Pursued by the Rival Mafia King

Chapter 4

Brielle's POV

His words pulled at a memory I had buried for years.

A debt.

I knew exactly what he meant.

Six years ago, I didn’t know who Enzo Black was until the day I accidentally walked straight into him at the school cafeteria. I’d been holding a cup of warm milk that I’d had specially delivered to the school, eager to drink it, and so I didn’t see him when I bumped into him.

That was when I met the coldest pair of icy-blue eyes I'd ever seen.

They belonged to the most handsome boy I'd ever laid eyes on. Dark hair. Blue eyes. And an intimidating stillness that made it impossible to look away.

For a second, I forgot how to speak.

The boy looked down at his ruined shirt, and then at me, his brows raised. “Warm milk? What are you, a princess?”

I blinked, realizing that it was my cue to apologize. Yet the moment I glanced up at his piercing, blue eyes, fear overcame me.

“I… I…”

I noticed that the cafeteria had gone strangely quiet. No one moved, and students seemed to be throwing nervous glances at us.

It made me anxious, so instead of apologizing, I turned and ran. I actually ran away!

In the few seconds before I disappointed, I heard him mutter:

“Wow. Such a princess.”

I ran to my classroom to hide. Everything about the encounter with him embarrassed me to no end.

Later, Jayce found me at break still in the class.

Jayce and I had only been dating for a week. We'd gotten together shortly after my father’s funeral. Back then, I genuinely believed he'd keep every promise he made.

He slid in next to me, passing his lunchbox to me. He always gave me his homemade meals and bought the school cafeteria food for himself.

“I heard you and Enzo were speaking in the hallway this morning. Is it true?” he asked.

I blinked, the name bubbling in my head. It sounded just right and fit for him.

“Is that his name?” I chuckled to myself. “It’s kind of embarrassing. I spilled milk on him and kind of ran away. Ugh, I feel horrible. I think I should apologize.”

Jayce’s expression darkened. “Apologize for what? That guy is trouble, Brielle. Whatever you do, don’t talk to him.”

I frowned. “Why not?”

“He didn’t hurt you, right?” Jayce shrugged. He looked genuinely serious. “Don’t bother getting his attention then. Everyone in school knows to stay away from Enzo Black”

Jayce’s words completely sealed it for me. So the next day, when I saw Enzo walking through the hallway wearing a new shirt, all the courage I had built disappeared.

I said nothing to him, and he walked past me.

I thought that was it, but then he stopped and slowly turned, looking directly at me

Enzo smiled.

It wasn’t a friendly or a kind smile. It was the kind of smile that made me feel like he knew something I didn’t. Like he had already figured me out.

He never said a word to me, but that one look stayed with me.

Throughout his short stay in school, somehow, his eyes always found me. Every hallway or crowded corridor, whenever I looked up, Enzo Black was already looking at me.

It pulled at me so much that I convinced myself it was fear. That was the only explanation as to why I’d get all nervous and star struck around him.

I never apologized for that, I thought. And now…

I blinked, my eyes zeroing in on him in the present day. He still looked amused and somewhat intrigued.

My pride immediately collapsed.

“Thanks.” I mumbled the word, my fingers tightening around his shirt as I avoided his gaze.

He smirked. “Like I said; your unapologetic streak seems to be a recurring habit. I wonder if I should accept it…”

I nodded, though the strange tension between us didn’t disappear. I pushed myself out of bed, feeling awkward in his big shirt.

“I have to leave.”

“Leave?” He stood up, towering over me with his height. “You can’t leave. Besides your debt, we haven’t spoken about your dreadful taste in men, Princess.”

I frowned. “Excuse me?”

“Jayce left you in a burning building to die. Don’t you think it’s time to divorce him?”

I ignored the unsettling feeling in my chest and grabbed my bag from beside the bed, swinging it over my shoulder.

“I can’t have this conversation with you. Goodbye.”

I walked past him, close enough that I caught his scent. He smelled of tobacco and expensive leather. For a moment, I expected him to stop me, but he simply called out after me:

“Follow the stairs down to the living room. The first door on the right is the exit.”

I glanced back.

Enzo was still in that same position, watching me with that same unreadable expression from years ago, like he knew something I didn’t.

“Thanks,” I muttered. “Bye again.”

I didn’t wait for a response. The moment I stepped out of the room, I walked faster. By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, I was practically running.

I pushed open the front door and froze.

Armed guards surrounded the property.

I swallowed my fear and continued toward the gate, my eyes darting towards the guards. They all seemed to notice me, but none of them moved.

The gate opened automatically before I even reached it.

I stopped for half a second, a strange feeling crawling over me. I shook off the feeling and stepped through the gate. Fortunately, I saw a passing cab and quickly waved it over.

As I climbed inside, I took one last look at the villa behind me.

And that was when I saw him.

Enzo was standing by the window, watching me leave. He lifted his cigar to me, as if in silent goodbye. Yet I couldn't shake the feeling that Enzo Black wasn't saying goodbye at all.

I quickly averted my gaze, inhaling sharply. “Take me home.”