the next chapters will delay

song:
Damage by teflon sega

I SWIVEL THE CAR moving in a known direction. I look beside me where Aristide is lying down unconscious. A tiny cottage appears and I sigh in relief.

I press the break as soon as our car is near the sight. I quickly open my side and then open Aristide's door. I pick him up, weighing half of his weight on mine. I sling his hand over my shoulder and drag him towards the cottage.

I knock at the door five times indicating a pattern to which the owner gets to know it's me. The door opens slowly and when the owner gets to know it's me, he quickly opens the door wide enough to let both of us enter.

"Sorry to disturb you, Marco." He bows down and stands up shaking his head with a small smile plastered on his wrinkled face.

Even if he is old enough, he portrayed a great role in wars held in the underworld. Thankfully, we seem to be on his good side, and all thanks to my father who managed to play a vital role in Marco's life saving his lovely wife, Zendaya.

"Who is there, Marco?" The sweet voice is none other than Zendaya as she quietly walks toward us. I smile at her.

"Hello, Zendaya." Her eyes widen and she practically rushes toward me hugging me tightly. I chuckle at her motherly-like nature and pull back. Her eyes then shift towards Aristide and she raises her brows in question.

"Zendaya, this is Aristide. We got to save Molly, the daughter of Ivanov's family but during that time he got shot instead of me." I mumble slowly as Marco walks ahead indicating I to follow his trail.

I drag him and finally reach the corner side of the hallway as Marco opens the door of the room. "Come inside." I nod my head at myself and walk inside more like stretching the nonsense extra kg along with me.

Finally dumping Aristide, I release a breath and do a few stretching of my hips.

"Is the bullet inside?" I shake my head.

"No, the bullet just touched his waist but I think he is unconscious due to fatigue," I reply to him.

"Isn't that something worse done by them?" I turn back to acknowledge Zandaya, smiling sadly at her.

"New generations upgraded human's mind and soul into something unworthy. We run after materialistic gifts and love and fall in love after watching the pros and cons. This period may have been updated with technologies but their heart is sealed."

"Just like you?" I chuckle dryly.

"I expected to love but never got that. So, I guess it's better not to expect anything extra this time too." She smiles sadly at me and looks behind me.

"Maybe it's your time to open your heart." I sigh.

"Marco, can you bring a first aid box?"

"Sì, capo." With that, he walks out leaving three of us.

"Zendaya, do know that I am cursed not to have love in my life. So, next time I request you more like beg you not to reopen this topic. Please."

She quickly nods her head wiping trails of tears that mounted her brim.

"Capo." While Marco speaks less, Zendaya is the exact opposite. She runs while he chases. She laughs while he scowls. She cries while he remains passive. But both of their heartbeats are the same, same for one another. Another love story. I envy these stories and books related to these platforms.

No one can show the pain we suffer yet I still crave like a pussy reading books after books like condolence for my heart.

I take the first aid box and ask Zendaya to warm up a pot of water and bring me a cold glass of water. I sit down near Aristide while Marco goes out to close all the shutters and act like a damn innocent bastard. I tell him to give me any old dress that suits this six feet giant and he is on his way to do the job.

I unbutton his shirt and threw it aside, then I slowly open the flyer pulling down the jeans which got stuck at my ankles. I remove his shoes and socks and later pull the pant fully.

I eye the injury and sigh tiredly. Zendaya arrives with a glass of water and places it beside the table near the bed.

"Kindly do bring me a cloth to cleanse him."

"Sure, dear." She walks around and opens a part of the window and I take a breath like a beggar for his meal.

"Thanks, Zendaya."

"No problem dear. Be right back." I nod my head. I walk toward the mirror placed right in between the room and start to pull the prosthetic that I used earlier. I wince in pain when the earlier shots of the wound surfaced on my face.

I fist my hand around my shirt while pulling extra skin from my nose. "Fanculo." I hiss as the pain gets doubled. My face looks like a lump of red meat ready to be served when boiled.

"Cate-" I turn back smiling at Zendaya and thank her for bringing a bowl of warm water and cloth.

"Y-Your face, dear." I shrug and sit down to wet the cloth before pressing near the wounded region. "I will be okay," I respond.

"Oh, dear. Wait, let me go and make a cup of tea for you." I smile at her and bob my head before returning to cleanse the area.

I open the lid of the box in search of the contents. I uncap the bottle of antiseptic liquid dipping it onto cotton pads and slowly dabbing over the region. I throw the red-colored cotton behind me and fish out wrapping a gauge around his waist.

Finally, I acknowledge tattoos littered around his beige skin. Being fair and the combination of dark colors do suit him well. I touch a certain one which is hidden by his boxer but its tail was shown. I fold the waistband to get a proper view of the artistic drawings and chuckle lowly when I get to see he has freedom of flight.

I want to mock him for certain choices of decisions he makes sometimes. I furrow my brows as I concentrate on putting ointment on my face. Thoughts of his earlier actions don't sit well. I thought of telling him that his mother's new apartment will be near our location but the look on his face was like a slap to my actions.

I patiently look through my right eye as my left one is swollen red. I sigh walking towards the known direction of the kitchen. The hall is deadly silent but I am on high alert. My fingers securely snake around blades while proceeding to the kitchen area.

I open the fridge and pulled out ice cubes and fold them tightly on my shirt. "Zendaya."

I call her and she comes along with a mini box. " Sorry. I was bringing the injection." I shake my head offering a small smile.

"It's okay. I just want clothes from you if you don't mind." She grimaces slightly looking at my face nonetheless she smiles at me.

"I already kept your clothes in the room." I thank her and we both head to the guest room.

"Thank God, you informed Marco about your arrival, or else he won't have bought the doses." I nod my head wrapping the end of my dress with the ice cubes and making a proper knot.

