Chapter 2

“Hey, Zoey! You didn’t tell me you have a boyfriend! Girl, your hottie is waiting for you at the counter!”, Lily exclaimed in excitement.

“Wait, slow down Lily, what are you talking about?”, Zoey asked in confusion.

Instead Lily didn’t answer, she just pushed Zoey in this man’s direction. Zoey looked like a weak prey that was about to be attacked by its predator. Lily gave her one last strong push straight into the man’s arms. All Zoey could feel was her heart pounding and her warm hands on his chest. His deep black hair shone beautifully under the sun’s direction. He had the steadiest breathing and his arms that held Zoey in place were a comfort to her.

“H-hi…”, she broke the ice with her stuttering. He found it cute but he kept a neutral look on his face.

“I’m guessing that you’re Zoey Smith?”, he asked gently while retracting his hands and pulling her closer while holding her waist as he whispered in her ear.

“Is there somewhere more private where we can talk?”, he asked in an icy tone.

She felt chills down her spine listening to the tone that changed within seconds. She knew this was it. She was in trouble.

“Sure.”

They sat next to each other in awkward silence outside near a water fountain.

“I’m sorry but I don’t think we have met before .What is your name? Why are you here for me and how do you know me?”,she questioned as she kicked dirt under her foot and looked at him.

“Heh…You get straight to the point, it’s nice to meet a fresh face like you.My name is Alexander Griffin”,he said as he tossed her his business card.”And I know what you do”

“What do you mean …?”,she questioned as her stomach turned and she clenched her sweaty fists against her jeans.

“At first, I was shocked to see someone of a petite size who could fight. It just didn’t add up in my head.You occupy my mind often. Everything about you does not make sense.”,Alex stated as he crossed his arms against his solid chest.

Zoey started to blush a little until she came back to her senses.” I’m so sorry. You must have mistaken me for someone else Mr. Griffin. Have a good day.”She said as she started to walk away and he grabbed her arm.

“You’ll regret this if you walk away if I was you…I’d keep that business card safe. You know, just in case you have second thoughts because you know I am the only man with such great power”, and he let go of her hand, and winked.

She yanked her hand back and started to walk away at a fast pace.

When she went home she started to pace around her room wondering if this guy Alexander was on to her and what she does in secret. Just then she heard a knock on the house door downstairs, before she could even go down to answer it, her father was there and she could hear the greeting exchange between her father and the police officers.

“Mr. Leo Smith, is your daughter at home by any chance right now?”, the policeman asked.

“Depends, on what business you have dealing with Zoey. Why are you guys here?”, he asked as he held his grip on his house door.

“Sir, we got reasons to believe that your daughter is a vigilante that is killing people. We have the warrant to search your house and if you don’t let us in that means we will have you under suspicion.”, the officer demanded with a stern voice.

Her father saw a glimpse of Zoey and came up with a plan. “Unfortunately, Zoey is not at home at the moment, she went out. I don’t know when she will be back but I don’t think it’s worth the wait.”

The officer just chuckled and whispered into his ear saying,” I’m still going to check this house.”, as he entered the house.”Oh, and there was an eye witness who apparently saw the vigilante enter the house.”

Zoey stared in confusion and snapped out of it. She started to remember the man that came earlier into her workplace. She grabbed his card from her desk, along with her vigilante suit, and jumped out of the window. Throughout the city and town, her vigilante name was the KnightOwl, who sought justice. But that was not the main point to her, how in the world did he manage to see her? She didn’t see anyone following her, and she was a quick runner. It just didn’t make sense.

She kept walking the dark lonely streets that had a couple of drunk people, but that didn’t bother her. She was not scared of anything except someone new who popped into her life. She went to a nearby payphone and dialed the number on the card.

“Hello?”, she called.”Yes, it’s me, Zoey. We need to talk as soon as possible face to face please.”

“Where are you right now? I’ll be there.”, Alex on the other side of the phone questioned as he started to dress up in casual clothes.

“How do you know I am not at home if you knew my home address before?”, she questioned.

“I can hear the background noise, just tell me where you are, I’ll be there as soon as possible.”, he stated as he got into his car.

