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Penny

"Are you okay angel?" He asks, his gaze is penetrating as he stares back at me.

His fingers are still gripping my chin so all I can do is stare up back at him. My mind is blank and any and all sense of what I should be saying has been wiped clean.

My delayed reflexes finally catch up with my mind and before I can think to stop it, my leg is swinging up towards his crotch, catching him off guard, he lets go of my chin, I watch him lurch over in pain, his hands flying to cover his crotch.

I stumble away from him, still in shock about this entire situation, "Sorry!"

"That's how you say thank you?" He stands up, his face pinched together, he breathes in and out deeply, his hands are still covering his groin protectively.

"I—sorry," I mumble again, stepping back and rubbing my hands up and down my bare arms that are prickled with goose-bumps.

Not knowing what to say to the man who saved me from the embarrassment of moments before I stay quiet and watch him.

"Yeah... you're welcome," He laughs arching his back and glancing over my shoulder, his face fills with concern as he looks back down at me again, "but really, are you okay? What he did was not cool," he takes a step closer.

I nod, "yeah I'm fine... just shaken up, this was not how I was expecting this night to go"

He nods, "Well you're lucky I was around," His voice is laced with humor.

I open my mouth to retort, "I was lucky? Don't forget that I just kicked you straight in the balls, and you were all macho a second ago, I think I would've been okay," I scoff crossing my arms over my chest, not wanting to admit that he's right. I was lucky.

Luck isn't something I usually have and I'd say the past few weeks have been extremely unlucky, but in this case, I am grateful this stranger was around.

"Right." he laughs, "I know him, he's not a good guy."

I growl and look down the hallway itching to go back out into public and find Denzel so he can take me home.

"You should really be more careful, this isn't a place for girls like you, The Den is not a safe place and filled with some very dangerous people," he says.

I steady my gaze on him, "Girls like me...  So to your logic, you must be one of these very dangerous people I should be staying away from?"

He gives me a hard look, "I'm the very last person you should be talking to right now..." He steps even closer.

My heart rate spikes as I take another step back pressing up against the opposite wall, his slow gradual steps are intimidating, and only now do I register his height and build. Those muscles.

"So I should probably walk away..." I whisper as he comes closer, looking down at me, his eyes hooded.

"You should, but you won't."

My brows furrow underneath the mask. His own mask is a solid charcoal black that lines his face, his sharp jawline accentuated from the shadowed lighting cast against one side of his face.

"And why won't I? Aren't you scared that I'll kick you again?" I say one side of my mouth, quirking up at the question.

His smiles, a small dimple appearing on his left cheek, his eyes momentarily flick down to my lips, before looking back up at me. My face feels hot all over and he seems even closer now even though he's still inches away. He's not touching me at all but the ghost of his hands seems to be trailing all over me.

He shakes his head, "you're off the hook for the first kick, but if there is a second one I won't let off that easy..." His smile deepens, his eyes roaming down my body to my dress which hugs my hips tightly.

He clenches his fists by his side as his eyes shoot up again, this time they are ablaze.

"You should really get out of here" His voice is huskier now, he steps away, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as he takes another step back so that he's now flush against the other wall.

I let out the air I didn't know I was holding in my lungs, my body still feels on fire from his gaze. I nod quickly.

"As you said, I should, but I won't,"

I step closer to him, the hallway is pretty narrow so only a few feet separate him from me. He is a few inches taller than me but from the way he is heaving air into his lungs, I can tell that whatever I'm doing is affecting him. I take another step, closing the gap between us.

His eyes are trained on my every movement as if he's trained his eyes to follow his prey, they don't waver, his gaze is unrelenting. I close the gap fully in a few steps, my body is inches away from his, I tilt my head up once again to his own. I bring my hand up towards his face, his eyes flick to my fingers that float inches away, his throat bobs. His head begins to lean forward into my touch but before his cheek can brush against my fingers, I move my hand lower down and close my hand around his throat.  I feel him take a deep breath in.

I push my hand in slightly so that he's trapped against the wall, his eyes widen as he opens his mouth to speak. I hold my other finger up to my lips.

"You don't speak," I push more pressure against his windpipe in emphasis, his mouth closes, "Who are you, and why have you been following me?"

His brows furrow, "F--following y-you?" He stutters out, his voice is hoarse as I push down harder.

I nod, "I remember you, from the elevator. It's no coincidence that you're here, there's no way you would know it was me from the elevator unless you've been watching me to know what I'd be wearing tonight." I keep my voice low.

I have never acted this way, with such authority and menace. I hold my hand firmly, not giving into my good conscience.

A smirk spreads on his lips, "So you finally recognized me, I thought I made a pretty good first impression," He shrugs nonchalantly.

I growl and push harder.

He breathes in sharply, "I haven't been following you, angel. I would recognize the back of your head anywhere," His smirk deepens his eyes twinkle.

My heart leaps in my chest but I keep my mind focused, I promised myself I wouldn't let Enzo control me.

"So you only recognized me here, you don't know me from anywhere else?"

He shakes his head.

