His Heartthrob

Chapter Seven

The warehouse was a labyrinth of shadows and the smell of dust was everywhere.

A hushed tension hung in the air as masked figures prepared for the job.

Their leader, a figure of imposing stature, muffled by the mask,

"Alright," he began, "This is a simple operation. In and out. No complications. Don wants the package, and we get the package Understood?"

Nods of agreement echoed in the dim space.

“No guns, no knives, we keep it clean, if things go south, we retreat, understood?”

A masked guy groaned, “Why no weapons? “Weapons are the interesting part of everything!”

The leaders stared at him through his mask “And I'm saying this operation needs no guns and knives!”

“Understood boss!”

One figure worked on the security system, their movements swift and precise.

Another, a hulking presence, provided cover, their eyes scanning the surroundings with unwavering vigilance.

The third, a more lithe figure, kept watch, their senses attuned to any potential threat.

Suddenly, the warehouse doors crashed open, revealing a rival g**g.

As the intruders stormed in. Sounds of bullets crackled in the air.

The leader's voice, now laced with a hint of steel, cut through the sudden chaos. "s**t," he muttered. "Take cover. Get us out of here. With me."

Before anyone could react, more shots rang out, shattering the fragile calm.

The warehouse erupted into a whirlwind of gunfire and shouts. The hulking figure roared, diving behind a stack of crates, returning fire with practiced ease.

The tech expert worked frantically to disable the security system, buying them precious time. The watcher barked out orders, guiding the leader through the melee.

The leader moved with a deadly grace, their movements a blur. They grabbed a discarded pipe, using it as a weapon, taking down two of the attackers with swift, brutal strikes. They knew they were outnumbered.

One of the attackers came behind him with a dagger, but with a swift movement, the leader snatched it away from him and threw a punch at his face, breaking his nose. Blood spewed, he twisted his hand, and the sound of cracking of bones was heard. The attackers screamed in pain.

They fought with a ferocity that belied their masked appearance.

"Go! Get out of here!" the leader yelled over the din of gunfire, pushing the watcher towards the exit. "I'll hold them off!"

The watcher hesitated for a split second.

Then, they nodded and ran, following the tech expert's lead. The leader, their jaw clenched, turned to face the onslaught.

As the last of the attackers fell, the leader surveyed the scene. The warehouse was a mess of broken crates and scattered debris. They turned to the others and, with a shared glance, reached up to remove their masks.

Revealing Axel, Noah, Carl and Mason. Carl grabbed the package and they all marched out of the warehouse.

***At the longe***

River, her brow furrowed in concentration moments before, finally slammed her textbooks shut with a triumphant thwack.

She stretched her body and a sound of satisfying pops and cracks echoed in the sudden silence. She yawned, feeling exhausted.

She stood up and walked towards the door. With a gentle push, she eased it open and peeked her ears, immediately tuning in to hear if anyone was coming, but she didn't hear anything. Just Silence.

“So the boys aren't around”.

She padded downstairs, her bare feet silent on the polished wood. The house felt empty.

"Where did everyone go?" she mumbled, her voice echoing slightly in the sudden void.

She suddenly craved popcorn. She veered towards the kitchen.

Grabbing a bowl of popcorn, she headed back to the sitting room.

The opening credits of a rom-com flickered across the screen, and River, sunk into the sofa, feeling relieved.

But then she remembered the scene in the kitchen. The counter. Axel and the kiss.

Her hand flew to her hair, and she pulled it and let out a frustrated groan.

"Very stupid River!"

She buried her face in her hands, she remembered the image of Axel's startled expression, the warmth of his lips against hers. "Why did I kiss him? Why? I'm so stupid!" she wailed,

"Ugh! It was just a kiss! A stupid, impulsive, completely unnecessary kiss!

No, it was necessary for the movie! But... maybe..." she trailed off, her cheeks flushed a shade of pink.

"Okay, River, stop it! You're overthinking this. It's just popcorn and a movie. Just popcorn and a movie…" she repeated, trying to convince herself, but the memory of that kiss, that stupid, wonderful kiss, kept popping into her mind. She grabbed another handful of popcorn, chewing furiously, as the movie began.

***Later, At the Lounge***

The adrenaline of the fight slowly faded as Axel and his crew got back to the lounge.

Mason and Carl, exhausted, headed upstairs to their rooms.

