Chapter 4

" Guys, we've got a meeting with Mr Kimber tonight. We've got a lot to talk about." Micheal announced. 

" You guys should go without me. " Pablo said.

" Why don't you wanna come with us?" Micheal asked.

" I don't feel like going out today." He said.

" Pablo you have to come with us. The Escobar brothers aren't complete without you."

" Oh please. You guys have been going out on missions and meetings without me, tonight isn't gonna be different." He insisted.

" I know, but then you weren't here with us and those times are totally different from now. Now that you are here, we have to go together." Micheal persists.

Pablo huffs, rolling his eyes. " It doesn't matter if you sit around the table with us, the most important thing is you are present. You can go out, take a walk, get some air, smoke, do whatever you want to do."

Pablo rolls his eyes again, sighing. " Fine. I'll come. "

After the brief meeting, Micheal went to the basement. Anastasia sat on her bed by the window, staring outside to the street. The door open, drawing her attention.

She stood up, bowing her head. "I'm leaving to Kimber's clubhouse tonight, I want you to follow me." He said.

" I. . ."

He cuts in. " It's not a request, it's an order." He shuts the door, returning back to the main building.

Anastasia hopes that one day, all these will be over and she will be freed from the hands of Micheal.

****

THAT NIGHT> AT KIMBER’S CLUBHOUSE.

*

They stepped out of the car, Vito first, then the rest of the gangs followed after as they uniformly walked into the clubhouse.

The door opened, drawing everyone's attention. Vito adjusted his tie, glaring around the house. Soon, Kimber walks out with two men behind him.

"It's been a long time, Vito Escobar. Welcome to my clubhouse." He offered a warm smile. " Please, come in." He ushered them in to his private room.

Micheal turns to Anastasia. "You wait outside. I don't want to see you messing around with Kimber's men." He warned.

Anastasia left the building, sitting by the side of the building. She watched as people walked to and fro, listening to conversations which has nothing to do with her.

Anastasia left the spot she was sitting for a walk around the street. She studied her way in order not to miss her road while returning back.

Not quite long after she had left, Pablo came out. He picked a cigar from his pocket, lighted it and began to smoke. He sighed heavily. Whatever they were talking about wasn't interesting to him.

He wasn't much interested in the gang lives especially when it has to do with discussions. He was much interested in actions.

He remembers Micheal had told Anastasia to wait outside. He looks by the sides but didn't see her. "Shit!" He cursed, puffing out air from his mouth.

He waited a little while for her to come back but she hasn't. A drop of rain touched his cheek, he touches the spot where the water had dropped and when he found out that it was water, he looked up to the sky.

"No way, this isn't happening."

" It's gonna rain! It's gonna rain!" A man cried, and everyone began to pack their stuffs, running helter skelter to find shelter against the rain. 

Pablo looked around for a safe place to stay. He doesn't want to go into the clubhouse. Before he could come up with a solution, the rain has started beating heavily.

He rushed to the side of the building, squeezing his body. He would sneeze after each seconds. He was allergic to the rain and rain drops always cause negative effects on his skin.

Anastasia walked slowly under the rain, not minding how hard the rain was beating her. She loves the touch of it on her skin, and how cold she felt under it.

As she got closer to the clubhouse, she heard someone sneezing by the corner. She was scared at first, but the way he coughed and sneezed made her know whosoever it is needed help.

" Hello, is anybody there?" She asked, walking close to the corner. " Do you need help?" When she saw it was Pablo, her eyes flew open. She gasped. " Oh my God!" She went to him, staring at his face.

He was shivering, his eyes could barely open. She touched his cheeks. "Sir. Sir are you alright?" She asked. " Oh no, you're cold. We have to take you somewhere warm." She hung his hand around her neck and held him by the waist.

She searched around with her eyes for a small house to lodge. She saw a housekeeper who was running from the rain into his home. " Excuse me! Hey, excuse me, I need your help!"

The man took shelter under his roof, watching as they came forward to his home. " My master is catching cold, I need to get him warm. Do you mind if we lodge in your home? " Anastasia said with a pleading eyes.

The man looked at Pablo who was almost dead from the cold. " Sure." He lets them in. He helps her take him to the bathroom. "He needs a hot shower first." He looks at Anastasia for a while. " I'll do the bathing, while you wait out here."

" Okay. Thank you. " She sat on the wooden chair, waiting for them to be over.

Soon, the man leaves the bathroom with Pablo leaning against him, his eyes closed. " I think your master isn't just catching cold, he is suffering from ombrophobia."

" Ombrophobia?" She repeated. " I don't understand what that means."

" He's allergic to the rain which causes some negative effects to his body. Sometimes people with this sickness tends to freeze to death if help aren't rendered on time." He explained.

" Okay. So, what should I do? Do you have any medication for him?" She asked, worried.

" I don't. I haven't met people like this before so, I didn't expect to meet one today. But you can still be of help to him." He said.

" How? Tell me, I will do whatever it takes."

He saw how determined she was to help him, he sighed. " It's nothing much. You just have to sleep with him. Yes, I've heard a lot about the body contact method, most people have testify it actually works out for cases like this. Are you ready to do it?"

