HUNTER & PREY DUET #1
Alessia Amato has everything any girl could ever wish for. Money, fame, and beauty. So why is it that she's always missing something? Every time she thinks she's found the seed a romance might grow out of, something snatches it...
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I look towards where Alessia has gone but she's still nowhere to be seen. She might've met someone along the way but I won't let mere assumptions stop me from making sure she's safe. Since that precious woman has left my side, my shoulders have been tense and I can't focus on the conversation.
Daniel has also been taking too long to just fetch some drinks and I can't shake this gut feeling off that the sneaky bastard is up to something. I've never been fond of him, I'm barely fond of anyone but he's always given off bad vibes. Since I've started working at the same company as them, he's always been bitter, impulsive, hotheaded and full of jealousy.
"Liam?" William's voice fills my ears.
"Yeah?" I reply absentmindedly, still looking in the direction of where my love went.
"Did you hear what I said?" He asks.
"Sorry, I just... I'm going to see where's Alessia." I say and take my leave.
Making my way through the guests and waiters, bumping into a few people along the way, I fasten my pace when the bad feeling grows and spreads through my body like a disease. I swear if someone had the nerve to touch her again, I will lose it and commit murder.
"You bitch!" I hear someone shout, a pair of heels clacking following, as I round the corner.
Somebody runs into me and I immediately know it's Alessia when her vanilla scent crashes against me like a wave. Grabbing her shoulders to steady her, I lean away to look at her.
Her chest is moving rapidly, hands pressed against my stomach trembling. Focusing on her frightened face, I see tear stains on her cheeks, her chocolate eyes wide.
"It's fine. Let's just go." Her voice quivers.
I look past her shoulder, searching for the person shouting and my eyes land on fucking Daniel holding onto his crotch. Blinding rage surges to life inside of me and I feel my jaw tensing.
"Liam, it's okay. Can you hear me?" Alessia says, pushing onto my chest. "Let's go."
"Wait here, love." I say, making my way past her.
My gaze is zeroed in onto the idiot standing in front of me, I hear and see nothing beside him and the thoughts warring in my head. Thoughts of what I should do to the man who thought he could get away with messing with my darling Alessia.
My hands clench into fists. Why is it that so many fucking people think it's okay to hurt her? To scare her? To bring her to fucking tears? To leave fucking bruises on her beautiful skin? I hear ringing in my ears and can barely contain my breathing when I take out my gun and aim at Daniel.
"Liam! What, the fuck, are you doing?!"
My finger presses the trigger when a body smashes into my side, catching me off guard. I stumble to the side, the weapon still in my hand. Screams erupt from the reception hall after the shot sounds but I can hardly hear them.
Alessia's holding onto my jacket, horror written on her face as she stares at Daniel even though I missed when she crashed into me. The woman looks towards my hand, her pink lips trembling and eyes large when they move to my face.
"What is wrong with you?" She whispers in disbelief, dark brows furrowed.
Grabbing her hand, I shove the gun into the back of my trousers and I pull Alessia after me as I make my way to the exit at the end of the corridor.
The woman doesn't protest, doesn't even say a word as I open the door and the late night's chilly air greets us. We join the panicked guests scrambling to their cars and make it to ours. I open the door for her and she gets in, her face void of emotion beside the crease between her brows.
When I sit behind the steering wheel and start the car, forcing my way onto the road, Alessia still doesn't utter a word. My phone ringing interrupts the silence but none of us pay it any mind.
Anger still burns inside my veins but I don't speed, having Alessia sitting beside me. My heartbeat is fast and I can't ignore the trembling hands in her lap. I run a restless hand through my hair.
"Why would you do that?" She asks.
Why would I do that? Why would I want to get rid of someone that obviously posed a threat to her enough to make her fight back? Why would I want to remove someone who made her scared enough to cry? To go running?
"Are you out of your goddamn mind?" Her question genuine as she grabs her head.
"What was I supposed to do, Alessia? You were running away from him, tears falling down your face and I know you don't just walk around kneeing people in their balls."
"You tried to kill him, Liam! With a gun!" The woman shouts. "Why do you even carry a gun on you?"
"He hurt you, Alessia." I grit.
"It's not even the first time you've almost killed someone!" She carries on, ignoring my words.
"What do you expect me to do? Just let them push you? Hold you up against a wall?" I look towards her, our eyes meet.
Both gazes harsh, both searching. I feel my features softening when I look at her. How could I not feel the immediate urge to protect her? How could I not feel the fierce need to keep her safe? Something in her fight breaks and she looks the other way.
"Look at the road when you're driving."
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