Chapter 1

Olivia’s P.O.V

With the upcoming commercial shoot; for the agency I had just started working for, I wanted to look my best. Sure, the make up and designer clothes that are always hung on us as models, do the trick. But I always keep in shape and eat healthily too, to ensure that the package that I am in the art industry- stays marketable. With all of those done and out of the way, the one thing that was left for me to do was my hair.

I had just moved to New York, a couple of months ago. And part of what I found exciting about the novelty of living in a new city, was the exploration of new things.

Upon seeing a salon sign ahead while walking down a random street, I decided to push the door open to see what it had to offer me.

“How many times did I tell you to lock the door, man?” One of the four man I had just walked in on, angrily yelled at another.

My eyes travelled all over the place, despite my mind having a hard time comprehending what exactly was happening in front of me.

Three men were on one side of the table, while one stood on the other end. Stacks of money that I had never laid eyes on in my entire life, sat in large open bags. As well as large cocaine bags and countless guns.

I had just walked in on an exchange, I silently realized and summoned myself into moving from the spot that my feet were rooted on.

But the instant my back was turned and my hand was reaching for the door handle, I heard the sound of simultaneous guns being pulled on me.

“If you value your life, don’t you dare open that door.” A voice that made it crystal clear to me just how ready he was to end my life, said from behind me.

“Man, I don’t like complications,” another man grunted. “What the hell are we supposed to do with her now?”

“We have to dead her,” another answered. “We can’t afford to have her running to the cops and ruining our entire operation.”

“No, please-” I nervously began to say, with a shaky voice and my hands lifted in surrender. But without turning to face them. The idea of seeing their faces was more scary than that of facing my own death.

“I have no intention of running to the cops,” I shakily pleaded. “I have no memory of your faces either.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” One of the men said. “It will be so quick and over with soon, you won’t even feel a thing.”

Oh, lord. I shut my eyes closed. That was it. The end of the road for me. Until I heard a new voice, joining in on the decision making.

“Let’s all calm down for a second, here.” The firm and deep voice said.

“I think we are way past calming down at this point,” a voice full of malice and anger retorted.

“No, seriously, Charles, back the hell off.” My advocate and saviour’s voice started to rise and assert dominance over the others. “She’s with me,” he said.

“You can’t seriously be implying that we let her go, man.” Someone said. “She’s seen too much already.”

“He’s right, Dom. She needs to be silenced.” Another man tried to calmly appeal to my saviour’s common sense, but he didn’t budge.

“I don’t know which part of she’s with me y’all are not getting, but I’ll simplify for you. Whoever wants to kill her, will have to go through me first.” He confidently stated. As if he regarded the guns that they were pulling on me not so long ago, as just toys. Something totally incapable of hurting him.

Silence fell around the room. My back was still turned on them. And I wondered if I’d make it out alive if I simply just let the adrenaline to carry me out of that room. But those thoughts quickly subsided, when he directly addressed me.

“Rose,” he cleared his throat. “Come with me,” he gently commanded. Even though my name isn’t Rose, I was quick to figure out that it must’ve been an alias that he created for me on the spot- just to make his story much more believable. I slowly turned to face everyone. And when he slightly nodded encouragingly in my direction, I placed one foot after another towards the small hallway that he was leading me to.

“I can’t believe this crap.” I heard a displeased man muttering to my retreating back and a few grunts agreeing with him too.

Was the man with wavy jet black hair in front of me really my saviour, or just an attractive trap? Meant to make me feel comfortable with walking right into the dragon’s lair? The thought sent shivers up my spine once again. But I put on a brave face and followed him into the small office that sat at the back of the building.

“Listen to me very carefully,” he quietly began. “Those man out there are very dangerous.”

“I figured,” I found myself blurting out.

“Good,” he slightly nodded. “I take it you’ll keep your mouth shut about everything you saw here today too?”

“I intend too,” I retorted a little too stubbornly. “I do value my life after all.”

“Good girl,” his eyes bore into mine and held. And I swear in that moment I felt like he could see right through to my soul.

His stare was piercing and somehow invasive. Not in an undressing me with his eyes sort of way. But in a commanding way that made me feel butterflies to swim and desire rearing its head in the pit of my stomach. No man had ever looked at me like that before. Which made me way more excited than I had the right to be.

He stood from the small table that he had been leaning against and closed the distance between us.

My breath caught for a moment and my heart started beating against my chest like crazy.

