by Sarah Ashley
Benito watched from the shadows as they quietly entered the yard, losing sight of them one by one.
Silence. Nothing more than the sound of distant trains clattering over rails, carried across the still night air. The peace was broken by shouting, yelling and the crack of something heavy hitting the inside of the unit. There was more shouting, then a scream broke out—Lucy.
Benito felt like ice was running through his veins as he was forced to stand outside, his past preventing him from entering that unit and seeing what was happening inside. Unable to resist the urge to stay away longer, he ran towards the unit doors as Jake appeared, Lucy in his arms.
“Boss,” Jake handed the dishevelled looking girl to Benito before turning around and heading back inside; the sounds of fighting continued.
“Tesoro,” Benito whispered, holding her tight in his arms, his lips brushing her cheek, closing his eyes as the moonlight caught her now short hair. “Lucy,” he whispered again.
“You came,” she croaked back through the tears.
“Did you think I wouldn’t?” he said in hushed tones as he carried her towards Lee’s Range Rover. Opening the rear door, he slid her into the back seat, closing the door, before walking to the back of the car and taking the blanket from the boot. Climbing in himself, he put the blanket around her shoulders before pulling her close toward his chest.
Benito sat, just holding her tight against him feeling her gentle sobs as she buried her face into his chest. Keeping her close, he closed his eyes. “I am so sorry you got dragged into this mess,” he rumbled, “so very sorry.”
“I, I just went to get some milk.” She whimpered through the sobs.
“Not now, later. We’ll talk about it later.” Holding his palm flat against her back, he kept her close. His hand working its way up her spine to the nape of her neck, his fingers brushing against the bare skin, no hair. “I bastardi fottuti,” he whispered under his breath as he ran his fingertips through her cropped hair.
“I love you,” Lucy whispered.
Turning her head, she rested her cheek against his chest, “Benito,” she prompted him for a reply, “I love you,” she whispered again.
“You too,” gritting his teeth he struggled, unable to say the words that he felt. He did love her, but couldn’t say it. Or, wouldn’t?
Staying in the back of the Range Rover for what seemed like ages, they stayed wrapped in each other’s arms waiting for the heavies to complete their job.
He kept his big arms wrapped around her holding her close to him, holding her tightly and protectively. He got his girl back, and she wasn’t going anywhere again. Turning the courtesy light on, he looked down at her hair, those beautiful waves now shoved in an envelope back at his apartment. The cropped mess at the back of her head was exposing her fine neck. He had really loved to run his fingers through her silky strands.
Turning her head, she looked up at him. Her face red and puffy, eyes tired with crying. She looked, and felt, exhausted. “Did they hurt you?” he spoke, his deep voice, so soft.
Lucy shook her head, “Not really.” Her voice sounded so hoarse.
“Promise me. Promise me tesoro,”
She shook her head again, “I’m okay,” she mumbled, “you came.”
Breathing deeply, Benito started to wish they’d hurry up in there. He wanted to take his girl home. He wanted to keep her close by and never out of his sight, ever again. Well, at least not for a while.
Closing her eyes, Lucy started to drift off to sleep. She dozed, exhausted from the trauma, wrapped in her lovers’ arms, and warmed by him with the thick tartan rug that draped around her shoulders. Her sleep was disturbed by the return of Lee, the car door opening and Lee climbing in. He was high with adrenaline, wired from the fight that he had been part of. Smiling broadly, he announced, “We got ‘em boss,” his voice boomed as he turned towards Benito and Lucy, cuddled together, across the back of his car.
“Ssh,” Benito whispered, bringing his forefinger to his lips, “she’s sleeping.”
Lee started up his car and, speaking in hushed tones, recounted what he’d established.
“Whoever they were, they weren’t very happy with you. Couldn’t get to the bottom of why but my best guess is because of business, from the little they said.” He laughed. “They won’t be doing much of that for a while.” Smiling in his rear view mirror he glanced at Benito who nodded his approval.
“How many?” Benito asked.
