Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
Daniel’s lips closed over hers.
His Life Flash Before His Life
Daniel woke up to the stirring by his side, it has been a while since he slept this peacefully even though it was mere hours and it was thanks to Angelica. However, the woman in question was hurriedly getting dressed, as if to leave his side.
He grabbed her by the wrist and she turned to him startled, “Where are you going?”
“I just broke a promise to my daughter. I need to go, Daniel.” She said, trying to pull out of his grip having dressed up. The only thing missing was her shoes.
Daniel’s gaze traveled to the clock, “It’s two. You should stay till the morning, it’s not safe out there.”
But she stubbornly said, “Haz brought me here, he should send me back in one piece.”
Angelica was already reaching for her shoes when Daniel tugged her with enough force that she landed ungracefully on the bed and he gathered her into his arms, giving her no room to escape.
“Daniel…” She squirmed in his arms all to no avail.
“I’m sorry,” He said out of nowhere and she stiffened, having not seen that one coming.
…..
However, she quickly recovered from the shock and asked him harshly, “What are you sorry for?”
Angelica had to pretend that she didn’t care knowing she had a kind heart that people wouldn’t mind taking advantage of. All her life, she has been easy prey for men, and can’t let that continue. Not after her promise to Adele. She can’t go easy on him.
“For not being the man of your dream,” Daniel said, leaning closer so he buried his nose in the crook of her neck and Angelica had to pretend she was not affected. Good thing, he had his boxers on else that would be another story.
“I’m not stupid Angelica and I know you’re pulling away from me. But it’s all my fault. I’m selfish and I should not expect you to accept someone as damaged as I am -“
Angelica turned to him saying, “You’re not damaged, Daniel. You just did a lot of bad stuff,” She breathed, “But I made a promise to Adele to stay away from men like you and I intend to keep it. I need to be a good mother to my daughter this time.”
Daniel saw the determination in her eyes and his hope died. It wasn’t just hope, it felt like something shattered in his heart. He really felt something for this woman. He liked her – and it wasn’t easy for him to like someone.
“Fine, I’ll let you go.” He said.
Angelica expelled a sharp breath and while she should be happy he was letting her go, she felt a great loss instead. To her shock, Angelica realized that she liked this man. Sadly, she had made that promise to Adele and sometimes, love was not enough.
So she leaned closer and kissed him instead. Daniel was surprised by the gesture, but when he recognized it for what it was, he pulled her closer and kissed her with a fiery passion. This was goodbye and he would love for this memory to stay with him forever.
It was quite hilarious. He beat Natalie. He finally proved that he was capable of loving someone. But then, he just got his heart broken as well and it was a nasty feeling. In one word, he didn’t win at all. Natalie did. It was a trick. And he fell right into the snares of love.
When they pulled away, a tear slipped down Angelica’s cheek and he brushed it away with his thumb, saying, “You can leave now love. Forget that you ever knew a bastard like me. Haz would take you home.”
Angelica wanted to stay but she couldn’t. Daniel was giving her a chance, she can’t make it anymore harder on him. If there was a question on whether Daniel felt anything for her at all, she already knew the answer from that kiss.
“Thank you, Daniel.”
And with that being said, Angelica was on her feet and took her things with her. She felt Daniel’s gaze on her as she walked to the door and did not dare to look back, tempted that she might actually change her mind and go back to him. No, it was now or never.
Angelica barely touched the door handle when it opened on its own and her brows raised in slight surprise as it opened to reveal the man standing in the doorway. At first, she thought it was that asshole from earlier coming to remind her that she had stayed long enough until she looked at the unfamiliar face and her heart skipped a beat as she saw the weapon in his hand.
Oh no.
“Daniel….!” She barely warned him when the man smacked her hard in the face and out of his way. Angelica found herself on the floor with stars running behind her vision. Even at that, she pushed herself up on her elbows to check on Daniel, hoping he had gotten her warning on time.
