Playing With Ice

Chapter 4

I sighed and tightened my hold around the strap of my bag, "Why are we here again?" I asked Mindy as we walked side in the shopping mall. I looked down at my can of soda before bringing it to my lips to take a sip of it.

Mindy glanced at me and the excitement in her eyes almost made me smile, "I have been eyeing a bag for quite some time now and I have worked day and night for the past few months without taking leave so I think I should reward myself" She gushed, waving her hands animatedly in front of her as we entered a popular handbag store.

"That's nice" I commented, stepping behind her. I scanned around the store for a few seconds uninterestedly. Mindy definitely picked up the wrong person to go handbag shopping with because I never liked to shop for bags.

The one that I have with me right now was the only bag that I bought about seven years ago using my first month's salary when I started to work part-time at a local restaurant.

Since the bag is still good as new, I don't see a reason to replace it with.

But, I have to admit that I got a little curious about the price here that I peeked at the tag when I thought Mindy wasn't looking and I almost choked on my own saliva. Who pays that much money for a freaking bag?

From the corners of my eyes, I saw Mindy turning to face me so I quickly averted my gaze, "I think you should get a bag as well" Mindy said, taking a bag from the shelf and trying it on her shoulders in front of the mirror.

I started to shake my head before she even finished talking."No thanks," I politely disagreed with her suggestion, "I am saving up for something else" I added under my breath, reminding myself.

"And that is?" She asked, looking up at me.

I bit my lower lip. It might sound a little too much but that is what I wanted, "I want to buy a house" I said, watching her reactions carefully.

As expected, her eyes did widen and then she started to grin, "That's awesome, Rayna" She squealed, unintentionally attracting some customers to look our way, "I didn't know you had such big plans" She went on, looking down at the bag again and then with a sigh, she put it up on the rack again, "No wonder you never went out on a shopping spree" She continued, taking another bag into her hands and inspecting it carefully.

I tried to smile, "That's the reason I moved to Italy in the first place" I muttered lowly to myself. I spun away from her, "I am going to look around-"

The very next second, I crashed against someone and jerked backwards, landing on the ground with a loud thud. The soda that I was holding along with my bag fell out of my hands, landing a few feet away from me, the contents of the can and my bag spilling out.

"Oh god" I heard Mindy say and footsteps thudding towards me before she pulled me off the ground to a standing position, "Are you hurt?" She asked me hurriedly to which I shook my head at her before turning my attention to the person I had crashed on.

"I am sorry" I apologised right away, looking up to meet a set of familiar green eyes. The guy that I just bumped onto stared at me, unfazed. He looked neither angry nor annoyed, "Sorry" I repeated again, feeling bad. 

I should have seen where I was going.

"You should watch where you going"

I looked to his side and found another man glaring daggers at me and I immediately took a step back, "I am sorry" I apologised one more time, "Are you hurt anywhere sir?" I asked, turning my attention to the green-eyed man again.

The other man stepped for threateningly but the green-eyed man grabbed his elbow, stopping him from taking another step towards me, "Karlos" He said and I almost shivered at the warning in his tone. He shook his head to Karlos and flashed a friendly smile at me, "I am sorry. I didn't watch where I was going as well. Here let me" He said, bending down to gather the things that had fallen out from my bag.

"No there is no need for that," I said, dropping to my knees quickly and picking my belongings off the ground and stuffing it into my bag.

The guy handed me my phone and purse and I accepted them with a small thanks and threw it into my bag before standing up again. I opened my mouth to apologize again but he beat me to it, "I feel bad for ruining your drink" He said, his eyes flickering between me and Mindy, "Let me buy some drinks for you two" He smiled charmingly.

I blinked and took another step away from him, putting on a polite smile, "Actually, we have to leave right now-"

"I insist" He interrupted me again.

I looked at my side and almost groaned. Mindy was eyeing the guy with a smirk on her lips. She repeatedly scanned him from head to two twice under a few seconds and I knew what was coming, "Okay then" She flashed a flirtatious smile, "After you" She said, glancing at me.

I scowled at her but she mouthed 'please' making me let out a sigh.

"Follow me then," The guy said again before stepping away from us. I sighed and followed quietly behind him and the other guy with an excited Mindy by my side. He was good-looking with jet black hair and prominent features, I won't deny that but for some reason, the guy that I had bumped into seemed familiar but I really couldn't put a finger on it.

