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15

(Leo's POV)

Why did I kiss her? There was all that yelling and then I just kissed her cheek. Why? Her kind eyes full of anger and anguish drew me in like a Siren, however, I had to stay away. She was too good for me and my games. I couldn't feel for her. Been there, done that, and it didn't end quite well if I remember rather vividly.

The therapy seemed to be helping her. She had been talking about all her feelings from what I heard. She was also scared of me, calling me the big bad wolf. I chuckled to myself at that silly label and the thought of her one day realizing that I wasn't a big bad wolf, but a vicious lion. Yet, I found myself wanting to take the fear of me away from her and it was strange considering I loved the smell of fear that people perspired upon my name and the things I could singlehandedly do.

The last time I saw her, she was a shattered glass walking on her own piercing shards. Seeing her go through that hurt me a little for some reason. I understood why she didn't want to see me today and I don't blame her. After what Wren did to her, her behavior towards me was perfectly justified.

It had been ten minutes since I got into my car. All I had to do was roar the engine to life and drive off, but somehow I was stuck waiting. Waiting for something I didn't quite understand. I sat there looking at her house through my side mirror wishing she'd come out. I shouldn't feel this way about a girl. She's a random girl that I literally bumped into. Nothing more.

When I finally decided to leave, I saw a shady man at her doorstep. Arie opened the door after a few knocks. They conversed for a good minute when I noticed him trying to barge in. What the hell? I abandoned my vehicle at once and started walking slowly towards her house in an attempt to sneak up on the man and take him down, but my plan was a waste considering he got inside and slammed the door shut behind him.

Immediately, I bolted towards her house and tried to open the front door as quietly as possible in order to not alert the intruder of my presence, but it was locked. I could hear frantic footsteps running around the house along with Arie's screams and heavy pants. I pivoted around the house and looked for a back entrance. Locating a door that went down to the basement, I jumped down the steps and opened the unlocked door. With careful steps, I neared the stairs that ascended me to the first floor. My ears picked up on some shuffling sounding from the kitchen.

"Please don't hurt me," I heard Arie plead. "I haven't done anything. Please don't do this," she cried.

"Shut up, little girl, or I'll make it hurt," the man barked like a filthy, slimy dog before laughing sadistically. I could feel the adrenaline and anger rushing through my body. This motherfucker was about to go to hell.

I took out the gun from behind me. Cocking it back, I turned around the corner and discharged the bullet at his shoulder. His nasty scream rippled through the kitchen as his dirty blood spouted on Arie's face, turning her as white as a sheet.

"Stay down or the next one will be between your eyes," I shouted at him as he feebly attempted to get up and reach for his gun. I picked his weapon up and placed it on the round wooden dining table while he whimpered on the floor from pain. As much as I wanted the bullet in his head, I needed him alive to know why he'd attack this girl.

"Finish your date some other time. I need you and the cleanup crew at Arie's house now," I ordered into the phone.

I looked at Arie who was still frozen with her mouth wide open against the counter next to the stove. The man's crimson blood trickled down the side of her cheek and dripped on the white tiles of the kitchen floor. Taking cautious steps towards her, I spoke softly, "Arie?"

She looked up at me with her tear filled eyes that had fear and pain engraved into them forever. That one look from her wrenched my heart right out without remorse. Throwing her arms around me, she began sobbing uncontrollably. I didn't expect her to hug me, but in order to comfort the shuddering girl, I put my arms around her and pull her warm body closer. I couldn't stop the hand that raked through her strands to soothe her pain that I couldn't possibly subside.

"Love, you're alright now," I promised as I pulled her away.

She looked at me with her bloodshot red eyes. "Wh-why is t-this happening to me," she could barely form words.

"They probably came after you because of me," I commented. My enemies would do anything to hurt me. They'd even go after people I associated with briefly, but they must be delusional to hurt someone I cared about. She knitted her brows together and looked at me in confusion. "Let's get you cleaned up first then I'll explain everything." I started to take her away when I heard a gun go off safety.

"My job isn't done yet. She can't get away so easily," the assassin declared while aiming the gun at Arie. I saw the fear in her eyes as they grew wide. Throwing her out of the way, I elevated my gun to fire at him, but instead I got caught between the crossfire. His bullet barely nicked my bicep.

"Bad aim, buddy," I spat through my gritted teeth and pulled the trigger. Blood began to gush out of the middle of his forehead as his limp body crashed on the tiled floor with a huge thud. Extreme sense of satisfaction came over me at the kill.

"Leo," she groaned in pain. "My head."

Looking in her direction, I noticed her on the floor against the wall with her hand on her forehead. I knelt down to her level and removed her hand to find a nasty scar with blood crawling out at a steady pace.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath. "Keep your hand there and prevent it from bleeding any further." She nodded and began to shut her eyes. "Stay with me, love. Do not pass out on me." She didn't respond. Fuck. I promised to protect her. Letting her die on me wasn't going to happen today.

Picking up my phone again, I dialed Mike's number. "Where are you?" I yelled.

"Here," Mike entered the house after breaking the door and hanging up. "What the fuck happened here?" He looked around and then at Arie. "God! She's soaked in blood," he commented.

"I can see that," I hissed. "Where's the cleanup crew?"

"Idiotas! Metete aquí!" (Idiots! Get in here!) Mike yelled for the boys to come in. Four of my men in black suits strutted in.

"You're going to dump a body in a suit?" I raised a brow at them.

"We do it in style, boss," said one of the most cockiest man in my close group.

"Not now, Vince," I narrowed my eyes at the tall, caramel man and warned him.

"Yes, boss," he cleared his throat. "Where's the body?"

"On the other side of the dining table. You know what to do with it," I said. He nodded in return, understanding what I meant.

"Where's her Aunt?" I turned to Mike.

"She's in the car two blocks down. I told her I had to get something."

"Take her somewhere again. Call Ray and tell him to come to my penthouse within an hour. I need him to patch up her wounds," I instructed him while I picked Arie up in bridal style. Mike nodded and left. I looked at this fragile thing in my arms and sighed in pity. She shouldn't have to go through this.

"This place should be spotless like nothing ever happened," I ordered the men.

"Yes, boss. We got this. You should get going," Vince said. With that, I left the house and walked quickly to my car. Opening up the passenger door, I strapped her in carefully trying not to touch her wound. I then opened up the dashboard and took out a small first aid kit. Pulling out a cotton swab and a bandage, I patched her up as efficiently as possible so that she didn't lose anymore blood before I ran around the car and took a seat behind the wheel, driving towards my penthouse.

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