“Four. The guys enjoyed themselves. It was just like old times. Any more jobs liked that?”
Ignoring the comment, Benito looked down at his girl again. Her hand draped across his lap and her shoulder tucked under his arm. “Just get us home Lee,” Benito said firmly, “I want her home.”
Lee pulled his Range Rover into the car park and walked ahead of Benito, who still had Lucy in his arms; he opened the doors to the apartment complex and called for the lift. Lucy was still draped in the blanket and her head resting on Benito’s shoulder. Carrying her inside the apartment, Benito dismissed Lee straight away with instructions to de-brief, here, tomorrow at lunchtime.
Once the door was closed and they were on their own, he carried her through to his bedroom, their room, as she stirred. Sitting her down on the bed, he turned his bedside lamp on. The anger and hatred surfacing again as he looked at her sheared hair hacked off above her pony tail band, close to her scalp, her hair was so short now.
He knew it would be no problem for a hairdresser to sort out, but it was still an assault against one of his family, or as good as family. Nobody hurt anyone close to the Abelli’s without paying for their actions. The more he thought of those thugs, the bastards who had hurt his girl, the more he wanted them eliminated, gone; seeing her now he decided, the beating was not sufficient.
“Do you want a shower, bath or just sleep?” he spoke softly as he sat down beside her.
She turned towards him. “Just hold me, please.”
Pulling the duvet back, he helped Lucy undress, noticing the bruises across the tops of her arms and around her wrists. Seething, he covered her up as she lay down. Then removing his own clothes, apart from his boxers, he crawled beside her. His arm snaked around her waist as he pulled her close. Holding her, she flinched as he pulled her into his body.
Bringing his lips to her ear, “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked. Now realising exactly how his father felt. No-one would dare try to take his girl away ever again.
“Fine,” she croaked, drifting into sleep.
The new day starting to shine through his blinds, Lucy slept while Benito’s mind raced over how this could have happened. Turning, he looked at the clock beside his bed, it was only 7am. Lucy lay, still fast asleep. Easing out of his bed so as not to wake her, he quietly wandered out of the room. After making himself a coffee, he called his father. Franco quickly answered the phone.
“Benito,” he boomed, “any news?”
“I’ve got her back in the early hours of this morning.”
“Good, I’m coming over there. I want to meet this girl who you are so taken with. How is she?”
Shaking his head, Benito took a deep breath. “I don’t know. She has been asleep since I got her back. Her hair is a total mess, and her shoulders and wrists are bruised.”
“You take care of that girl. I’ll try and fly out this afternoon; if not, tomorrow morning. You just look after her, you hear me? She’s the first girlfriend you’ve had; well, proper one, she must be special.”
“I'll protect and care for her. I'll worship and honour her, but I can't tell her that I love her and I can't marry her, Dad. I don’t want to end up like you did when you lost mum, I just can't. It totally destroyed you. If I were to lose Lucy again, it would kill me. I wouldn’t be able to cope on my own. I couldn't spend the rest of my life knowing that I'd never take another woman—I just couldn't.”
“Benito, son. Don't live your life in fear of what might happen. What happened with your mother was tragic,
but I loved her so much, and I do still love her. Please, your mother would be beside herself. She would be devastated if she thought you were foregoing a wife because of what happened to me. She’d never forgive me.” He paused, Benito hearing his father sigh deeply. “Son, I beg you, please, put the thoughts of me and your mum out of your mind. This is your life, yours and your lady's. Don't lose her because you can't tell her you love her. You must tell her because a woman needs to know that she's loved and cared for.”
Listening carefully to his father, Benito sighed deeply, “She knows dad.”
“You hope she knows! Have you told her? ”
“No!”
“Well how do you know then? How does she know that you love her?” Franco demanded.
“Because I know I do.”
Becoming increasingly irate with his son’s behaviour and his responses, Franco’s tone changed, becoming terse. “Bullshit! For God’s sake Benito, marry her.”
