Vito's possession

The city was never quiet. Even early morning, you could hear cars. Market women shouting prices. Music from somewhere. It was just normal noise now. Lina was used to it. She had to be. Her shop was right beside the market. Old walls. Old paint coming off. The sign on top was broken on one side, so you could only read: LINA'SREPAIRS She kept saying she would fix it. When she had money. But money never stayed. Rent always came first. Then food. Then light. Sometimes there was nothing left after that. And sometimes people came with no money and she would just say, "It's okay, pay me next time." Most people never came back. Maya shouted at her about it every time. "You need to stop," Maya said that morning, standing with her hands on her waist. Lina didn't look up. She was fixing a shoe. "Stop what?" "This thing where you let people go without paying." "He said he will come back." "Lina, he said that three weeks ago." Lina smiled small. "Maybe he's busy." Maya hissed. "You are impossible." Lina laughed. That's why she liked Maya. Maya would fight anybody. Lina could not. If someone shouted, Lina would just keep quiet. She hated noise. Hated trouble. Maya left around ten. "Eat something today," she said, pointing at her. "I'm serious." "I will," Lina said. But she didn't. She forgot. The shop was quiet after Maya left. Too quiet. Lina was wiping the counter when she heard it. Cars. Not one. Many. Bum. Bum. Bum. She stopped. That sound was different. She walked to the window. Four black cars. Same color. Same size. Parked right outside her shop. Her stomach dropped. Men came out. All black suits. All serious faces. One of them opened the back door of the first car. A man stepped out and Lina's breath stopped. She knew that face. Everyone knew it. Vito. Don Rocco's right-hand man. People said if Don Rocco wanted someone to disappear, he sent Vito. He was tall. Really tall. Black shirt, sleeves pushed up small. His jaw was sharp. His eyes... his eyes looked like they saw everything. He looked at her shop. Straight at it. Lina moved back from the window fast. Why did she do that? Her hands were already sweating. The bell rang. He came in. Just him. The other two stayed outside. The shop felt small suddenly. Like there was no air. Vito walked to the counter and dropped a black leather bag. "Fix this." His voice was low. Not loud, but you had to listen. Lina nodded. "Yes." She opened the bag. Thick black belt inside. The buckle was broken. She picked it. Her fingers would not stop shaking. She hated that. She hoped he didn't see. Then it slipped. Fell on the floor with a loud thud. "Sorry," she whispered. She bent down fast. But her elbow hit the small box on the floor next to her leg. Crash. The whole thing fell. Needles, screws, thread, small metals — everywhere. Oh God. Perfect. Just perfect. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she said. She went on her knees, picking them one by one. Her face was hot. She could feel tears coming and she bit her lip so she wouldn't cry in front of him. She thought he would shout. Or leave. He didn't. He crouched down too. Lina looked up, shocked. He was picking up the screws with his big hands. Carefully. Like it was normal. He picked one and held it out to her. Their fingers touched. Just one second. Warm. His hand was warm. She didn't expect that. She pulled her hand back quickly. "Thank you." They both stood up. Silence. She could hear her own heart. "How long?" he asked, looking at the belt. "Five minutes. Only five." "Okay." She sat down and fixed it. Her hands still shaking, but she forced them to work. She could feel him watching her back. It made her neck hot. "What's your name?" he said after a while. "Lina." "Lina what?" She hesitated. She didn't want to tell him everything. "...just Lina." He didn't force it. "You work here alone?" "Most time." "Not scared?" She shrugged. "Sometimes." "This street is not safe," he said, looking around. "I know. But it's mine. My father left it for me." That made him quiet. She finished the belt and held it out. "Done." "How much?" "Nothing. Small repair." His eyebrows moved. "Nothing?" "Yes." "Everything has a price." "Not everything," Lina said quietly. Something changed in his face. Not a smile. Just... something. Then his eyes dropped. To her wrist. He froze. Lina followed his eyes. The small mark. Circle with a line inside. Very old. Faded. She had it since she was a baby. She saw his jaw tighten. "Is... is something wrong?" she asked. "Where did you get that?" His voice was different now. Harder. "This? I was born with it. My mother said so." "Your mother?" "She died when I was small." He kept staring at it. Like he saw a ghost. Lina pulled her hand down, covering it. "Why? Do you know it?" "No." But he was lying. She could feel it. He put the belt inside the bag. "I will come back," he said. "You don't have to." "I will." He walked to the door. Stopped. Didn't turn. "Be careful, Lina." "Of what?" "People." And he left. The cars left too. Just like that. Lina stood there for a long time. Her hand over her wrist. That mark. She never thought it meant anything. Now her chest felt tight. Why did he look at it like that? --- Across the street, inside the car, Marco was driving. "Boss?" Marco said. Vito didn't answer. He was looking at the shop in the side mirror. At her small shadow inside. "Put two men here," Vito said finally. Marco frowned. "Here? Why?" "Watch her. The shop. Her house." "Watch? Not talk?" "No talk. No enter. Just watch. If anyone comes close, call me." "Yes, boss." Vito leaned back. He had so many problems waiting. Money missing. Don Rocco angry. Other families trying to kill him. But his head was full of a girl who fixed shoes for free. And that mark. That damn mark from the old files. The file Don Rocco told him never to open. If she was connected to that file, she was not safe. Not at all. --- That night, Lina locked her shop late. It was already dark. She turned off the light and saw them. Two men. Across the street. Black clothes. Just standing there. Watching her. Her heart started beating so fast she could hear it. She locked the door again and ran. She didn't stop until she got home. Locked the door two times. Sat on her bed. Her phone buzzed. Unknown number. _Get home safe._ She never gave him her number. Lina stared at the phone. Her hands were cold. She looked out the window. Dark street. She didn't know that mark on her wrist would bring trouble. She didn't know Vito already decided no one would touch her. Even if she hated him for it.