The Deal

5. Bella

Isabella Rose

The second we step inside the house I can see Valentino wants to yell at me. His fists are clenched in anger.
"Just get it out already" I say knowing he wants to punish me.

He looks up at the ceiling and starts counting. "No way you are counting to ten" I say crossing my arms.

"You make me go crazy" he says now looking back at me. "Don't ever fucking try that again! You're so god damn lucky I need you for this job, or else I wouldn't have let you live for this long" he says furiously as he storms up the stairs and slam his door shut.

I get up to my room and try to get some sleep after all the crazy shit that happened today. I guess Valentino is right, I am lucky that I'm still alive.

***

Next morning I hear yelling from outside. I wake up in fear and look out my window. No way. Valentino is beating the shit out of Peter. His knuckles meeting his face a lot of times.
Then he pulls out a knife and pushes it through Peters right hand. God I can't look. It's cruel.

I can hear him so clearly through the window. He begs Valentino to stop.
I get out of my room to get away from the noise as I spot Matteo too looking out. "Isabella have you seen" he says waving for me to come have a look.
"I know" I say not wanting to look. I tilt my head down.

"I hear he did something inappropriate last night and that's why he's being tortured" Matteo says. Could it be true. Did Valentino spot the way Peter smacked my ass. Is that why he beat him up. No that could not be it, he doesn't care for me.
"What did he do?" I ask.

"Not sure but the guards say he touched a girl" he answers still watching the horrific fight outside.

Okey so maybe he does care? I'm so confused. I don't know whether I should be scared of Valentino or feel safe around him anymore. First he saves me, then he threatens to kill me and now he beats up the guy that smacked me on the ass. Maybe he's bipolar.

Matteo looks a lot more tired than usual. "How are you feeling?" I ask.

"I'm doing fine" he says giving me a nervous smile, he's hiding something obviously but I guess I have to take that for now.

Valentino walks inside the house leaving Peter outside on the grass.
He walks right up and spots me and Matteo in the same place.
My eyes go to his hands. "Omg you are bleeding!" I say running up to him and grab one of his hands.
"Have you never seen blood amore?" he says flinching when I accidentally touch the wounds on his knuckles.

"We have to get them cleaned and wrapped in bandage" I say worrying for him. Why do I care? Maybe because he cared? I think I'm being delusional. Valentino Gray does not care for anyone.
Our eyes meet, and just for a second something changes in him. His gaze softens.

"Ah don't worry he comes home like this a lot, get used to it" Matteo says taking his brothers hand from me and studying it himself. "Went pretty hard this time huh?" Matteo asks as Valentino rolls his eyes.

"He deserved it" Valentino says looking at me. I nod in agreement. "I'll help you" I say walking to my room because I spotted a first aid kit earlier. I grab it from the bottom of the closet and head back out. Valentino is seated on the couch and Matteo takes off. I take a seat beside Valentino and open the kit.

"I don't want it Bella just go back to your room" he says. Bella. A nickname. Dante never called me any nicknames besides babe.

"Just stop being so stubborn for once and let me help, I promise I'm not going to kill you" I say and when he doesn't give me his hand I grab it and put it on my lap. I wipe off the blood and get it clean. He flinches a few times and I keep apologizing.
I then take bandage and wrap them around his knuckles.
"See it isn't so bad getting help" I say as he removes his hand from my lap and studies it.

"Why are you even helping me?" He asks now turning his attention to me.
"Well I owe you one" I say smiling. He did after all save me from those boys.

"Almost like you care" he says.

"Never" I say shaking my head.

We look at each other a moment too long, but before any of us can speak Oliver comes up. Our heads turn to look at him. "Boss we need you at the training hall there's a fight!" Oliver says. Like that Valentino is up on his feet and ready to go but stops for just a second.

"You're coming with me" he says pointing at me as I nod and follow them outside.
Any place is better than just sitting around in this house.