Ugly Ronney: mafia romance [English]

Chapter 2-4

The young woman cleared her throat before calling out in a small voice to the man in the black suit, who didn't bother to turn around.

"Mr. Khan, this is Ronney Jimenez, your new assistant."

He slightly shook his glass before taking a long sip and handing it to Ashley, who hastened to recover it. Yeraz turned around slowly and leaned against the bay window, hands in his pockets. My gaze fell first on his dark brown hair with red reflections, cut very short with a white gradient on the sides. A military cut. I guessed, despite his big glasses with opaque lenses, that he was scrutinizing me from head to toe. His stubble, very well maintained, gave him a certain class and affirmed his virility.

"Good morning. Nice place."

I had said these words mechanically, completely paralyzed by fear. I smiled a courteous smile, but it had no effect on the person I was talking to. This man didn't seem to want to shake hands or be embraced with a warm hug.

"So, it is you my mother has chosen for the salvation of my soul."

The harshness of his voice was meant to be hurtful. Uneasy, I adjusted my glasses and dared to ask half-heartedly, "Now that the introductions are over, can I go home?"

Ashley's face suddenly changed, shocked by my question. Her cheeks were scarlet red, and she seemed to be on the verge of passing out.

"Mr. Khan--" my assistant intervened.

She was told to be quiet. Yeraz lowered his hand into the void, then turned to one of his colossal bodyguards and spoke a few words in Arabic. The man complied immediately, grabbed his phone from his pocket, and went outside, probably to make a phone call.

"Miss Cooper, you may go. I'll go home with Miss Jimenez."

His hostile tone wasn't a good sign. I turned pale and suddenly ran out of oxygen. I didn't want to stay with this man. All my senses were on alert. I wanted to run, to get away, but it felt like the ground was caving in on me. I had never hated a person so quickly. Think about Elio, whispered a voice inside me. It's for him, for your parents, and for the restaurant. I swallowed and begged Ashley with my eyes to stay with me. The man who had left a few moments earlier came back into the room with a drill in his hand, accompanied by a short, bearded man. They installed tarpaulins on the back walls, then the colossus put a chair on the tarpaulin, which also covered the floor. Around us, no one paid attention to this commotion, as if doing construction work at this time of night was normal.

"I will take Miss Jimenez to your vehicle, Mr. Khan," Ashley said.

He nodded his approval. My assistant grabbed my arm to get me out of there as quickly as possible. The door opened before we could cross the threshold. A frightened scream escaped me. A man with a swollen face was being dragged into the room by two other strong men. Shocked, I pressed myself against the wall. It was impossible to move. The scene unfolding before my eyes was unbearable. My heart pounded and I was about to faint. The wounded man begged Yeraz, sobbing, to let him go.

"What happened to the ten million dollars?" asked Yeraz in a placid voice.

He approached the poor guy with a nonchalant step.

"I swear I don't know. Please. I can fix it. Please."

Yeraz thought for a moment before indicating the chair to his two men.

"I don't want any stains."

The men complied. Yeraz went back to watching the crowd dancing and partying downstairs in his club. Ashley pulled me as hard as she could to get me out. In shock, I staggered out into the hallway.

"What will they do to him? What's going to happen to him?"

"That's their business, Miss Jimenez. We're just employees. We see nothing, we hear nothing."

The drilling sound came through the door, followed by abominable screams. I put my hands over my ears.

"The police. We have to call the police."

I was overwhelmed, hysterical. Ashley stood in front of me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"This is Sheryl Valley. The police take orders from the mafia here. You know that as well as I do. Now we have to go!"

"Ashley, don't leave me, I beg you."

My assistant opened the sliding door of the impressive van with tinted windows.

"Mr. Khan is an unmanageable and paranoid man. Don't expect him to ever laugh. Don't expect anything from him. Ronney, you'll have to be brave. I don't think you have the shoulders for this job. In fact, no one does. Hang in there as long as you can with self-preservation. It's a six-month deal."

The young woman, aware that I was completely terrified, tried to reassure me as best she could, but it had the opposite effect.

"How many were there before me?"

My assistant pursed her lips and sighed.

"Miss Jimenez--"

"Ronney. Call me Ronney, as you did just now."

"A lot. I can't tell you."

"You've been holding out. How?"

"I'm his assistant's assistant. I have almost no contact with him, unlike you." Ashley stopped talking and scanned the parking lot before resuming. "You need to get inside the van, Ronney. Don't make any waves and only speak to him when he allows you to. Everything will be fine if you do as I say."

She put her hand on my shoulder and gave me a small smile. She didn't seem to mind my unattractive appearance anymore. At that moment, I was strangely sympathetic to her. I hoped I was right.