Aurora's eyelids slowly parted as her eyes opens, the sunlight seeping in from the room window hitting them and causing her to shut them again. Slowly she squints, adjusting to the rays, she opened her eyes fully, looking around the environment she was in.
She perceived the smell of drugs and blood and felt something heavy on her head. Recalling last night's event slowly, she took in the environment again and relaxed, realizing she wasn't locked up or bound, she knew she was safe. Whoever owned the van she had gotten into the previous night must've helped her.
She tried sitting up but a slight pain coursing through her forehead made her wince and she sharply placed a palm on her forehead, feeling a bandage wrapped around her head.
With her eyes shut as she sucked in the pain, she successfully sat up and gave the room a proper look.
It looked like a hospital ward.
She wondered for how long she has been unconscious and why her body hurts her when she made a movement.
"Ouch!" She winced again when another pang of pain erupted in her forehead, she held the spot softly with her palm..
"You're awake!"
She twirl her head around to find a middle aged man walking into the room from a door. He had a cup of coffee with him which he stirred as he journeyed towards her.
She flinched with each movement he made and Roberto smiled at her, a motive to calm her.
"You're in safe hands now," he assured her.
"I'm a doctor. My name is Roberto," he informed her with a calm smile. Noticing the sincerity in his eyes, she relaxed again.
Her gaze dart to the coffee in his hand, eyeing it. He noticed the gesture.
"Do you want some?" He asked her and she nodded rapidly. He stretched the coffee to her reach and she took it, gulping down the whole thing. She sighed, her dehydration gone.
"More?" He inquired and she nodded again.
But he didn't pour her coffee, instead he poured her some warm water in the cup and she drank it all up in two chugs, sighing and wiping her lips, she returned the cup to him.
"Thank you," she muttered, her vocal cords gradually regaining their strength.
"For how long have I been unconscious?" She asked.
"For three nights. I had to inject you with a sedative so your wounds can have more time to heal without disturbance," he said.
"Thank you," she said, gratefully.
"It's not me you should be thanking though, I wouldn't have treated you without orders but you're welcome still," he said. "Hold on, let me inform the guys of your consciousness," he added and before she could speak, he left the room.
She stared around again until Roberto returned, sitting down beside her, he began examining her to see if her body still has any complications, though he expected none.
"So tell me miss, who are you?" He asked.
"I'm Aurora Stefano," she replied.
"Okay Aurora, why were you hiding in Rodriguez's van?" He asked. When he mentioned the name, Aurora didn't think of it to be the person she has heard of. At least not the dreadful mafia who has no heart.
At his words, the horrible memory rushed in her head like a flood of water. Her eyes started to get misty with tears and soon they fell.
"M-my parents were killed by some men, I watched them get slaughtered like animals by those..men," she said and sniffed.
"Trying to escape, I ended up kicking a side table and the noise made them to notice me, so I ran off. They chased after me, fiercely and enormously. They would've caught up with me if I didn't know the woods well enough, I passed through an easy route and arrived at the city," she sniffed again, wiping the tears that itched her nose bridge.
"But they were still on me, giving me a hot solid chase. Seeing the van, I had no choice but to enter it for safety. It was dark so I hid behind the bags they were loading and then I think one of them fell on me and I passed out" she explained.
Roberto listened raptly and patted her shoulder lovingly as she cried. "I'm sorry for your loss" he said and she stared at him before nodding.
"Will I be allowed to stay here by your boss?" She asked. "I have nowhere, nowhere at all to go to" she batted her lashes at him, a pleading look on her face.
"Honestly, I don't know. My boss is very complicated and he's not really in a good mood right now so I can't really predict his decision concerning you" Roberto replied.
Aurora's head lowered as she sniffed.
"And your body's okay now, at least better than before. You can be able do some locomotion, although the bruises are not completely healed so expect to feel slight pains every now and then," he said.
"Thank you," she said again and he nodded.
...
