Chapter 2: No Way Out

The night air was thick with tension.

She didn't know what was scarier- the fact that she was now being hunted by the mafia, or the fact that she was actually considering going with him.

Kai.

A name that was too short, too simple for someone so dangerous.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Look, I- "

"You don't have a choice."

Her eyes snapped to his. Cold. Unrelenting. He wasn't just saving it to scare her- he was telling the truth.

Somewhere out there, men with guns were looking for her.

Her stomach twisted. "This isn't fair."

Kai's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Welcome to my world."

She clenched her fists, frustration boiling inside her. "Why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't." He turned away, already walking toward the street. "But I'm the only thing standing between you and a bullet."

She stared at his back, heart pounding. This is insane.

She should just walk away. Call the police. Go home.

And yet...

She had seen the way those men looked at him. They wanted him dead. And now because of her, they wanted her dead too.

No one would believe her.

The cops? Probably on the mafia's payroll.

Her parents? They'd just tell her to stop watching too many crime dramas.

And as much as she hated to admit it- Kai was right.

She had just stepped into his world. And there was no way out.

With a deep breath, she followed him.

Thirty Minutes Later...

"Are you kidding me?!" she hissed, staring at the abandoned warehouse he had led her to. "This is where you're taking me?"

Kai ignored her, pushing open the rusted door with ease. "No one will look for us here."

She hesitated before stepping inside, the wooden floor creaking beneath her weight. Dust filled the air, mixing with the scent of metal and oil. Old crates were stacked in the corners, and a broken down car sat in the middle of the room, covered in a gray tarp.

"This place is disgusting." she muttered.

Kai tossed his bloodied jacket onto a nearby table. "It's safe."

She scoffed. "Says the guy bleeding out in the middle of a crime scene."

Kai unbuttoned his shirt with a wince revealing the wound on his side. The sight made her stomach churn. The bullet had grazed him, leaving a deep, angry gash. His skin, now slick with sweat, was littered with scars.

Here gaze lingered on a particularly jagged mark across his ribs.

'How many times has he nearly died?'

"Done staring?" he drawled.

She scowled, heat rushing to her cheeks. "Shut up."

Kai smirked but didn't argue. Instead, he grabbed a bottle of alcohol and a rag from a supply bag hidden behind one of the crates.

She watched in horror as he poured the alcohol directly onto his wound.

"Are you insane?!" She gasped as he gritted his teeth, his body tensing in pain.

"Either I clean it, or I die from infection." he said through clenched teeth. "Your call."

She huffed, crossing her arms. "Fine. But at least let me help."

He raised an eyebrow. "You a nurse?"

"No, but I took a first-aid course last year." she said l, grabbing the rag from his hand. "And unlike you. I actually have common sense."

Kai chuckled, but let her help.

She worked quickly, cleaning his wound and wrapping it with bandages she found in his bound.

"Where'd you even get this stuff?" she asked.

Kai smirked. "I have my ways."

"Of course you do." she muttered.

He watched her quietly as she finished securing the bandage. His gaze felt... different. Not cold, not mocking. Just curious.

"What?" she asked, feeling self-conscious.

"You're not freaking out."

She blinked. "Huh?"

"Most people would be screaming by now. Crying. Maybe running." his voice was unreadable. "But you? You're patching up a mafia like it's nothing."

She swallowed. He's right.

Why wasn't she running?

Why did she feel... calm?

"I don't know." she admitted. "Maybe i'm in shock."

Kai studied her for a long moment before leaning back against the crate. "Or maybe you're not as normal as you think."

She frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kai didn't answer. Instead, he closed his eyes, exhaustion finally catching up to him.

She exhaled, looking around the warehouse. "So, what now?"

Kai's voice was low, almost lazy. "Now? We wait."

"For what?"

His lips curved into something dangerous. "For them to come find us."

Her heart skipped a beat

"Are you serious?!"

Kai chuckled. "Relax. I have a plan."

"Care to share it?" she asked, voice laced with sarcasm.

He tilted his head slightly, eyes gleaming with something mischievous. "What's the fun in that?"

She groaned. "I hate you already."

Kai smirked. "You'll learn to love me "

She wanted to argue, but exhaustion weighed down her body. The past hour had been nothing but running, fighting, and surviving.

She sighed, leaning against the crate beside him.

This was her life now.

She had saved a stranger

A mafia

And now, she was stuck in hir world.

For better or worse

End of Chapter 2

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