“I’m at a payphone opposite the catholic church in street X.”, she said as she cut the call and fell down into a cramped position.

“Hello?Hello?Zoey, are you there? Can you hear me? If so, respond right now.”, Alex questioned frantically.” Shit!”, he started to swear as he took the car out of his mansion with great speed.

He reached there to see a fragile-looking girl clinging to the payphone and curled up in a ball. He picked her up as soon as he saw that and brought her to his car to warm her up. He took out her jacket and put on his coat around her. Her lips were so blue as the frost that covered the edges of his windscreen.

She grabbed his hand tight as she said,” Don’t go please…”

Alex smiled warmly at her and started to play with her hair.” What do you mean princess? Don’t ever do something so stupid again as to waiting inside there in the cold.”, he said scolding her and grabbing her hair tight in his hands.

“Mom….I feel cold…I miss you”, she muttered as she tossed and turned in an unconscious state in the car.

He put on the heater in the car and drove her to his house.

A few hours later

Zoey woke up to beads of sweat on her forehead, she became fully conscious and confused about where she was. Just then she remembered how the policemen came to her house in search of her. Luckily her father covered up for her.

“Dad!”, she exclaimed as she jumped off the bed and then yelped in pain. She look at her hand to see that had an IV drip on it.

 Suddenly, she felt strong arms around her waist picking her up, Zoey wanted to fight back but she had no strength to, instead, she turned around to see Alexander Griffin.

He blew air  in her ear as he whispered softly,” Easy.”

Zoey felt comforted but could also feel the thin icy aura between them and then she remembered his threat.

“You…you did this. Didn’t you? YOU TURNED MY LIFE INTO A LIVING HELL!!!”, Zoey screamed at him as she started to punch him.

He stared at her coldly,” So what if I did? You’re already a suspect because you did not appear home.”He then whispered softly as he told her,” Mark my words, you’ll have no choice but to run back to me and me only Zoey” and he started to play with her hair so gently that it brought shivers down her spine.

She pulled out the drip as she spat at his face and started to run out of the house to see nothing but snow. Everywhere.

“What….what the hell….where am I?”, she questioned herself.

“You are on my property, Miss Smith.”, Alex answered her coldly.

“Please…please…just let me go home, please Mr. Griffin.”, she begged with mercy as she started tearing up. The person she was worried about was not her, nor was it Lily or Alex. It was her father. She needed to know that he would be okay and if he is safe, after all, he knew nothing about her vigilante secret.

“And who was the girl who spat at the person who fed her and gave her clothes?”, he queried as he folded his arms indifferent to the cold weather.” Come inside Zoey. It’s cold here. Let’s talk about the agreement inside.”, he stated as he led her to the living room.

“I know you have a lot of questions, so you can just ask one at a time.”, he stated with a warm smile planted on his face as he poured a fine cup of tea for her.

“Who are you and why would you target my dad and me?”, she questioned with no time to waste.

“Well…For starters, my name is Alexander Griffin. I am a businessman”

“Does my father owe you anything? If so, let me pay it off-”

“Absolutely no, you are my guest. And I don’t even know your father. But you, I have picked an interest in you.” he said cutting her off from talking and trying to touch her hair but she turned her face away looking in another direction.

“I have a proposition for you.”, he said as he sat back down and crossed his legs.

“And if I don’t want to sign it or have anything to do with you? What then?”, she snapped back. Zoey was the type to always fight back. She was never the type to take a no for an answer.

“Your reputation as a vigilante will be exposed and above all…your father will die at your hands. All because of your stupidity and selfishness of taking up a mask to wear at night yet you don’t even think about the consequences”

“What is the proposition?”, she muttered under her breath gently.

“Oh well, you will stay here with me, in this mansion with me.”

“Why do you want me to stay here?!”, she questioned in confusion.

“Do you remember the night before? On the alleyway, you killed my cousin.”

She choked on her tea as she heard this and tried to hide her laughter.”Oh….I’m sorry…but on a serious note, he was not a nice person. He kidnapped and murdered children.”

He sat next to her and started to talk,” You’re right, he deserved it”, he chuckled.

“Please consider the proposition.”