WE MEET AGAIN

The phone rang just as soon as he was about to step into his car.

"Hello?" his deep voice curled over the phone.

"I believe you have my phone, Mister." her sonorous voice sounded in his ear.

A smile pressed itself to El Russo's lips. The sound of her voice was still the same. His previously hardened features immediately softened.

"I believe you have mine. It took you this long to call. For a moment, I thought it was of no importance to you." he said to her.

"For a man who ran off after being rescued, you sound really hearty . I'll be at El Salvador Central College. Please bring my phone with you."

Irina cut the call as soon as she was done speaking. Cathy walked up to the bench where she sat in the basketball court.

"You haven't told me what really happened back at the Merchants turf. How did you escape though?" Cathy had a range of interest in her voice.

"I ran. As soon as I got out of the alley, I ran for my dear life. "

Just then Cathy's phone began to ring again. She picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Come out the gate." the cool, baritone voice said over the phone.

"Are you expecting someone?" Cathy asked her, and she nodded.

The black Hyundai sonata was parked right outside the school building. Irina rushed out of the gate with her handbag on her shoulder.

El Russo leaned against the car. He was dressed in a disguised outfit. Black jacket, black t-shirt and a cap which covered his face.

El Russo was a six feet seven tall man, with dark brown hair, deep set amber eyes, rose coloured lips and an easy angled face, he was a perfect ten in a man.

His hard trimmed muscles bulged against his t-shirt, and he stood towering above Irina's average frame.

As she walked out of the school gate dressed in a shirt, brown trousers and matching coloured blazers, he unconsciously smiled.

To him, she looked way more beautiful than the pictures on her phone. She was younger than him, yet, every feminine feature in her body seemed to call out to his masculine needs.

Irina felt her heart slow as she approached the intimidatingly handsome stranger for the second time. Just like before, his amber eyes caught her off guard completely.

She found herself feeling a bit nervous. What was she going to say to him? How should she come off?

"Shut up, Irina! Get a grip of yourself." She scolded herself.

El Russo regarded her with a lopsided smile.

"We meet again." he said to her.

"Yes, we do. Better circumstances I believe." Irina smiled.

"Here, I charged it but could never use it because it was locked." Irina said, doing her best not to look nervous as she handed his phone to him.

"Thank you." his raspy voice sent shudders down her spine like electricity.

She looked up at him from underneath her lashes.

"How come you left so suddenly the other day? When I left you at the hotel, you could barely walk." her curious nature suddenly found its way to the surface.

"i was also surprised to hear that you were able to make the payments for the services which had been rendered."

El Russo's jaws tightened. He did not like talking about himself. At best, he was keen on keeping his identity away from her.

He did not want any of the Madrigals catching him off guard. And for once, he did not want to know which turf she lived on, he just wanted to keep staring into her eyes.

He unlocked his phone and went through his messages, profiles and contacts.

"You really didn't touch it?" he asked her, regarding her closely.

"No, I'm decent. " Irina replied defensively.

"Can't say the same about myself." El Russo thought to himself.

"Anyway, how's your injury?" she pointed at his torso.

"Healing alright. Thank you for saving me, and treating me." he said to her.

"It's fine, no biggie. "

"No, it is a big thing. I owe you my life, girl scout."

Irina squinted her eyes at him calling her girl scout. She decided to let it slide, and pasted a smile on her face instead.

" I hope it heals soon." Her hand rose instinctively to touch his torso, but El Russo flexed back in response.

Her eyes rose to meet his, and his amber eyes got caught in her Green eyes for what seemed like a couple of minutes.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to check if the bandages are still there. I cleaned the wounds myself."

she said to him.

El Russo was not the kind of man who was used to show of emotions. He flirted, but he never committed. For some reason, he found himself being instinctively guarded around her.

Something told him she was not the type of woman a man flirted with and walked away from. Not with those deep green eyes which hid behind her lense.

"Irina!" Cathy, who had been watching them from a distance called out to her.

"I have to go now. It was nice seeing you again." Irina said to him.

"Same here." El Russo replied in a monotonous voice.

"Thank you for bringing the phone." she smiled.

Instead of leaving her feet felt stuck, and she lingered there a bit. The same could have been said for El Russo.

He did not move either, and although he knew it was safer to leave before someone spotted him, he had made up his mind to watch her walk away.

"I'll see you around?" he asked her, and she smiled.

"Sure. I hope your injury gets better. Take your medication and all." Irina said and nodded, before turning around to run back towards Cathy.

His guard stepped out of the car and held the door open for him.

El Russo lingered on a bit longer, a smile refusing to leave his lips, but something else tugged at his chest.

Something strange. It was his sixth sense, and he hated it when it came.