Chapter 37: Chapter 36 - Hospital

Raphael POV I wake up late and decide to stay a little longer in bed. This won’t be possible once I get back to NY. I turn the tv on and I just stay in bed watching some tv. I decide to ignore my phone that is ringing.

Whatever it is can wait until tonight when I get back.

I get up and walk into the bathroom across the hall and I have a shower. When I finish I brush my teeth and go back to my room with only a towel around my waist.

“Raph, phone for you” - I hear mum calling from downstairs “Take a message mum, I’ll call back later”

“It’s Joseph, he says it is important”

“Tell him I will call him after I get dressed and we have dinner please”

As I can’t hear anything else I close the door and start to get dressed. I left out a pair of blue ripped Levi’s jeans, a dark grey T-shirt, back boxer shorts and black socks.

When I finish getting dressed and after putting some after-shave on I walk downstairs with my bag. I throw it near the door and I walk to the kitchen where I can smell Risotto. Mum makes the best risotto.

“Hey” - I say placing a kiss on the top of her head.

“You leaving today?”

“Yeah, it’s been more than one week, Tim needs me”

“And so does Joseph. He was really upset that you didn’t answer the phone”

“He’ll get over it, don’t worry” - I say while I take a seat at the table. I serve myself of orange juice and mum looks at me.

“I’m driving, can’t drink”

She nods her head and Carlos sits next to me.

“Leaving already son?”

“Yeah I have some business to attend to and Tim needs some holidays “

“I am glad you take your job so seriously “ - I smile at him. Carlos has no idea of what I do besides my company. Mum never told her hubs and that her son is a mafia boss, she is embarrassed by that part of my life. And she wants to keep him safe.

Mum serves the food and we all eat in silence while we listen to the news on tv.

“Shooting at Columbia University, The shooter was killed after shooting against two people. Only one was injured, Olivia Black ex-girlfriend of the millionaire Raphael Lockwood” once I hear olivias name I freeze.

She was shot?

I stand up and grab my bag running towards my car. Once inside I press the call button on the panel and it only rings once when Joseph answered it “SHE WAS SHOT?”

“Raph, she’s okay, she’s...”

“HOW CAN SHE BE OKAY IF AHE GOT SHOT?”

“Raph, calm down, there was a bodyguard with her.”

“SHE WAS FUCKING SHOT, I WANT HIS FUCKING HEAD FOR LETTING HER GET HURT”

“Raphael he was as fast as he could, the shooter was a girl, we never saw it coming. Michael recognized her as the student that was making out with Lucas the last time Olivia went to work”

“IS SHE DEAD?”

“Yes”

“GOOD, I’m on my way, and you better have everyone ready for me” - I say before I hung up.

The drive is quiet. I don’t turn the music on because I am so annoyed that I can’t even think about music. It would be a distraction.

This is all Lucas’s fault. I am going to kill that bastard. He’s going to regret the day he was born.

I call Michael “Boss”

“What hospital is she in?”

“Usual boss, I took care of everything. She’s in room 2 on our floor, she’s alone on that floor and there are two guards looking out for her.

Her friend Anna is there with her”

“I’ll be there in 2 hours, make sure the doctor is ready to see me, I want all the best for her”

“Sure boss”

I hung up the phone and stop the car to grab some coffee. I am getting tired of driving and I have a throbbing headache again.

I sit at a table right at the back of the diner and a young lady brings me coffee.

“Thanks” - I say “You welcome handsome “ - she replies and I ignore her attempt of making me look at her.

I sip on my drink and I allow my body to relax while my head is flying high thinking about Olivia.

When I finish my coffee I leave more money than I should on the table and I walk out to see two teenagers looking at my car.

“Nice ride” - one of the boys say “Thanks” - I reply opening the door and while I am taking my seat I see a gun pointing at me by my door.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you “ - I say “Yeah? What are you going to do?”

“I will fucking rip your head out of your neck and send it to your mother as a present if you don’t move your shitty ass away from me”

Both boys look at each other confused.

“Who do you work for?”

“As if we would tell you, get the fuck out of the car”

I move slowly and grab my gun that is attached to the side of my seat. And with a fast move, I point the gun to his head.

“Now, are you going to tell me who you work for?”

“The shark, we work for the shark in NY”

“Not anymore, you should’ve recognized me, I don’t support petty thieves “

Both boys drop their guns and I go back inside my car and I start it driving away leaving them speechless.

I call Joseph “Boss”

“What kind of people are we hiring now? Kids Joseph?”

“Boss?” - he says confused “I had two teenagers trying to rob my car and saying they worked for me, obviously they didn’t recognize me but I don’t want kids working for us, they should be at school getting a degree”

“I’ll look into it boss”

“I’ll be at the hospital in less than one hour”

“Okay boss, I will meet you there”.

I keep driving and when I notice I am inside the garage of the hospital parking my car. I walk out as fast as I can and I walk through the door looking around for Joseph and Michael.

I see them both talking to the doctor.

“Doc” - I say shaking his hand “Raphael”

“How is she?”

“She just got out of the OR, we removed the bullet from her shoulder. No permanent damage was made, she is asleep, she will need physiotherapy to recover full movement of the shoulder but other than that she will be okay”.

“Thanks, doc”

I start walking towards her room and Anna blocks me. She crosses her arms on top of her chest while she looks seriously at me.

“I want to see her”

“You can fuck off you piece of shit” - she curses at me “I am not asking for your permission” - I say passing her and walking into the bedroom. Once I see Olivia asleep on that bed again I fall on my knees next to her and Anna stops near the door behind me.

My face falls onto my hands and I cry. I cry like a little baby. As if all the emotions just hit me all at once.

The breakup, missing her, and now this, someone tried to kill her.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I stand up. It’s Anna.

“You really love her don’t you?”

“I do”

“Why did you break up with her then?”

“I can’t discuss that with you, tell her that you didn’t let me come in, but tell her that I was here, that I wanted to see her, please”

“I will “

I walk towards Olivia and I place a soft kiss on her head and I could swear that she smiled. I think my mind is playing tricks on me now.

I walk out of the bedroom and I give orders to the guards and I walk to my car so I can go home. I don’t want to see anyone right now.

Once I get home Maria comes to see me “How are you son?”

“I’ll be okay Maria” - I say walking towards my bedroom and closing the door behind me.

I allow my body to fall on the bed and I fall asleep. I need to forget about this day. I need to sleep and forget.