Cronus Romano
The moment Nicholas walked into the party, a knot formed in my stomach. Throughout the evening, I couldn't take my eyes off Rose, my fear growing with every passing minute. Every laugh she shared, every smile she gave, I watched with a protective intensity. As the night wound down and guests began to leave, Isabella approached us with a warm smile.
"I'll be flying back to L.A. tomorrow afternoon," she said. "But I'd love to hang out with you and the girls in the morning if you're free."
Rose's face lit up with excitement. "That sounds great! Let's do it. Maybe brunch here the chief makes a good salad and pastries."
Isabella nodded enthusiastically. "Perfect! See you then."
Isabella bid us goodbye, and Rose excused herself to go to her room. I hesitated, every instinct screaming at me not to let her out of my sight. "Can I wait in your room, you said you wanted to return that." I said it as an excuse, I pointed out her necklace.
Rose laughed softly, touching my arm. "It'll be fine, Cronus. I just need to clean up and change. I'll be quick, and return it I promise."
I forced myself to nod, though unease gnawed at me. "Alright, but don't take too long. I'll be in my room."
She flashed me a reassuring smile and headed off. I went upstairs, changed, and tried to focus on some light work at my desk. The minutes ticked by, and an hour later, Rose still hadn't come back. Anxiety gnawed at me I rushed to her room and knocked.
Silence
Panic surged as I entered and found the room empty, I pulled out my phone and the first thing I saw was her message.
I'm at the Night Owl Café, if I'm not back within 30mins please pick me up.
It's way pass 30 minutes now, I bolted to my car and sped to the coffee shop, my mind racing with fear and anger. I swear if something bad happens to her I can't forgive myself.
Bursting inside, I approached the cashier, my voice shaking with urgency. "Excuse me, did you see a woman come in here earlier? She has amber colored eyes, straight black hair, She's about this height, and she's...beautiful."
"Yes," the cashier said. "She was here a little while ago with a man, but she left and he followed her." My blood boiled.
Nicholas
It had to be him. I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my composure. "Did she seem alright? Was she...scared?"
The cashier shrugged. "She looked a bit tense, but she didn't say anything."
Fueled by rage, I ran outside, scanning the area frantically. About a block away, I spotted Rose. She looked shaken, as if she'd been slapped, and there was Nicholas, standing menacingly close.
Just as I was about to make my move, she acted with a surprising burst of speed and precision. In a fluid motion, she struck with a powerful kick that sent him reeling. Without giving him a chance to recover, she delivered a sharp blow to his side, and with a final decisive move, she sent him crashing to the ground, leaving him dazed and unable to fight back.
I ran to her, my heart pounding. "Rose! Are you okay?" I asked, my voice trembling with a mix of relief and anger.
Rose was surprise but she nodded, breathing heavily, her eyes wide with adrenaline. "I'm fine, but we need to get out of here."
"Did he hurt you?" I demanded, barely able to contain my rage as I glanced at Nicholas, who was groaning on the ground.
"Just a slap," Rose said, touching her cheek briefly. "But I'm okay now. Let's go."
