Chapter 22 Dark Ties
Chapter 22 Dark Ties
I stared at both of them, their eyes puzzled at my response “Why are you guys staring at me like that?” I asked, switching glances from Caleb to Dante.
“I’ve never heard you cuss—”
“you don’t look like the type to call people btards” Caleb retorted, his bulging eyes staring at me through those firm glasses of his.
“Are we going to do anything about them or keep talking about my words?” I asked, glaring down at him, he walked inside, closing the door right behind him.
“Just stay behind the curtains Lily—I’ll handle this” Caleb said with a stern tone, I didn’t persist, Dante couldn’t help but notice how he spoke to me so casually as though we knew each other. “You have to look unconscious” he said to Dante, who raised a brow at him.
“Just trust him” I whispered to him. He looked quite reluctant, he heaved a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes, placed his body immobile and lied straight, for someone so reluctant, he sure played the part of sick and unconscious really well. I moved behind the curtains, holding my breath.
I could tell from the steps the man took, he was here to fulfill his mission.
“How is the condition of the patient?” He asked in a low voice, his demeanor convincing, if I hadn’t stumbled upon him hatching up a plan with his fellow murderers, I would have believed all he had to say.
“It’s stable si—what’s your name? Mister—”
“Philemon” he answered, his voice shaky
“I haven’t seen you in this ward before” Caleb pointed out “Are you truly a doctor here?” He asked. The room fell silent, I clutched onto the curtain some more, the man didn’t answer.
“Who are you?” Caleb asked.
“Th—this is the wrong room, I apologize” he mumbled, turning to leave. I peeked through the curtains to see him trying to move swiftly when Caleb held onto his shoulder, pulling him back.
“Where do you think you’re going?” He held onto his shirt, placing him on the ground. I emerged from the curtains, rushed to the door and had it locked. There is no escape for him, no escape for someone who thought of murder.
“I did—I didn’t want this to happen, please—they threatened me, I didn’t want to do it” he pleaded, sweat dripping down his face, he looked so pitiful, his eyes bulged out of his sockets and his hands clasped together with knees to the ground.
“Please don’t report me to the hospital” he begged. Is he serious right now? Why shouldn’t I go around Reporting him? He tried to kill Dante.
“You have no ri—”
“Get up—come here” Dante cut in, signalling that he makes his way to him. His eyes bent low, that menacing glare, he looked like a dark aura had just made its way out of him. He didn’t seem to say much. The man got up, walked slowly to him.
I turned to look at Dante who looked like he didn’t just get stabbed hours ago and underwent a surgery. I hadn’t noticed his arm before, there was a spider tattoo, or at least I could see one of the legs drawn on him.
“Please sir—I beg of you, don’t let them revoke my license” he kept pleading. There was some sort of sincerity in his eyes, they looked scared. But I could sense from Dante that he wasn’t going to let this go and not so easily.
“If you’ll help me—I’ll forget that you tried to do something, also, if they wanted me dead, there would’ve done more than just a doctor” he said at a stretch. Was there always a cut mark on his right brow? It looked dangerous, it definitely added a feeling of danger to him.
“Whatever you want, I’ll do it—just please, I still want to practice” he clasped his hands together. Caleb and I shared a glance, looking at Dante then at the young man who pleaded for his life.
“Giovanni!” He called out. Who is Giovanni? Who is he calling? What’s going on. Just as he called on, a huge man in an all black clothes walked in, he had a slightly tanned skin, he could be as tall as 6-7feet, i looked up to see his face, calm, dangerous but not like Dante.
“Hold him” Dante said, pointing to the man on the ground “He’ll tell you who sent him, get them and make sure I get the details” the doctor walked up with him, the silent but huge Giovanni held him by the arm. I couldn’t help but look at them both, Dante looks so fine and it also seems like he didn’t need our help
“Now—who are you?” He asked. I finally moved my gaze to him instead of Caleb and the Huge Giovanni.
“He’s uh—”
“I’m her brother” he said casually, I turned to him, my eyes widened with shock. Who just says that out of the blue hoping for someone to believe it, I haven’t yet accepted what seems like the truth, Caleb Thompson to be my brother, yet, he’s here telling Dante all about it.
“Nice to meet you” I turned to him with an even more shocked expression, he just believed that so easily. I couldn’t even comprehend when I overheard from the nurses that we may be related.
Before I could get words out of my mouth, I heard the door open, Claire walked into the room, her scent filling the corners, the air felt light but mixed with the scent of roses and jasmine, her cat eyes and light blonde hair catching all attention.
“It’s you again” she smiled, her cherry red lips glittering red, she placed a finger on my nostrils, she looked enchanting, her pale skin made me remember how mid and ordinary I looked.
“What are you doing here Claire?” Dante asked, his baritone resounding in the room. He didn’t look like he was expecting her but I was. I didn’t know why she hadn’t come earlier, her men had saved me, saved us.
She pulled back from me, her eyes fixated on mine, I held up her gaze, looking up to her, she’s quite versed with heels, how could she not, with such physique and beauty, she would have every man at her feet.
“I came to see how you’re both faring—last I checked, I sent my boys to care for you” she smiled,
“I’ll leave you both to speak” I headed for the door, staring at Caleb to do the same.
“Why? Please stay” I heard from behind, I couldn’t waste any more time, I walked out of the room, my breathing had become unsteady, my heart raced at his plea. But Claire looks like the best person for him, maybe everyone was right, I would end up being his toy, one he’d easily discard.
“Are you okay?” Caleb held onto my arm when my footing had become wonky, first tightened chest and a racing heart now wobbly feet.
“I don’t feel so good” I admitted, having his arm hold me up. He took me to my room.
“You love him so much, don’t you?” He said, the moment I had settled into my bed.
“I—I don’t know, I’m grateful that he’s okay—I mean he’s the one who saved me” Caleb had his arms folded. A raised brow and a look of discontent with my answer. He looked as though he could see through my soul even when I couldn’t.
“If you lie that much to yourself—how much would you do to others?” He asked, catching me off guard, having my mouth agape.
“Besides—we have a lot to talk about” he finally took a seat beside me “You don’t know about father—or better still, she didn’t tell you about him” he started. I stared at him with a puzzled look, he didn’t sound or look like he was making a lot of sense.
“But I still don’t believe that—”
“You have a mole at the right side of your back, it’s a bit tiny—not sure how much it’s grown” I stared at him with much amazement. I wanted to scream that he went through my records but then I halted. There’s no way he’d know that through some records.
“How do you know that?” I questioned, standing up.
“Because I held you when you were a child—you’re my sister” he repeated but it didn’t make any sense, if he was my brother, why hadn’t my mother said anything about both of them.
“If you’re my family—why didn't my mother talk about you?” I asked in a hushed tone.
He paused, taking a deep breath “Because our father is a don—the don of the Valkyrie
s, he was their leader” he paused, noticing that I couldn’t understand
“He’s a mafia boss”