THE MAFIA'S BEAUTY

Chapter 29

Waking up was one of the things I dreaded these days, my world was blue black with the threat of a war we could not win hanging over our heads. My thoughts trailed back to the previous night my chest aching just thinking about it. Remembering how he had wiped his tears standing up and walking out of the room.
How could someone suffer in such a way? How could someone go through so much all on their own?

My feet swung to the floor the sun shining but I guess not enough as I made my way to the bathroom taking a bath then coming back pulling on a white shirt and a tight formal skirt that nearly reached my ankles coupling that with a pair of black heels. I don't know why but just always felt like wearing formal during the weekdays, I was at work really and I guess it was just so the others could take me serious.

I made my way down stairs my head pounding from getting little to no sleep the previous night, my eyes sore and itchy. The elevator doors opened as I walked out seeing the guards giving them waves as I passed with them nodding their heads. It was half past seven in the morning and the kitchen was just busy sure that everyone had just finished eating breakfast.

Dishes filled the sinks some already in the dish washers the ladies tiding up everyone busy where they were.

"Morning." I shot out heads snapping to me only for them to gasp.

"AAHH child."

I was quickly squashed in the arms of I don't know how many people as they all hugged me all talking at the same time making me laugh really trying to get what they were saying but failing as they trumped over each other my heart swelling at their concern a smile spreading across my face.

"We were so worried, the boss just came back alone you not being seen for days. We thought he had killed you." One said making me giggle.

"Thank you, I am fine just got caught up somewhere." I said being pulled back in warm arms holding me tight before they let go of me.

"Now sit down, you look thin and pale."
I did as told grabbing a bar stool sitting down as the others went back to work giving me side glances now and again the kitchen filled with the smell of meat and more meat making my mouth water. I had not ate in such a long time my appetite suddenly coming back with a vengeance. A plate was placed in front of me carrying pancakes, beacon, sausages and mushrooms my stomach already doing flips a cup of coffee placed next to the plate.

"Thank you so much." I said not being able to contain my smile the food just calling at me as I dug in with no messy leaving my fingers dripping with oil and sauce licking it all away my belly full and warm sitting back in the chair drinking my coffee now and again feeling a bit better.

"How has the house been? Where is Will?" I asked carrying my dishes to the sink.

"Everything has been well Ma'am and Will is probably sleeping, that lazy hag sleeps all through the day." She said making me laugh, of course he would.

"Thank you, have a great day."

"You too boss, you're so kind."

With that I left walking back to the elevator just itching to run my hands over my keyboard. The elevator took me back up where I walked to the dark and stuffy office. This is what you get for sharing an office with a guy, they never open the windows. I opened the windows along with the curtains bright light streaming in making the place look less like Dracula's hide out. I knew Rafael was in training and will be there for the next couple of hours and in a way I was relieved. I did not know what I would say to him after all that he had told me, did not know how to act around him just not wanting it to suddenly be awkward. I cleaned up my desk  before sitting down earphones plugged in going through the work that was in piles making me sigh trying to be as efficient as possible the music pupping me up as I went over one file to the other my fingers drumming over the keyboard losing myself in the work just happy at being back.

My eyes shot up catching something at the edge of my eyes. He walked in wearing a grey sweater with a pair of grey sweats his fresh scent calming me down as I inhaled greedily my eyes closing and opening to find him sitting in his chair.

I took out one earphone.

"Morning,"

"Morning." He replied and that being that as we both buried ourselves in work my music now stopped not wanting to miss something if he spoke so we worked in silence the only sound from flipping pages and our keyboards the day moving on.

Please check this out real quick, I typed in the email sending the spreadsheet to him moving on to my next task as he looked over it only for an email to report opening it finding the spreadsheet with a comment with what I should do which was funny really because he was just there yet we were alike like that, once deep in work talking became something of the past.

We worked on no words passed working past lunch yet too deep for either of us to even grab our food. Somehow to me it was magical, something we shared, I loved working and when he was there it was bliss. My head suddenly snapped up the door opening only for Rafael to quickly pull up his hoodie hiding his face away, in walking the man that had my blood boiling.

The mystery man that was still to be introduced walked in closing the door his eyes taking in the scene moving from me to Rafael then back again confusion on his face trying to see what was happening. I tore my eyes from him going back to my work nearly forgetting he was even there before he spoke.

"What is happening?" He asked the question directed to Rafael.

"Tom, this is Lethu, my second." He simply said going back to work.

"She is your second?!"It was the man that I now knew to be Tom shouting in shock and disbelief really.

"Oohh she's good." He said my eyes snapping up to him.

"What are you insinuating?" I shot the question only for him to totally ignore me.

"This is a joke, if she is your second then what am I doing here?" Tom asked.

"She is more on the financial and you do the rest." Rafael replied leaning back in his chair watching the man open his mouth only to close it. He then turned staring at me shaking his head only to walk out the door shutting behind him leaving me blankly staring at the door then back to Rafael who was back to his work.

What was this Tom's problem?

The day went on the sun moving across the sky until it climbed over the horizon darkness chasing it claiming the land with all of that going unnoticed by us the room turning darker and darker our laptops being the only source of light that being enough as we worked on to the point where I could no longer ignore that cold breeze from the ocean sending the curtains dancing having my skin covered in goose bumps. I jolted up in frustration of being pulled from my work quickly walking there closing the windows and drawing the curtains closed suddenly realising how dark the room really was and how hungry I was. Sighing I walked out to the kitchen finding that dinner had been eaten just three hours ago but our plates had been placed in the microwave. I thanked the ladies waving as they left the house leaving it cold and quiet wondering where that maggot was making a note to check him out before going to bed.

I made my way back up stepping in the room turning the lights on only for Rafael to send me death glares on what I had done making me laugh really as I walked up to him placing his plate on his desk walking to the couch picking up the remote and turning the TV that was there just collecting dust never being used. I turned to the news even though I could not understand a thing they were saying. I definitely had to learn Russian if I was going to stay here. The food went down quickly, eating like a cave man, just hauling it down while on the other hand Rafael had not even touched his so I would have to take the dishes down later.

Just like that I went to work, definitely half way through my pile of files showing that something was happening yet my head was just throbbing none stop at this point along with my eyes knowing that I should turn in soon yet not able to stop the clock blinking two in the morning my muscles aching trying to stifle a yawn failing as it tore through me tears welling up my eyes one dropping letting me know that it was time to retire so with no other option  stood up stretching, shutting down my laptop and closing the file that had been opened taking my empty plate walking over to Rafael's desk taking his own.

"Night,"

"Night." And that was that.