I tighten my grip narrowing my eyes, "I don't believe you--"

In one swift movement, one of his hands comes to wrap around my waist and the other swings up grabbing my wrist, breaking my hold against his neck. He moves so quickly that he's off the wall within seconds and before my eyes can adjust to the fact that he's not standing in front of me anymore he's already behind me, pulling my hands behind me, his one hand locking my wrists together while the other arm wraps around my neck, holding me in a light chokehold. His chest is heaving against my back as he holds me flush against him. I flare my fingers and squirm under his grasp cursing myself for not paying attention

His hands are rough against my wrists, every time his hand brushes against my lower back chills rake up my spine at the feeling.

"You don't need to believe me Angel but it would do you some good to learn how to threaten someone properly. If you wanted answers from me all you had to do was ask." His head is bent low, his mouth moving against the shell of my ear as he whispers.

Goosebumps prickle my exposed skin, my breathing is heavy and my mind races with new ways to push him off of me.

I growl and push against him, which only causes a light chuckle in response, "let me go!" I say harshly, keeping my voice low.

I don't know why I'm whispering, I don't want to be in this situation but for some reason, I don't feel threatened, which is odd because he currently has me held against him in some crazy ninja hold. 

"Gladly, but you need to promise me you'll leave this place and not come back," He says quickly.

My heart stops, "Why?"

His lips move quickly his breath is hot against my cheek, "As I said, it's not safe for women like you,"

"You don't know what kind of woman I am and anyway, if you didn't take me by surprise just now I would have been ready" I lie, "And... I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

I try to shift against his solid grip.

"Stop coming here, I can't, it's my job," I say quietly.

He lets me go quickly, twirling me out of his arms back against the cold wall. My skin is warm where he touched, I look up at him, and as per usual his eyes are on me... Calculating me.

"Train with me then." He shrugs, leaning back against the wall.  His posture is relaxed like he wasn't just holding me against my will only moments before.

"Train... with you?" I say the words, "What?"

"If you can't stay away from The Den then you need to be prepared. Like tonight, I won't always be around. I want you to be able to take care of assholes like that on your own." He crosses his arms, the movement pulls my eyes and I begin to trail the black swirls of ink that disappears up his sleeve.

My eyes widen as I take in his words and I'm shocked honestly. I don't even know his name and yet I'm intrigued by him. That's when I notice his hands, which I can hardly see in the faint lighting, but I can see the scars that cover them, almost like burns that have healed badly. He quickly shoves them into his pockets, I look back up to see him staring back at me, his smile drops, a hard look lining his features.

His exterior is hard, probably from years of defending himself, but in his eyes, I can see that he's hurting. I don't know why but he's scared for me, that much I know for sure. And it's the look in his eyes that makes me nod my head.

"Okay, but only because I don't want any more guys like you saving me and acting like my hero." As I say the words the pained expression is gone and hidden behind his intimidating rough exterior and replaced with a cocky smile.

"Oh Angel, I'm not the hero to your story, I'm the villain."

His words catch me off guard, I go to speak when a ringing breaks the silence. His gaze finally breaks from mine and he pulls out his phone and walks away down the hall holding it up to his ear, he's speaking so quietly that I can't make out any words.

I give up and wring my hands out, racking my brain to try and wrap my mind around this whole strange first night working for Enzo Bridger. I know I shouldn't trust him--like at all, but I feel like I need someone to trust other than myself, at least have one person on my corner when shit goes to hell.

He comes back quickly, looking over his shoulder while grabbing my arm lightly and leading around a corner, "you should leave now, trust me."

I stop in the middle of the hallway crossing my arms over my chest, "Oh, so now I should trust you? I still have no idea who you are or why I should even be trusting you right now"

He sighs, "Like I said you don't need to trust me, but just believe me when I say that this place is full of snakes ready to strike and if you're not careful you'll get bit."

"How metaphorical of you," I laugh.

The corner of his lips pull up in a small smile and I have the urge to pull the mask away from his face. Although I've seen him without a mask before, I want to look at his face again, some part of me even imagines what it would feel like to run my fingers along the stubble across his jaw. Another part of me imagines the feel of his fingers against my skin. I swear to myself for getting carried away and push those thoughts deep inside of me.

I'm getting carried away.

Before I can get my thoughts in check he brings a hand to rest against my cheek, his skin is rough with all of the scars which scrape lightly sending shivers across my skin. His touch is light but his words are rushed against my ear.

"Meet me, at the Lower town Gym, Wednesday at 3." Without a last glance or a name he is gone walking back down the narrow hallway out towards the crowded main floor. 

__

I walk out minutes later to the dance floor which is still as packed as it had been all night. The loud techno music is still thumping through the crowds of very intoxicated dancers who are all masked, their identities hidden.

My mind is clouded from the events of this evening, I feel slightly faint from the alcohol, and after everything that has happened, I am even more wired on this stranger with his pretty face and hurt eyes.

Denzel appears out of nowhere, his mask is slightly crooked, his eyes are wide, "Penny! I've been looking everywhere for you, I've been asked to take you directly home, so we need to go now before he sees that you're still here."

I nod quickly and follow him back through the crowds.

And when I glance back one last time into the throng of people I can't lie to myself and say that it wasn't to see if I could spot my mysterious villain somewhere out amongst the crowd.

𝑽 𝑶 𝑻 𝑬 & 𝑪 𝑶 𝑴 𝑴 𝑬 𝑵 𝑻 ♡