The Don's Trust

Chapter 6

The following day, Valentina went to school again. The lecture hall was fairly empty considering it was still the beginning of the year. She picked a random seat and got herself ready for class.

As the lecturer went on with his class, more and more students showed up. The teacher wasn't pleased but let them follow his lecture, anyway.

"We meet again.'' the same guy from yesterday took a seat beside Valentina.

Valentina gave him a simple nod and concentrated on the lecture again. She wasn't interested in having a conversation with him.

He cleared his throat, ''So what's your name?''

Stop talking to me, she thought.

''You don't need to know that,'' Valentina had her guard up.

The young man formed his hand into a fist. He wasn't pleased with her attitude toward him.

He latched his hand on Valentina's wrist. ''But I want to.''

Valentina gritted her teeth. His touch only brought discomfort.

''Let go,'' she said it in a low voice so she wouldn't draw attention to herself.

"Only if you tell me.'' his grip tightened.

Valentina winced at the pain soaring through her lower arm. Trying to pull away from him didn't work, so she stomped on his foot and jerked her arm away from him.

"Bitch.'' she heard him curse, ''What? Do I have to pay you first or something?'' he sneered.

Too shocked to say anything back, she stood up abruptly, grabbed her belongings and exited the lecture hall. She could feel herself heating up as she walked with her head down. Kevin and Luke followed her and tried to keep up with her fast pace.

They were clueless about the incident that just happened under the tables and Valentina didn't want them to know about it either.

The three of them reached the parking lot and got in the car. Valentina could feel her eyes sting, she tried her hardest to keep herself from crying.

"Did something happen, Miss?'' Luke spoke up.

"I wasn't feeling well.'' she tried to hide the truth.

Valentina knew Kevin and Luke would report everything she said back to Vito. Or at least, it wouldn't surprise her if they did. He was still their boss. Their loyalty was with him. Not her. She kept that thought in the back of her head.

When she got to the house, she went straight to her room. The only place where she didn't have to restrain her true emotions. The physical pain from her wrist hurt but his insult hurt her more.

In essence, he called her a slut and even though no one else heard it, she did. Loud and clear. Valentina knew she shouldn't get worked up about the words of a guy she barely knew, but she could not shake the bitter feeling off her.

I should have said something back, thoughts of regret formed in her head.

Valentina wiped a few lone tears from her cheeks as she laid in her bed. She rolled on her side, pulled the covers closer to her and closed her eyes.

There hadn't been a lot of times where Valentina was harassed. Her older brother would usually keep guys at bay. Greg didn't express his feelings well, but he really cared for his little sister. Adopted or not, they were family.

A knock on her bedroom door made Valentina wake up from her slumber. After coming around, she sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

"Yes?''

Vito lowered the door handle and entered her room. "I heard you didn't feel well.''

Suspicion confirmed. They do report back, Valentina thought immediately.

"I'm doing fine, now.'' she avoided eye contact and fidgeted with a loose thread of her shorts.

Vito came closer to stand in front of Valentina and pointed out the bruise on her wrist. ''What is that?''

"It's nothing.''

"Don't lie to me,'' his jaw clenching as he spoke.

Valentina thought back on what happened earlier making her vision blurry. She parted her lips to answer Vito and felt her lower lip quiver. She bit her lip to keep herself from exposing her emotions even more.

"Who did it?'' he asked this time.

Valentina raised her head. She couldn't read him at all. It wasn't clear to her if he was angry, sad, amused or indifferent about the situation.

"I don't know his name.''

Vito sighed and left her room. Valentina pushed herself from her bed and walked toward the door to fully close it. Before she could, Vito had already come back with ointment.

"Give me your hand.''

Valentina complied and Vito applied ointment on her bruise. There was one thing Valentina was sure of. She could never get used to his unpredictable actions.

"Why didn't you treat it sooner,'' he grumbled.

Valentina lifted her shoulders up rather weakly.

"Would you be able to point him out if you saw him?'' Valentina answered him with a slow nod and he mumbled, ''Good.''

Valentina dropped her arm beside her when Vito was done. She quickly took hold of his arm when she saw him turn to leave.

"Thank you,'' she said in her soft voice and let go of him.

Vito went outside the house and spotted Luke and Kevin. He beckoned for them to come over. The two men gulped as they neared their boss.

"Don,'' Luke and Kevin greeted him.

"I thought you two were supposed to protect Valentina.'' the two men could hear it in his voice that he wasn't pleased.

Since Kevin and Luke didn't see the incident, they had no idea what Vito talked about. The only thing they were aware of was the foul mood of the Don.

"Tomorrow, she will point out a guy and you two will make sure he starts using his brain.''

While Luke only nodded, Kevin asked what they should do if the young man wouldn't work with them.

"I'll leave that up to you, but simple threat should be enough.''