A sharp rap next to his ear awakened Rodriguez, plunging him to a dreadful hangover. He opened his eyes, blinking them rapidly to ease the hangover he was feeling.
He sat up and turned off the radio. It's been only thirty minutes since he feel asleep and more than forty-eight hours since he returned from the enemy's camp. They were victorious, of course, Martini's card was played on him as Rodriguez and his crew successfully took a lot of assets that he owned.
He ran a palm down his face and stood up, walking to the bar, he poured himself a glass of rum. He had barely taken a sip when a knock sprang up on his door.
"Come in" he answered, his voice cold. The door tore open to reveal Michael.
"She's awake, boss," he said curtly.
"Where is she?" He asked, taking another sip from the glass.
"In the infirmary, Roberto is getting her ready to be discharged" he said.
"Bring her to me" Rodriguez said, he emptied the glass in three chugs and poured himself another..
Michael left, getting to the infirmary, he walked in.
"Roberto," he called the doctor. "The boss wants her in his Chambers." he told him and Roberto nodded.
"Just a sec." Roberto said, turning back to Aurora.
"My boss wants to speak with you," he informed her.
"Okay. Where is he?" She asked.
"Michael will take you to him" he asked, pointing to the guy that was standing close to the door. Seeing his gaze on her, she turned back to Roberto.
"Your boss; what is he like?" Aurora whispered to Roberto, avoiding Michael's intent gaze. "Is he a scary person?" She asked lowly.
"Why?" Roberto asked and she shrugged.
"He's a boss and bosses are most times.. scary" she said. Roberto chuckled lowly.
"It all depends on you. He has different personalities for different people," Roberto said.
"But here's a little tip, when you meet him, you have to be calm, answer all his questions when he asks and never avoid his gaze" he advised and Aurora nodded, grateful for the hints he gave her. Roberto knew Rodriguez wouldn't hurt her, one of his strictest rules is never to hurt a lady.
"You can go ahead now," he told her.
She stood up from the bed, ignoring the little pains tugging at her head.
She followed Michael from behind, he led her first to the stairs then to a long glittery passageway that was perfectly polished and furnished.
He stopped at a door, automatically making her stop as well.
He knocked on the door and a ruffled *come-in* answered.
He opened the door and walked in, she followed but stood close to the door.
"Boss, she's here" Michael informed.
"Leave" he ordered, his voice cold and Michael walked out of the bedchamber.
Aurora stared at the boss, from his huge back she could decipher what his facial structure looks like. He looked huge and she suddenly sucked in her lips, muttering a slight prayer for her safety.
His hand moved as he emptied the content of his cup into his mouth and poured himself another, picking it up; he turned to her.
A fearful gasp flew out of her mouth when she saw his face, her blood drying up. She took a step backwards, trying to get away from him.
His eyes, dark as night bore tremendously into hers. His intimidating height hovered above her even though he was steps away from her.
Rodriguez Francesco.
The dreadful mafia her parents had told her tales about. He is dangerous, heartless to be precise and he kills with no emotions. They had described him as a human that was inhuman when it comes to feelings.
A few times, she had seen him on the news, he didn't look as frightful as he had on TV, now.
With each step he made towards her, she retreat with a step. Lowering her gaze sharply to avoid his dangerously piercing gaze.
Her heartbeat thumped and her head ached badly, she wanted to move away, to go to anywhere else but in front of this man.
She stopped moving when he did but her gaze still didn't meet his.
"Look at me," he said, his tone not as cold as before.
With her heart beating like crazy she tilt her head upward to look at him but immediately their gazes jammed. She lowered her gaze swiftly, fully intimidated.
"Look at me," he repeated.
She wanted to. scratch that, she didn't want to look at this man but she tried to and she failed. She just couldn't.
And as he took another step towards her, she was about taking one backwards when she missed and lost her balance. She began falling but he caught her before she could reach the ground, his arm encircling around the small of her back. Aurora gulped as her gaze met his and stayed..
Surprisingly, staring into his eyes up close, she wasn't as terrified as before.