Lethal Love: A Mafia Redemption

CHAPTER: 06 You Need Me.

REINA

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It's all Abby's fault. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since Delvin and I saw each other, and now we're meeting again? But if I think about it, it's probably better this way. At least our conversation will be over, and I won't owe him anything anymore.

The only question is whether he's okay with eating at this kind of restaurant. There are quite a few people who might recognize him. Who knows, we might even get spotted by paparazzi, which could spark fake news.

It's good that I'm wearing a face mask and a cap; I probably look the most suspicious in this place. Better to be cautious—I'll talk to him, treat him to dinner, and head home right away.

I turned to see a man walking towards me. He was wearing a grey polo shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his extensive tattoos. He had on a black belt that matched his black slacks and round eyeglasses that perfectly complemented his medium mullet hairstyle.

I was stunned, unable to recognize him. Is this Delvin? How different he looks from his posts on Instagrey and how I saw him this morning! I knew his hair was black and cut in a buzz cut, but now it's burgundy and styled in a mullet. Wait—wasn't his hair blonde in his latest social media post? Don't tell me all his hairstyles in those posts were just wigs!

"Good evening, Ms. Morgan. Sorry, I'm a bit late," he greeted me, handing over a bouquet. I accepted them and quickly shut my mouth, which had been hanging open at his handsomeness.

Gosh! Is this what they call starstruck? No way!

"Ehem, good evening. And no problem, I just got here too. Hmm... is this location okay for you? This is all I can afford, so don't expect me to treat you to an expensive restaurant." Right from the start, I was already snappy, and I couldn't help it; it's just my nature.

"Ah yes, no problem. What's important is that I'm with you," Delvin smiled. But I'm sorry to him; his creepy smile didn't affect me. It would have been better if he had just kept his mouth shut.

"Go ahead and order. I have to leave by 7:00 PM," I told him, trying not to sound rude, but I really had a project I needed to finish.

"That's plenty of time. Thank you for making time for me," he replied, raising his hand to call the waiter.

I felt a bit embarrassed. Was an hour really enough for him? Was I rushing him through dinner? This man made me second-guess my usual brashness; I found myself feeling shy around him.

I should feel embarrassed because I'm the one indebted to him, but I can't help but keep my guard up, knowing he has other motives besides helping me.

"Order anything you want," he said, making me furrow my brows.

"Wait, isn't it my treat for dinner tonight?" I asked, and he just laughed, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, I'm not satisfied with this opportunity. I won't accept this as p*****t for your debt to me, so I'll be treating you to this dinner," he replied, smiling at me again, clearly enjoying what he was doing. Meanwhile, I was frowning in annoyance.

"Wait, does this mean there will be a second dinner date?" I asked irritably, unable to stop my brow from furrowing as I raised an eyebrow. Does this man have no shame? Does he really want to see me again?

"Yes, of course, until I'm satisfied with the dinner date you've prepared," Delvin replied. I was about to complain, but the waitress approached and took our orders. Surprisingly, no one around seemed to recognize him; after all, he looked completely different, and so did his demeanor.

I could only sigh and wait for our food while he sat there, arms crossed, staring at me with that unnerving smile on his face.

"Could you please look somewhere else? You're making me uncomfortable. And to be honest, whatever you're planning for us, it's just not going to work," I told him, to which he chuckled.

"Then I'll tell your parents what happened?" he threatened, and my eyes widened in shock. How shameless! Was he really going to do that?

"Are you blackmailing me?" I asked, and his smile instantly vanished.

"Of course not. I'm just courting you," Delvin replied, but his tone felt more like a threat than a romantic gesture. My heart raced as his expression shifted, but he quickly masked it with his usual demeanor. Did I imagine that? It felt like I was staring at a completely different person for a moment.

"Just give me a chance; I want to get to know you and understand why those kidnappers are after you. Actually, I'm here to provide you with information about them," he replied, and I could feel the seriousness of our conversation settle between us.

"What about them? Did you find out who sent them? Are they already behind bars?" I asked, but our discussion was interrupted when our order arrived.

I fell silent, nerves creeping in at the thought that someone might overhear us. Thankfully, our table was a bit isolated from the others. We waited for the waiter to set down our food before resuming our conversation.

"They're already in custody," he explained. "But a friend of mine mentioned that this might be related to some other incidents connected to your name." I quickly grabbed a glass of water and took a sip, my nerves on edge, knowing that this person wouldn't stop pursuing me until I was silenced.

"Are you sure your acquaintance won't report me to my parents? I don't want this issue to get out," I replied to Delvin, who nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry, you can trust him. But if I were you, I'd be careful. No one will protect you if the person who wants to kill you strikes again," he replied, starting to eat as I lost my appetite, a lump forming in my throat.

He must have noticed that I wasn't touching my food because he sliced my steak into small pieces. "You should eat. Stressing over everything won't help. If you want, I can help you find out who's behind your abduction. I have plenty of connections, and you can still do the things you want without being grounded," Delvin offered, making me look up at him.

I would have already fallen for his kindness if I hadn't known he was planning to win my heart. We barely knew each other, so trust wasn't something I could easily give. But maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a second dinner date after all?

I removed my mask and picked up my spoon and fork, joining him in the meal. When I caught him smiling at me again, I felt a spark of excitement. There was nothing left to do but get to know him better as we shared this dinner.

After we finished eating, he invited me to take a walk. He mentioned that his parking spot was quite a distance away, so I accompanied him while letting our meal settle. "I'll drive you home. Where do you live?" he asked, and I shook my head in response.

"No need; my dorm is just nearby," I replied, though the truth was I would still have to take a train to get there. I deliberately chose a place far from my own to avoid anyone spotting us together.

"Are you sure? It's still early; I can walk you home," he replied, but I shook my head. He was a bit stubborn and pushy, but he wouldn't be able to make me change my mind—if he did, he'd know I was lying.

"I think I'm in the mood for dessert," he said as we strolled along the park sidewalk. It was dark, but the streetlights were on, so it felt safe to walk alone.

"Look, there's ice cream over there," I told him.

"Do you want to wait here while I buy something?" he asked.

"Go ahead, I just wait here," I replied with no choice but to sit on the bench and gaze at the river flowing through Central City. I took out my phone and noticed twenty messages from Abby.

"Oh sh#t, I forgot to ask for an autograph for Abby, but I'm too embarrassed." I didn't really want to ask for an autograph anyway; what if Delvin thought I was just a fan? This is Abby's fault, so she can deal with it.

I tucked my phone away and turned my gaze toward Delvin. I saw him still debating which ice cream flavor to choose, so I sighed and redirected my attention to the stunning view before me. But then, I noticed a man in all black walking toward me. I glanced to my left and spotted two more men, their faces concealed in the shadows.

My heart began to race. I couldn't be paranoid, could I? But what if these men were kidnappers plotting to corner me? I swallowed hard and quickly stood up from my seat, intending to head over to Delvin. But before I could take a step, someone grabbed my arm and forced a cloth over my mouth.

I fought back, but I could feel myself getting dizzy from the scent of the cloth covering my nose and mouth. Just as I felt consciousness slipping away, the man behind me was suddenly thrown off, and I broke free. I dropped to my knees, gasping for breath and coughing uncontrollably. In the chaos, I saw Delvin delivering a powerful punch to another man while two others quickly fled from us.

"Tsk! I left you alone for just a moment, and someone's already trying to kidnap you?" Delvin replied annoyance etched on his face. He was still clutching the ice cream he had bought. He looked at me with a serious expression and extended his hand to help me stand up.

"You need me, Reina. There's nothing you can do about it. You need me."

TO BE CONTINUED