I kept my question to myself and swiftly sprang into action and joined Luigi in the frat and in no time, the cafe erupted into chaos, with chairs and tables.
When Bran saw that things were quickly getting out of hand and we were de- feating his hunks, he joined in the fight.
He instantly rammed into Luigi, shoving him across the room. When I saw him tackle him to the floor, I quickly dodged the punch the man I was fighting threw at me and ran towards him to help.
But immediately I got there, Luigi fl*pped him to the floor and ruthlessly pressed his palm on Bran’s face. His gaze traveled behind me before they rested
on me.
“Leave,” he m*uthed, “There’s an alley, wait there.”
Η
“What about you?!” I whispered back as my eyes widened.
Why will I leave him here? There was no way I’d do that.
“Leave, Sydney!” He screamed as Bran took advantage of his distracted state and hit the side of his face with a tray he must have dragged from one of the ta-
bles around.
I decided to listen to him. He probably had a plan and if he doesn’t, atleast, I’d be able to inform the police or find help. I made it to the table where my purse still lay without any incident, and grabbed my purse.
When I turned to leave, I let out a frustrated groan as one of the men blocked my path while the other three faced Luigi. While I watched, impressed at how he was skillfully deflecting their blows and measuredly throwing punches and things their way, the man beforeof me picked me up and slung me over his
shoulder.
“Let go!” I yelled and beat him on his back and headed toward a hallway in the
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cafe. Neither my kicks on his ch*st nor my punches and scratches on his back did anything to dissuade him so I quickly and stealthily reached for the shocker
in my back pocket.
Just as his fat hand pressed down on the doorknob, I pressed the shocker to his n*eck. As it discharged, his searing bolt of electricity must have coursed.
through his b*dy, causing every muscle in his b*dy to spasm uncontrollably. Al-
most instantly, a faint jolt sent an uncomfortable, almost painful, tingling sensa- tion from my palm to my b*dy, one tenth of what the man must be feeling.
My hold on the stun gun faltered but I still held onto it. As it continued to shock him causing him to convulse hysterically, I also felt a faint buzz course through
- me.
Soon, I landed on the floor with a loud thud as he let go. I groaned as pain shot through my b*dy from the impact of falling on the floor.
When I looked up, he was still convulsing frantically as he fell over the chairs and tables before landing on the floor with a thud that reverberated through the
cafe.
I heard a grunt as another one marched toward me, probably coming to the res- cue of his friend. I eyed the doorway behind him then the broken glass from when Luigi broke it when he jumped in.
With planned precision, I took off the one heel I still had on and gripped my purse. My muscles bunched, prepared for the short sprint I had planned. With a grunt, I took off, swiftly moved out of his reach when his hand shot out and zipped past him. I voluntarily plummeted out of the window and landed on the grimy ground.
The man’s eyes were wide with anger as he came after me but Luigi was sud- denly pulling him back by his.hair then he was slamming his face in the broken glass wall.
I took that as my cue to flee. I ignored the pain that thrummed through my b*dy and hot on my feet. My eyes perused the area in search of the alley he had mentioned. I sighted it, a long narrow dark pathway. I didn’t bother to think of
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whatever might be lurking there and just ran there.
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While I waited there, I fumbled with my phone, the shocker firmly in my grasp as I dialed the emergency number.
“What’s your location, ma’am?” They asked after I’d breathlessly explain my predicament to them.
“I–I- I don’t know,” I was struggling to make my words sound coherent. “I don’t know where I am.”
“Alright ma’am. Please, calm down. Ensure your location remains on, we’ll tap it and find you.”
“Thank you,” I bent over, my hands on my knees, “Please, be fast.” My voice was a breathless whisper as the car ended.
I closed my eyes and took a deep calming breath. If Luigi hadn’t appeared, there was no way I’d have been able to take them on myself.
I wonder what Bran’s intention was. He was probably sent because he had not reason to have any grudge against me. He must be acting on someone’s order.
But who? Mark?
I shook my head and straightened up, resting my head on the way. Mark wasn’t a coward that would send men to her. He wasn’t afraid to face her. So who
couldn’t be?
I sprang away from the wall, my features immediately tensing in alert as the sound of the halting footsteps drifted into my thoughts.
My eyes adjusted to the dimness of the area and I could see the figure walking toward me. He must think I couldn’t see him because he was still tiptoeing. I waited, my breath held, for him to get closer.
When he did, I raised my hand to activate the shocker, the light brightening the area a little.
“Sydney…”
I froze and ran to the figure. “Luigi!” I held his arm, “Are you okay?”
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“I am? Are you?” He still sounded firm but his gait was lopsided and his breath-
ing uneven.
“I am.”
“Where are they?” I looked behind him, “sis he see you come in here?”
