Vae Victus [Volume 1] [WOE TO THE VANQUISHED]

Chapter 14

"What are you listening to?" John asked.

I switched off the apps on my mobile phone and took the Bluetooth earphone out of my ear.

"Just some music," I said.

John smiled. He had been overly gentle in the past few weeks.

"How are you?" John asked.

"I am fine, thank you," I said. "My shoulder can rotate its full range now. There was no nerve damage to the wrists, so I can use my left hand as well as before, and it does not seem that I would need a rhinoplasty on my nose."

"Rhinoplasty?" John asked.

"I found out that I am a very vain woman when it comes to my nose, Mr. Ben-Gurion"

John held my chin up with his right hand and rotated my head to the left and right.

"The swelling has reduced," he said.

I smiled. There was a very small bump where my nose was broken, but I had bigger priorities at the moment.

"Perfection is overrated," I said.

John kissed me. Passionately and hard. I like this alternate reality's John.  I thought that my near brush with death had blurred the lines between me with his deceased wife. Or reminded him that I was a mortal, like any other woman.

I did not need a reminder that I was mortal. I had always known, and I would never forget. The monster in me would never let me forget. My near death had shaken John Ben-Gurion. The immovable glacier was melting and his adoration felt like an avalanche. But I had almost died a dozen times over my entire lifetime. I was a survivor, broken and damaged, but alive.

It had been two weeks since the attempted murder. The crime scene forensic results had backed my story. My handcuffs had been removed. I had told my story to the police, a female detective took my statement. I did not see Steve the fat cops and his partner ever again since that day. Whatever John did, it worked.

Jane Walker, being Jane, had lodged a civil lawsuit against me for her boyfriend's death. Hurray for America, the land of the frivolous lawsuits. John had assured me that his lawyers would get the whole suit thrown out. Legal problems normally took years to fully resolve, I did not have the patience to worry about that. I have bigger priorities.

A few minutes later, the kissing ended. I was breathless by the end of it. My face was flushed. My heartbeats were so loud I could hear it. Thump. Thump. Thump. In whatever alternate reality I lived in, I still loved John Ben-Gurion with my entire being.

"You're everywhere on the news," I heard the voice near the hospital room's door. Anastasia Karpov. The Russian snake.

"Yes," I said. I changed my voice an octave higher. "Do ya think I can go into modeling with my popularity, Anastasia?" I grinned. "I heard I can make lotta money if I am famous, ya know."

Anastasia scowled. She preferred to be called Ms. Karpov, or perhaps the idea that I would be a model annoyed him. 

"John, can speak to you for a minute?" Anastasia said.

"Can it wait?" John asked.

"I am afraid it can't," she said. "One of our shipments to Syria had been lost."

"How?" John stood up and walked toward Anastasia. 

They whispered a few things before John apologized and moved outside to the hallway to continue their conversations.

I opened my phone again and checked my messages.

LoJ, we found your package. You are right. We need to talk. - R

I typed back.

Central Park, 3 PM. Usual place.

I closed my phone and John walked back in.

"Just so you know, Mr. Ben-Gurion," I said. "unlike your mother-in-law, I don't tolerate mistresses."

John frowned. For a genius, he can be slow on these matters.

"Anastasia is the CEO of my charity, Kefi. Nothing more," he said. He finally figured it out. 

"She wants you, and she wants you bad," I said. Kettle calling pot black.

"Are we still talking about Anastasia?" he asked.

 I walked right into that. I giggled. I raised both of my arms begging for a hug. He complied. We kissed again for a long few minutes.

"John," I whispered.

"Yes?"

"What happened with your shipments to Syria?" I asked.

"Oh, the shipments were taken by the rebels," he said. He sighed. "The refugees really need those medicines and food. It was unconscionable to stole those shipments."

"Anyone hurt?" I asked.

"Oh no, no," he said. "They took the shipments together with the entire trucks. No one resisted, so no one got hurt. Thank God."

I chuckled. John was a devout Catholic. He did not go to church anymore, but that was because his fame caused commotion and distraction to the churches that he went to. Even before this whole incident, paparazzi regularly followed him.

"God is real, Kefi," he said.

"Yes, he is," I said. "I just kissed him."

John stared at me for a few seconds. Too blasphemous?

John tenderly caressed my cheek. "He saved you," he said.

"My buckle knife saved me," I said. "Did you manage to get the concealed carry permit?"

John shook his head. "Sorry," he said. "This thing takes a while, and the police investigation is still ongoing."

"With Robert's death, or with Sarah?"

"Sarah's case is cold," he said. "It had been cold for years. But your name is still in their case files, and the NYPD must have asked SFPD for the files."

"I am the reason for Sarah's death," I said. I raised my hand to prevent John from interrupting me. "But I swear I did not kill her, John. She was shot to protect me. I would rather it went the other way around."

John nodded. He kissed me again.

"I have to go and sort this thing in Syria out," he said. "Will you be okay alone? Can I get Maria to accompany you?"

I smiled. "I will be fine," I said. I pulled John's sleeve as he was about to stand up. I held his cheeks with both of my hands, cupping his chin up. "John, you have to watch your back. I love your trusting nature, your endless spring of kindness and forgiveness, but people will take advantage of that and use you." including me.

He kissed me on the forehead. "I love you," he said as he walked away.

"I love you too," I replied. My throat was so dry I could hardly hear my own voice.

After John left, I stood up from the hospital bed. John had put me in their first class private room, so there was no one else around. I took off my hospital gown and wore my clothing. Maria had bought me a new set of identical clothing to the one drenched in blood. She was adorable. She fussed over everything and helped me with so many things.

I smiled a rueful smile. I would be betraying John Ben-Gurion for the second time. He would not forgive me this time. I had my second chance, and I was going to throw it away. Tears flowed on my cheek and I wiped it.

I loved that man so much that I was willing to be hated by him.