When I reached my room I headed straight to the bathroom and drew myself a bath instead of calling Magda. I hated the thought of someone else doing something so simple for me when I have hands and feet of my own.
I threw in some dried lavender and rose petals and some essential oils to relax my body. Letting the tub fill up as I took off the ruined dress.
As I finally settled into the tub the warm water soothed my aches. I remembered Teo kissing me hungrily earlier, the sparks that I felt as he ravaged my lips. He made every hair on my body rise up. My hand slowly crept down to please myself to the memory of his scent and the much vivid memory of our kiss. Each brush of my finger, I'd imagine it was his tongue that was making me feel that way between my legs.
After my bath I changed into a pink silk spaghetti strap top and its matching shorts and made my way to bed. My knees were cut open and the scabs were looking extra gross from soaking in the water. Rugged concrete was a pain the ass.
When I finally laid down I heard a knock at my door. It was Teo with a first aid kit in his hands.
He sat at the corner of my bed and began putting ointment and band-aids on my knees.
"Teo what happened today?" I asked him.
"Nothing serious Rosie" he replied down playing the situation.
I rose a brow at him knowing damn well if it wasn't anything he wouldn't have drawn his guns.
He looked back up from my knees to me and let out a deep breath.
"That car belonged to the daughter of the Serafin family, they're high table. There are a total of 5 families in the high table, nuestra familia (our family), the Italians run by the Lombardi, the Irish by the Clarkes, the Russian by the Novikov family and the Polish by the Serafin family. We all have our different territories and live amongst each other with a very fragile truce. Kinda like we don't fuck with them they don't fuck with us. The city might seem big but sometimes things can overlap each other on accident, we're only human after all." He smiled.
"Kind of like today, apparently Eryk Serafin's daughter Aleksandra fancies the same dress shop we were at." He said as he puts a large band-aid on my knee.
I gave a sigh of relief knowing there was no real danger today.
"Tomorrow will these families be here for the party Teo?"
He nodded his head up and down, " yes they will be here, where we will present you to them as our family Rosie. Don't worry though we are not animals and no one will be armed while in attendance. Even the high table families can be civilized for one night."
I couldn't help but laugh as if that would help ease my nerves. I suddenly got quiet remembering our earlier encounter.
His expression was hard to read as he took my legs into his lap. "I heard you earlier in the shop, you handled yourself pretty well presenting yourself as a Leon standing your ground, I like that," he said giving me a devilish smile.
That spark of jealousy slowly igniting back in me as I remember Karina being disappointed thag he wasn't the one she saw standing before her. As if Teo could read my mind he gave my legs a squeeze, "Don't worry Rosie, I've never fucked her."
He stood up and bent over to hug me goodnight, "Sweet dreams mi reina (my queen) ." he whispered in my ear.
My body quickly tensed at his breath against my ear. He pulled away slowly with a cocky smirk on his face and walked out of my room. Its almost embarrassing that my body reacted this way to him. I've dated plenty of men and none of them have ever made my body feel the way his does with just a whisper.
I stared off at the ceiling in my room missing my sister Zaira. If she was here I'd be telling her all the hot tea about today. I couldn't even call her because I didn't have a phone anymore. Teo had taken it the same night I got here. And it's not like had friends here either. I quickly began to realize that feeling lonely here would be the new norm.
*******
I found myself dreaming that I was back at my house laying on my bed. Zaira was there getting her hair braided my mother and my dad was in the kitchen scratching a lottery ticket. Just then Elena entered my room. Elena has always been beautiful with loose curly jet black hair like Nino in color and Nina in texture and black eyes. Her facial features are soft and feminine like Nina Elenora's. She came and sat at my bedside.
"Long time no see Rosie" she said giving me a bright smile. I got up from my bed and hugged her with tears in my eyes. "I've missed you so much Elly, I had the ugliest dream that you were dead."
She let out a long sigh as she held me in her arms, " That's because I am Rosie, this is a dream" she said as she pointed around. "Papa and Mateo need you Rosie. "
I cried out to Elly, " I don't fit in with this life!"
Elly smiled brightly and said,"you've always had that wild don't take shit from anyone side, you'll fit right into their world. You just have to not be afraid of them."
"I can't Elly. I - I have feel-"
she cut me off, "feelings for Mateo" she smiled. "I've always known Rosie. I always hoped that Mateo would let someone into his heart I'm glad that person is you. Love is not a weakness and my brother will see that with time."
"Promise me you'll stay by Papa and Teo's side Rosie?" she asked with a sad smile, as tears fell. I hugged her hard not wanting to let go as she told me she had to go back.
"I love you Rosie, take care. Tell Papa and Teo I love them very much." her words echo.
I woke up and find that I wasn't crying in my dreams only, I was also crying in real life clinging onto my pillow. I dried my tears off and make my way downstairs to the living room to find a good book to read. On the way there I see light coming out from under Nino's office.
I knocked on the door and waited to see if there was an answer. Nino lowly said, "Enter mija" Nino was sitting at his desk with a bunch of black binders at his desk. "Everything okay Rosie?" he asked lifting his eyes from his paper work.
"I just had a sad dream Nino.0, "Why are you up so late Nino?"
"It's one of those nights for me tonight mija, I can't sleep so I work the night away until I get tired enough to sleep. What did you dream of that has you up at two in the morning mija?"
I sighed heavily, " want to join me in the kitchen for something to drink Nino?"
His heavy eyes light up with a little light in his eyes and a smile from ear to ear, "of course mi niña come, vamos"
We made our way past the living room through a dinning room into the huge kitchen with a white marble top island at the center. I remember Elly would always make chamomile tea with honey for us when we'd have sleep overs.
I decide to make some for tonight. Opening the pantries and drawers searching for chamomile and honey.
I finally find the chamomile and honey and prepare a cup for me and Nino and bring it to him at the island. He looks at his cup as I sit beside him and then he looks over at me with tears brimming at his eyes he says, "You know Rosie, Elena used to make this for me when I couldn't sleep."
"I know Nino, she always told me when we'd have sleep overs, it was her favorite comfort drink" I say trying not to cry. "Elly came to me in my dreams tonight Nino."
He looks up from his tea cup, " What did my Elly say mi niña?"
"She made me promise to stay by you and Teo's side." I say through tears. " I hugged onto her tight hoping she'd be by my side when I'd wake up but she wasn't Nino. She told me to tell you and Teo she loves you very much and she is always with you."
Nino is one to rarley show his soft side, and I can tell how much Nina's and Ellys death have affected him. He wiped away a tear from his eye as he told me, "Yes that's mi Elena alright."
"Nino were the men who killed Elena found?" I ask Nino.
"The ones who carried out the orders were, but not the ones who placed that hit." At today's party mija we hope to gather as much intel as we can to see if this came from someone with the high table.
"These families are dangerous mija, its best you not get too involved with them. Try to enjoy your party okay?" Nino says.
He ruffles my hair as I gently squeeze his hand goodnight.
"Sweet dreams, Rosie. There will be a lot more preparations in the morning." Nino says.