“No, never!” Benito snapped back, he too becoming angry with his father and the demands he was placing upon him. He couldn’t marry. He wouldn’t marry, ever.
“Well at least tell her you love her.” Franco said, his tone becoming softer, doing whatever he could to encourage his son to make this relationship grow and to develop it.
“I can't.”
“Then you’re a complete fool!” Franco snapped. “I’ll let you know when I’ll be there.” He huffed before hanging up on his son.
Benito threw his phone on the sofa before lighting a Café Crème and making another coffee.
Returning to the living room he picked up his phone and sent a text to Katie advising her that he had Lucy safely back, and that she was okay as far as he could tell. He then sent another message to Lee and Jake thanking them for their support the night before and reminding them to be at his apartment at lunchtime today for a debriefing.
After drinking yet more coffee and kicking himself for having another cigarette, Benito checked on Lucy before showering. She was still tucked up in bed fast asleep. Watching her from the doorway as she lay on her side, her once beautiful wavy hair cropped at the nape of her neck, but she still looked stunning. Clenching his fists, he was so angry at what those bastards had done to Lucy. His girl! The beating his men had dished out wasn’t sufficient. They had to be dealt with—properly and permanently.
He shaved and dressed casually in jeans and a grey t-shirt, disturbing Lucy as he opened his wardrobe.
Slowly opening her eyes, she focussed on Benito who stood with his back to her, those broad shoulders, tapering to a narrow waist and hips. “Where are you going? Don’t leave me,” she croaked, sitting up quickly, the fear in her eyes still evident from her capture the day before. “Please don’t leave me.”
Walking over to the bed, he sat down beside her, opening his arms, inviting her into a cuddle. “Tesoro,” he spoke softly as she leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder, while he wrapped his big arms around her. “I’m not going anywhere, just getting dressed.”
“Please don’t leave me.” She whispered again.
He still had no idea what Lee and Jake had done to those bastards. He hoped that every bone in their bodies was broken. At the time, he had hoped that they would receive nothing so severe as to cause death, but now, seeing his Lucy like this, he felt differently. Nothing could be too severe. His father’s words were playing through his mind, “We look after our own in this family,” he thought aloud.
“What?” Lucy asked.
“Nothing, sorry I was just thinking aloud.” He mumbled, “Are you sure you’re okay. Do you want to have a shower?”
Nodding, Lucy stood and walked around the bed catching sight of herself in the mirror. “Oh no!” her hands flying to her head, “Oh God!” she sobbed, “Benito, look what they’ve done, look!” She screamed. Grabbing the short, hacked strands of what remained of her hair; she pulled at it, before falling to the floor. Kneeling down, she leant forward, her hands tearing at what remained of her hair. Tears running down her face as she wailed. Benito turned away, his face buried in his hands, unable to watch as his girl, staying on the floor, still pulling at her hair, sobbing at the mess her captors had inflicted upon her.
Turning towards Benito, her eyes puffy and red, her cheeks wet with tears she yelled, “Look at me you bastard! Look at me!”
In an absolute rage, she pulled and pulled at her cropped hair, “Look!”
Standing, Benito moved quickly towards her. Kneeling in front of her, he pulled her close, holding her tightly against him. Gently moving her hands from her hair she sobbed and sobbed into his chest.
Shaking his head, his lips in a tight line of anger, “We’ll get it fixed. I’ll have someone come around here today, I promise, I promise. Oh tesoro, I’ll sort it.” He whispered, trying his best to calm her.
As she began to calm herself, he guided her to the shower. Turning the water on, helped her out of her underwear and guided her under the jets of water as she stepped in. The bruises on her shoulders and wrists were now more evident also he also noticed one across her hip, extending towards her stomach.
His fists clenched by his sides as he resisted the urge to curse or to say anything that would upset her more than she already was. Instead, once she was in the shower, he returned to the living room to find his phone, noticing a text from his father.
I will be with you early evening.
Calling the office and speaking with Katie, he asked her to arrange for a hairdresser to come around to the apartment as quickly as possible. Someone who could be discrete in this situation and also asked her to sort out a visit from a doctor, one who would make a home visit to check Lucy over to make sure she was okay.
