THE MAFIA'S BEAUTY

Chapter 9

LETHU'S P.O.V
Imagine the fact that the man I had been staying with for a little more than a month was someone that I had had dinner with more times than I could count. Rafael Vintagè had been an ally of my father that he would call whenever war seemed to reach our grounds and this man here would always drop everything coming to help along with his man fighting side by side along my father making sure that he always bought him back safe back home. My father would always joke how Rafael was like his own little brother. They worked well together and I had to admit that at some point I had developed a crush but it had faded away as time passed on him coming less and less around seeming as if the two had parted ways. I sat there not being able to help the tears wondering what had happened to him, he had been one of the most handsome people, dark and dangerous to the point where I would sleep in my brother's room whenever they were around. I felt the pain ache deep in my stomach as I wanted nothing more than to hug him telling him that everything would be alright.
"Sorry, it's just that I realized something I had forgotten. Yeah we met four years ago and Mr Vintagè here saved my father's live not only once but twice and he seems to just keep being our hero as he rescued me bringing me here with him." I said wiping away my tears not being able to tear away my eyes from him. The tension in the room had me grow cold as I looked back to this girl who was definitely my age glaring daggers at Rafael as if she would stab him right there and then with a pen. I could see her watching me looking at the dress I wore only to look back at Rafael. I did not know what had happened between them but knew that it was brutal if it had him screaming her name in tears at night.
I turned looking at her husband who she clung to, indeed they were a perfect couple complementing each other with the love shared evident as it was made clear that one thing said to upset his wife would make us lose our heads so I don't Know why but found the need to hold on tight to Rafael, to hold on never to let go.
"He saved your life?" She asked determined to get the truth no matter the consequences.
"Yeah, he did, nursed me back to health and took me in." I said feeling the need to defend him as it seemed like it was guns blazing here.
"Rafael I swear if you took her against her will I will shoot you myself. You can speak up if he is holding you against your will I swear we will protect you and fight for you with all we have." She shot out eyes staring at Rafael who sat watching the scene unfold. My anger boiled up as I bit my tongue hard telling myself to just shut the hell up before I got the both of us killed especially because I did not know the story behind her accusations. I watched Klaus turn and give his wife a questioning look as if asking what the hell she was doing. Rafael's hand was placed on mine as our hands intertwined with us not really knowing what was happening.
"Please take off the hoodie Rafael so we can start talking business." Klaus said casually after clearing his voice as a way of stating that the discussion was over and we were moving on. I gulped as the men before us sat waiting for the hoodie to be thrown back. Rafael's hand shook in my embrace where I held it squeezing tightly feeling the anger radiating over him moving in waves clenching my hand with such intensity knowing that he would explode soon so I blurted the first thing that came into mind.
"He just had his eyes lasered so he needs to keep them away from the light." I said seating up wondering where the hell that came from.
The two stared at each other as everyone took in the new information finding it hard to believe yet not having an option but go on with it.
"Well state your request then." It was Klaus.
"I am here kindly...requesting your help if you may just spare me a few hundreds of your men." He said as I held on to his hand knowing how hard it was for him to tuck his tail and keep his pride intact begging from the man that seemed to be married to a woman that had history with him. Everything seemed to stand still as we waited for a response it being highly possible that this man would make us kneel on our knees and beg.
"I would have to think over that if that is okay," Klaus said as we both nodded our heads excitement making me squeeze on his hand as both man stood up shaking hands.
"It was nice meeting you Lethu," he said turning to me as I nodded standing next to Rafael hand in his as were about to leave.
"Nice to meet you two, "I said turning back to smile at the girl to which I could finally put a face to.
"My wife would like to please have a word with you before you go? "He asked taking me by surprise as I looked at him then at Rafael my curiosity suddenly peaking up at what had happened here. I felt Rafael's hand slip from mine immediately missing the warmth as he turned around walking out followed by Klaus who closed the door leaving me in the room with this women who had plagued my dreams too many times. I smiled at her not wanting this tension that was building up, not wanting to draw conclusions without knowing the whole story and start pointing fingers so I went down to seat where I had sat before with her seating on the desk in front of me avoiding the chair Rafael had sat on. I stared up at her waiting for her to conjure her words as tears welled in her eyes trying so hard to blink them down as they fell down her cheeks failing to speak up so I stood up bringing my arms around her holding her in my embrace as she wept her heart out. We stayed like that for a couple of minutes feeling her body shaking against my own guilty and sad of how we had brought such feelings upon her that caused her so much distress. I brushed her arm trying to give as much comfort as I could until she was ready to talk.
