Ugly Ronney: mafia romance [English]

Chapter 9-4

I opened my bedroom door for the tenth time and still found two men, who looked like they had just come from a spy movie, with dark glasses and earphones as accessories. It was impossible to get out of there. The two men didn't speak, but their posture was enough to dissuade me from leaving my suite. I had sent several messages to Yeraz asking him to let me walk around the hotel, but he hadn't responded.

The minutes had seemed like hours since Yeraz had left my suite. I switched through the channels on the television without paying attention to the programs. The images of our last conversation were looping in my head. I tried to understand how we had come to be so close to me. We had spent too much time together in the last few weeks, that was for sure. My parents kept calling me, but I didn't answer. I didn't want them to detect any discomfort in my voice.

Suddenly, there was a knock on my door, and I began to hope that it was Yeraz. Disappointment filled my face when I saw room service bringing me my dinner.

Later in the evening, tired from the day's emotions, I slipped gently into a deep sleep.

Voices invaded my dreams and I found myself thrown in room B5 of my high school. The smell of bleach on the floor was getting to my nose. I was just finishing putting my things away when Bryan, a senior and part of the soccer team, stormed into the room. There were about ten boys and they seemed surprised to find me alone.

"It's Ugly Ronney," exclaimed one of the boys, wearing a blue polo shirt that matched his eyes.

I ducked my head as I hurriedly zipped up my backpack, then walked up the aisle to exit the classroom. One of the boys slammed the door shut before I could get through it. I turned into a frightened creature. Bryan's breath smelled of alcohol.

"Hey, Ronney, why don't you try to get us all hard?"

With tears in my eyes, I tried to get their disgusting hands off me. I begged them to stop.

"Who wants to see under her clothes?" Bryan shouted.

"I hope the show isn't as bad underneath!" exclaimed one of the boys.

Shouts of encouragement went up all around me. I was on the verge of fainting from the stress.

"Naked! Naked! Naked!"

The loud laughter, their screams, were unbearable.

"No, stop!" I begged, in tears. "Take your hands off me! Take your hands off me!"

"Ronney! Ronney, wake up. Ronney!"

I woke up suddenly, sobbing, lost, sweat beading on my forehead. He was there with me. Yeraz held me so tightly that he could have broken me if he had tightened his grip just a little more. He made me sit on his lap. I could feel his heart beating through his shirt. "Death? I fall asleep and wake up in its arms," were his words. Did it feel like I felt now? If it did, then I understood him. With heavy eyelids, I fell back asleep against him, but without any dreams or nightmares this time.

The ringing of Yeraz's phone woke me. It took me a while to remember where I was. My head rested on his chest. His eyelids were closed, still sleeping. I could feel every muscle in his body with every breath he took. His shirt was unbuttoned. After a few seconds of hesitation, my fingers brushed his skin. He was incredibly well built.

The alarm rang again. Yeraz jumped to his feet and swore.

"Shit, we're late. Damn it!"

He had gone to bed beside me, fully clothed. Without my glasses or contacts, I could hardly see anything else. His silhouette paced the room and the echo of his voice indicated his mood. I tried to guess who he was talking to on the phone.

"Yes, the Bisbee Black and Blue Tournament. Very well, we'll be there."

Silence. Yeraz must have hung up. His figure sat on the edge of the bed and I could see him better. I straightened up and pushed back the strands of hair in front of my face.

"Where are we going?"

"Fishing."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I expected anything but this."

"It's a religion on this island. People come from all over the world to participate in the tournament. It has become the richest fishing competition on the planet."

The tone of his voice had softened fleetingly.

"Ronney, do you remember your nightmare last night?"

A feeling of shame enveloped me. I pulled the blanket up over me.

"Did you hear me? Is that why you came to my room?"

My voice sounded hollow to my ears.

"I was already in your room, on the chair. I was afraid you would run away in the middle of the night."

He paused for a moment and then continued.

"Your screams completely freaked me out."

Yeraz stood up. My discomfort must have been noticeable. I was relieved that I couldn't see much. To face his gaze at that moment would have been unbearable. I looked away and stared into the void in front of me to avoid him taking the biggest wound of my life and using it against me. After a moment of intolerable silence, he said, "I'm going to take a shower and change. I'll wait for you in the lobby."

I nodded in agreement. He walked to the door. Before opening it, he turned in my direction. With vague fear, he asked, "Did... Did they..."

"You're going to be late," I cut him off anxiously. "You have to get ready."

"Tell me."

"No. I managed to leave. I dropped out of high school the next day."

I felt his hesitationto leave me alone. Hearing the door close behind him, I let out a long sigh andrelaxed. I hadn't realized I'd been holding my breath.