While Noah plopped down on the Sofa.

His eyes moved to the figure lying on the chair, “Is that River” He asked

Axel's eyes moved to the couch, and saw River, curled up in a deep sleep, with a soft blanket draped over her.

He approached her gently, with slow movements. He knelt, watched her, and then carefully scooped her up in his arms. Her weight was nothing to him, a familiar comfort. He carried her through the silent house, up the stairs, and into her room.

He placed her gently on the bed, tucking the blanket around her. Then, he pulled up a chair, sat down, and simply stared. Her face, framed by a cascade of dark hair, was a study in serenity. He reached out, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from her cheek, a gesture of tenderness.

**Flashback 13 years ago**

The alley was dark, the air thick with the stench of garbage and fear. Little Axel, no older than ten, was cornered, his face bruised, his clothes torn. The men, their faces grim, their voices menacing were closing in. He knew what was coming.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, a man with a fierce look in his eyes.

He moved with a speed and precision that surprised Axel, taking down the attackers with a series of swift, brutal blows. He then turned to Axel, his expression softening.

"Come on, kid," he said gruffly.

Axel, silent and wary, followed him to a warm, inviting house. He was offered food and a clean bed. He was introduced to his daughter, a girl with bright eyes and a round face, who was then a chubby girl, not less than 6 years happily devouring a plate piled high with food.

Axel, still cold and distant, watched her. She ate with gusto, her cheeks puffed out, a smear of sauce on her face. He couldn't help but notice the sheer joy she took in her meal.

He wondered why she was smiling.

When last did he smile?

Finally, he couldn't help it. He muttered, "Glutton!"

She looked up, her mouth full. "Finally, you can talk, huh? But who are you calling a glutton?"

Axel, startled by her response, quickly averted his gaze, staring at the wall. He heard her say, "Stupid boy!"

A smile, almost imperceptible, played on his lips, a secret joy that the little girl didn't see.

Later, the setting sun painted the sky as The little girl, with a glint in her eyes, marched towards Axel. "You're coming with me to the beach to pick seashells!"

Axel ignored her, his gaze fixed on some distant point.

"Can't you talk?" she snapped, her voice sharp. She stomped her foot, a gesture of childish frustration, and began to walk away. But she stopped short as Axel rose and walked past her.

"Where's the beach?" he asked, his voice a low rumble.

She blinked, surprised.

At the beach, the waves crashed in a rhythmic symphony. Axel sat, staring at the endless expanse of water. She meanwhile, scoured the sand, her brow furrowed while looking for seashells

"I wonder why I would take someone with me to help me, and he is busy staring at the water instead of helping me to find sea shells; what kind of boy are you? Duh!" She groaned, her frustration bubbling over.

Axel turned, his eyes narrowed. "Gosh, what is your problem? You said I should accompany you to pick seashells; I accompanied you; why should I pick seashells for you!"

"Because you live in my house, eat my food and drink my water!" She snapped.

"You are not a gentleman," The girl said jokingly, "but I like your cute face" She ruffled his hair playfully. "and your hair looks nice!"

"Leave my hair alone!" Axel snapped, shifting out of her grip, a blush creeping up his neck.

The sun dipped lower, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. The girl, undeterred by Axel's outburst, continued her search for the perfect seashells.

Little Axel, now feeling a little less like a statue, shifted his gaze from the waves to her. He watched as she carefully examined each shell, her brow furrowed in concentration, her tongue peeking out from the corner of her mouth.

"What are you even looking for?" he asked, his voice still gruff, but lacking the earlier edge.

The little girl, startled, turned to him while clutching a seashell in hand. "The best ones, of course! For my school project. We have to make a collage."

She held up the shell, a spiral of pearly white. "This one's pretty good, but I need more."

Axel, against his better judgment, found himself drawn to her enthusiasm. He stood up, brushing the sand off his pants. "Show me."

The little girl, her eyes widening slightly, led him along the shoreline. "See, I need ones with interesting shapes and pretty colours and..." she trailed off, gesturing wildly.

Axel, surprisingly, began to look. He knelt down, sifting through the sand, his fingers brushing against the cool, smooth surfaces of the shells. He found a small, iridescent one, a swirl of blues and greens. He held it out to River.

"Here," he said

River took the shell, her eyes sparkling. "Ooh, it's so fine. Good boy! “Thank you! At least you are not useless." She smiled happily.