Chapter 19

Alberto drove off to Sarah’s apartment after he closed from work, he wasn’t planning on throwing what he had with Sarah away. He shouldn’t have cheated on her but he couldn’t help himself, he had a thing for pretty women and being a police officer, women was an easy catch for him.

Some were criminals who would even go as far as to bribe him with sex, so he could erase their case, he never rejected their advances, and it was a win-win for him.

He didn’t call her to inform her he was on his way, because he knew if he did, she would not open up to him.

He had his way around her apartment, he parked the car far away and strolled down to her apartment. It was a rented apartment, so it was easy for him to have access to it. He only hoped she would open the door for him.

Knock!

Knock!

Knock!

Sarah had just come back from the warehouse alongside Matteo, she was pretty stressed out and stained with blood. She didn’t want Matteo in her house this late, but he insisted, saying Stephan wanted to make sure she was safe.

She offered him a bottle of his favorite wine, and went to freshen up, as she was stepping in from the bathroom in her bathrobe and cleaning her hair, she heard a knock from the door. She wasn’t expecting any visitor tonight and it was pretty late.

She stared at Matteo on the couch, he seemed busy on his phone talking to someone, and he smiled at her when their eyes met but she only rolled her eyes at him.

She walked up to the door and checked the peephole.

What was this fool doing here? She was really stressed out from stitching Scar, she just wanted to sleep.

The knock got louder.

“Who is there?” Matteo asked bringing out his gun, he was done talking with his bodyguard over the phone to keep an eye on Olivia and report back to him. He had noticed Sarah had a worried look.

“It’s nobody.”

“Well nobody is going to wake your neighbors if you don’t answer the door.” Matteo couldn’t believe Alberto actually came to her house.

“Behave yourself,” Sarah warned. She had recently moved into this apartment because it was closer to her hospital and far away from her family and their drama, she had plans to move into a more secured apartment soon.

Stephan had offered she come stay with them but she insisted on staying here, a lot of people didn’t know she was the daughter of a very wealthy man, they didn’t even know she was the owner of the hospital she worked at. She loved it that way, she was free to do as she pleased without anyone keeping a close eye on her.

Now that Alberto was here, she was reconsidering Stephan offer, didn’t Alberto understand the word ‘NO’.

“Why are you here this late?” Sarah asked standing by the door, in a way that Alberto couldn’t see that Matteo was inside. Matteo wasn’t even bothered by his presence, he pulled his jacket, placed it on the side of the couch and loosen two buttons from the top of his shirt. The wine had made his body a little bit heated up.

“I wanted to see you, so we could talk. Please… just hear me out for once… please.”

“Alright, let’s say I hear you, then what? What will happen?” Sarah always thought she was stubborn but it seemed she had met her match, no matter what Alberto had to say she wasn’t interested in him anymore. She didn’t even find him to be attractive anymore, when she saw him, she only felt disgusted. How did she date this idiot?

She came outside and closed the door behind her, Alberto wasn’t pleased with that. He had wished she would at least let him come inside, was she expecting them to have this conversation outside?

“We should go inside and talk.”

“I am comfortable here, talk then.” She hadn’t really given him the opportunity to express himself, she had just broken up with him over the phone and that was it. Maybe if they had this conversation he would come to understand that she didn’t want him anymore.

“Sarah, I know I messed up but I am willing to change for you.”

“What about yourself?”

“Myself?” Alberto didn’t understand what she was driving at.

“Yes, yourself?” Sarah said folding both of her hands on her chest. “You want to change for me, but not for yourself. You are a very selfish person, I forgave you three times and I even opened up to you completely about who I was, something I would never do. You don’t want to change at all, you just want to eat your cake and….”

“No… that’s not it. I love you and I want this to work, you just need to give me a chance.”

“I don’t want to give you a chance, I don’t want you in my life anymore.”

“This is because of Matteo right? He doesn’t even love you, he is using you… see,” Alberto brought out a recorder, he had recorded his conversation with Matteo earlier.

‘There is a girl I am banging currently…’ Matteo voice could be heard loud and clear.

“He doesn’t love you at all, once he is done with you, he will throw you away.”

“And so? How is that your business?”

Alberto held her by the arm and forcefully tried to plant a kiss on her lips, if talking wasn’t going to work, maybe seduction would.

“What’s all the noise about?” Matteo asked staring at the both of them. “Alberto, you are here.” Matteo smiled pretending he hadn’t been eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Babe, its nothing.” Sarah said removing her hands from Alberto’s grasps as she leaned on Matteo’s shoulder. She didn’t know why she was doing this ,but anything to get Alberto out of her life. “He was just leaving, weren’t you officer Alberto?”

“What? Matteo she is my girlfriend, it is only right that I make that known than acting like a coward.”

“I am not your girlfriend.”