She didn't think too much, she said. " I'm ready."

" Okay. Let's take him to the room." He carries him to a room, dropping him gently on the bed. " I'll leave you two." He leaves the room.

Anastasia stood for a while, staring at his face. She couldn't watch him die, she was ready to do whatever it takes to save him, not minding if there was a consequence for that.

She takes off her cloth, standing naked. She gets on the bed, laying beside him. She takes off his shirt so her chest can meet his. She cuddled him to herself, not leaving a single gap between them. She could feel the cold run in her vains, and his breath on her face. 

He smelt so nice that one wouldn't want to let go. She was staring at his face, her eyes darts to his lips. Those soft kissable lips which was another interesting thing about him. She shifts the stand of his hair aside, caressing his cheek with her hand.

She rested her head on his chest, letting herself driven by sleep.

****

Pablo finally woke up, his eyes slowly blinked. The cloud was a bit dark. He noticed he was in a room, he tries to stand but was held by Anastasia's arms. He was glaring at her surprised, then he remembers the previous night and how he almost froze to death.

He slightly opens the blanket and saw that she was naked on him. Did she just save his life? Why would she risk her life for his?

She woke up to see him glaring at her, their face almost close for a kiss. She shifted away, holding the blanket tight to her chest. " I. . . I am. . . I am so sorry. I. . . I didn't mean to. Y-you were shivering and. . . and your gonna freeze to death. I had to. . . I mean I didn't mean to. I–I'm so sorry." She stammered.

" You just saved my life. You did what no one has ever done for me, why would I punish you for that?"

Anastasia silently breathed a breath of relief. They were staring deep into each other's eyes for a long while, realizing herself she looked at fingers.

"You should get dressed or Micheal finds out we're together."

Anastasia steps out of the bed, pulling her clothe back on her body. She dressed her hair well, then stood beside the bed. " Is there anything I can do for you?" She asked.

" You've done more than enough for me, thank you. Don't worry about the payment, tell the housekeeper to put the bills on me."

She nods her head. " I will." She leaves the room.

Pablo still sat in thought, thinking about what happened. He still wonders why the poor girl would readily save his life. He leaves the room to the sitting room where the man sat, reading through a newspaper.

" You're awake." He says.

" My maid told me what happened, thank you." He thanked.

" It's nothing."

He takes out his wallet from his pocket, bringing out half a thousand dollar, stretching it to him. " Take this little as an appreciation and accommodation."

" No, son, I think the thank you is just enough for me. I saved your life, I don't need the glory." He refused to take the money.

" You can keep it for the family."

" I don't have a family, I live on my own." He replied.

Pablo nods his head, returning the money back into his wallet. " I'll take my leave then." He said, heading to the door.

" She was kind. She was ready to do whatever it takes to save your life. I have never seen such a woman like that. I'll admit, you do have a nice maid." 

Pablo looked at him, he nods with a smile. He exit.

Anastasia sat on the chair beside the clubhouse before the Escobar's showed up. As soon as Micheal stepped out of the building, his eyes moved around for her and when he found her, he first studied her.

" Where have you been?" He asked.

" I had to lodge in a housekeeper's home from the rain." He didn't want to spank in her, he wouldn't. Before he could call her in last night, she had gone and the rain was so heavy to step out. So he left, knowing she would return the following morning.

And she did. Giving him reasons to love her the more. 

Pablo showed up, smoking on his cigar with the other hand in his pocket. He didn't care as they waited for him, he kept walking majestically. 

****

**VITO'S APARTMENT***

*

Anastasia was the last to walk in. As she made her way to the basement, Micheal called her. "Where the fuck are you going to?" He asked. "Get your ass back here."

He hung his hand across her neck. " Let's go to my room." He said.

Anastasia drops him on his bed, turning to leave, he held her hand back. " Stay here." He said sleepily.

" Sir, I have to. . ."

" It's not a request, it's an order. So stay your ass on the bed." He grabbed her waist, pulling her on the bed. " I don't wanna wake up and see you're gone." He closed his eyes, and after a while he opens it. " Aren't you going to sleep too?" He asked.

" I don't feel sleepy." She said, her face positioned to the window.

" Suits you." He said, shutting his eyes back.

Anastasia waited until he was completely dozed off. She gently takes his hand off her waist, quietly walking out of the room.

As she left Micheal's room, Pablo called her name. She stiffened at his voice, slowly moving her head to his direction. " Sir." She bows her head.

" Aren't you supposed to be with him?"

She forces a smile on her face. " He said I should leave and get some rest too."

" Oh. Well, I wanna say thank you again for last night."

" You don't have to thank me, I did what I had to do. If anything happens to you, they will all put the blame on me because we were the only ones outside at that time." She smiled. " I have to go."

She started walking, but stopped by the sound of his voice. " Ms. Romanoff." He called her.

" Yes?"

" I ohm... Do you mind for a walk with me tonight?" He requested.

" Sure. I don't mind."

He smiled. " I'll be waiting."

" Okay." She left to the basement, happy that she was finally going to have a walk with the man who made her heart ached.

The one whose face keeps appearing in her dreams, the very one who intrigues her the most.

~~~~