The Assistant ( Saving His Assistant)

Chapter 18

Bucks stared at the woman on the sofa as he waited for her to answer him. He saw Terry slipping away from the corner of his eye and promised himself to deal with him later. Of course he knew where Rita was, he knew it as soon as he discovered Terry was missing. He just wanted to see if she could dare lie to him.

Rita was wearing a white hoodie and a pair of black shorts, her brown thighs clashing beautifully against the white sofa. He forced himself to focus on her face. Rita stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights, her brown eyes wide and her lower lip trembling. Bucks noticed that this was the first time she was consciously staring at him without glaring.

He took a step closer to her. Rita tried to rise from the sofa in an attempt to get away from him but she ended up wincing and losing balance. She tried grasping the table in front of her but she missed , tumbling forward when his strong hands grabbed her by the waist, steadying her . The small box she had in her pocket at that point fell out and Bucks' eyes were drawn to it.

Bucks spun her around and pushed her backwards,making her sit on the table. He bent , took the box and opened it while Rita tried to snatch it from his hands using her left hand. Bucks gripped Rita's small hands in one of his larger one as he now stood between her legs intently studying the necklace he pulled from the box .

"Explain, " Bucks ordered her as he slowly lowered the necklace to her palm and held the back of her head with his hand , to maintain eye contact.

Rita paused eyeing him.

" On one condition... " She whispered to him, "tell me how you are involved with Jonathan..."

Bucks sighed but he opened his mouth to speak anyway.

" My father was a mafia leader. When he died , I took over from him as his first born son. Jonathan.... Jonathan is my half - brother. He has always felt that he is neglected because he was born out of adultery. I reigned as mafia leader for two years then I decided to step down, leaving my cousin to take charge. I guess that was a final blow to Jonathan because being my half brother,he expected I should've left it for him. So he became so furious. I could not leave it to him because Jonathan is trouble , he is too careless. When I left, I started everything from scratch and what I own now is purely from hard work. I left the mafia but I'm still a part of them. No one really leaves unless you don't want to live. Jonathan simply seeks revenge , he is looking for every way possible to ruin me..." Bucks narrated while slowly massaging Rita's neck. She was trying not to sigh in contentment from the relaxing sensation. Bucks noticed it and he inwardly smirked.

"Now , it's your turn" he said to her and rested a hand on her hip. He was trying to control touching Rita but he could not help himself. Rita affected him too much .

" I.. I... I'm an only child , I guess. My mother used to work as a cleaner at a company. She used to earn enough, enough for food and paying rent for our small apartment. One day , she didn't go to work. She said we had to move from that apartment and I remember not going to school for a whole week after we moved . A few weeks later, we were having supper when she... she took me to her room and clasped this necklace around my neck. She ... made me promise her never to allow anyone to see it... She... She .. about to make me promise but there were gunshots.." she paused trying to speak as her voice became thick with emotion.

" ... She picked me and ran with me to the kitchen. I was 10, tiny, thin and frail. ... She put me in an empty water drum and shut the lid just as I heard foot steps approaching the kitchen. .. a ....voice ...he asked my mother where something was . I think he meant this necklace. He killed her....slit her throat and then burnt her body in the kitchen...he watched it burn I think. I saw his feet the whole time. I saw through a tiny hole in the drum. I..." She shook her head unable to go on and broke down. Bucks held her tighter to his body as everything in his mind clicked into place.

He held her close feeling her soft chest pressed against his belly and her head on his chest. He carried her carefully to the guestroom as her sobs subsided.

"Rita , I need the necklace to investigate what exactly it is and who may be after it... Please "he asked her after laying her carefully on the bed.

Rita stared at him and put the necklace in his palm. Bucks left the room and called Martha to take a look at Rita's wounds as he ran down the stairs to find Terry.

***
Terry was changing into a pair of sweatpants in his room when Bucks slowly approached him .

"Terry..."

"Boss," the man spun around so fast, arms trembling.

"How?" Bucks demanded.

"Boss, she threatened me!"

"Really Terry, how ? She is nothing compared to you..."

"Boss, she was sweetly laughing and talking then all over sudden she cornered me and threatened to remove all her clothes and scream " harassment " if I did not -"

"Terry!"

"Boss,"

"Slap yourself !"

" Huh?"

" Slap yourself, even you should realize how ridiculous you sound,"

"But she -"

" Terry .. slap yourself!" Bucks yelled as the man now raised his hand , a good distance from his face and brought it down, landing on his cheek with a satisfactory slap.

" Good. I want every detail on what transpired in her apartment by tomorrow morning. I'm giving you time to get some sense into your head, " he paused ,handing over the necklace to him, " I need you to look at this ," Bucks turned to leave a grumbling and a huffing Terry behind him.

He went into his office and tried to concentrate on his work . He failed. His mind was constantly on the girl in the guestroom. He thought about all she went through as a child and his heart squeezed painfully. He rose up from his desk and went to check on her.

Rita was under the covers, eyes closed. Bucks turned to leave when he heard her whisper.

" Please don't go.. I'm scared. Bucks.. please stay". His heart squeezed and he found himself walking up to the bed , getting under the covers and tightening an arm around her waist. He stayed awake looking down at her face hearing her breathing even out then he fell asleep.