The Threatening 6

“Ella! Ella!” Valentina called a few times and no answer. “What’s wrong with you?” she said  without much patience. 

“Oh… yes… I'm sorry… What were you saying?" Ella replied confused. "Meeting. New client?" 

"What's wrong with you? You're acting weird since you've gotten back from Spain," she said with concern in her voice. "Lately, you lost focus. You space out all the time and you seem you can't concentrate anymore!" she mentioned suspiciously "What happened on board of that ship, Ella?"

Ella gave Valentina a hopeless look and a long sigh. “We really need to talk, I feel like I’m going to burst.” and she put her hand in her chest suddenly stopping talking like if it hurt her.

"I'm worried about you. You haven’t been yourself at all.”

"I know. Just a little more patience, please? For now, can we just go back to work? What about the client?" she pleaded with Valentina and her eyes full of tears. Seen her distress Valentina nodded.

"Ok, fine. Signore Di Bianco, his secretary called and asked for an express meeting for tomorrow afternoon, something about developing a software for his new office,"

"Did you remind him to bring all the information on his equipments and business?" and Ella was once again with her poker face on.

"Yes, of course.” Valentina stood up and walked to the door. “In a few minutes I’ll send you those two contracts for you to check,” then she left the room.

Ella stared at the screen of her laptop, made some notes for the meeting and concentrated on another project when out of the blue her intercom beeped. “Ella, has a private call for you on line one, the man is insisting on speaking with you, he said it’s private matters, are you going to answer?”

“Did he identify himself?”

“No he didn’t, but I think it’s the same guy from the last few days again,” Valentina informed a little suspicious. “And he doesn’t sound friendly either.”

“Tell him I left, whatever you want, I’m not taking the call and if he calls again don’t bother,” 

“Ok. No worries!” and Valentina hang up the phone grinning.

Ella went back concentrating on the new software for a client and one more hour flew by, it was late afternoon when her cell phone rang. “Ella speaking” she answered it quickly noticing the number from the USA. “Oh, hey,” she said when she heard the voice on the other side. “It’s been more than a month!”

“Sorry, Ella. It’s been difficult and I thought I should give you an update.

“Well, I hope it’s good news,” she said anxiously.

“Unfortunately not quite, but not total bad! I got some information to where he was taken and I’m traveling there to verify.”

“And where was it?... No, this is crazy,” she took her hand to her mouth and lost her breath.

“Are you there, honey?” 

“Yes, Yes… Beaten badly?” she cringed.

“You see... maybe in a close future you will need to come here.”

 “Ok, ok… I know. Please, keep me updated. Thanks, miss you.” Ella hung up, with her stomach in knots, she grabbed her jacket and purse and left her office.

“Where are you going?” Valentina asked surprised.

“I need a beer!” and a pale Ella left the company’s building to the streets of Florence. 

Late that night Ella's cell phone rang, she fumbled through her purse. "Hello, Val?" she said a little sluggish. 

"Are you drunk, Ella?" Valentina chastised her on the other side of the phone. 

"Yeah… Yeah… Just a little, why? 

"What's wrong with you, girl? We seriously need to talk, I'm coming over.” 

"No, no! Not now. I know. We need to talk. But it is late and I’m getting myself into bed now… I'm exhausted, Val. Tomorrow we will talk.”

"I do hope so, I worry about you." 

"I know and I'm so sorry for that! I really am," and Ella hung up falling in bed with clothes and everything on sleeping heavily until morning.

Ella's alarm went off announcing it was time to get up. She dragged herself out of bed and to the bathroom taking a good cold shower to eliminate the hangover. She brushed her teeth and hair, she worked in an intricate braid, Ella applied some light makeup and went to her closet. Deciding for a knee-length gray pencil skirt, a mint green short sleeve silk blouse and black high heels, she looked at herself in the mirror happy with the result, she wasn't a fancy person. She liked very simple and plain things. Grabbing her bag, she went to the garage to get her car and left for work. 