“Is that true babe?” Matteo asked laying emphasise on the 'babe', he smiled at Sarah.

“Not at all,” Sarah smiled back planting a kiss on his lips, which took Matteo off guard.

She pulled him inside and closed the door in Alberto’s face.

“Now it would seem that you are using me as a pawn, what is my reward for being a good boy and rescuing you from such an awful kiss.” Matteo said as they stepped in, Sarah smiled at him and placed a kiss on his lips. This time it was much more deeper than the first, when she felt Matteo carving in and about to pry her mouth open with his tongue, she bit his bottom lips.

“Ouch.” Matteo winced removing his lips.

“You are sleeping on the couch.”

“You are using me,” Matteo thought Sarah would send him home but now he figured she wouldn’t want Alberto to suspect them not being a couple if he went home immediately. It only made sense if he slept over.

“Don’t you like to be used?” Sarah asked him smiling back at him.

“I actually can’t sleep over, I have some work to do as regards Dawn.”

“Oh.” Sarah wanted him to sleep over not because of Alberto but she genuinely enjoyed his company.

“I will take my leave now,” Matteo smiled at her, he planted a kiss on her forehead but before he withdrawed, Sarah hugged him.

“We could cuddle on the couch.”

“I was just joking about the reward,”

“I insist, babe.” Sarah pleaded stretching the babe as Matteo and she laughed softly.

, 

*************

Stephan watched Dawn sleeping on the bed, her waist was bandaged round but one couldn’t tell because of the hospital gown she had on, her body had little marks here and there, but Sarah had reassured Stephan that they would heal in no time.

Dawn was a very strong girl to have withstand such torture and pain, he stared at her chapped lips. He wasn’t sure he would allow her go back to stay with Olivia, even if he had to force her to stay with him, he would, for her safety.

He slowly sat down on the seat next to the bed, when he noticed her fingers on her side were moving, was she finally awake?

“Ste… Stephan.” She muttered slowly with her eyes still closed, Stephan held her hand in his staring at her, it seemed she was dreaming about something.

“Dawn,” he said placing the hair on her forehead behind her ears slowly with his other hand, then placed it on her hand which he was holding. “It’s okay, I am right here. You don’t need to be afraid.” He reassured her as he felt her hold him hand firmly, from the wrinkle on her face, it was obvious she was hearing him.

Stephan let go of her and decided to call Sarah, it was late in the night but Sarah was a doctor and this was an emergency. He walked out as the two guards he placed at the door nodded at him.

He didn’t want to disturb Dawn in there, he dialed Sarah number but she didn’t pick until the last ring.

“Stephan,” he heard her grumpy voice, it seemed she was already fast asleep, of course she was it was past two. “Don’t you sleep like your brother?”

What was that supposed to mean?

“Is Matteo with you?”

“Are you now babysitting him? Is that why you called me?”

He couldn’t believe Matteo decided to sleep over, well it wasn’t any of his business what they were doing.

“Dawn seems to be dreaming, she looks in pain, does this affect her physical state?”

“Check her vitals, I will call a nurse to come and also check on her. For the main time just try to keep her stable.” A dream in a way could frighten some patient into shock.

“Alright, tell Matteo to take the day off tomorrow.”

“Really,” he heard Sarah’s voice which was loud and clear, it seemed she was pleased to hear that Matteo was free tomorrow.

“Yes.”

“Alright, in the morning then.” Sarah disconnected the call as Stephan stepped back inside, he stared at Dawn and she was already awake. Her eyes were wide open but she just kept looking at the ceiling, as tears fell from the side of her eye down to the bed,, she didn’t sob but one could tell she was in a lot of pain.

He was glad to see that she was awake, Sarah had told him she did wake up eventually, and he had come to the hospital to be right beside her when she did, he knew she wasn’t fully awake.

“Hey,” Stephan said, he walked up to the water dispenser close to the fridge and poured her some water, he made sure it wasn’t cold. “You must be tasty.” He placed the cup on the side of the bed, helped Dawn sit up slowly and then brought the cup to her lips so she could take a sip.

“Are you satisfied?” he asked when she removed her mouth from the cup, Dawn didn’t say anything but nodded slowly in signs of yes. “You should rest some more, you just came out of the surgery room.” Stephan informed her, adjusting her back into bed.

He threw the disposable cup into the trash, and stared back at her as she closed her eyes slowly, he smirked at the sight of her. She seemed gentle now, it was a side of her, that he never knew he could see. 

He didn’t want to disturb her anymore with his presence, he walked up to the door, to inform his guards not to let anyone in, only the ones permitted by Sarah.

“Stay.” He heard Dawn voice, when he opened the door, he turned around and closed the door back, turning and staring at her. Dawn had her hand stretched out to him. “Please…” she muttered softly. “Stay with me... please.”