I didn't rake through my brain after that anyway. I didn't care. I had Dimitri and he is enough for me. The only reason I am following this man and his angry friend is for the sake of Mindy. I knew she was interested in him and as a friend, I should help her.

And this is the only help that I can offer her.

We entered a coffee shop and the dark-haired guy turned around to face us again, "Order whatever you want" He said, his eyes flickering towards me and staying on me making me squirm under his scrutinising gaze.

I looked away, "I don't want anything," I said, keeping my tone clipped so he wouldn't try to continue the conversation, "Only a little soda was left in that can anyway" I added quickly when I noticed Mindy glowering at me.

"Oh, don't be like that" The dark-haired guy chided, "What matters is that I am the one who made you spill that soda. It doesn't matter if you had a lot or little" He continued.

I sighed and looked at Mindy who was watching that guy like she was seeing a celebrity or something, "Mindy, please go on. You can have this drink instead of me" I said, ignoring him." Hurry up. I don't want to waste my time here" I added, crossing my arms against my chest.

Mindy nodded her head and ordered something at the counter. All the while she did, I could feel a pair of eyes on me, watching me without blinking but I pretended to play with my phone. When Mindy was done with her order, the dark-haired guy paid for her drink and waited for the barista to prepare it.

He could have bought a can of soda in return at some store instead of taking us here but he had to complicate simple things.

"Are you two new here?" He asked casually and I didn't fail to notice the way Karlos snapped his head in our direction in disbelief making me assume that this man wasn't actually this friendly to just anyone else, "I don't recall seeing any of you here before" He said, his eyes flickering between me and Mindy but again lingered on me more than they should have.

I didn't even lift my tongue to answer that. I knew Mindy would so I discreetly sent Dimitri a text, asking him if he could pick me up from this place if he was nearby.

"I have never seen you here before as well" Mindy responded with a cheerful smile, one of her hands went up to play with her hair as she did.

The man chuckled softly at her answer, "Oh I assure you, Sicily is my native" He said, making unnecessary eye contact with me, "I am Dominic by the way" He introduced himself, offering his hand to Mindy.

And of course, Mindy took his hand and gave it a firm shake, "Mindy" She beamed.

Dominic nodded his head at her and then looked my way, "And you are?" He asked, pulling his hand from Mindy grasp.

And at the same time, I received a message from Dimitri saying that he was here to pick me up."She is not the friendly type I guess" I heard the guy say when I didn't answer him right away.

I ignored him again, "I have to go" I looked up at Mindy."I'll see you tomorrow" I waved her goodbye before rushing out of the shop without giving her a chance to say something.

Phew. Dimitri had great timing.

I rushed towards the exit and finally exited the building, spotting Dimitri's car right away, "Thank you for coming" I said, getting into the car and looking to my side.

Dimitri flashed a smile, "Have you eaten?" He asked me softly, leaning in to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ears, "Did you have fun with Mindy today?"

I nodded my head, "Yes, I did" I grinned at him but my smile faltered when I noticed how tired he looked with dark rings underneath his eyes, "You look tired. Did I disturb you?" I asked him, suddenly feeling guilty.

"I don't mind if I get disturbed by you" He grinned at me as the driver started the drive, "It is just some stuff. Nothing to worry about though" He gave me a vague answer.

The kind of answer he gives me when it comes to mafia stuff.

"Does this has to do something with last night as well?" I asked him casually, expecting him to not answer my question.

He remained quiet for a few moments as if he was thinking hard about it, "You can say that" He breathed, "But I assure you, everything is alright. You can trust me on that. No one is going to jump out right now and start shooting at us-"

A loud bang stopped him from continuing and the very next second, something pierced onto the sturdy windshield making it c***k into a million pieces and at the same time, I let out a horrified scream and threw myself onto Dimitri, my arms going around his body.

The driver had slammed onto the brake thus the force of it made me jerk forward but Dimitri held me securely in his arms, "Cazzo!" I heard him curse under his breath before he commanded something to the driver in his native language.

The driver started to drive again even though the car was still getting shot from all the sides, "Sshhh" Dimitri hushed me, "You're safe. I won't let you get hurt" He promised, running his hand up and down my back.

I looked up at him, horrified, "I am scared" I cried out brokenly and at the same time, another bullet hit our car making me let out a screech and bury my head in his chest.

Is this how the rest of my life is going to be? Am I going to be constantly in danger in order to be with the man that I loved?

I didn't know the answers to that questions but right now, even though the rain of bullets, it is him that I feel safe with.