We were all gathered in the dining room for breakfast, waiting only for Lavínia to come down.
"She's never taken this long to come for breakfast," Matador 27 commented, glancing at the hallway for the moment.
"My sister needs some time," Faruk said, drawing everyone's attention to him.
"Is she okay?" Matador 1 asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
I cleared my throat, reaching for my glass of water and drinking to quench a thirst I didn't really have.
"My sister woke up feeling unwell. She said it's because she's a little girl," Faruk laughed and looked at me. "Lavínia needs some affection today."
My body went on high alert, imagining that perhaps I'd been too rough with her last night and hurt her, even though I knew I'd never been as gentle with her as I was yesterday.
With a heavy conscience, I tossed the napkin on the table and stood up, undoing a button on my shirt because suddenly the room felt like a furnace.
"Excuse me," I said and left the room, heading upstairs to the second floor, striding down the hallway of bedrooms until I reached her door. I took a deep breath, gave a few gentle knocks, then turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, peeking through the crack. Not seeing her in bed, I didn't waste time and finally stepped inside.
Closing the door behind me, I found her sitting at the vanity, brushing her wet hair. Her sharp gaze locked onto mine.
"What are you doing here?" she asked sternly, her tone far from friendly. Someone woke up in a bad mood.
"I came to check on you. Your brother said you woke up feeling unwell," I revealed patiently, tucking my hands into my pockets and stepping closer to her.
She turned in her chair, looking at me with clear confusion and disbelief.
"You've seen me. You can leave now," she said rudely.
I closed my eyes for a few seconds, taking another deep breath to control the impulses of my savagery. For today, I didn't want to be a bastard to her.
"I'm trying to talk to you, Lavínia. I got worried when Faruk said you were feeling unwell," I explained cautiously, studying her for any sign that she might be in pain caused by me or my body.
"My brother's a gossip," she said, tossing the brush onto the vanity and standing up. Her floral scent was pleasant and satisfying to my keen sense of smell. Her room undeniably belonged to her; the lily aroma was enchanting. In there, I truly felt like I was in a blooming field or a well-tended garden. Me, a ruthless killer, in love with the scent of lilies… What a fucking mess…
I observed her slowly from head to toe, seeing her dressed in tight jeans, a thin black long-sleeve top, and Vans on her feet. She furrowed her brow, looked at me, and smiled mockingly, her tone dripping with sarcasm that pissed me off. I cleared my throat, and Lavínia shook her head, looking away as if she couldn't believe I was scrutinizing her so closely.
"Why are you laughing?" I didn't smile because I didn't find any of this shit funny. Health is a serious matter to me. "I came here because I'm genuinely worried if I caused you any harm, even though I'm absolutely certain I left you bathed, in pajamas, and sleeping like an angel." I grew irritated with her indifference.
"Faruk's already on my case, and now you're here to bug the hell out of me too?" She came up to me and poked her index finger into my chest. I analyzed her action and stared at her. "Are you losing your killer composure when it comes to me, Ângelo?" Her bold lips curved into a perfect smile. Bitch.
I grabbed her finger on my shirt and pushed it away, brushing off my shirt and heading to her mirror to fix a stray strand of my hair.
"It's normal for me to be worried about the owner of the pussy I'm fucking," I said, not bothering to look at her shocked expression. "Never heard of cock's effective responsibility toward a fine pussy?" I turned, and she blinked, crossing her arms.
"Cock's effective responsibility… does that exist in Ângelo Fontana's nameless and fantastical dictionary?"
I leaned against the vanity, picking up the perfume she was using, removing the cap, and bringing it to my nose. I inhaled. Hmm… this is where the lily scent comes from.
"Of course it does. If I'm fucking you, obviously I'm going to care about you as a woman." I looked at her, and she rolled her eyes.
"I don't care about you at all," she retorted.
"Your face doesn't even flinch, does it, dear Lavínia?" I teased, loving to see her lose patience with every jab I threw.
"What makes you think I'd care about this so-called effective sexual responsibility?"
I smiled at her lack of understanding.
"I just want to see how far this unshakable act of yours will go. Because it's obvious I hate you more than you hate me."
She touched her neck, twirling her choker.
"I noticed. It's not every day a killer shows mercy to his victim, fucks her mouth like an animal, and doesn't choke her to death in the act. So much hate in your heart, my God!"
My body went on alert.
"Was I too aggressive?" I asked, anguished. Could that be why she woke up unwell and is so upset?
