The Don's Trust

Chapter 10

Once Valentina finished brushing her teeth, she used the tap water to wash her mouth. She formed a cup with her hands to let it fill up with water and splashed it on her face. Feeling awake, she left the bathroom to get her clothes.

Valentina looked sideways and was greeted with a serious-looking Vito. Even in his sleep, he did not seem harmless. She tiptoed out of Vito's bedroom after seeing his arm move.

By the time Valentina came back from her room, Vito was trimming his five o'clock shadow.

"It won't take long,'' he said to her as he looked in the mirror.

Looks like I'll be eating breakfast before taking a shower, Valentina thought to herself.

After Valentina and Vito got themselves ready for the day, they left the house. While Vito went to work, Valentina went to college with Luke and Kevin by her side like any other day. Slowly but surely, Valentina became more used to their company.

After a thirty-minute drive, she arrived at her school. Luke held the door open, allowing Valentina to get out of the vehicle. She thanked him and narrowed her eyes at a blonde girl who was frantically waving at her.

"Valentina!'' Lilly made a short sprint to get to Valentina.

Kevin stepped in front of Valentina, acting as a barrier, and told Lilly to keep her distance. Lilly stepped back feeling intimidated by the brunet bodyguard.

Valentina placed her hand on Kevin's arm before sending an apologetic smile in Lilly's way, "It's fine. I know her.''

With Luke and Kevin behind them, Valentina and Lilly headed to the lecture room. The two girls seated themselves in the front row and waited for the class to begin.

"So, was that guy who stopped me your boyfriend?'' Lilly whispered while holding her hand in front of her mouth.

The class had already started so Valentina stifled a giggle. "No, he is my bodyguard. The same goes for the other man.''

Lilly's jaw dropped. ''You have two of them? Are you rich or something?''

"In my dreams.'' she laughed softly. ''Anyway, we should pay some more attention to class.''

Valentina wanted Lilly to stop talking about Kevin and Luke. Eventually, Lilly would ask why she had them and Valentina wouldn't know what to say. It was out of the question to tell Lilly the truth, so she had to lie. The only problem was that she hadn't come up with a good lie, yet.

During her other classes, Valentina only took notes on the subjects she had trouble with. Whenever she didn't feel the need to take notes, she would daydream.

Valentina's and Lilly's school day ended in the afternoon. On their way to the school building's exit, Lilly eyed a man sitting on the bench. She nudged Valentina in her side to get her attention.

"What?''

Lilly covered her mouth before speaking, "He looks super suspicious.'' She cocked her head to the side.

Valentina wondered if Lilly always held a hand in front of her mouth whenever she had something to whisper to her. She couldn't help but find the secretive tone Lilly spoke in slightly amusing.

Valentina searched for the man Lilly was talking about and spotted him. With one leg crossed over the other, the man seemed to be reading a newspaper. At first glance, he looked like any other person minding his own business.

"If someone here looks suspicious here, it's you with your hand covering your face.'' Valentina laughed causing a tight-lipped smile on Lilly's face.

"Very funny, but we should do something.'' she tapped on the police flyer on the bulletin board.

Valentina sighed, "You're overreacting, Lilly.''

From the corner of her eyes, Valentina took one last look at the man. For a split-second, she forgot how to breathe when she saw the man adjusting the baseball cap on his head. She turned on her heel to conceal her face from the man.

Philip Coleman. What do I do? What is he doing here? Did he already see me? Does he even know who I am?

"He looks like he is close to his fifties. What if he is trying to take advantage of someone?'' Lilly frowned. "We should report him to the police.'' she said as she pointed at the sentence 'Do it for your safety and the safety of others!' on the flyer.

Valentina was tempted to tell Lilly he was part of the police, but she knew it would only raise more questions in Lilly's head. In her friend's eyes, it would be strange if Valentina somehow knew his real identity.

"Miss Armani, we should go.'' Luke said in a low voice to Valentina.

Valentina turned her head to face Luke and nodded in agreement.

"So? What are we going to do?'' Lilly still waited for an answer.

Valentina shook her head. ''I'm not going to do anything. Anyway, I have somewhere to be. I'll see you tomorrow.''

She did not want to be in the same space as the detective any longer. Valentina went the other way, just like Vito told her the night before.

While the three of them walked to the car, Valentina looked in the reflection of the other cars in the parking lot to see if detective Coleman was following their movements. To her relief, he wasn't.

On their way home, Valentina asked Luke if she could use his phone. She had no other way of reaching out to Vito since she didn't have his phone number. She pressed on the call icon on the phone screen and waited for Vito to pick up.

No answer.

She clicked her tongue and tried calling him again. The longer she waited, the more the nerves were creeping up her body. Valentina watched the road as she listened to the beeping sound. At the second try, he didn't answer the call either.

Valentina handed the phone back to Luke when they arrived at the house. She pushed the entrance door open, went to her room and dropped her handbag on her study desk.

She planned on getting some schoolwork done until Vito came home. In those three hours of studying, Valentina got barely anything done. The whole situation of seeing the detective at her college made her stress out.

The sound of the front door being closed with a slam caused Valentina to drop the pencil in her hand and get up from the swivel chair. She stepped out of her room and was confronted with a highly irritated Don. The look in his eyes caused unpleasant shivers down her spine.

"The detective was at my school,'' she spoke up after being silent for a couple of minutes.

"I know. Kenser just told me.''

Vito noticed the confused expression on her face and told Valentina it was Luke's surname.

"Stay at home for a while.''

Judging from the tone of his voice Valentina knew it wasn't a suggestion. Valentina watched him tapping his index finger on the sofa as she tried to get comfortable with the idea. If possible, she would rather not want to be locked up in the house. Valentina did realise staying at home was the best course of action.

"For how long?''

"Until he is not wandering around at your school.'' he loosened the tie around his neck. ''I will also be here for a couple of days. The police seem to be everywhere these days.'' Valentina heard him grumble.