“Why did you save me?” I unintentionally whispered as I looked into his warm brown eyes.

“Someone had to, little one.” He said with finality that made me realize that what he had just said was all I was going to get from him.

“My name is not Rose,” I blushed and averted my gaze, as I tried to introduce myself. “I’m Olivia Strongkins.”

“You’re now Rose to me,” he huskily muttered and I shivered. “And we have to go.” he led me out of the small office. And before we emerged to the open area with the three men, he placed his hand on the small of my back. I guess to make his story about knowing me, more believable still.

He guided me towards the door and out. Once we were out on the sidewalk, he unexpectedly embraced me.

I wanted to ask what was going on, but for some reason I was completely tongue tied. And thankfully, as if he could see my confusion, he clarified.

“Play along, they might be watching.” He whispered into my ear and I found myself fastening my arms around his neck. A moment or two of marvelling at how perfectly our bodies fit together, came and went. Bringing our warm and electrical embrace to an end. He tipped my chin and looked closely into my eyes.

“Listen,” he began with a whisper. “I slipped my contact details into your back pocket, call and let me know if you’ve made it home safely.”

“Uhm,” I hesitated. Because what does one say to a criminal knight in shining armor, after he had just saved their life?

“Thanks,” I finally brought myself to lamely say. “And I’ll be in touch.”

At the time it was a promise I didn’t know how willing I’d be to keep, until the memories of our encounter couldn’t stop replaying themselves in my mind. It was almost as if he had permanently moved into my head. I could feel his breath against my neck, from when he embraced. I remembered how hard his tone was with the other men, but managed to be soft for me. I couldn’t stop blushing over how completely protective and territorial he was over me. The sound of his voice played and replayed itself in my ears. And oh, the name ‘Rose.’ How it became another mystery about him that I needed to solve. Before I knew it, my cell phone was pressed against my ear two nights later as I impatiently awaited the sound of his voice.

“Hello?” His voice was firm and quite intimidating too, as he picked up on the third ring.

“It’s me,” I softly muttered on my end.

“Rose,” he sighed deeply, in a way that made my whole body react with excitement.

“Do you know how crazy not knowing how you were has been driving me?” He sternly asked.

“Not really,” I shakily said.

“I don’t like having my instructions defied,” he sighed heavily into the receiver. Making the butterflies in my stomach do sommersaults.

“You love being in control then?” I nervously blurted the question out. I needed to know why he was so distraught over my not calling him sooner. Because in that moment, it had sounded more than just worry over his partners getting to me- to finish what he didn’t give them a chance to. But more like something that affected him directly.

“You have no idea, Miss Strongkins.” His voice sounded both dangerous and seductive.

“My apologies for defying you then,” I whispered. “Can I by any chance make it up to you, some time?” I was threading on dangerous waters. Ones that would drown me in an instant. But I still took my chances any way.

“I’m not the kind of company you should keep, Rose.” he quickly said and hung up on me. Making my blood boil. Though there was no telling apart if it was rejection I was upset about, him not even explaining the bomb he had just dropped on me, his lack of manners or all of them combined. My mind fixated on the fact that I was probably better off without the dogy character that he was, in my life. And yet my heart, began to sing a different song. It yearned to see him again. Desperately even. It was almost as if his rejection did nothing but incite an even greater passion inside me, for unravelling the mystery that he still remained to be.

I woke up the next morning fixating on the shoot that I was having later that day. Each time thoughts of him slipped into my mind, I tried my best to push them away. After all, I did need to keep my head in the game. In order to be able to make a suceess of my newly beginning career.

Which seemed very effective, because my director and photographer were very impressed with my work- on set.

“Hey, a bunch of us are grabbing celebratory drinks later. Feel free to join us, if you have no plans for tonight.” Kathy, one of the models I had been working with on the commercial invited.

“No plans,” I smiled. “And thank you, I’d love to come along.” I disappeared into the change room feeling excitement, at the idea of making friends.

Until pulling my cell phone out of my bag, changed everything.

My saviour had apparently changed his mind, I realized. As I found a text from him; entailing an apartment address and time.

I didn’t know how to feel, except anger for how he seemed to be having a great time at toying with my mind. And on impulse, I called to give him a piece of my mind.

“I hope you’re looking forward to tonight as much as I am, Rose.” Were the first words to come out of his mouth, knocking all the fighting strength and anger out of me. “Because it honestly feels like I’ve waited a whole lifetime just to see you again.”