"What?" She thought for a moment and immediately shook her head. "Of course not. You'd have to be born again to dislocate my jaw."
I felt relieved.
"So sassy. Let's see that sass when I fuck your ass, and you, my dear, know I'm going to fuck it."
"Sometimes it's nice to dream, isn't it?" Lavínia stepped closer, snatching her perfume from my hands, closing it forcefully, and placing it beside me on the vanity. "If you came here for sex, you hit a brick wall. I'm on those days," she confessed angrily.
Oh, so that's it. That's why the foul mood. The little bitch is growling at everyone.
Pretentiously, I slipped two fingers into each belt loop of her jeans and pulled her toward me, pressing her damn body against mine because I simply felt like it. And I missed her… or maybe it's just vanity… I don't know. I just wanted her close.
She looked into my eyes, giving me the gracious pleasure of marveling at those rare-colored eyes. Damn beautiful woman from hell!
Her delicate hands, which reminded me that last night she fulfilled my darkest libertine desire by touching my cock, holding it, and taking it in her mouth, making me come by letting me fuck her mouth as I pleased. Lavínia rested her small hands on my arms, caressing my muscles and leaving me torn between today's reality and last night's reality.
I sniffed her neck, and the little devil flinched.
"Do you need anything? I can have the housekeeper get whatever you want."
Lavínia yawned.
"No. I'm fine." She grew pensive, staring at my neck and the two unbuttoned buttons on my shirt. Hesitantly, she came to button them.
Last night, she was so quiet when I told her I was sterile. I thought she'd ask me a ton of questions, but to my surprise, she didn't. It's better that way. To explain why, I'd have to reveal a lot about myself, things that are extremely sensitive to share with just anyone.
"Yesterday, you mentioned not going to the hospital to get back on birth control. I have a team of private doctors who handle things I can't expose in a hospital to avoid attention. I'll make sure they come here to take care of your little issue," I stated, holding her chin with two fingers and encouraging her to look at me.
"I accept," she smiled.
"It wasn't a question, Lavínia. I'm ensuring they'll come to take care of what you need."
Her hands moved to my shoulders, her beautiful eyes focusing on my mouth. I placed my hands on her waist, breathing in the sweet scent of the little owl.
"So arrogant and cocky, ugh!" She made an exasperated sound in such a funny way that I ended up smiling, earning a slap on my arm from her.
"And you like it, you little creep." I quickly kissed her cheek, flushed from the cold.
"I only like what you give me. Only that." The cynic blatantly referred to my cock.
"See the cock's effective responsibility? You don't care about me, just my poor cock."
She burst out laughing.
"Crazy." She wrapped her arms around my neck, standing on her tiptoes, looking at my eyes and mouth. Then she yawned again and closed her eyes. "Oh, Ângelo. I'm dying of sleep," she revealed, and I could feel how exhausted she was. Lavínia rested her face on my shoulder.
"You need to have breakfast. Your brother's waiting for you."
"I know." She took a deep breath, sounding sleepy. "It was good last night, wasn't it?" she whispered, surprising me with the statement.
I laughed broadly and stroked her wet hair.
"It was," I admitted.
"Thanks for staying with me until I fell asleep."
"Crazy girl." I kissed the top of her head. "Why were you so defensive when I came in?"
"I thought you'd come to do it again…"
I interrupted, feeling a discomfort in my body.
"Do you think I only come here for that?" I looked at her face, searching her eyes.
She stepped back and turned away.
"What else would you want with a whore, if not just dirty sex, Ângelo? For God's sake!"
I grimaced.
"You're being a fucking pain," I cursed, furious.
"When I feel better, I'll be charming, won't I, you shitty dog?"
I blinked, thrown off by the things this crazy woman was saying.
"What?"
"Well, there's the drawer with my panties. If you want, you can throw your tantrum and use them. I recommend the thin ones. I'll need the bigger ones for the next five days." She was sarcastic and stormed out of the room, slamming the door loudly.
I stood there in shock, completely disoriented.
That's what I get for worrying about this bitch.
***
It was nighttime, and as I watched the snow fall with moderate intensity, though I'd heard on the radio that the temperature might turn it into a blizzard in a few days, I parked on the deserted, empty road and got out of my car. I walked to the right side of the road, where there was a thick layer of tangled snow. I crouched down, tempted to touch the snow, gathering a good amount of nearly imperceptible flakes formed by ice crystals. Looking up at the sky, I watched the snow fall on my face. I was in the presence of one of nature's phenomena that I loved most, because many times, when I ran away from home as a scared little boy, unwilling to return to being unjustly tortured by my miserable father, I would find myself playing in the snow after crying and begging the heavens alone to change my life and escape those circumstances. I saw myself surviving, finding reasons to keep going.
