Chapter 28

It didn’t take long for Stephan to get to the penthouse the next day, his flight was not enjoyable at all for him. He was wide awake all through the flight. All his guards and Madeline felt like the ground should open up and swallow them. They all had just one job, to watch over their boss woman and they had failed woefully.

They all stood before Stephan staring at their shoes as Stephan sat on the couch making some calls, he tried to access the hotel camera’s but nothing was coming up and even the little glimpse he was able to get, it was of Jerome waving at the camera before everything went off.

He knew Dawn was in Jerome’s house but there was ways to go about this things, if she had gone willingly he didn’t want to force her back, but he knew Dawn would never have agreed to it. She had wanted to stay with him and last night she had proved it to him when she allowed him touch her.

He had watched her tensed up at his touch, till she gave in and even when he kissed her goodbye she was accepting to it, there wasn’t that look of confusion anymore on her face and for the first time he wanted her, not by force but of her own accord. He loved the sound of his name on her lips when she moaned his name and the more he thought about it the more he got angry.

“Was she forced?” he asked not looking at anyone, Sarah remained quiet all through his arrival, she knew he was upset and she didn’t want him to take it out on her. She sat quietly on the other couch.

 Without being told Madeline knew the question was directed to her because she had been the only witness to what occurred.

“She didn’t have time to process it, Sir Jerome injected her with something,” Madeline explained looking at the ground. She hoped her boss won’t fire her. The pay here was good and he was barely at home so she had enough time to rest and even when he travelled away for months he still paid her monthly salary.

“And Damien?”

“He was very angry Sir, he wasn’t pleased with it,” Madeline replied.

“All of you are fired,” Stephan ordered and Madeline found her knees on the floor, she didn’t know if she should beg or cry.

“Please Sir, I swear I didn’t have a hand in it. Please Sir this job means so much to me.”

“Whoever helped Jerome should sleep with his or her eyes opened,” Stephan warned. “Now all of you get out of my house immediately.”

“Please Sir,” Madeline pleaded but the guards didn’t beg, they were pained by their mistake and nodded walking out but Madeline didn’t tag along instead she lied face down on the floor. “Miss Sarah please help me.”

“Stephan I think…”

“You both should get out of my sight,” Stephan snapped. Sarah didn’t need to be told twice she rose to her feet and as she was about to leave they saw one of the guards assisting Dawn inside, she had her hand over his shoulder and the other over her stomach. She had managed to escape through the window. 

Her head was bleeding seriously, she had banged it on a rock when she was slowly coming down on the bed spread she had tied on the window. She didn’t know where she found her strength from but she just knew she was going to Klar’s hotel. She had bravely passed through the fence and had ended up injuring herself the more, as scratches were on her thighs. She was a mess.

She could have stayed back but she feared Jerome and she knew Damien couldn’t stop Jerome, even thou he had reassured her in the night when he later came to the room.

‘Trust me Dawn nothing like that will happen again’ she had listened to him say as he sat beside her on the bed.

‘Why did you bring me here against my will?’

‘I panicked, Jerome was just trying all sort of things to ruin my plans. I wanted to rescue you to keep you safe from that monster.’

‘I can’t stay here, let me go home.’

‘You are hurt Dawn, once you heal up I promise I will do the needful.’

He had reassured her but Dawn knew better, she knew that Jerome wouldn’t have any of it.

“Dawn,” she finally heard his voice. He really traveled all the way back again for her sake. She was pleased to see him but he didn’t look happy. He was angry.

He rose to his feet and carried her bridal style inside his room.

“Just go home, when he is settled I will talk to him.” Sarah told Madeline who was not willing to leave, the little girl nodded and left. There was definitely nothing she could do for her and Stephan was never going to employ any of them no matter what they do.

They should even be grateful he didn’t kill them.

She remained in the living room not wanting to ruin their reunion, she wished Matteo was here. The fact that Stephan was here meant that there will be more work for Matteo. She loved their brotherly relationship, Matteo didn’t even complain he was pleased to cover up for Stephan. 

Stephan took Dawn to the bathroom straight, she looked weak. He placed her in the bathtub, he didn’t want to ask her anything. She was here now and that was all that mattered. She was still in her night gown and rob. He removed the robe and then the night gown till she was curled up naked in the bathtub.

He stared at the blood stained bandage and slowly removed it, the stitches were healing up but the side was open. He went back inside and brought a first aid box, he busied himself with making sure that she was cleaned up nicely. 

