MATTEO (book 2)

15. XENA ⚡️

I can feel someone's eyes on me.

Mom always told me to always listen to my gut feeling. She said it's never wrong.

I turn the corner and glance to see a guy wearing a hoodie not too far behind of me.

One thing I don't like about my work is that it's made me paranoid. This man is most likely harmless.

I keep my location on just incase.

I turn another corner, so does he.

I walk into a coffee shop, it was empty in here, just a man sitting at the table by the window. It didn't take long for me to notice that he was a boss of some sorts. Gang tattoos are usually very easily seen.

His is on his neck.

I did not expect the door to open and the hooded man to walk in.

I go up to the counter, tapping my fingers impatiently.

The boss and hooded guy exchange words in Russian and then a smaller, old lady walks out from the back. "What can I get you?"

"Uh... Just a black coffee, please."

She nods her head and gets to making it. They were still talking.

"Anastasia, go back." The boss stands up.

The woman simply stands up and leaves.

I look at the two guys both looking at me with predatory expressions. I look back at the coffee pot.

The bell rings and another tall man walks in.

I've gotten myself in a pickle.

I look down at my phone and send the emergency SOS. I look back up, pretending that they don't bother me.

"Woman, you help with my car?" The hooded man asks.

The boss says something and then the hooded guy runs to me. I jump over the counter quickly and grab the hot coffee pot, throwing it straight in his face, picking up a bread knife.

A fucking bread knife.

Then the bell rings and my eyes shoot to Matteo walking in. He sighs when he sees this and unexpectedly punched the boss in the face.

A fight breaks out between the two other guys and Matteo. The guy I threw coffee at was just rolling around the floor holding his sleeves to his face.

I get ready to interfere and help Matteo, but looking at him, I could tell he needed no help. He just took them both on and managed to floor them both.

Then he looks at me. "You're an idiot."

"For getting a coffee?" I walk around, leaving the store with him quickly.

He grabs me back, pointing at the window. "You see a coffee shop with a blue window frame, don't go in there. Blue is Russians."

"How was I supposed to know that?"

"Now you know." He lets go of me, wiping his nose. "Damn lucky I was following you."

"Why were you following me?"

"Needed to speak to you about Trixie." He leads the way.

I didn't expect him to take me to a strip club.

He goes in, down some stairs and in through a double doors. A bunch of men were playing solitaire around the table. He walks past them all and into another little room.

There was a kid here, couldn't have been older than 16. He had messy hair and when he looked at me, his eyes were two different colours.

"Xena, Emilio. Emilio, Xena." Matteo sits down. Then, I notice that they have the exact same lips.