Chapter 6: Rico and Paris 1

Chapter 6: Rico and Paris 1

Rico’s P.O.V

“Are you sure this is the right one?” I asked Gustav, stepping on the butt of my cigarette once I threw it onto the concrete floor.

“This is the last one.” He grunted, just as pissed off as I was. “If this isn’t it then all I can say is that the whore is being treated inside that building itself.”

“The bookstore opposite to the brothel confirmed that she was taken out of the house on a stretcher.” I shook my head. “She is being treated at a hospital somewhere.”

“Damnit! Fucker did a number on her.” Gustav cursed, placing his hands inside his pockets. “How could you still defend Devon after what he did? I thought you two were just fuck buddies.”

So not only had Devon been out using violence on women, he had also been going around telling people about what happened between us?

“Devon and I had one drunken night together.” I told him firmly. “And we have been working together for Capo since we were teenagers, that’s why I defended him. But if he’s going to be breaking rules and spreading rumors, then it’s better to cut all ties now than regret it later for the rest of my life. For me, my utmost loyalty lies with the Capo and no one else.”

“As it should.” Gustav reminded me. “You’re his head bodyguard, his closest and most trusted man. Don’t let others manipulate you so they can get close to him.”

I followed Gustav into the hospital lobby, heading straight for the reception to ask about the whereabouts of the woman who had been admitted here last night after she was in an ‘accident’.

“I’m sorry, s-sir.” The nurse at the reception gave us a frightened look while eyeing the security at the gates. “But t-that’s confidential information.”

“We’re friends of the patient.” Gustav leaned into the desk, making the nurse back away from him immediately. “We just wanted to say ‘hi’.”

With tattoos covering most of his body up to his neck, it was no wonder that Gustav was feared by many. Not to mention that he gave off a dangerous kind of aura. People who saw him once wanted nothing to do with him from then onwards. Which was why, I placed my hand on his shoulder and pulled him back.

“Careful now,” I murmured for only him to hear. “We’re here to check on the woman, not alert the entire staff. Let me handle this.”

Gustav simply gave me a smirk and stepped back, but not before winking at the nurse, who seemed to cower away even more. Sighing, I stood in front of Gustav, guarding him from view of the nurse so she would feel more at easy.

Boss often said that I had more of a friendly face, as friendly as you could get in this line of business, so I tried to put on a smile for her as I spoke next. “I’m sorry for my friend…he tends to be more…intimidating.” I grit my teeth as I heard Gustav scoff from behind. “But we would really like to know if any such patient admitted yesterday. It is a matter of urgency.”

The nurse looked down at her computer screen and I saw her swallow audibly as she scrolled through the screen, her hands stopping on the keyboard momentarily.

“Room number.” I asked, deepening my voice just an octave to let her know that my patience was running out.

“2…90.” She spoke hesitantly. “T-that’s…her son…right there.”

I whipped around to face the person the nurse had just pointed out and my eyes met vivid blue ones from across the room.

For a second…the world seemed to come to a standstill. Everything seized to exist all around me; no sounds, no smell…no other sensation except for the beautiful blue orbs that reminded me of the oceans of my hometown…and the beat of my heart that drummed against my ears rapidly.

But then the boy turned…and made a dash for the exit.

“Shit!” I cursed, looking towards Gustav who was still trying to find what I was looking at. “Room 290. Go check on the patient first!”

“Fuck! Did you see his face?” Gustav caught my hand before I could pass him.

“Vaguely.” I removed my hands from his before I chased after the boy in light blue jeans and a white sweater. “Go!”

Gustav cursed as he went inside the hospital, heading straight towards the elevators so he could get a look at the patient before the hospital staff was ordered to move her to a different room.

I burst open through the front doors, moving out of people’s way as I tried to find the boy that I had just locked eyes with. The streets outside the hospital were just as busy and it took me a second to find the boy as he ran to the other side of the street before the traffic signals went green.

“Fuck!” I cursed, looking both ways to check on the oncoming traffic before I ran into the streets, barely escaping getting hit by the oncoming traffic.

Horns sounded from all sides as I weaved my way through the oncoming cars and reached the other side of the road, panting and out of breath.

Once again, I looked both sides, trying to find the boy who had almost escaped my grasp. There was no way I was going to let him get away. It wasn’t long before I found the escaping figure as he threaded through the crowd, running in the opposite direction, probably in hopes that I wouldn’t be able to spot him. Fat chance.

From the height and from what I had been able to see of his face at first glance, I could tell that he was young, probably in his late teens, and not a good runner at that. So it shouldn’t be too much for me to catch up to him. With that thought in mind, I began my chase, pushing aside those who stood in my way.

People automatically made way for me as I charged after the kid. My instincts kept telling me to take out my gun and scare him into stopping, but with so many people around, it wouldn’t be a good idea. There were far too many surveillance cams already and getting the police involved was the last thing on my mind.

But as the boy turned towards an alleyway, I knew it was the perfect opportunity for me. Turning into the alley, just a couple seconds after the boy, I took just a second to notice that the coast was clear before pulling out my gun from the waistband of my pants.

“Stop!” I pointed the gun at him, both of us halting in our steps at the sound of the safety being turned off. “Turn around, now!”

The boy immediately put his hands in the air but didn’t turn around immediately. He was hunched over and panting, I could see that now since we were only a few meters apart. At one point I almost felt sorry for the boy. He must not be used to running around judging by how out of breath he was already while I was yet to break a sweat.

“Turn!” I called out firmly, taking a couple steps towards him. “NOW!”

I saw him flinch before he slowly nodded and turned around, taking as much time as possible. And it was for the first time that I was properly able to see his face.

Those vivid blue eyes stood out the most, but I couldn’t deny the fact that the boy was beautiful. Not in a feminine way, but there wasn’t any other word that I could use to describe him other than beautiful.

His light brown hair was plastered to his forehead with perspiration running down the sides of his face and the way his huge eyes looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights, it told me that he was far younger than I had initially predicted. Sixteen? Seventeen perhaps?

His lips were a soft pink and supple, and it made me swallow involuntarily. However, I didn’t miss the slight tremor to them as he looked into my eyes, trying to figure out if I was really going to shoot him or not.

“Who are you?” I hadn't meant for my voice to sound breathless. What was wrong with me? I had seen plenty of handsome men my entire life…witnessed several beautiful women in this line of business…but why did this boy suddenly pique my curiosity?

Why did I suddenly want to know if he was really the son of the woman who was lying on the hospital bed? And why did I get this nagging sense of guilt in the pit of my stomach?

“Answer me!” I grit my teeth, clenching my jaw as my hand tightened on the gun. “Is it your mother in the hospital? The woman who was brought in from the brothel?”

The sudden sound of sirens from the road had me momentarily distracted, enough that I didn’t notice myself lowering my gun just a couple inches. But the slightest of distraction was enough for him to push forward the pile of cardboard boxes that were kept to the side of the alleyway, before making a run for it.

“Hey!” I tried to go after him but had to jump back as the boxes almost fell on top of me, nearly crushing me under them. “Shit!”

By the time I had recovered from the shock, the boy was long gone and I had failed my mission of capturing him. Now I could only hope that Gustav had been able to confirm what Devon did to the victim.

However, as I made my way back to the hospital to meet up with Gustav, I couldn’t help but feel relieved at not being able to get my hands on the boy. Maybe some things happen for a reason…and maybe…I was stepping into something I had no purpose stepping into.

But whatever the reason…I couldn’t shake his face out of my head.