The Don's Trust

Chapter 9

With a loud gasp, Valentina woke up from her nightmare. A nightmare in which she lost her beloved family.

Valentina couldn't remember what her nightmare was about. It was on the tip of her tongue but she decided to let it go. She didn't want to remember it, either way.

Before leaving her room, she steadied her breathing, ran a hand through her hair and straightened her posture. With a towel resting on her right shoulder and her clothes in her hands, she headed to the bathroom. She pulled the opaque glass door towards her and put her stuff on the counter.

It was still midnight, but she knew herself well enough to know that a shower would calm her mind. After she was done showering, she put her silky nightgown on again and exited the bathroom.

Valentina was faced with the soaked figure of Vito. She stood still as he approached her until they stood centimetres apart from each other. She could smell a whiff of alcohol coming off him which made her frown a little.

His eyes wandered around her body before saying, "You shouldn't walk around wearing so little.''

Valentina's body temperature shot up after hearing him. She looked at her nightgown and told him it was the same thing she always wore to bed. The only response she got was a low hum. When she looked back at Vito, he was already on his way to the bathroom.

Valentina sensed a different air around him. The best way for her to describe it was to call it sheer loneliness.

She hadn't even left Vito's bedroom and he already came out of the bathroom. He walked up to his bed and glanced at Valentina. His eyebrows were scrunched up and he had a foreign look in his eyes.

"Did something happen?'' Valentina hesitantly stepped in his direction.

"No.''

It was as crystal clear to Valentina he didn't want to open up to her. She wanted to know more about Vito. They lived under the same roof, so it was only natural for her to be interested in the man she lived with.

Vito lowered his body onto the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to him. "Valentina.''

Nervously, she did what he wanted and tried to anticipate what he was going to do. Not having a clue about Vito's mood made it even harder for Valentina. The only things that seemed realistic to her were getting a warning from him or have a simple talk.

"We live in the same house, but I do want to keep my boundaries. If I need or want something from you, I will come to you myself.'' Valentina nodded in understanding, "So, don't ask me if I need something, in the future,'' he added.

Valentina felt more distanced from him than ever before. She could feel a sting in her heart. His words made her feel like a burden, despite it not being his intention to make her feel that way.

More or less, Vito got what he wanted. If possible, he didn't want to get emotionally invested in her. At least not more than he found himself to be.

''Was there anything else you wanted to say?'' Vito noticed her voice got quieter.

"Yes.'' Vito reached for his phone on the nightstand and showed her a picture of Philip Coleman. "Be careful around him. He is a detective.''

Valentina's lips turning upwards made Vito raise an eyebrow at her.

''You're telling me to be careful around a cop,'' she explained the irony behind his words.

Vito sighed and decided not to comment on it. After all, he saw where she was coming from. If someone warned his younger self about cops, he would have had the same reaction as her.

Valentina straightened her back and asked Vito if he had anything else to say to her. Vito shook his head as he placed his phone on the black nightstand.

"What do I do if I see him?'' she bit the inside of her lip as she thought of the detective.

"Go the other way.''

"But what if he approaches me?''

"If that happens you should-'' Vito paused momentarily. ''You should be careful with your words.''

His warning made Valentina feel scared. The different scenarios she just made up in her mind didn't make her any less paranoid. All of those imagined scenarios either ended with her behind steel bars or her accidentally slipping information about Vito.

"What if he brings me to the police station?''

"Assuming you are not under arrest, you can politely decline his offer. It is not like you did anything illegal.'' the calm and assuring tone in his voice made Valentina less tense than before.

Giving advice to Valentina was the last thing Vito expected himself to be doing in the middle of the night. He didn't it mind it though. As long as she didn't wander in his personal life or did something that would cause the downfall of the crime family, he was fine with her presence.

"What should I say if he asks about you?''

He is probably already tired of my questions, but I should ask this now in case I do get in a situation where I have to go to the police station. Better safe than sorry, Valentina thought.

He answered her question with another question, "What would you say about me?''

"That I live with you.'' she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Only that?''

Valentina averted her eyes from him. "It would get me in trouble if I said you're the leader of a criminal organization.''

"It is good to know, you know what is best for you.'' all of a sudden, Valentina heard a dangerous edge in his voice.

Valentina nodded slowly and got off Vito's bed. "Goodnight.''

"Goodnight,'' he returned.