But she didn't care. 

Her eyes followed the faint lines left by bike tires on the ground. In seconds, she was already deeper into the narrow road.

She passed crumbling buildings with broken windows and empty doorways, until the narrow road opened up into a wider street.

She stopped.

Her eyes scanned the area. Something felt off, but her gaze stayed fixed on the tire marks ahead

One thing that echoed in her head was, 'why is he here?'

She was still processing that when she heard it.

A growl.

Low. Deep. From her right

She blinked and slowly turned her head towards it.

What she saw shocked her to her core. Just seven steps away, in a tight alley between two buildings, stood a bulldog. Its eyes locked on hers.

In its mouth was a human hand.

Her breath caught and her legs wouldn't move.

The rest of the body was on the ground beside it...torn apart beyond recognition, blood everywhere.

She felt her stomach twist. Her hands started shaking.

She swallowed hard, trying not to throw up.

The scene was terrifying.

The dog dropped the hand with a wet smack and started walking toward her.

She stepped back, it came closer. Then, without warning, it charged forward.

Her eyes widened in panic.

"Ahhhhh!" She screamed.

She turned and ran, her feet slamming against the ground, blindly chasing those tire marks like they were her lifeline.

She almost tripped but didn't stop. The sky above rumbled and thick clouds rolled in. Just as the weather forecast has predicted, a heavy rain's coming today.

She felt the first few drops, feeling cold on her skin. She pushed her legs harder, then the rain came fast and hard.

She kept running, soaked now, hair sticking to her face, her clothes plastered to her skin.

Behind her, she still hears the thudding paws.

Her mother didn't go through all that stress to give birth to her just for her to end up as a dog's next meal.

No way she was letting that happen.

Where's my guardian angel? she thought, breathless. Aren't they supposed to show up at times like this?

Where the fçk is she? Or he?!

Her eyes suddenly caught a familiar bike ...the same phone murderer's bike.

It was parked right in front of a tall building.

A guy leaning on it, back turned.

Just standing there in the rain like he couldn't feel a damn thing.

Who the hell stands still in this kind of rain?

She didn't even think.

Her legs moved before her brain could catch up. She ran straight at him, rounded to his front-and jumped.

Her arms flew around his neck, tight like she was afraid to let go.

His body tensed for a second... but he caught her. Strong arms wrapping around her waist, holding her up.

Her chest pressed against his. Her heart pounding so loud, she swore he could hear it even with the loud sound of the rain.

And then she smelled it.

His scent. His f*cking Honey Cedar scent.

So good it messed with her head.

So good, she almost melted right there in his arms.

She buried her face in his neck. Took another breath in.

"Holy shit" she whispered, barely hearing herself.

She held on tighter, the rain beating them together.

But then-

Wait a damn minute...

Wasn't she just being chased by a bloodthirsty dog.

She turned her head and looked down but her eyes almost popped out in shock.

The dog was right there, It was biting into the phone murderer's hand.

Her eyes widened, a gasp catching in her throat.

"Shit"

She looked up at his face... and froze

He was wearing a mask. Only his eyes were visible. 

But those eyes?

Too damn sharp, too intense and worse...too annoyingly good-looking.

And they were locked on her. Not in a friendly way.

There was something in his gaze...Something that made her feel it.

That slow, low heat curling inside her.

She could already smell her own arousal.

His gaze twitched, something sharp flickering in those maddeningly sexy eyes.

She knew why.

The dog was still ripping into his arm.

It had to be so f*çking painful.

But can't he just push the damn dog off?

A sudden burst of gunshots ripped through the air just as a thunderclap cracked across the sky.

Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.

She screamed and squeezed her eyes shut and that was it. Her head collapsed softly against his chest as everything went black.

Tavian's eyes were on her throughout, his eyes unreadable, before he looked down at the dead dog lying on the ground. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to the small gate beside the main one in front of the massive building. 

There stood Mackenzie, holding two umbrellas. One open above his head, the other dangling from his left hand along with a gun.

"The client is waiting" Mackenzie said loudly.

Tavian didn't reply. He just stood there in the rain, her unconscious body in his arms.

3hrs later, Nyssa felt something warm press against her forehead. She shifted slightly in her sleep.

What... was that?

She wasn't fully asleep, not deep. She could feel eyes on her. Staring so hard. 

Her eyebrows twitched. Then came the voices.

"Is she starting to wake?"

"Wake her if she's not ready. I'm not in the mood for answering Q"

"Rude bitch"

"Stop talking..." Nyssa muttered, her voice groggy as she slowly opened her eyes.

She gasped almost immediately.

There was a face that was too close to her.

Sun was leaning over her, holding a damp cloth against her forehead.

"You're awake?" Sun asked calmly, not moving back.

Nyssa blinked in confusion.

"Move back" she said, voice still a little raspy.

Sun straightened up, finally giving her space. The cloth remained on her head. Nyssa reached up, pulled it off herself and held it in her hand as she sat up slowly.

Her gaze met Zara's plain, no smile face...who was sitting on a chair.

Nyssa averted her gaze and slowly looked around.

Wait-

Her room?

But she remembered jumping on the phone murderer, seen the dog bite his hand, heard gunshots and thunder crash.

Maybe she passed out after then.

But how the hell was she suddenly back here?

"Stop thinking and tell us what you were doing in that dangerous area" Zara said sharply.

Nyssa turned toward her.

"Dangerous? What do you mean dangerous?"

"How did I even get here?" She asked quickly again, throwing her words out before anyone could interrupt.

"You called me, but when I picked up, it was a man's voice. He said you fainted and told me where to find you" Sun said, explaining.

Nyssa's eyes squinted.

"A man used my phone to call you?" she asked quietly.

Sun nodded.

Nyssa suddenly leaned forward.

"Was it that guy? The one with the lollipop tattoo you mentioned? Was it his voice?" she asked urgently.

But before the girls could reply, the door swung open.

Nyomi walked in, her expression icy.

"Why would Tavian call you?" she said, clearly having overheard the whole conversation.

"What's your deal with him?"

Nyssa turned sharply to face her.