|| VALENTINA's POV ||
" Sophia?", I gasped in horror, staring at the girl who was laid unconscious on the floor. A bunch of gangsters surrounded her, laughing as they made fun of her miserable state. I felt my heart breaking into pieces after finding her in this condition. I guess, blood was thicker than water. No matter how much I didn't like her, the pain in my heart proved me wrong.
Sophia looked like she had been knocked out. A dust of powder was covered on her face. It looked like she had taken drugs before I came here. I had always known that she was an alcohol addict but when did she start taking drugs.
" Sophia??", I called her again, crunching next to her when one of those gangsters pointed at me,
" Hey! Are you the sister of this little bitch? Look.. what kind of whore she is..She asked us to pay her bill but couldn't stand the dare given by us.."
" Dare?", I blurted, scrutinizing my eyes at the gangsters who just laughed hard at my comment. One of them replied, licking the beer on his lips,
" Mmmh! She was told to take all the drugs but she has passed away after taking three only."
I glared at those laughing monsters, tears welled up my eyes to think how Sophia had been forced here. I gritted my words out angrily,
" Let go of her! And my sister isn't a whore. I can pay off her bill. Where's the manager who called me?"
They weren't happy with my attitude. I saw the manager in a dark blue coat and tried to walk on me but he received an eye signal from those gangsters. He stopped in his track abruptly and flashed me a glare of sympathy.
The bald one from the gangster group sneered at me, growling furiously,
" How dare you show-off your money to us? Yes, your sister is a whore because she could have slept with us if we offered her money. Still, you dared to defend her in front of us?"
I retorted bravely probably because Lorenzo was there as my backup support,
" Yes because it's all of you who have wronged her. She didn't want to take drugs but you forced her to take those. Of course, you are the one who should be blamed here."
The five of them were furious as the skinny gun shot up to growl at me,
" How the fuck..Boss.. Just give us your permission..We will play viciously with this girl more than her sister..She is raising her voice in front of us..how dare she..."
Their threats didn't scare me but I was worried about Sophia who looked oddly pale and sick. The elder aged man replied with a malicious smirk,
" Go ahead, mate! She deserves to be taught a lesson."
Now, I grew a little afraid as they began to approach me in their slow, predatory steps. I seriously warned them, scoffing back,
" I am warning you! Let me go or else I will call the cops for real."
The one in front sneered, stroking his chin to eye at me,
" Only if you get the chance, gal."
I turned around to dash for the exit or to call for Lorenzo but a sharp grip from them stopped me from running. That was quick fast as they caught me in place. Before they could drag me forward, a powerful kick landed on the guy who held me.
I gasped, staggering backwards to see Lorenzo, standing in front of me with a killing aura. Another guy tried to hit him again but he dodged the attack skillfully and held the guy down with his feet. His deep words resonated inside the bar,
" How dare you touch my woman?"
I felt a chill, running down to my spine when I saw the viciousness in his eyes. He looked like a killing machine who was ready to destroy the earth anytime. I swallowed hard and mumbled, looking at the guy who was about to die from suffocating under his feet,
" Lorenzo...let go...They aren't worth it.. Don't stain your hands with their blood..I am fine..."
He was still fuming but after taking a look at me, he sobered down, kicking the man's groin hard.
________
" Thank you, Mr.King! We were looking for these guys for a month at least.", the chief of cops thanked Lorenzo repeatedly for giving these gangsters to them. This gang was mobilizing in these areas for a long while and were in the eyes of officers who were searching for them to arrest.
" You are welcome! Besides, it's not me but my girlfriend who found them first!", he replied, turning his head sideways to smile at me.
My heart skipped a bit in the sweet feeling. How could he praise me in front of the cops? He did all those fighting and meeting them was just a co-incident for me. Here, I was admiring how impressive my man was. I just hoped that our boy would get all the best features of him.
The cop smiled at me gratefully and left with the criminals. I sighed in relief to peek into the car where Sophia was asleep. Lorenzo came to hold me as I murmured to him emotionally,
" Thank you, Lorenzo! It wasn't possible without you.."
He kissed my lips briefly, mumbling before guiding me into the car,
" Don't say that! You and our baby..are my family now..."
_________
" She is fine! Just unconscious! Nothing is wrong with her!", Luka assured us after checking her pulse and got up to leave.
Lorenzo brought Sophia to the house straight. He thought that it was inappropriate to leave her to her mother in this state. I didn't refuse since I was worried about her health too. Luka came to check on her and confirmed that she was safe and sound except for the effect of alcohol and drugs.
Sophia woke up right after Luka left. She fluttered her eyelashes for a long while until she saw us together finally. However, her eyes turned big wide as soon as she discovered the big, lavishing room around. Her voice broke as she sat up groggily,
" Sis.. Sister..."
I spoke to her coldly,
" Lie down! You aren't sober fully.."
She mumbled taking a better look at Lorenzo next to me,
" Mm! Where am I?"
I replied shooting her a look,
" Somewhere I am living currently!"
She quickly looked around the room and gasped in disbelief,
" Gosh...This looks like a rich household..Is the guy who owned this house? Are you his mistress?"
I was momentarily shocked. Was this a proper way to talk to her sister? I felt that Lorenzo was offended too. He let out a low grunt, corrected her words sternly,
" Your sister is my girlfriend and you are staying in my house. Pay attention to your words before speaking."
She bit her lips hard together but the sparks of greed in her eyes weren't gone. I requested Lorenzo who seemed mad at her,
" Lorenzo...I want to speak to her alone.. Please.."
After Lorenzo left the room, I moved next to Sophia and asked for an answer,
" Why did you give them my number, Sophia? I don't think that we have that close relationship."
Her eyes teared up, pretending to be hurt as she spoke to me,
" You are my dearest sister. Will you still be cruel to me? I have always admired you as my sister."
I didn't trust her words like the previous time. In the past, I used to get melted by her tears. However, the more days passed, I noticed how she was trying to get money from me.
I exhaled without arguing anymore and told her,
" Whatever...I will leave you to your mother tomorrow.."
Her brows tightened together immediately as she blurted impatiently,
" Why..why can't I live here? You..you don't think of me as your sister?"
I glared at her, seeing through her intention,
" No! This house isn't mine, Sophia! This is Lorenzo's house and I don't want him to be a burden anymore."
She opened her mouth to say something but I stopped her again coldly,
" This is settled, Sophia! You aren't staying in the house!"