Chapter 1 (Flashback)

Allesandro It was 5:30 in the morning the tenth of December, another chilly day to arrive in the city of California. The conurbation was yet to wake up from the slumber of the night because of the welcoming coolness of the winter weather. Pushing the curtains aside of my bedroom window, I look out and smell the fragrance of beautiful roses from my garden. Last night she had brought me to an edge with yet again a stunt of her stupidity. She was almost raped but my security was exactly on time. One moment on the other side and I would not have excused myself for the rest of my life. Just as I think of her a smile automatically etches on my lips. My kernel feels the tranquility from the thoughts of her. What a turnaround she was. I saw her when she was five, the cute lass with two ponies flapping on either side of her face, in pink and blue frocks that stopped above her knees. Last month when I saw her after fourteen years she appeared like an awakening from a beautiful dream, transpiration from a little girl to an arresting woman with perfect shapes and sizes. The euphoria I felt after seeing her felt like an ocean from the blue. In crave to touch her, I lost my existence. Each part of my body started in a shiver that wasn't visible to the eyes. My heart kept questioning me the queries that can't be heard by ears. It puzzled my brain the attraction I felt for her was beyond comprehension, it was something that I haven't experienced. Every moment that I spent with her told me to drown in the adulation. Every cell in my body screams to reduce the distance between us to hold her to me in my arms. No matter the amount of feelings I carried for her, my heart feels light like a balloon swaying in air of Edith Rodriguez for she is the sole woman I rested my eyes upon, the beauty who awakens the virile feelings in me since I was thirteen. The sky was still dark but the birds, my friends and early risers started their chirping bringing the pleasant feelings of serenity in the habitat. Dressed in black pants and a gray t.shirt I was preparing myself for a brief morning jog which is a blessed rarity concerning my busy schedule. I am a cardiac surgeon and one of the best cardiologists in the city of California. As I add the milk to the coffee I hear my phone beep. Leaving the coffee mug on my table I rushed to my phone which rings only when there is an emergency. 'Yes I am coming. Keep the patient on a saline drip. I will be there in fifteen." I say to the head nurse Shelly and pick the keys of my car from the key holder rushing to the exit door. The day passed like a blur. I had three emergency surgeries to perform but every now and then my mind kept bashing me with the thoughts of Edith. How is she? What was she doing? Is she alright after the blow she survived in the bar yesterday? I wanted to take the first flight to Miami the next day morning to have a glimpse of her. It is not that I speak to her. We hardly talk but just a look at her will calm down my agitation. As I think of her a smile laces on my lips. She is the only woman or rather the girl in this world who can bring a smile on my face without a reason no matter the circumstances. Now when I imagine about her, she would most probably be sitting on the swing attached to the lawn while biting her finger nails and listening to the half an hour lecture of her father Allen on how careful she must be. I wonder do those nails ever grow. She may think I do not know anything about her but no one in the world knows more than me about her. Her every move is known to me as her protector, as her guardian. It is the responsibility I had taken about her with interest with acceptance of every cell working in me. I may not know her wants, her needs but I am always there to give her what she desires. Edith Penelope Rodriguez is the innocent only daughter of Allen and Arianna Rodriguez apart from their sons Charles and Henry. Since her childhood Edith is brought protected by her parents and pampered by her father more than any of his children. Edith is five years younger to Charles, my classmate and also my best friend. I first saw her when I came to their house the second time to do a science project together with Charles. She was five and her bright blue eyes stared back at me with all the innocence. There were tears in her eyes and she was whimpering. Charles had a scowl looking at his sister. 'I told her not to go inside the garden since it is wet from yesterday's rain. But she wouldn't listen and went to play with Snoopy." He points a hand to his younger sister with a little puppy besides her hanging his head low and complains about her to me. 'Look what she did to herself, she slipped in the mud and injured her leg." He shows me her scratched knee which was slightly swollen and red with an ointment applied on it. I try to hold her hand that was in a fist. I wanted her to stop crying. It was then the first time that I actually looked into her eyes. Our eyes met and my heart swelled looking into them. I don't know why but I was sure there was some kind of magical power in them. I was bewitched drowned in her icy blues. Something inside me walloped and I kissed her forehead. 'Don't cry." I tell her softly and those were the only words I spoke to her in eight years until I saw her again on her thirteenth birthday. It was awakening from a dream. To say I was banged was an understatement. She grew not only in height but also by her body and it bothered me invoking the male beast inside me. That day I made my decision and decided to stay away from her. I am five years older to her, almost six years and to have such sort of feelings towards my best friend's younger sister was irrational. Our parents are family friends and I keep visiting Allen's house quiet often. Making Edith Penelope Rodriguez as mine is like sky joining earth. I never saw her from then but made sure to keep every record about her. I took in charge of her security so that I could watch her and sleep in peace because staying away from her is like losing myself. My monitor is filled with her photos. I saw her three years back again in California with her family in a restaurant for a family dinner. It was only for a few seconds but I can remember it clearly like it was yesterday. She was laughing at the jokes made by Henry. She had such a beautiful laugh that would light anyone's dull day. I never saw any woman more beautiful than her apart from my mother. Her innocence, her purity of soul, her craziness famished me. Everything about her is refreshing, like a breath of fresh air. I am jealous of the man who gets lucky to be her husband. I feel this irreversible pull towards her. It is wrong, I know that but the feelings I hold for her are uncontrollable. I never felt this protective about any person but of her. She is much younger to me my best friend's younger sister is a sister to me too. I chanted the same mantra to my ears and heart whenever I had crazy thoughts about her. I always made sure to keep men away from her. She is too innocent for this mendacious world. But Shelton, that stupid rascal who she calls her boyfriend slipped easily into her life. I do not know where my security went wrong I need to collect a proof against him before the damage is more. He is mafia son of a bitch, does women trafficking and sells naive young girls to middle-east countries. Edith is too pristine to understand all these things though her father, brothers and everyone from the family tried to make her understand. I do not understand why Shelton is after Edith. Edith is immaculate but he is a smart crook. I am more than sure that he knows about mafia connections of Allen and his son Charles Rodriguez. More than all this there is a mysterious power behind Edith that will always keep protecting her and the name of that strength is myself, Allesandro Martin. Meddling with Edith Rodriguez is like playing with fire. I do not understand why Shelton Marshall missed such a simple logic. Though he might earn a fortune for dragging Edith into the pit from his mafia boss he can enjoy all that money only when he lives which is the most crucial underlining point in the complete situation. If at all he lives…because I am not going to let that happen.