It was five minutes later when she pulled away apologizing for busting out in tears in that way. I nodded assuring her that it should be I who apologizes.
"No please, you are too kind." She said taking the tissue on the desk and wiping away the rest of the tears but it being a waste as more came rushing down.
"I was eighteen when uumm, Rafael kidnapped me." She took a deep breath as I realized that she was telling me their history not even really sure I wanted to hear it yet I sat up as she collected herself before proceeding with her story.
"Well it was a mistake really, they had wanted to take another girl but with my bad luck ended up being kidnaped instead because we looked alike. When he discovered this he.....uumm, he hit me to unconsciousness." My heart sank as more tears came flooding down her cheeks while I tried blinking my own back with my heart breaking.
"He beat me and when I woke up he raped me uumm," I sat frozen not even sure if she was talking about the same person. Her face told it all, the pain was something that no one could fake. I stood up hugging her as she cried harder in my embrace as stood there blinking my own tears away the pain seeming too much as my heart shattered.
"Sorry, I just can't stop crying," she said trying to laugh while wiping away the tears.
"He raped me over and over again and at a point I foolishly gave myself to him. Anyway that went on as I was riding this cloud thinking it was love. He threatened to kill me and just when he was about to kill me we found out we were pregnant by a friend of mine that they had shot. It got better after that but then Loala came into the picture and he lost it. He beat me while I was carrying his baby and at the end sent me off when he was done with me so yes I am sad he is alive and I am telling you this because if this is happening to you I want you to know that you are not alone and that it is okay, we can protect you."
I shook my head not really believing my ears, wanted to cry, wanted to shouted yet I stood there a million things going over my mind as the room seemed to sway. I closed my eyes taking a deep breath and that was when I heard my voice strong "I know this will probably mean nothing but I am so sorry on what you have gone through, what he." I took a breath again my heart seeming to fail me, my voice break with everything seeming to just spin out of place.
"What he put you through and I want you to know that he is not keeping me against my will and if he does do something I will not hesitate, I will run through that forest with nothing stopping me from getting here. Don't worry about me please." I said as I pulled her into a hug again with her stifling her cries my heart crying for her.
"Be safe okay," She said as I looked at the clock seeing that an hour had gone by.
"I will, thank you so much for sharing your story with me and please take care." I said as I turned to leave with her wiping her tears away. I opened the door only to look at her with a smile, wave then close it behind me. The weight of the world seemed to collapse on me as soon as I closed that door. My heart seemed heavy bleeding in such a way that taking a breath left me clenching my chest. I held the tears back walking past Klaus who said something I did not quite catch yet somehow I pulled up a reply smiling back at him as a guard led me out. My ears were ringing, my eyes looking but not seeing. Everything was spinning out of control as I held on not wanting them to see me cry, not wanting for them to start asking questions as I followed on. It felt like my feet were not touching the ground, it seemed as if I was flying. My eyes frantically looked around smiling and waving to those who waved goodbye as I screamed so loud in head.
The cool breeze hit me cooling me down as the ringing in my ears became louder and louder to the point where I thought I would cry out for help. My eyes looked around and only to lock with his. My heart drummed as he looked back at me from the car where he sat patiently knowing very well that I knew, knowing perfectly well that I knew his deepest darkest secret, the one that had him screaming at night begging for mercy.
I don't know how but I found myself sitting in the car right next to him my seat belt having been buckled by none other than myself yet I had no recollection at all. The ringing in my ears was suddenly gone with all that was heard being my heaving as I tried to breath but failed. I turned to stare at him tears pooling in my eyes as I finally let them stream down my face. I stared at him as he confirmed everything. Could see his hesitation as he did not know if to explain or not but what could he explain as it was as clear as day that he had beaten an innocent girl, raped her and beat her again when she was carrying his baby. More tears poured down as I tore my eyes from him my head on the window as I cried my heart out with him driving us out of the compound.
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