Once Lucy had showered, dried off and calmed herself a little more, he made a fresh coffee for them both. “Do you want anything to eat?” he asked as she curled on the sofa in her dressing gown.
Looking up at him she shook her head.
“I’ve asked Katie to sort a hairdresser, someone who will come here. Is that okay?”
“Whatever.” She shrugged her shoulders.
“Are you sure you’re okay Lucy? I’d be happier if you saw a doctor, those bruises are pretty bad.” He nodded towards her shoulders.
She shrugged her shoulders again, “Whatever you think.”
Not wanting to press her any further, to add more upset to the trauma that had already been caused, he sat beside her, stretching his arm out around her shoulder. Eventually she shuffled over, resting her head on his broad chest.
“They hurt me,” she whispered.
Looking up at him, her eyes wide open. “They hurt me,” she said quietly again.
Looking down at her he answered calmly, “You said they didn’t!”
“I didn’t want to worry you, but they kicked me when I was on the floor, they kicked my stomach.”
Through gritted teeth, Benito hissed. “The bastards. Are you in pain? I’ll ring Katie back, I want this sorted now.”
Standing, he picked his phone up and walked over to the window. Looking at the street below, he called Katie. She had already arranged for a hairdresser to call this afternoon but couldn’t get a doctor to come out until tomorrow.
“Don’t worry about the doctor. Lucy’s hurt. I’ll arrange something. I’ll call you later. If you need anything, let me know.”
Ending the call, he returned to Lucy. He insisted that she dress and within an hour they were sitting in the plush waiting area of a Harley Street General Practice.
“Miss Wilson-Hawley.” A slim, well dressed lady appeared from around a corner.
Lucy stood and looked back at Benito, “Will you come with me?”
Smiling, he was standing by her side within moments, “Of course.”
His arm around her waist, they followed the kind looking woman through to an office where a female doctor greeted them. She was a woman of around thirty-five years, softly spoken. Her short, dark bob tucked neatly behind her ears.
“Hi, I’m Madeleine Thomas. Please take a seat.” She indicated towards two leather chairs in front of her desk.
Sitting down herself, she smiled, first at Lucy and then at Benito. “You’re new to us, but I was told it was an emergency, so we’ll deal with that first. How can I help you?”
Benito spoke, “My girlfriend was assaulted yesterday. She’s been kicked quite badly and has bruising that I’m not happy with, it looks very sore.”
Madeleine looked at Lucy. “Are you happy for your boyfriend to stay?”
Lucy reached for Benito’s hand, “Yes, he stays; I want him here with me.” She whispered, gripping onto his hand, tightly, not wanting him to move away.
“Okay, as long as you’re sure.” The doctor smiled, giving Lucy an opportunity to send Benito away.
“No, he stays. He saved me from those thugs, I want him here.” Lucy reiterated.
The doctor, clearly thinking that Benito was behind the beating, seemed to relax a little, her shoulders dropping.
“Okay, so where is this bruising?”
“My shoulders and my stomach, they kicked me in the stomach.” Lucy looked down.
“It’s obviously shaken you up. Have you let the police know?” The GP asked, making notes as she listened.
“They’re dealing with it,” Benito lied. The extent of the bruising that he’d seen, well anyone else would have called the police, but he wanted no involvement from them. He could deal with this, he had dealt with it, but it wasn’t finished, not now that he’d seen what they’d done to her. This was a long way from being finished.
“Let’s have a look then. Can you pop yourself up on the couch please?” The doctor indicated for Lucy to move. As she did so, Benito sat, watching. Madeleine felt around Lucy’s lower stomach, “It’s a nasty bruise, but I don’t think there’s anything other than superficial bruising. I would like you to do a urine sample for me, just to rule out any kidney trauma. I really think some rest for a few days would be a good idea. Do you work?”
“She works for me,” Benito butted in, “and she can take as much time off as she needs.”