Page 10 of Valentino

Unable to control my anger, I beat him to a pulp, until he’s covered in blood.

Begging me to leave him be.

“You go near her again, I will fucking kill you.” I grab him by the hair and slam his head onto the ground. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes,” his wimpy voice whispers.

“Valentino,” I hear someone cry. “Enough.”

I glance up and my heart sinks, Anna…and she’s seen the whole thing.

“Stop.”

I drag myself off him, I have a cut over my eye and my hand is ballooning, clearly broken.

“What are you doing?” She frowns.

“He was….” I look over to see the coward limping away. “Pushing a girl around.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I drag my hand through my hair, embarrassed that she’s seen me like this. “I’m sorry…I..”

“Your eye.” She cups my face in her hand as she looks up at me. “Come on.”

“What?”

She takes my hand and leads me back into the house, the bad music is pumping and nobody is any the wiser.

“What are you doing?” I call as she drags me by the hand upstairs.

“Cleaning you up.”

We walk into a bathroom and she closes the door behind us. “Sit.” She pushes me down to sit on the side of the bathtub.

I plonk down and she opens the cupboard and looks inside, before taking out a washcloth and holding it under the water. “What were you doing?”

I sit silent, of all the people I wouldn’t want to see me like that, she is the very last.

“I….” I clasp my hands in front of me, embarrassed.

“Here.” She gently holds my hair back from my forehead and dabs the wet washcloth on my cut. “It’s deep.” She dabs again, concentrating on her task.

“Do you know that guy?” I ask her.

“Only that he’s a psycho.”

“Is she his girlfriend?”

“I think so.”

I clench my hands harder, disgust running through me.

She keeps cleaning my face while I sit silently and stare up at her beauty.

“I haven’t seen you for a long time,” she murmurs. “I miss you.”

“I know.” I nod. “Been busy.” I shrug. “I guess.”