Ugly Ronney: mafia romance [English]

Chapter 10-6

I arrived at Yeraz's house that Monday morning with a lump in my stomach. The chef was putting the food down in the kitchen, guided by Ashley. When she saw me in the doorway, she pointed me in the direction of the living room and said softly, "Timothy needs you."

I nodded and went to join him. The poor guy was with his laptop looking at a file in which the contacts of thousands of people were listed. He seemed relieved to see me.

"Hello, Ronney. We need to start sending out the holiday cards for the new year. Yeraz also wants to sort out this file, which hasn't been updated in a while. He wastes too much time looking through it every time."

Timothy suddenly stopped talking and looked at me sideways.

"Why are you keeping your jacket on? And why are you looking at me with that sorry look?"

He stood up abruptly from the couch, putting both hands in front of him.

"No, no, no. I forbid you to tell us that you are leaving us. I can't hear that, not now."

"I'm not leaving," I cut him off.

A sigh of relief escaped him.

"I'm taking a vacation."

"What? You're taking what?"

My assistant, shocked, shook his head and raised his eyebrows.

"There are no vacations in this job. We are docile slaves, doormats for muddy boots to wipe on. That's our job!"

"I went to Camilia's at dawn. She's giving me a week off, which is included in my contract."

Timothy put his hands on his hips, obviously surprised by this confession.

"I should have negotiated my contract, too," he muttered grumpily.

"I'm staying in Sheryl Valley. If you need to, you can call me. I don't like the idea of leaving you in the lurch, but I really need to step back. This job is anxiety-provoking."

At that moment, Ashley walked into the room with her dancing gait and questioned Timothy with her eyes, noticing the strange atmosphere between the two of us.

"Ronney's taking a week off," my jealous assistant blurted out as he waved his hand in the air.

"Shit! Does Camilia--"

"Yes, she knows," I answered before she even finished asking her question.

"And Mr. Khan?"

Silence.

"Not yet."

My voice cracked a little. Ashley remained silent and stared at me for a long time. I suppressed an urge to run out of that house before everyone guessed that something had happened on the island.

"Well. Are you going to tell him now? Or will you do it by text?"

Her tone was indulgent, almost academic.

I pursed my lips and looked up at the ceiling to think for a moment. When I looked back at them, my blood ran cold. They were both looking over my shoulder, looking terrified. I closed my eyes.

"He's here, isn't he?"

Silence answered instead. I opened my eyes again and slowly turned toward the entrance to the living room. Yeraz stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at me. Dressed in his black suit, he gave off something strong. I felt myself getting very small. Even though he didn't let it show, I knew that his coolness was dangerously close to fury.

"My mother just called me. Are you taking a vacation, Miss Jimenez? Why wasn't I informed before her?"

His voice was low and gravely, as if he had been yelling all morning. It was hard for me to answer. A burning sensation was rising in my chest.

"I'm way behind at the studio. We have to finish this season."

Yeraz tilted his head and revealed a slightly sardonic smile on his lips.

"Your vacation is denied! You can take it after the gala, if I agree."

I let out a gasp of surprise. Ashley and Timothy watched in awe. Yeraz thought he could do whatever he wanted with me. I wasn't a pawn, and I didn't work for him, damn it! I took a deep breath and addressed my assistants in a voice loud enough for them to hear me.

"So, as I said, you can contact me on my phone."

They both looked at me with big eyes, as if I had gone crazy.

"Jimenez, I want to see you in my office, NOW!"

I gathered my little courage and headed for the exit of the living room, but as I passed Yeraz, he blocked my path with his arm.

"What the hell are you doing?" he whispered in my ear, his jaw clenched.

"Let me take my days off."

My whisper was tinged with anger.

"If you leave now, Ronney, I'll make you regret it."

I moved away from him, my features twitching with disgust.

"You're sick!"

He pressed me against the wall and raised his threatening finger in front of him. His dark eyes locked onto mine. His face was so close to me that I could feel his fragrant breath caressing my skin.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Ronney. I hate that."

He abruptly released me and left the room. Timothy and Ashley came immediately to my side to make sure I was okay.

"This is the first time we've see Mr. Khan like this. He never makes a scene in front of people. Why is he in such a rage?"

Timothy was trying to figure out what his boss was doing while Ashley looked at me silently with a suspicious look on her face. Her sixth sense surely told her that something must have happened between Yeraz and me in Los Cabos.