps which he noticed and an undeniably beautiful smile crept on his face albeit very very small. Soon we were strolling at the bridge over the canal with an equal steady pace. He held my arm providing support as we walked. I did not like the idea but my arm loving the warmth it brought inched closer to him.
No words were spoken since we came out of the hospital. He was calm and reserved. Certain to not trust me. I stared vacantly at a distant when we stopped by the bridge. He was intently looking at me when I turned around as if disturbed by an inexplicable question. His eyes did not waver as his hands reached the tendrils of my hair slowly tucking them behind my ears. He was trying to read me. I decidedly clouded it with nihility and instead searched his relentlessly cold ones. His were however like a widely expanding ocean drowning me deeply into it yet promising me tranquility. Solemn yet calming; Dangerous yet peaceful.
He drew back his hand as if suddenly disliking the moment perhaps built in a vagary. Or maybe he just didn’t want to get pulled in this maze I was creating.
We both turned away bothered and discomfit. An awkward silence heavily settled in between us. The soft music at a distant was the only thing audible.
He took out a cigarette and looked at me asking for my permission before lighting it. “I want you to work for me.” He exhaled the smoke in the thickening fog.
“Excuse me?” My feminist ass replied completely baffled by his bluntness.
“I will pay you.” He added nonchalantly as if it didn’t matter what I had to say.
“Ex-cu-se Me?” I repeated in utter anguish.
“If you are suggesting what I am thinking, you are completely-
I couldn’t finish the sentence when his icy cold eyes stopped me with a glare. The calmness in his husky voice screamed trouble. “And what are you thinking?”
The question suddenly embarassed me. I felt ablaze as he lifted his hand to feel the heat that had rushed to my cheeks. I was at a loss of words. I felt tongue tied when I realised he was actually not suggesting what I thought he was.
Clearly comprehending my unspoken words he finished with a blank face. “If I am right-” he paused to emphasise what came next “-then you are completely delusional.” His words stung harshly.
His thumb carelessly caressed my burning cheeks as if draping a cold cloth around the burnt. I didn’t let him see how his words bite me. Instead, I removed his hand from my face and weighed it in my hands. I gently grazed my thumb on his wrist keeping his eyes engaged on me. Bringing it closer to my lips I kissed where the sentient nerves worked. My thumb pressed on his palm unknotting his reserved self and my tongue flicked to the right and left at the centre; planting an open mouthed kiss. I could feel him getting tensed.
“Mm-hmm.” I hummed fixing my resolute eyes on him and gently took his each fingers into my mouth and licked them. My tongue swirled around the tip all the while holding his lustful stare and sucked it in, making sure he felt the pressure. His breath wavered slightly, almost unobservable. I softly scraped the fingetips and nibbed it; making sure my skilful tongue left the rest to his imagination.
I could see the bulge in front of his pants. I stared at it not wishing to hide the building desire and noticed him shifting under my stare.
“Delusional you say?”
I took a step closer yet not touching him. He didn’t stop me. His gray eyes watched me as I licked my bottom lip sensually before bobbing on his finger and nibbing the edge.
He didn’t let me watch him edging vulnerability, snaking his hand on my waist and pulling me closer. The cigarette between his fingers burnt away in the strokes of cold air. His jaw ticked; his hard-on evident. It was undeniably clear that I had etched on his head on how beautifully I could pleasure him. I grazed my body very slowly to his and the egregious appendage made him shift. Leaning closer to his ears, I said the immensely gratifying two words. “So not.”
His earlier cold fingers in the chill were warm when I released it. I blew a kiss on the tip and sneaked my hands to his pocket taking out the neatly folded handkerchief only to wipe the long digits panifully slow.
My sweet revenge. That was your lesson mister. Two can play the game.
“What else do you want me to do?” My voice came out hoarse and I internally killed myself when a smirk crept on his face. If only I was not turned on.
“Careful there beautiful. It’s a dangerous territory you are stepping in.” He warned yet the lust in his eyes were blatant and obvious.
“You owe me a heartful welcome then.” I wiped the last digit and let myself loose from his warm proximity.
I could see how his lips slightly twitched but he let go of the moment glancing at his watch as if he had to attend something urgent. “Can you cook?”
No. But I didn’t want to kill the offer that had walked to me with a purpose. So I lied.
“I can but-“
“Any knowledge about babies?”
Well, Growing up watching Anna take care of me with the littlest of thing had taught me a lot about taking care of myself. But I was no nanny.
“I am sure I can lear-“
“Okay be there tomorrow; at sharp 9.” He sticked out a card which looked like a home address.
“I want you to work as a caretaker.”
I stared at him puzzled and confused. Caretaker for whom? As if reading my mind, he replied. “A pregnant woman.”
To say it took me by surprise would be an understatement. For as far as I knew, he was single and unmarried. Well I knew until now!
***
A/N- As promised, an early update. Who knew I could have done that lol.
I know we needed some Stefano and Myra moments. Tell me what do you think about the chapter.
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Until next time. XOXO.