The snow reminded me of hope, and just as the day would come when the temperature could melt glaciers, I knew my heart was starting to feel hope again. I felt it more often. Something I denied being capable of feeling by ignoring my emotions.
I stood up and returned to my car, grabbing a small glass jar where I kept coins, dumped the coins into the space near the gearshift, and went back to the snow, crouching down to fill the jar with snow and sealing it shut.
Suddenly, my phone rang. Standing up, I pulled my phone from my overcoat and answered the call, heading back to the car.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Rael is at the mansion and is testing my patience. It seems a huge fucking problem came up, and guess who he's blaming?" I stayed silent, listening to Matador 27, pissed as hell. His voice carried so much anger that I could feel the killer energy from where I was through this damn call. I looked at the jar of snow, knowing exactly why he was so furious. The reason had a first and last name: Lavínia Fadel… He was liking her more than I could admit to myself. My heart raced in a way I didn't like, as if it were on high alert for some imminent danger. "Ângelo? Are you listening?"
I cleared my throat, snapping out of the trance.
"Who's he blaming?" I asked, annoyed by feeling these things related to the heart. I hate her… It's just sex… Lavínia is just sex… damn it!
"Lavínia. That son of a bitch! And she's ready to beat the shit out of him. Believe me, she's pissed because she's not in her best days," he revealed.
"Keep an eye on her and intervene if needed. I'm on my way." I ended the call, checking the time.
I couldn't believe that at 10 p.m., I had to head back home because that damn Rael was being a pain in the ass to the girl at the mansion. That bastard couldn't handle a single problem at the headquarters. Seriously?
In a hurry, I started my car and drove off. Twenty minutes later, I parked, handed the keys to my driver to store the vehicle in the garage, and entered the mansion.
"Good evening, sir," the housekeeper said, helping me remove my overcoat.
"Good evening. Take it to my room," I ordered.
"Very well. They're waiting for you in the office," she informed, and I nodded.
"Faruk?" I wanted to know.
"He's asleep. I spoke with the teacher; she said she'll be free starting next week and will come to talk with you and Miss Lavínia," she commented.
"Thank you." I touched her shoulder, grateful, and hurried to the office, where everyone was gathered, including Lavínia.
"Where were you?" Matador 2 stood up. "Took you fucking forever!"
"Were you born glued to me, damn it? Stop bugging me. Where else would I be if not killing?" I thundered, realizing I'd end my night worse than I'd imagined.
"Want some drinks?" Lavínia stood up and went to the table, pouring some glasses of straight whiskey with ice, bringing one to me, that damn Rael, the redheaded bastard from headquarters, and then turning her back on us.
I headed to my armchair behind the desk and took a seat. I turned my killer gaze to the idiot who brought problems to my house.
"What's the reason for your incompetence bringing you here?" I questioned, my treacherous eyes wandering to Lavínia, who was serving the matadors and finally filling her own glass. She looked at me, raised her glass, and then brought it to her lips, drinking and making a face.
"This asshole came to say that the Swiss clan lost numbers 15, 21, and 25."
I narrowed my eyes at Matador 1, who dropped the bombshell. I ended up rubbing my face, furious.
"How the hell did this happen, Rael? My matadors are trained. How did we lose three of them? Three, damn it!" I slammed the table, enraged.
"Ever since you put her in charge, this miss hasn't shown up at headquarters to deal with this," he said carelessly, as if he were enjoying this shit. I'm going to kill this guy. It's moments like these that I don't regret fucking his wife.
"Lavínia, the leader?" Matador 27 stood up abruptly. "Did I miss something? What kind of stupid joke is this? I thought Lavínia was supposed to be protected, not thrown into the line of fire."
"Your boss is crazy. I keep saying it, and no one believes me," she said sarcastically, downing the rest of her drink and going to pour herself more.
I stared at Matador 27.
"27, Ângelo is completely right. Lavínia is one of us, and if her name isn't at the top of the hierarchy, the protection fails," Matador 2 had to explain the obvious.
I drank my whiskey, furious.
"I saw her picture in the headquarters' files. Lavínia Fadel, a fugitive from Syria from an arranged marriage and daughter of a bookie," Rael stood up and went to Lavínia, grabbing her elbow.
