CLAIMED

"My Bella"

                                                                                         Bella

"I am not leaving my apartment" I said as I continued pacing around my apartment. James had made himself comfortable on the sofa as he held a bag of chips, eating as if he hadn't just been utterly disrespected yesterday.

"Look, Bels. That man could step on my face and I would still not say anything" his dumb statement made me whip my head to him and glare at him intensely. No one was going to disrespect MY friend like that. And I don't care if that person is a dumb kid or a famous mafia leader. Hell to the no.

"I am not scared of him, ok?"

"Look, loverboy looked at you as if he was going to break you in two. Not scared, my ass" he said flipping me off as he sat on the counter.

"He is an idiot"

"Hot idiot"

"Dangerous idiot"

"Whatever you say"

We went back and forth.

"Which side are you on?!?!?" I screamed after him as he slumped himself on the sofa. He laughed loudly

"Do you not see the seriousness of the situation James?!?! If we don't say anything now, he will continue to boss us around like that"

My reasoning seemed to spark something in his mind, to which he put the chips pack on the sofa as he stood up. "Listen, you will ditch university today and join me and Ali to the club. What say? If loverboy don't see you today, he will forget about it."

Ali was James boyfriend. They had been in a relationship for years now. He was such a nice guy and I was happy for James. They had met in University where both of them met when they were paired together for a project blah blah. Actually, I will go to the club today. I hadn't met Ali in weeks now and honestly, I missed him. He always seemed to cheer me up whenever I was stressed. I also loved seeing James so carefree around Ali.

I nodded at James who had a wide grin plastered on his face.

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The music blasted in the background as I sat by the bar, sipping my drink. I could see Ali and James drunkenly dance. I laughed loudly when I felt a stare on the side of my face. I looked at the side to see an older man wearing all black, staring at me. I stared back, not wanting to back down. Hey, I need training okay? Despite this creepy guys big scar across his face, I somehow found Lorenzo more.....intimidating?

I had taken James advice and ditched my lecture for the day. I could read for it at home, having in mind that the professor always sent all the students his PowerPoint before the lecture. Not just that, but that way I would completely miss seeing Lorenzo. Lorenzo. The name sounded so new, making me hesitate before saying it out loud. Maybe that was the reason to why I hadn't said it out loud yet. It felt as if everything would be real if I said his name out loud. But unfortunately, it was real. At it became more real, the more she thought about it.

My train of thoughts broke once I felt Ali drag me to the dance floor by my arm. I danced for a while, finally enjoying the time with my friends again. It felt nice to be with them again, carefree. (Even though I still had exams to study for, arghhh). After several songs, I began to walk back to the bar, when a hand gripped my arm tightly dragging me out. My brows furrowed from the harsh grip as I tried to make out the person who held on to me tightly. That was going to leave marks. My eyes searched around the club frantically trying to catch someone who could notice me. Where was James?!?!? For a split second I locked eyes with the creepy man for earlier. Why was I such an as earlier?!?

I was yanked out of the club and pushed against the wall. The harsh impact on my head made me dizzy as my head slammed against the brick wall. I could see the man in front of me smile from satisfaction. His teeth yellow and crocked. He needs to get that fixed, I thought before shutting my eyes again from the throbbing pain in my head. The man chuckled, his breath stinking of cigarette and something terrible. Why did these things happen to me???

"Open your eyes, little one" he whispered in my ear as his hands roamed on my body. I squirmed in his grip, only to earn a slap in return. Tears started to build up in my eyes as I looked down. Fuck. I could feel the man lean in closer, his eyes set on my lips. I punched against his chest hard and I could hear him hiss from the pain. I continued throwing pushes and squirming in his grip, tears flowing out of my eyes. In a split second he grabbed a fist of my hair tugging my face close to his. His lips were a breath, a stinky breath, away as a loud scream escaped his lips. Blood spluttered from his throat as I stared at him confused.

Suddenly a hand covered his mouth from behind. A hand I knew too well. Decorated with black tattoos. The creepy man went limp in his arms as he fell on the ground. My eyes were met with the man who stood still, the man who had just cut a slit and killed a man. All the confidence I had built to face this man had vanished in thin air.

"No one touches what is mine, understood?" he said through greeted teeth. His jaw was clenched, his eyes darker than I remembered them to be. The light from the door opening I a distance, made me aware of how close he was to me.

I was unable to speak as his arms wrapped themselves around my waist, rubbing circles on my back. The throbbing in my head intensifying more and more. I looked up at Lorenzo only to see him in a blurred sight. I knew I was going to faint, but for an odd reason I wasn't scared. His hands had the effect of medicine, as they rubbed comfort in my body. It was weird seeing a powerful and harsh man like him, rubbing circles on my back looking at me with worry.

"Let's go. You need to be cleaned up" he said going back to his mafia attitude. How can he talk like he didn't just kill a person right in front of my face?! Don't take me wrong. I am very thankful, but what?!?!

"NO" I said, trying to be firm and loud. To the best of my abilities, that is.

"I don't know what no means" he said loudly to which I winced. The pain in my increasing. I could make out the rage in his eyes as he was about to say something else. However, my body decided against hearing his nonsense. my hands fisted his suit as my knees gave up. He held me up against him tightly as I buried my face in the crook of his neck. I breathed out in relief as I felt oddly safe. I felt him shudder and to my surprise he grabbed my head gently to look at my face. I closed my eyes, not having the energy to open them. He caressed my chin lightly, as if he was scared of my reaction. Not thinking about the consequences of this meeting, I snuggled my face closer to his large hands. I drifted to sleep when I heard the black coffee man whisper;

 "My Bella"