Vito embraced his son in his arms, dropping kisses on his face. “It’s been a long while, son. Welcome home.”
“Thanks dad.” He looks at his brothers, “You guys are d@mn @$$h0les. You two totally forgot about me, huh? No calls, no texts, no $h|t! ”
” At least we never stop sending your monthly presents. Did we?” Micheal said, referring to the cocaine they always send to him every month.
They laughed, hugging themselves. “Welcome home, bro.” They said in unison.
“I have prepared a banquet for your return, shall we?” Vito ushered him to the dinning room.
They all settled in the dinning room, occupying the four empty seats which surrounded the table. “How have the military been?” Vito started.
“It’s been great. ” He replied, smiling.
” I’m sure no one knows of your identity?”
” No one does. And no one is suspecting either. ”
Vito nodded, relieved.
After they had finished the wine served to them, Vito ordered for another one to be brought in immediately. Anastasia walked in with a glass of champagne in a silver tray, she opens it and vegan serving it to them. First, starting from Vito to Micheal.
Micheal sneaked his hand under her gown, rubbing his hand on her butts. Anastasia held herself from acting in a way everyone would know what was happening, she kept still, pouring the wine in his glass cup.
She went to pour Fred and he tapped her butt, smiling at her. Pablo noticed what was going on. He noticed the way his brothers were looking at the girl and he wondered what the girl was to them.
But instead of getting a positive response for what they were doing to her, like any other girl would, rather he noticed she was silently crying.
And when it got to his turn, he was watching her as she pours wine into his cup. He noticed she was fighting the tears in her eyes and she was trying not to make eye contact to avoid getting caught.
He noticed the wine was almost reaching to the top of his cup but she wasn’t making any sign of stopping. He held her hand, causing her to shiver. She was shaking and she looked scared.
He wanted her to look at him, and when she did, he saw that she was indeed crying. Something must be wrong? He thought to himself.
“Are you alright?” He asked, staring into her already wet eyes.
” Yes. Yes, I am.” She said, taking off her gaze from him. She slightly – not obviously – moved her head to Micheal, she drops the bottle on the table, walking out of the room.
Pablo looked confused so he asked. “Who’s she? And what’s wrong with her?”
” She is the daughter of Mr Romanoff. He traded her to complete his debt. ” Vito answered.
” What about Mr Romanoff?” He asked again.
” He’s dead.”
Pablo was quiet for the moment. Guess he must have forgotten how the group operates. There is no mercy when it comes to money.
” Why do you look so surprised, Pablo?” Fred asked, laughing.
” Nothing. Just surprised he could owe dad for this long.” He lied. He had already lost the appetite to eat, and for the rest of the dinner, they spent it on both relevant and irrelevant topics.
Anastasia ran to the basement, shutting the door and locking it after. She bursted out in tears, she couldn’t believe she had left them have their way under her skirt. She just let them touch the very part she h@ťěd men getting close to.
Then she heard a loud knock on the door, causing her to shiver in fright. Then Michael’s deep voice which followed after, “Anastasia, open the door.” He said in a calm voice.
She refused to open it, using that moment to clean her tears off. “Anastasia, open the d@mn door!” He said, a bit louder.
She couldn’t open it after what he had just did to her. Then he banged on the door, raising his voice more louder. “Anastasia, I said open the d@mn f_cking door or I bang it right on your face! ”
Anastasia quickly unlocked the door and when she had done it, he didn’t let her open the door, he banged it on her face, throwing her to the ground.
He angrily walked up to her, dragging her up to her feet. “How dare you ignore me?” He growled. “And you had the audacity to leave me standing outside? Huh?”
” I. . . I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” She apologized.
” You didn’t mean to? Or you were trying to feel right over your stupidity, huh?”
She shakes her head continuously, hoping he would forgive her and let her be for tonight.
“So, are you ready to explain what the heck happened out there at the dinning room?” He snirled at her.
” Nothing happened. I didn’t look at him, I swear, I didn’t look at him.” She pleaded.
” Are you saying I’m blind or something?”
” No. No, I didn’t say that.”
” So what were you thinking that you didn’t realize his cup was almost fulling? Or was he entering your eyes already?” He said, a hint of jealousy sounded in his voice.
” I don’t know. . .” She wept. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t look at him, I swear on my father’s grave, I was only thinking about my parents, that’s all. ”
He drags her hair, pulling her to himself. She was shivering. “If I ever find out you’re lying to me, I swear in your parents grave, I’m gonna torture you down to hell. Understood? ”
She nodded her head.
” I need the words, Ana. I wanna hear the words. Do you understand?” He repeated.
” Yes, sir. ” She said aloud, groaning at the pain.
” Good.” He let go of her hair. ” Now shut the door and don’t think of sneaking out or letting anyone else in.” He leans close to her face. ” Always remember this, Ana, I’ve got eyes everywhere for you. So don’t even think of doing anything funny. ” He thr_@tened.
He exits the room, slamming it hard against the wall. Anastasia goes to lock it, returning to her bed, her eyes soaked in tears.
“I thought you loved me, dad. I thought I was the most precious thing in your life, but I was wrong. Even in your dying moment, you still sold me out? You didn’t even look me in the eye, you just sold me out?” She wept. ” I don’t pity your death because you deserve it. I pity you mom, if only you were here, you would know you made a very big mistake dying with him.” She said, painfully.
She holds the area Pablo had held her, rubbing it gently. She recalled the incident back at the dinning room, the way he held her hand, the way he looked at her with so much concern in his eyes.
Why does she feel like he was different from the others? Why didn’t she feel scared when she was close to him? She kept thinking of it that she didn’t realize she was still holding her wrist.
She couldn’t sleep with the pains of everything happening in her life, plus the marks from Michael’s torture. Earnestly, she prayed that somehow she would be freed from the Escobar family for darn good.
But will that ever be possible for her? Especially now she is Michael’s special.
~~~~
To Be Continued…