"You inject him and let me go to the bathroom," I say.

"Oh, dear. Marco went inside and you know how long my man takes."

"So, where can I change my dress?" She looks skeptically around the room and then her eyes brighten telling me she got some nonsense idea.

"Wait. Give me a minute." I nod my head pulling my top out from my body and pressing the ice cubes on my swollen eyes.

"Fuck." I hiss knowing that I pressed the area too tightly. I slowly dab the region and later put in the ointment.

"Caterina, here you can change." I turn back and shriek.

There is a brown-colored plain bed sheet that she hung tying one side with a hook and the other one a circular hoop attached near the door frame. "Are you serious?" I ask her and she nods her head smiling at me.

I guess I am always right, she sprouts her nonsense idea. "You have nowhere to go so I guess it's the only measure to be taken."

"Bu-"

"No buts. Use this method or remove your dress without any made wall."

I huff folding my arms and looking at her. She shakes her head smiling at me and walks to Aristide giving him the dose. Finally, when she does her work she walks away not before informing me about the dinner.

I sigh closing the door and looking at the so-called bed sheet wall. I take the maxi dress and slowly peel off my built-in bra and then the sports bra and finally the pants. I wince placing the wet cloth on my wounded region and then applying the same gel to my abdomen.

A new set of numbness is added to my list. I blow out a breath and slowly put on a new set of bralettes and panties and the maxi dress she got for me. I shook my head grunting as I look at the pink color of my dress.

"Who the fuck puts a bow between the neckline?" I want to tear it apart but hold my temper in check and pull down the bedsheet folding it neatly. Just when I am about to walk out, someone coughs behind me.

I turn back startled but then sigh in relief. It was Aristide only. My eyes widen and snap my head to look at him.

"You awake?" He shrugs groaning slightly as he lifts his upper body a little to suit himself.

"Did you have your meal before going out with me?" He flinches back looking at me with those dark blank eyes.

"No." I hum in response.

"You rest for some time. I am going to bring your dinner here. I hope you can feed yourself well." He nods his head and I walk out.

I hug Zendaya and she smiles back turning to look at me with a sight of adoration. No one knew, that my father was the one who kidnapped her and let her stay beside the adjacent jail mine.

We talked and chat for a few hours and those were the memorable ones. She watched me getting punished while I watched her getting poorly beaten but we promised to each other to act like we don't know each other.

Even father never knew I was right behind him, watching him with those eyes he fell for his cagna. More than the dark vacant room, the prison was more like a bedroom to me.

However, soon after father got what he wanted he became the sole representative to rescue Marco's wife and since then Marco forcefully became his supporter but both Zendaya and I knew what happened there except we didn't say anything.

"Well, that's more like my position Caterina." I furrow my brows into confusion and turn to look at Marco with questioning eyes.

He understands and sighs shaking his head in dismay. "I would like to hold my wife in that position child." My mouth forms an O and immediately I release her while she laughs.

Marco is a fucking possessive old man for his age. He didn't even want females to be near his wife saying that they may be into girls. But I would comment if he would say as I am more likely to be interested in the tight tunnel, not a losing one.

"Dear the dinner is ready. Come and sit." Zendaya eyes a nearby chair for me to sit. I smile at her thanking her but then remembered Aristide not having his meal.

"Zendaya, I would like to take this to Aristide's room. He woke up from your strong dose and now he is hungry." I am about to lift my plate and offer it to him when I hear a giggling sound from the side.

I turn to look at Zendaya with raised brows. "What happened?" I ask her but she shakes her head.

"Nothing. It's just that after that injection, he is required to have liquids like soup, not rice and chicken. I made him the soup, so you, my child keep your food here and bring out the meal from the microwave, and do forget to pull it out carefully. It's still hot."

So, why is she giggling? I shrug placing the plate in its earlier position and bringing his meal to his room.

I pull a small table under the bed and stretch its legs putting it over his waist and then placing the soup bowl.

"Have the meal and then take the medicine that Zendaya will give you."

He creases his brows in question "Who is Zendaya?"

"The lady who helped you wake up from sleep, my sleeping beauty." I mock him but when I find his eyes laid on my body specifically examining it, it was more like a turn-on situation for me.

I cough lightly to snap him from his so-called penis-licking dream and he turned to the other side but I didn't miss the blush that appears on his cheeks. A certain pride consume my soul due to his eyes trained on mine but I quickly rub it off.

Just as I am about to go to feed myself he held my hand. "What?" I ask him irritatingly.

"You can at least thank me for saving your life." I chuckle coldly after listening to what he said.

I turn back glaring at him not because of his nonsense words but the sparks that invade my body just by his mere touch. I roughly snatch my hand from his hold acting like I am disgusted but that's what he gets for being my pet.

"Don't touch me without my permission." I grit. He sighs as if getting tired of my stupid acting.

"You told me you will tell me the reason behind no one knowing about my disappearance."

I fold my arms and say to him, "I guess after that you won't disturb me, will you?" He shakes his head looking down and fidgeting with the fabric of his shirt. Cute. I smirk but drop it and act like how he needs to see me, as a villain.

"Money provides everything and your department and to the news reporters too. Those who acted like they are like a fucking patriotic citizen, have been removed from the earth." I plaster a sweet at the ending and walk out not before warning him.

I look at him over my shoulder, "No need to count the number of people who are being killed for you. There will be more in the future and I will not hesitate to clean them for my good. Selfish that's what I am."

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i too need this hot woman to be beside me, not that I aren't straight but damn i am falling for my characters. how are you all? well may be the next time the updates might delay cause i haven't written anything after this chapter so i guess all you could do is wait for the updates which may be delivered a little lately.