“Let go of me,” I hissed, yanking myself free of his bruising grip. I stumbled backward only to walk straight into another body. Two more thugs stood at my back, clearly amused at my mounting fear. I jerked away from them, stepping aside until they flanked me on three sides, my back to a concrete pillar.
The first man took a small step forward. “There’s no reason to panic, we just want your money.”
“I … I don’t have any money. I left everything back at the office.”
“Don’t fuckin’ lie, lady,” he ground out angrily. “No one lookin’ as fine as you is gonna wander around the city with nothin’ on them. Give us the fuckin’ money, and you can walk away.”
“I was upset when I left—I swear I don’t have anything on me. Please, just let me go.” My voice shook, and my eyes pricked with the threat of tears.
“Fine, you wanna do this the hard way, be my guest. We’re gonna find it either way.” He stepped forward and grabbed my hips, feeling for pockets in the seams of my slacks. “You got it stuffed in your bra? Where you hiding it?”
How was this happening?
All I could do was hope money was all he was after. The thought sent a wave of unadulterated panic through my veins, making me shove at the man’s chest. “Get away from me. I told you, I don’t have anything.”
The man barely budged from my efforts, grabbing the neckline of my blouse along with the edge of my bra cup and pulled it away from my body to peer inside in search of hidden cash. It only took a matter of seconds, but it felt like an eternity. As fast as I could move after registering what was happening, I slapped at his hands. “Don’t touch me,” I hissed at his venomous glare.
“What the fuck?” came an enraged growl beside us. Fast approaching our little party, Luca descended like an avenging angel, lips in a snarl and eyes black with fury.
“This has nothing to do with you, man. Just walk away,” warned the thug who had me cornered against the pillar. Histwo friends stepped closer to his back, helping to form a unified front.
Luca wasn’t fazed in the slightest. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the challenge excited him. He almost looked eager for the fight that was mounting. “That’s where you’re wrong. You see, that right there, she’s mine, so this has everything to do with me.”
Using the moment of distraction, I lunged away from my attacker and fled to a place of safety behind Luca. The dash had only been a matter of feet, but my heart pounded a furious rhythm in my chest, drumming its intense beat in my ears. “Let’s go, please, Luca,” I whispered with my hands curled tightly around his arm.
“This guy thinks he can take us,” mocked one of the lackeys, curling his hands into fists.
“Three to one—not good odds,” added the leader as the men lined up next to one another like a school of fish gathered to intimidate a hungry shark.
Luca’s hand pulled at my clenched fingers, removing my hands from his arm. “Step back, Alessia,” he murmured under his breath.
Was he going to fight these men? There were three of them—he was going to get himself killed! “Luca,please, let’s just go.”
“Yeah,Luca, you should probably do what the bitch says and scurry on out of here. Hate for that pretty face of yours to get rearranged.”
The terror I’d felt for myself only seconds before quickly morphed into gut-clenching fear for Luca. The men facing him were ruthless and plenty large to land Luca on his ass … or worse.
In a matter of seconds, the scene descended into chaos.
The leader lifted his meaty fist and stepped forward, perhaps to take a swing or perhaps purely to intimidate—either way, I’d never know. Luca launched himself into action, delivering a punch to the man’s face with a sickening crunch before unleashing equally devastating blows to the other two men in quick succession.
When the men recovered from their surprise, they attempted to attack, but Luca bobbed and weaved like Floyd Mayweather dancing around the ring. He rained down destruction with his fists, knees, feet, even his elbows. Every part of him was a weapon. It was like watching an action hero movie play out before me.
Luca was a thing possessed.
In a matter of minutes, one of the thugs dropped to the ground unconscious, and the other two clambered away into the shadows. Luca watched their retreating forms, running a hand through his disheveled hair, then spat on the unconscious man’s motionless body. Aside from sweat dotting his forehead and tiny splatters of blood marring his white dress shirt, he appeared put together and unharmed.
He had seemed invincible.
Merciless.
He truly was an avenging angel. In the dusky shadows under the bridge, I wanted nothing more than for him to take me in his arms and never let go.
When he turned to find me, his blistering gaze locked on mine, and a sob of relief tore from my chest as I lunged for him. He pulled me snugly against him, holding me securely in the safe harbor of his embrace, allowing me the chance to process the shock of what had happened.
“Shhh, you’re okay. I’ve got you,” Luca murmured into my hair while his hand rubbed soothing circles against my back.
He didn’t ask me questions or push for answers. Instead, he offered me the simple comfort of his presence and reassurance.