Daniel’s gaze never left Angelica so the instant he saw the scene play out, he knew instinctively that his life was in danger and was off the bed just as the bullets rained down on it. Fuck it! Someone was after his life and it just so happened that his insolent son raided his room and took away all his weapons.
It so happened that he raised his son well enough to know all of his hiding places. Well, not all of it, while he had taught Lukas everything he knew, he still kept some tricks to himself. If this asshole just invaded his room, it meant others with him were probably engaging Lukas’s men. This one sneaked off to finish him. Which was not going to happen. He did not fight all this year only to die in this manner!
There was a gun, but it was hidden carefully in a book on his bookshelf which was mere meters away. He calculated the distance between him and the attacker and the time it would take him to teach the book, and he would be dead by now. He would need an opening, an opportunity.
The man had not stopped shooting as he ran around the room, managing to hide behind the pillar. The shooting continued until he heard a click and he realized that the man had run out of ammo. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for.
With lightning speed, Daniel ran out of his hiding place, making a beeline for the shelf. However, Daniel never calculated in his plan that the man would have a second gun and saw his life flash before his eyes as the weapon was pointed at him.
Or so he thought because someone else took the shot.
Daniel Wept
Everything happened too quickly. One moment, Daniel swore the bastard got him and instinctively waited for the pain to come. But it never did because another person got in the way and was shot instead.
Daniel stiffened, his feet stuck to the ground with a scream in his mouth when he saw Angelica drop to the ground. It wasn’t until now that Daniel knew real fear because it ran through his veins like wildfire. It was obvious that the shooter had not intended to harm her, because there was hesitation on his part when he saw what happened.
Anger like no other distorted Daniel’s features and he rushed at the shooter like a beast unhinged. Daniel had never lost control. No, that is his strong suit, he never lets his emotions get the best of him, not when in the face of danger. But then, seeing Angelica on the floor made something snap inside of him and he felt the primal need to destroy. To avenge.
He couldn’t tell if Angelica was dead or alive, she was unmoving on the floor, and that was what feared him the most. If she died, then it was on him. He shouldn’t have brought her here, not when he knew how dangerous it was. But then, he was too selfish. He wanted her for himself and didn’t think about the danger he put her in. No, that was what he was good at, putting his needs above the others – even at their detriment.
Even with his weapon, there was real fear on the shooter’s face when Daniel lunged at him, knocking him to the ground. And then he was on top of him, decorating his face with punches. It would have been a comical scene considering Daniel was in nothing but his boxers, he had not gotten the time to dress up before he was attacked. But then, the rage on his face made his features and he didn’t fail to show it.
If Angelica died…. The thought tormented him. The guilt gnawed at him so intensely it was suffocating and he plundered the man’s face with his fist. He didn’t stop, not even when the man begged; not even when his face was bloody and his knuckles were aching; not even when the man beneath remained unmoving, dead or alive. He didn’t exactly care.
Daniel repeatedly punched the man until he couldn’t move a muscle and then he remembered Angelica. Wait… Angelica… Daniel crawled over to her, his heart pounding hard in his chest. A huge relief washed over him when he saw her eyes were opened, she was alive. But not for long.
She was looking pale and losing a lot of blood, having been shot in the back. Daniel did not try to move her. He has been in this business long enough to know, doing such a move might end up worsening or even killing her instead. He needed to call the ambulance. At the moment, Daniel did not care if calling for the ambulance would lead to a police investigation, he only cared about saving this woman. Call it a hunch, but Angelica was going to die if he doesn’t do something.
However, before he could reach for his phone, she grabbed his hand, attempting to say something but he couldn’t hear a word.
…..
“Save your breath, help is coming.”
But she shook her head, hot tears sliding down her cheeks and he heard her say, “G-go,”
She wanted him to leave. Angelica knew there was more coming for him and wanted him to be safe. But his heart broke instead.
“You foolish woman!” Daniel cried out, clasping her face tentatively, “Who asked you to get in the way, huh? Why must you always take the bullet for me?!”
He was an unfeeling monster as called by many, but at that moment, Daniel wept.