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“That’s a gun,” Sarah hisses.
“I’ll shoot you both. Purses, now.”
Before either of us can react, a blur of movement catches my peripheral vision. Dominic appears out of nowhere. In one fluid motion, he grabs the man’s arm, twisting it behind his back with a strength that seems effortless.
The mugger cries out, dropping the gun as he struggles against Dominic’s iron grip.
I stare in shock as Dominic gets his hands around the man’s throat, squeezing the life from him. “Stop,” I shout. “You’re killing him.”
Dominic’s eyes are burning like fires as he turns to look at me. “He threatened you.”
“That doesn’t mean you should murder him. Let him go.”
“Run along,” Dominic warns, loosening his grip. “Lucky for you, she’s merciful.” His voice is laced with a threat that sends a chill down my spine.
The mugger scrambles to his feet and takes off, stumbling in his haste to escape. Dominic watches him, ensuring he’s truly gone, before turning his attention to us.
“Are you both okay?” he asks.
I nod, still in shock. “Yes, thanks to you. That was... incredible.”
As he stands there, a calming yet enigmatic presence, I feel Sarah’s curious gaze upon us. I take a moment to formalize introductions. “Dominic, this is my best friend, Sarah. Sarah, this is Dominic.”
Sarah extends her hand, still slightly trembling from the encounter. “Where did you pop up from?”
Dominic’s eyes briefly flicker, a subtle shift that doesn’t escape me. “Just passing through,” he replies with a casual shrug. He’s clearly lying. Why?
Sarah nods, still eyeing him with a mix of gratitude and curiosity. “Well, we’re lucky you were. It’s not every day you have a guardian angel appear out of nowhere.”
His gaze meets mine, and for a moment, I’m sure he knows that I see through the facade.
“Guardian angel might be a stretch,” he says, a wry smile playing on his lips.
I can’t help but smile back, despite the unease his mysterious appearance has stirred in me. “Well, you were our hero today, angel or not.”
Sarah, picking up on the unspoken tension, quickly excuses herself with a knowing glance. “I’ll catch up with you later, Bella. You two have a lot to catch up on.” She walks back to her painting spot, leaving me alone with Dominic.
He steps closer, reducing the entire world to just the two of us. “I’ve been thinking about you a lot,” he confesses, a hint of hunger flickering in his eyes. “Have you thought of me?”
His words catch me off guard, stirring a mix of emotions. “I... there’s something I need to tell you,” I stammer, struggling to maintain my composure.
He glances around him, like he’s looking for something. “Not here.”
“There’s a good cafe around the corner. How about we get a coffee?”
“Sounds good.” He looks around him again before giving me a smile that seems forced. “Let’s move.”
5
DOMINIC
We’re supposed to be enjoying coffee on a rooftop terrace. My eyes keep darting to a suspicious glint on the roof opposite.
I tell myself it’s just the sun hitting a skylight. It’s been six weeks. If Marconi was going to take a shot at me, he’d have done it by now.
But I’ve kept away from her, just watched her in secret, until today. What if he’s been watching her? Or me? Waiting to see if she means something to me?
She’s sipping her coffee, looking even more beautiful close up. “How have you been?” she asks, her voice light, eyes curious.