Dawn winced every second in pain, Stephan didn’t look at her since she entered the bathroom, he didn’t say anything but continued to work on her injury and cleaning her up. He was angry and it was lingering on his face. 

The only time he had looked at her was when he was cleaning her forehead and he wasn’t happy doing that.

After he was done, he cleaned her up nicely and then assisted her to brush her teeth.

Dawn didn’t say anything as well, she didn’t know what was going on through his head and she didn’t want to provoke him any further, she remained quiet and allowed him to treat her like an egg.

When he was done, he dried her up and wore a clean gown over her, he sprayed her some perfume and then carried her back to the bed. He laid her gently on the bed and tucked her in. it was still daybreak and it hadn’t been long when he stepped in but he knew she would be exhausted she needed to rest but when he turned to leave, he felt her hand on his wrist.

“Stephan,” Dawn muttered, she let go of his hand and adjusted on the bed, creating space for him to sit down. She tapped the spot twice staring at Stephan. She didn’t want him to leave, he wasn’t himself and she feared he would do something dangerous, something that might backfire.

Stephan stared at her, he didn’t want to sit down, he wanted to go and blow the brains of that bastard but Dawn was here and she wanted him with her. He couldn’t just let her be, he sat on the bed slowly, and he felt Dawn’s hand on his head as she nudged it towards her chest. She massaged his scalp on her chest slowly. “Stay here please.” He heard her mutter still rubbing his hair. 

He didn’t say anything but his silence was enough for Dawn to know that he had agreed to stay right here with her.

The feel of Dawn’s hand on his hair was soothing, he felt at ease at how she was touching his head. 

**********

Matteo stared at Jerome, Stephan didn’t know he had come back through another flight but he couldn’t help it. Seeing the way Stephan was, he didn’t like it. They should have killed the idiot a long time ago and now he was here to do it.

Jerome allowed only him in and made sure they searched him thoroughly, Matteo was smart enough to know that this would happen, so he didn’t take any weapons with him.

“What would you like? Tea?” Jerome asked twirling on his chair as his men beside him waited for his order but he got nothing but utter silence.

Jerome was unaware that Dawn had escaped and Matteo as well, they both stared at each other for some while.

“Where is she?”

“Sleeping or maybe Damien is fucking here,” Jerome replied.

“I do not care about that, what I care about is why you would kidnap her.”

“We didn’t kidnap her, she came her with her own two legs begging for us to save her.” Jerome had his plans, he wanted to request for something in exchange for Dawn, and it seemed Dawn was very precious to Stephan, if Stephan could send his own brother to come to rescue her. Why hadn’t he thought about this plan a long time ago, it was a good thing Damien needed his help so badly.

When he was done getting what he wanted, he was still going to have his way with Dawn. There was nothing to her, she was just like every other woman he had slept with and he was going to prove it to her tonight. He didn’t care if Damien was against it, he was going to have his way with her. He might as well not cuff her, the more she struggled the more turned on he would be.

Matteo watched him as Jerome phone vibrated, he picked it up and remained silent for some while and his eyes widened, then he tried to hide it but Matteo had seen the look, and he knew what it meant.

 He didn’t waste time in bringing out the biro in his pocket he stabbed Jerome in the eyes as he groaned and screamed in fear dropping his phone and touching his eyes.

“Shoot this bastard,” Jerome groaned in pain as he held on to his bleeding eyes, he didn’t know if he should pull the pen out or leave it in. He stared at his bodyguard but he didn’t move instead the bodyguard handed over his gun to Matteo and before Jerome could process what was going on Matteo shot him in the head as his blood spilled everywhere and on Matteo’s face. 

Jerome slumped into his chair, his eyes wide opened in shock. He was dead.

Matteo rose to his feet and handed the gun back to the bodyguard, the guard nodded at him as Matteo walked out cleaning the blood off his face with his handkerchief. He knew Dawn wasn’t inside anymore, did Leonard already save her? But Leonard didn’t call her. He entered the car and decided to call Sarah instead.

“Where are you?” He asked.

“Home, Dawn just came in not too long. She didn’t look good.”

“She came by herself,” Matteo asked just to be sure.

“Yes.”

Dawn was truly a brave woman, he didn’t know how she escaped but she did well.

“When are you coming back?”

He could meet up with Sarah somewhere but he didn’t want Leonard to know what he had done, he knew he shouldn’t be lying to Sarah but it was better if she didn’t know about his dealings. 

“Soon, I will try my best to round up here.” And he meant that, he knew she was missing him and he missed her too. They didn’t need to say it to each other but it was obvious.