I smiled at the audacity of this bastard. He left home ready to take a bullet.
"Look at that, you did your homework," she mocked, roughly pulling away from his touch and clinking her glass against his.
"You turned into a whore here in Switzerland."
Lavínia laughed and suddenly, I stood up, but I didn't need to intervene for her because I was stunned to see her use the hand holding her drink to smash the glass with all her strength into Rael's face, hitting his cheek, breaking the glass on his jaw, and spilling the liquid on both of them.
With a look, I ordered Matador 2 to step in, and he pulled Rael away from her. Taking a deep breath, I slumped back into my chair, sipping my good whiskey. All normal around here.
"I've been bleeding since morning, man. Don't provoke the Satan living in me, or you'll die," she said furiously, her rage radiating as she glanced between me sitting and the three matadors standing, looking at her in disbelief and swallowing hard.
I smiled, gesturing for her to come closer, very satisfied as I watched her pour a new glass, drink, and respond to my gesture, coming to stand beside me, holding the back of my armchair.
"This vacancy…"
Before Rael could finish his insult against Lavínia, I pulled my .38 from under the wooden desk in my office and aimed the firearm at him, finger on the trigger, silencing him immediately.
"Finish that sentence, and I'll show you what's worse than a broken glass to the face."
I glared at the furious bastard and watched him wipe his face, seeing the cut from the glass on his skin and the blood dripping. A bit dazed, he sat in the armchair in front of us.
"Man, you bloodthirsty psychos, can we talk like people? You know, people… normal people?" Matador 1 intervened, looking at us with disbelief.
I placed the gun on the table, patiently.
"This woman needs to show up at headquarters and present herself to the clan. They need their damn leader," Rael said furiously, looking at his bloodied hands and wiping them on his pants.
"When?" Lavínia asked.
"Tomorrow at the latest. And you need to bring the new matadors to replace the ones we lost."
"Fine, I already have the three. That's it?"
I narrowed my eyes at Lavínia negotiating.
"For now, that's it. You need to calm the matadors down; they're about to start a damn rebellion," Rael confessed.
"Calming men down is my specialty. Do they like stripteases?"
"Lavínia!" I reprimanded, slamming the table.
"Relax, I'm joking, ugh, what a pain!" She grabbed my whiskey glass and drank from it since hers was empty.
Rael stood up.
"Good night," Rael said with a scornful laugh, looking at her.
I cleared my throat to get his attention, making it clear I was present and wouldn't tolerate certain behavior in my house before the bastard said something stupid and died by his mouth. He turned and left, slamming the door hard.
The three matadors turned to Lavínia, with 27 taking the glass from her hands over her protests.
"That bluff about already having the matadors was slick," Matador 2 commented, amused.
Lavínia approached him and patted his face.
"It wasn't a bluff. I really have the three," she said, laughing excitedly.
I furrowed my brow, curious.
"But you barely leave the mansion. How did you recruit them?"
"You, 27, and 1. You're the three new matadors for the Swiss clan." She gave a pat on his shoulder.
I was stunned.
"What… how?" Matador 1 stammered. "But we already have our clan."
"If you were in it, you'd be there. I've been here for weeks and haven't seen you guys do anything," she said, her gaze shifting between The three of them with such seriousness. She was right. Vacation's over!
"You guys really think you're gonna stay in the mansion scratching your balls and lounging around? Wrong." She went to grab more booze and came back to my side.
"I'm totally in," Matador 27 said, grinning like a kid in a candy store.
Of course that idiot's in. He wants my "effective responsibility."
"Ângelo… you're not gonna say anything?"
I glared at Matador 2 with murder in my eyes. His question was absurd.
"You really wanna sit around scratching your balls and playing video games all day while my business falls apart?"
My phone rang, and the specific ringtone put me on high alert.
I grabbed my phone in a hurry, and the name on the screen confirmed it. It's Sofia… So it's about my son.
I saw Lavínia's hand place her glass practically next to my hand holding the ringing phone. I looked at her, and her gaze was fixed on the name Sofia on my phone's screen. Finally, she met my eyes, showing nothing, just taking a step back and taking her glass with her.
Damn it!
Without wasting time, I stood up and walked around the desk, saluting Lavínia, taking the glass of alcohol from her hands because she'd already drunk too much, placing it on the drink table, and left my office as fast as possible, leaving them talking. She could handle this on her own.