Chapter Thirty Six

Don Martini jogged along the shore every morning it helped clear his head and work out his strategy for the meetings he had that day he loved to run so early, it was just him, the sand and the glorious sunrises he could not get enough of. He was slightly older than Romero, he was twenty-six to his twenty-four and was not a direct rival, they actually got on and were friends. The younger Dons tended to stick together, and although Romero was the youngest of them all he was the Grand Don and they all obeyed him without question. If they did not they soon learned their mistake and met his ruthless side, they were either forced to retire, if they were old, or murdered, no one ever beat him and he was a very powerful Leader. Danilo Martini knew all of this, he considered himself one of Romero's closest friends, not that he trusted many. All of that went out of the window when he saw the beautiful young woman hobbling towards him on a crutch he stopped jogging as his gaze roamed over her. They all knew who she was, with that stunning hair it could be no one else she had not seen him so intent was she in putting one foot painfully in front of the other. He could see how much pain she was in and when a rogue wave hit her with a little force she cried out in panic and would have fallen if he had not sprang forward and caught her. Scooping her into his arms he saw her eye roll into her head as she lost consciousness and he took off running back to his villa barely feeling her weight. Laying her on his spare bed he signalled for his maids to undress her and called the Doctor after he had examined her Danilo looked at him expectantly,

‘Ha una distorsione alla caviglia, costole contuse e alcuni piccoli tagli e lividi. La mia ipotesi è che sia caduta ma non molto lontano, un sacco di riposo e starà bene’ [She has a badly sprained ankle, bruised ribs and some minor cuts and bruising. My guess is she fell but not very far, plenty of rest and she will be fine]

‘Grazie dottore. Farò in modo che riposi’ [Thank you Doctor. I will make sure she rests]

Juliette came round in a soft bed looking around her in surprise,

‘Where the hell was she now?’

She thought tiredly but her bladder reminded her why she had woken up and she struggled to sit up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed she placed her feet on the ground. Pain shot up from her ankle and she cried out in shock gripping the post of the four-poster bed,

‘Hey, hey sit down, you need to rest.’

Danilo knew she was English so he spoke in her language she looked startled to see him,

‘That’s as maybe but  err, look I’m sorry this is embarrassing but I need to use your bathroom’

She grimaced as the need increased with her movement and then yelped as he scooped her up and carried her across the room and into the ensuite,

‘Do you think you can manage by yourself?’

He asked setting her down gently and smiling as she blushed furiously,

‘Yes, of course, it's just a sprain’

She waited for him to leave and he chuckled closing the door behind him quickly she relieved herself and then hopped back to the door he made to pick her up and she wriggled free,

‘I can manage I’m not an invalid’

She hopped back to the bed and sat down,

‘Tough little girl.’

He grinned at her but she frowned back at him,

‘Do not patronise me’

She said lifting her head and he held his hands up,

‘I would not dream of it now get back into that bed and rest’

‘Who are you?’

She asked him her eyes wide,

‘I am Don Danilo Martini’

He replied and saw the recognition in her eyes which she quickly masked,

‘He has told you of me’

He said and she looked away

‘I know all your names but very little else apart from you are one of the few he considers to be a friend.’

She answered her voice small,

‘Get in the bed and rest’

He ordered and she did as she was told she could not run any further her ankle was already throbbing from her movement she curled under the covers away from him,

‘I hate you all’

She whispered to herself as he left the room and when she heard the key turn in the lock tears filled her eyes but she dashed them away angrily crying would not help her. Sitting back up she looked around the room and clenching her teeth she got out of bed and hopped to the window. She could not believe that she was on the ground floor quickly she grabbed her clothes, the maids had washed and dried them while she had been unconscious, and dressed. Every movement was painful but she did not stop until she had climbed out of the window and hobbled to the front of the villa keeping to the shadows. As she passed the kitchen a small voice made her jump,

‘Juliette?’

She spun around to see one of Danilo’s maids peeping at her from the doorway,

‘Come this way’

She whispered in broken English Juliette hesitated,

‘Per favore Miss voglio aiutarti. Tua madre è stata molto gentile con la mia famiglia e ho giurato che un giorno avrei ripagato quella gentilezza.’ [Please Miss I want to help you. Your Mother was very kind to my family and I vowed one day I would repay that kindness]

She took the maid's hand and followed her across the path and down towards the servant's quarters, every step was painful but she bit her lip and carried on. The maid ushered her inside a small cottage just out of sight of the villa,

‘Siediti per favore e riposati. Tornerò presto’ [Sit please and rest. I will be back soon]

Juliette did as she asked and leaned her head back on the chair her ankle was throbbing so much she did not think she could go any further, dozing tiredly she jerked alert when the maid returned.

‘Questo è mio fratello Vito che ti porterà in salvo’ [This is my brother, Vito, he is going to take you to safety]