He shook his head and took his time. “I took care of them.”
I frowned, “Well, I called the police, they’ll soon be here. We’ll just wait here.
They’ll locate us with my phone’s locatio-”
I stopped babbling when he slumped against the wall. My heart skipped a beat,
“Are you okay?”
He didn’t answer. I brought out my phone and flashed the torchlight at him. His
face was pale and dripping with sweat and his hand clutched his stomach.
I let out an unrestrained gasp as I saw the blood trickling down his fingers. “Oh my God, you’re hurt.”
“Let’s get out of here,” was all he managed out. “My car is somewhere out
there.”
I immediately put his arm around my shoulders and took us to his car, follow-
ing the directions he gave. It didn’t take long for us to find his took his
car. I keys from his pocket and helped him into the front seat.
I got in the driver’s seat and drove us away from this godforsaken place. Find- ing my way back was easy since my eyes were on the road as the driver brought me here.
I located a hospital in town and took him there. Upon my immediate payment, he was instantly transferred to an emergency ward and they started to treat him.
An hour later, the doctor came to meet me in the waiting room where I had been impatiently waiting. I got stares from the nurses and some of the people in the waiting room but my look was the least of my worries right now.
I sighed in relief when I saw the smile on his face. “Mrs Torres, your ward is fine now. It was just a minor stab wound. You can go see him now.”
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“Oh,” I sighed audibly, “Thank you.”
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I rushed to his ward and the moment I stepped in, he turned his face toward
the door.
“Luigi. Omg. I’m so glad you’re okay.” I rushed to his side and bent down and pulled him into a small hug.
His face slightly squeezed in pain as he chuckled, apart from that, he didn’t
other
show any signs of discomfort. He sounded firm and looked agile again. “You worry too much. I told you I was fine.”
“Right! A fine man always limps and has blood trickling out of a gash in their
stomach.”
He chuckled, his shoulders shaking. “Spare me the sarcasm, Syd.”
“How did you even get to such a remote place?” I blurted out. I couldn’t wait any longer. “I mean you just burst out at the right time and saved me.” I squint- ed at him which caused his l*ps to stretch in a hypnotizing smile. “Have you
been following me, Luigi?”
His eyes eyed my hair then they dropped to my dress. “You look like shit right now. You should find a place to wash up.”
“Answer my question,” I growled playfully.
He arched his
brow, a mischievous smile still dancing across his l*ps, “I’ve saved you twice, and you still doubt me?”
I felt a little bit more relaxed. I didn’t know him all that much but I could tell that he wouldn’t hurt me. I hope I am right though.
“What, you think I was with them?”
Whether someone helps you with their service or product, as long as you get any help from someone there’s always a price to pay back. There are no inciden- tal kindness in this world, just like how there is always a reason for enmity.
There was a reason why Bran set this whole meeting up and attacked me and there was also a reason why Luigi was there and why he helped me.
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I shrugged, “I don’t know, Luigi Matteo. It’s just very unusual to be Vouchers
in a place like that and at that time too. Such coincidences are rare.” I determinedly held
his gaze and reprised, “Why were you there?”
There was a sly smirk on his l*ps, “Let’s just say it’s one of those rare coinci-
dences.”
I lifted my eyebrows at him, silently telling him to cut the bullshit.
His smirk faltered and there was an hesitation as he looked at me, the look in his eyes was highly guarded and unfathomable. Then he sighed, “I was sent to
protect you.”
I was taken aback. Of all the reasons I had thought of, this one wasn’t even an
option. “Protect me from what and from who?” I got on the edge of my seat and continued to throw questions at him. “Who sent you, Luigi? Why do I need pro-
tection?”
There was that look again, that twitch of his l*ps as if he was contemplating if he should speak the truth or not. “I can’t tell you too much, Sydney,” his expres- sion had grown dreary now. “Just know someone wants you safe and. I’m here.
to do that. That’s all I can tell you.”
I gazed into his eyes, searching for whatever I could get. Who exactly is this man? And who sent him? The voice in my head scoffed, Was he even sent?
Could Mark be involved in this? If he was, why?
No, no. It couldn’t be Mark. Mark and Luigi had met and I’m sure they hate each other’s guts. Michael? Nope. I almost laughed at the idea. No way it would be dad. Neither he nor his wife had ever cared about me. So who could it be? Who
wants me safe and who wants to harm me?
“What are you thinking about, Mrs Torres,” Luigi whispered, his sly smile back in
place.
As I opened my m*uth to answer him, a sharp condescending scoff interrupt- ed me, “Are you now having an affair with that wild looking man?”
Luigi and I turned to see who had interrupted and I rolled my eyes at the
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woman that stood at the doorway. I should’ve known it was her – her scratchy
ice and condescending tone was hard to misplace.
