Chapter 7 The Emerald Ring

“Her body was trembling, and I assumed it was out of fear, but it turned out to be a drug-induced reaction.” Sebastian sat on the couch, speaking on the phone with his leg crossed over the other, and unbuttoned the first two buttons of his white shirt.

“How is she at the moment? What do the doctors have to say about it?” Anton asked.

Sebastian couldn’t help but steal a glance at Janet, who was lying on the hospital bed, her delicate form covered by a soft white blanket, with an oxygen mask gently resting over her mouth. “They are waiting for her to wake up. They need to run some tests.”

“Sad. I wanted to surprise Connor. It would devastate him to find out about her state. Shall I tell him that we saved his daughter?” Anton questioned.

“Tell him if it takes more than a day for her to recover, she may need to seek medical attention. Otherwise, I’ll bring her back as soon as she’s capable of travelling.”

“What? Your bodyguard will take care of her and bring her back. Your job is done. Come back home.” Anton said sternly. “Your mother and I didn’t get any sleep last night. We were surprised to find out that you had gone to rescue her all by yourself.”

A prolonged silence ensued between them, causing Anton to furrow his brow. “Sebastian?”

“I..” He hesitated, his hand reaching up to scratch his eyebrow. “I cannot pass on the responsibility of her to anyone else. I gave her my word that I would be the one escorting her back home. There’s no way I’ll come back without her.”

“Not happening. If you think you could be her saviour, you’re wrong. She could end up in danger once more if she’s around you.

The threats keep coming every day and we feel we’re under siege. Nikolai Siegel is after you. The fact that he knows all your minute details puts Janet in great danger when you’re around.”

Sebastian covertly glanced at Janet for the second time. He acknowledged the veracity of his father’s claim that Nikolai was involved in unsavoury tactics aimed at obliterating Genovese in the USA.

He was another name of terror after his grandfather, Don Vitalino Genovese. His network of contacts likely provided him with a knowledge of his current location.

“I’ll think about it.” Before Anton could even get a word out, Sebastian had already hung up the phone.

***

The next evening,

Janet slowly woke up in her hospital bed and instinctively took off the oxygen mask from her mouth.

Taking her time to regain her focus, she sat down on the bed and noticed that the man had his back turned to her. He stood by the window, lost in thought. She remained quiet, taking in the sight of his broad shoulders.

Sebastian turned around, his eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You made it out alive,” he said as he walked over to her side.

“Water, please,”

Her throat burned as if on fire, and Sebastian quickly passed her a glass of water. He stared at her intensely with his piercing black eyes while she downed the water, feeling the refreshing sensation spread through her body.

Sebastian noticed her hand trembling as she reached out to place the glass back, and his eyes were drawn to the needle discreetly attached to its back, urging him to take the glass from her.

“Thanks.”

She fluttered her eyelids, averting her gaze from him. The mattress dipped under Sebastian’s weight as he sat next to her, and she noticed his hand tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Are you alright?”

“Ye.. yeah. Thank you for saving me.” She spoke softly and with a hint of timidity.

“It’s alright,” Sebastian said nonchalantly. “Let me call the doctors to check on you first, and then we’ll head back soon.”

Janet’s gaze followed him as he exited the room. Nervously, she swallowed when the door closed with a click. The balcony attached to her room caught her attention. Her senses craved the fresh air and as she got out of bed, her feet felt strange on the floor.

She leisurely strolled onto the balcony, breathing in the refreshing air, and experiencing a sense of time slowing down.

“Thank god, Sebastian reached me in time.” Janet blessed him in her heart as she saw the cars rushing on the busy street. Then something clicked. She revolved and stationed herself against the balustrade, recollecting the sequence of events in her head.

“Sebastian,”

His deep voice was in her ears again as she recalled him introducing himself, and she looked up at nothing in particular.

“I’m here to take you.”

“Did my dad send you to rescue me? Are you one of his comrades?”

“Yes. Now be quiet and let me help you.”

Janet bit her lips. “If Dad had sent him to rescue me, he would have made it a point. Not have waited for me to confirm.”

She thought, her eyes darting around as her mind explored countless possibilities.

“Steer clear of Genovese men!” She recalled Dane’s warning. “I wouldn’t recommend dealing with them.”

“But how do I identify them?”

“All the soldiers wear emerald rings on their thumbs.”

Janet’s eyes widened. “The emerald ring!” Her mind wandered back to Sebastian, vividly recalling the gentle touch of his finger as he tucked her hair behind her ear just moments ago.

“Fuck! He is not a member of the Genovese army.” Her heart raced as she reached a shocking conclusion.

