Chapter 4 - My Lost Diamond

Tracing the direction of the voice, James together with his bodyguards turns around to see who dares to interfere in their affairs. They are surprised to see Romeo looking at them like a lion ready to devour its prey. James quickly drops his hold on Maria and she steps back nervously.

Romeo is very popular, being the sole owner of the best pubs and clubs in New York. It is obvious with the look on the faces of James bodyguards, that even they, either know or have heard of him. Most days when they were off duty, they spent the night in Romeo's club. 

They also had a lot of respect and admiration for Romeo because he was very generous and fearless. They stepped back knowing that not only was Romeo wealthy and generous, but also very tough. With the nature of his job, he had trained himself with Martial Arts and kickboxing so he could well defend himself and others. 

Romeo is dressed in his usual Denin Jeans with a T-shirt and leather jacket. He also has a pair of Chukka boots to match his appearance. He has a Mohawk fade haircut which gives him the usual 'bad boy' look but his face is red with the vein in the middle of his forehead throbbing, as he clenches his jaw in anger.

"Who are you to stop me?" James brags. Even though deep down, he fears the man standing in front of him.

"Romeo." He says in a deep husky voice. "But my closest pals call me Rome when it comes to important matters like this".

"What do you want"? James asks trying to be bold but ends up flinching.

"Nothing. Just let her go". Romeo replies. This time sternly but with a calm look. The anger was gradually fading when he realizes that James is scared of him. So he thinks of negotiating, instead of picking up a fight as he had planned earlier. It would have been easy because Romeo's contacts had each put a gun to the head of James' bodyguards. Acid was standing close to Romeo with his gun pointed at James.

"Do you know that this is a private affair? She is my wife to begin.."

"Ex," Maria yells, interrupting him.

"You heard her, Ex-husband", Romeo reiterated as he continued. "One thing I understand about divorce is, that both parties go their separate ways so she is not obliged to come with you".

"Maria," James calls, looking at her intently. "Think about it critically." James tries to negotiate with Maria. "Yes. I was a jerk but please forgive me. How can I make it up to you?" He said with a pleading tone.

"It's too late James, I trained my heart to love you, the same way I trained it to hate you three years ago. I will never be yours or anyone else's. I am going to be who I want to be. I will be my own woman". She yells.

When she said she will never be James', Romeo was happy but when she added or anyone else's, his eyes grew dark with sorrow. He can not understand why he feels hurt by her words. Looking at the 5ft, 5inches tall woman standing in front of him, he couldn't hide his disappointment. She was slender, beautiful, and poise. It's not as if he hasn't seen prettier women but he just felt an instant bond to her from the very moment he laid eyes on her. Even though his mind wants revenge, his heart is telling a different story.

Who is he to care whether she loves him or not? Or could he be dumbfounded because she might not fall to his famous revenge plan? There are so many voices playing in his head and he doesn't know which one has his best interest.

"Maria, just have this at the back of your mind. This war is not over and it will never be over till you become mine again. I found my lost Diamond and I will never let it go even if it takes my life." James warned as if Romeo wasn't there.

"You didn't lose a Diamond James, you threw it away. I don't think you go back to the garbage to pick things you have thrown in there." She says sarcastically.

"Don't play smart with me Maria, you know damn well what am talking about. I will let you go today but next time, you will not escape from my hands, I promise." He entered his limo with these final words just as his bodyguards made themselves comfortable in the four GMCs. They drove off, trailing behind each other like a convey.

Maria releases a breath she doesn't know she is even holding. "Thank you so much for standing up for me. I think I owe you one". She says to Romeo.

"You don't have to thank me yet. I don't think you are still safe. He might not approach or force you when I am around but he might still get you somewhere else". Romeo said after a little thought.

"So what are you suggesting"? She asks slowly.

"That you stay with me till we figure out a permanent solution. He won't dare to come near my house". Romeo concludes firmly.

"No way. I am done taking orders from men." Maria replies aggressively. I can well take care of myself. She adds snobbishly.

"Well, it didn't look so to me a few minutes ago". Romeo responds with a scoff.

"That was a one-off. I have stayed hidden from him for two whole years. So I can still protect myself". She adds adamantly.

"You don't understand. Maybe you don't know your ex-husband, he says impatiently. Have you ever thought of the kind of business he does?" He asks with a questionable look.

"Maria stared at him confusedly. What business does he do?" She asks.

"Well I don't mean to scare you but my contacts just informed me that he supplies drugs and ammunitions to gangs around the world in containers containing wreath as a disguise. He has local and international connections so he hardly gets caught". Romeo said with genuine concern.

"But I know he is not going to harm me". Maria responds.

"I thought I heard someone talk about abuse earlier. You can never trust a drug dealer so put your little stubborn attitude aside, and get into the fucking car". He yells. He was running out of patience arguing with a woman he so much wanted revenge on but is now trying to protect.

"Okay but I should trust you? I barely know you. At least I have known him for seven years. But who are you? I only bumped into you at the boutique anyway." She says with a frown.

Romeo was startled. Did he mistake her for someone else? He wants to be sure it's the same girl who humiliated him so he probs further.

"Do you mean you never saw me before we run into each other at the boutique"? He asks with a fake smile.

"Yes. After the boutique, I saw you at the airport but that's all". She responds indifferently.

"You don't remember anyone buying drinks for you in a club"?

"No, except, she says as if in deep thought. Yeah, there was a rude guy who bought me seven glasses of martini in a club because he thought I was a prostitute. Not only that, he interrupted my Me time. I am always on the run so anytime I want to spend time alone, I don't want anyone interrupting it so to punish him, I poured-"

"The seven glasses of martini in his hair," Romeo interrupted cooly.

"How do you know about that incidence?" She asks with surprise.

Romeo smiles..."Because I am the one".

"You Scoundrel! You pervert!" She shouts throwing her purse at him but he dodges it and it hits one of his men as he groans. Realizing she has missed her target, she takes off her heel and throws it at him. He dodges it as well and it falls beside him. So she throws the second pair of her heel and Acid catches it.

"Get a hold of yourself, Maria" Romeo yells grabbing her arm before she could pick the heel on the floor to throw at him again.

"How dare you take me for a whore" she yells, trying to free her arm from Romeo's grip but he was too strong for her so she calms down and Romeo slowly releases her arm.

"Stay away from me", she warns him, picking up her purse and putting her heels back on. If you ever come close to me again, I will break your teeth. She yells and clenches her jaw demonstrating how she will break it and walks out of the car park.

Romeo stares speechlessly at her and realizes that her actions were somewhat justified in every way. He took every girl for a whore but Maria was different. She wasn't any girl. She was a badass beautiful and self-confident woman who will not forgive anyone who tramples on her integrity but he did just that. He thinks of how he can make it up to her. 

"Track all her movements, he commands his contacts before getting into his black Rolls Royce. He didn't even reach his club before he gets an alert from one of his contacts.

Maria has been attacked on her way to Finix Hotel.