Ella was in her programming room when Valentina announced that Signore Di Bianco was already there. She walked him into Ella's office and seated them, chatting with him while Ella finished gathering a few papers for the meeting. She entered her office greeting Signore Di Bianco with a smile on her face. The man stood up and turned to her with his hand extended, her smile faded from her lips, and she froze in place. Those icy black eyes were once again staring at her. She felt her heart stop in her chest and went pale, she dropped whatever she was holding in her hands. 

"Justin!" she said in shock. Ella looked at him for what seemed forever. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored navy blue suit and the tips of his tattoo were coming out of the collar of his white shirt, going up his neck. His tattoo. That gorgeous intricate tattoo. Unconsciously, she was raising her hand to touch it, but she came to her senses and crouched over her papers and started getting them. He seemed even taller and menacing in a suit. Gosh, he is tall! Maybe six foot five? Valentina that up to that moment behaved like a wallflower looking from one another rushed to Ella to help her out. 

"Have you noticed that lately my main question to you is what's going on, Ella?" Valentina whispered exasperated seeing her so distressed. 

"I can't explain to you right now, but I can assure you, this won't be a business related meeting at all." Ella said in a very low voice looking at Justin, Valentina looked at him too. He just raised his eyebrows waiting for them to say something, but they turned and looked at each other again. 

"You're freaking scaring me, Ella, the man looks pissed.”

"Please, my friend, we’ll talk later, I promise. Right now I need you to trust me and leave me alone with him," Ella begged with pleading eyes. 

"Ok, I'll leave you alone, but if you need me… Anything, I'm a door away. Call me!" Valentina warned looking from Ella to Justin and then walked to the door. "Anything, Ella" 

"Ok, ok," Ella mouthed to Valentina. And she left. Ella walked to her desk with wobbly legs and sat on her chair gratefully, Justin did the same sitting on the chair in front of her. 

A heavy silence fell upon them, both engaged in a staring battle of wills. Who was going to say something first, who was going to look away first. For weeks, he couldn't take her from his mind, and now she was there, in front of him.  He was observing her attentively and for the first time he saw her vulnerable. She was pale, even the makeup couldn’t hide the dark circles underneath her eyes, she was trembling, and trying to disguise hiding her hands but Justin saw it. But to him she has always been beautiful and now she seemed even more.

“Are you sick?” Justin asked, breaking the mortifying silence.  

“What kind of question is this? Do I look sick to you?” Ella retorted surprised with the blunt question. “Why should you care?”

"Why didn't you answer my calls?" he asked impatiently.

"How dare you, come over here, bother me at my workplace, fake a meeting, fake a name, only to make me talk to you. You can get me into trouble for this!" Ella spat fire at him.

"Look who's complaining about being fake! Claire, why didn't you return my calls?" he repeated the question, losing his patience, standing up and getting closer to the table. 

"This subject again?" and Ella rolled her eyes. "I didn't return your calls because I'm not interested. I thought you were smart enough to take the hint and leave me alone!" she said in a challenging tone. 

"Are you sure about that," he towered over the table almost on top of her. 

She glued herself back in her chair looking at him a little intimidated and aroused at the same time. Lord, he is gorgeous! Her cheeks reddening. "Don't! Don't get closer or I'll scream…" she warned and a shiver went down her spine to places she didn’t want to. "Why are you here, Justin?" 

Justin sat back on his chair. "Why? What kind of question is this? You disappeared from the ship, you don't take my calls, you ghosted me out for three weeks! And we have unfinished business to talk to."

"Unfinished business? Are you out of your freaking mind? I have no business with you. What do you want from me, Justin?" she asked desperately. 

"I want answers, Claire! Answers!" he yelled exasperated and losing control. 

"Enough with this shit! I'm not Claire!" Ella suddenly hit the table with her hands making a loud noise, she stood up, walked to her wall safe and retrieved from there her passport and American documents. She went to him and angrily threw everything on his face. "There you go! See for yourself. My name is Ella Dawson!"