Dark Romance | Mafia

Chapter Eighteen

Stella's POV:

I was breathing heavily. It felt like I hadn't seen him for an eternity. For a second.... just a mere second.... he stood frozen.

Then, slowly, he wrapped his arms around me. He held me gently, like I was breakable.

After a brief pause, I drew my face back, though my arms still looped around his neck. A few strands of hair clung to his shoulder, unwilling to let go.... like the rest of me.

I didn’t want to move, I didn’t want the moment to end. May the world never begin to turn again.

His gaze met mine, deep and steady. Something flickered in his eyes.... an emotion I couldn’t name.... but it disappeared so quickly that I wasn't sure it had been there.

His eyes searched mine, he was staring at me, as if he was in deep thought.... trying to make sense of the situation or something else I couldn’t quite grasp. As if he was trying to solve a puzzle or a mystery which shouldn't be left unsolved.

He didn’t say a word and neither did I. He held me in the same position. His eyes never left mine. My lips parted. I tried to say something, but my tongue failed me.

"I... I'm sorry," was all I could manage to say.

I slowly stepped back, before I could take another step back....

Bang!!

A deafening gunshot echoed like a scream in the silence. My heart pounded violently, desperate to escape my ribs. My breath turned shallow and throat went dry. It felt like an explosion tearing through a land that had just discovered the meaning of peace.

Instinctively, I threw myself into his arms again. I hugged him like he was the only safe place in this unforgiving world.

Mr. Romano's eyes darted around, searching every corner. He held my hand tightly and yanked me with him into a nearby corner, careful not to be seen.

We both ducked quietly, he never left my hand. I was breathing heavily, but his demeanor remained calm and his posture, steady like nothing was happening and everything was perfectly fine.

He was so close to me, my eyes fixed on his perfectly sculpted face. As I stared at him I got lost in his intensity, his proximity stole the air from my lungs, made me forget to breathe.

"Why do you always bring threats with you?" I whispered, wiping the sweat from my forehead with a shaky hand.

Mr. Romano glanced to my side, he narrowed his eyes.

In an instant, his hand shot to his back. He drew his gun, raised it and aimed above my head.... and fired.

My eyes involuntarily squeezed shut. My hands shot to my ears, I screamed, but he rapidly placed his palm on my mouth, muffling the sound.

"Shhhhh..." he whispered.

My lashes slowly lifted and my vision became clear, his gaze was already fixed on mine. My eyes searched his for any hidden emotion but found none.

A thought clouded my mind....

AK had done the same thing on that day. It felt like history was repeating itself.

Mr Romano's lips parted partially.

My heart began to race as I watched him. He looked like he was about to say something, his eyes fixed on mine with an intensity that made it impossible to look away.

I locked my gaze on him. Pouring all my attention into his face, reading his expression, desperate to catch every word.

"Run," he whispered, without breaking eye contact. My heart shattered into pieces but before I could react--

He yanked my hand, and pulled me to my feet. My knees scraped against the rough concrete as I stumbled up.

We dashed toward the abandoned warehouse as gunfire erupted behind us.... sharp and merciless.

We ran in a zigzag pattern, dodging the bullets whizzing past us, shattering the glass and hitting the walls.

My legs started protesting but Mr Romano's grip was iron-strong, pulling me with him without pause.

As we reached the warehouse, a man was already hiding behind the wall. But Mr. Romano saw everything.... like a hunter stalking his prey.

He spotted him immediately, lunged forward and snatched the gun from his grip, slamming it into his head with an unyielding force.

In a mere second, his lifeless body was on the floor, blood oozing from his head. I instantly, stepped back.

"Good skills. I didn’t think you could fight like that, but you seem trained. I'm amazed," I said, raising my brow in surprise.

He rolled his eyes and turned away as if I never existed.

Great!

He and his usual attitude.

Suddenly a gunshot echoed from inside. Some men might already be there, and others had followed us.

Mr. Romano instinctively yanked me behind a stack of crates.

"Don't move," his voice low and urgent, eyes scanning the warehouse as if predator searching for prey.

And he disappeared to handle his business.

I couldn’t just stand there. I was feeling useless. I had to do something.

Suddenly, an idea struck me.

"Good, you can do this," I whispered under my breath.

Until then....