The door swung open with a loud creak, and the Doctors entered the room. “Hey, you shouldn’t be standing out there. Get in!” In a high-pitched tone, the doctor urgently instructed the nurses to escort Janet inside.

Faces lined with worry, Sebastian and his friend Nate, who doubles as his security at the hospital, engaged in a serious conversation at the emergency staircase. “We should leave. She is alive and we can get her treated in Springfield. Your security matters the most!”

The pungent smell of cigarette smoke filled the air as Sebastian took a long drag, his eyes never leaving Nate’s. “If you say, I’ll take care of her and bring her back. Staying in New Orleans is not safe for you. You know, Nikolai primarily operates his business from this place. We are deliberately putting ourselves in exposure.”

“I possess all knowledge. Still, I am unwilling to gamble with her well-being. Let’s see what doctors say!”

Nate rolled his eyes, and Sebastian caught the subtle gesture. “What’s with the eye-roll?”

“Do you like her?”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow and gave him a look that was a mix of disbelief and amusement. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“From the moment Mr. Genovese shared her picture with you, it had plagued you with restlessness. Our initial plan was to arrive home first, gather the team, and proceed with her rescue. But you took matters into your own hands without seeking your father’s authorization and with no backup. I have never observed you displaying such desperate longing! You remained by her side throughout the entire night at the hospital. What’s going on?”

“Connor saved Dad’s life. It’s a payback. Nothing else at all.”

The door to the emergency stairs creaked open, and his guard cautiously peered inside. “Janet can leave the hospital in the morning.”

“Great!” Sebastian’s exclamation caught Nate’s attention, and he arched an eyebrow as he trailed behind Sebastian out of the staircase.

Janet paced nervously in the room, her forehead glistening with sweat. “Who are they? Another enemy of Genovese? Did he come to my rescue intending to strike a bargain with Genovese, or has the danger escalated for me?” she thought.

The door gently opened with a click, causing her to instinctively move backwards. Sebastian’s entrance made her gasp sharply. Her gaze locked on him. “I’ve brought you dinner from one of the finest restaurants in New Orleans.”

“New Orleans!” her ears perked up.

The nurse walked into the room, holding a tray with care, and placed it neatly on the table next to the patient’s bed. Janet remained still, her gaze locked on Sebastian as he rolled up his sleeves and approached the couch.

“Janet?”

Blinking her eyes, she approached him with grace and settled on the couch directly in front of him. “Well, I spoke to your doctor, and he mentioned that you have no restrictions on your diet.”

Janet’s stomach protested with a grumble. She felt like it had been forever since she had last savoured a satisfying meal, but she had reservations about eating anything he proposed.

“Go ahead!”

Janet’s eyes lit up as she opened the lid, a detail that Sebastian didn’t miss. “That’s Barbeque Shrimp Pasta. We also have vegetable soup and…”

“Thank you very much for taking care of me.” Janet smiled. She plated the dinner, and then reached out, offering him a plate.

“Thanks.”

He took the plate, and the aroma of the food filled the air. Sebastian perceived her as a humble and down-to-earth person, which sharply contrasted with her father’s ruthless demeanour, whereas Janet’s intention to eat with him was driven by her suspicion that he might try to contaminate her food.

While filling her plate with pasta, Janet’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she caught him staring at her. In response, Sebastian hastily looked away and feigned intense interest in his meal.

Just then, Nate unexpectedly entered the room, surprising everyone with his unannounced arrival. “Hey, I was thinking….” Pausing for a moment, he scrutinized the plate in his hand before giving him a quizzical look.

“What are you doing?”

“Eating, I suppose!” Before Nate could say anything else, Sebastian interrupted him with a quick response. “Wait for me outside.”

Janet couldn’t tear her eyes away from Nate’s hand, and the first thing she noticed was the absence of the emerald ring. As he walked out of the room, she felt her heart skipped a beat as he shot her a fleeting glance.

“Is there a problem having dinner with me?” Her focus shifted to Sebastian.

“No. He is just concerned about me.”

“Alright,”

The clinking of silverware on plates was the only sound as they finished dinner in silence. “I had a chat with your doctor. You’re good to go. Take a rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Janet nodded in agreement and let out a sigh of relief as Sebastian exited the room. She chugged a glass of water and fanned her face, pacing back and forth in the room.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll be out of this place soon. I am strong!” She silently prayed, and as time passed, her hands became marked with welts and blisters. She took a quick glance at her reflection in the bathroom mirror and grinned at the sight of the rashes on her skin.