The Devil's Justice

ANASTASIA:
The morning sun cast a charming glow across the beginning of October, its warmth a welcome contrast to the recent cold and constant rain. So unlike New York. I examined myself in the mirror, donning black denim paired with an oversized red shirt and a messy bun. I looked good, but only one thing was missing – a scarf.
Should I go with the black one or the red one? I debated for a moment before settling on the black. My eyes, a strange shade of ocean blue have always been an attraction but somehow it looks dull today.
Because no matter how much I say I have overcome that night. I really wasn't.
FLASHBACK:
As I struggled to open my eyes, I found myself in hospital. A doctor was seated beside me, and a mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces stared down at me. I attempted to blink, to focus on their faces, but my strength had abandoned me. My eyelids felt impossibly heavy.
I had been saved, that much was clear. But I had no idea by whom. Was it that new shadowy figure, The Devil?
No, I know it can't be him. He was a coward to watch someone's demise in the dark. A predator in the dark. Maybe my luck.
The man who had tried to kill me remained a mystery. And what about Ronin? Were they one and the same, or had something else happened to my driver? Had he survived, or had he fallen prey to the mountain lion? Why had I been spared? Was it really the Devil who came to rescue me?
All these questions swirled in my mind, unanswered and unresolved, as once again, I slipped into the darkness.
Letting go of the thoughts, I smiled again. It has been a week after the incident and I am finally joining my college again today. With a final smile at my reflection, I descended the stairs, having a quick breakfast with my dad. Ava was still sleeping, apparently exhausted from her media efforts to salvage the Brown family name. Also during these days, she began to stay back home a lot.
"By tomorrow your bodyguard will be on duty. This time I will look into it," He announced sounding a little serious. But I noticed how he completely ignored the part that Ronin was Ava's recruit and that it may have something to do with my attack. Maybe I was overthinking. Was it? "Meanwhile take Rio with you today, Ana," Dad suggested. Rio was his personal bodyguard and would become mine if I accepted his offer, which meant a certain invasion of my freedom.
"Uh, Dad, no, I can't take a bodyguard to college," I whispered to him, glancing at Rio, who was standing nearby.
"Why not?" Dad frowned, lowering his voice.
"Because, Dad, Rio is..." I leaned closer and spoke quietly, "Huge! And I don't want him following me into the bathroom!"
My dad burst into hearty laughter. For a moment, I worried that Rio might have overheard our embarrassing secret conversation about him. However, when I glanced at him, he remained stoic, displaying no emotions. "Oh, come on, Ana, you know they won't do such a thing. Yet they will do everything that is needed to keep you safe."
"Please," I silently begged my father.
"Alright, fair enough, I can excuse you for a bodyguard at college, but he will be there. Just invisible." he finally conceded, still chuckling. "But remember, Xander will be driving you..."
I pouted. "Daddy, I don't need anyone to escort me to college."
"Ana," his voice took on a warning tone. "After what happened..."
I knew I couldn't win this battle, so I planted a quick kiss on his cheek and bolted from the house, eager to escape before he could issue any further instructions. As I hurried away, I faintly heard him saying something, but by then, I was already out the door.
At least for today, I can enjoy my freedom. Because I know, no matter what, from tomorrow one driver will be driving me from home and a showdown bodyguard all the fucking time. 
My mind flashed back to Lorenzo who has been missing for a few days now. It's been a whole week; he never came to see me, nor did he inquire about me from anyone else. Is he perhaps avoiding me after what happened at the nursing chamber?
If he wishes to end this, I guess I am okay with it. Maybe I will pretend as if this never happened too. After all, we were nothing special. 
I don't know what to think. No matter how hard I try, I always end up comparing him to the Devil. I spent the weekend researching more about the Devil. That night, when he saved me, I saw something more than just his facade. Behind that mask, there was something very familiar. Yet I couldn't quite grasp it.
I stood a few steps away from my house, on the side of the road, waiting for my Uber. There was no way I would take Xander with me. Rio and Xander worked for my father, accompanying him everywhere. From his business trips, be it national or international to society tours around the corner. They were the best in their field.
During my last few encounters with Xander, I realized he was even more intense than Rio. He was a trained super-assassin, a driver, and a bodyguard all rolled into one. If he sensed even the slightest hint of danger, he wouldn't hesitate to take the lead to exterminate the person.
I had no desire for that level of attention. At least for now.
I glanced at my phone, which indicated that my Uber was still eleven minutes away. With Tressa in the garage for repairs, there were no other options. It would be a few more days before I could drive her again. Although there were several cars and drivers at the Brown mansion, none of them were just drivers.
Maybe I could manage my dad to give me someone less... Flashy.
As I waited for the cab, I found myself thinking about that night again. The one where I was wrapped in a metal wire, choking on the brink of death, while a shadowy figure silently observed my struggle before the wild beast intervened. The memory sent a shiver down my spine. What kind of sick, morbid person could do such a thing?
One thing was clear: the Devil wasn't after me to kill me. Instead, I was his prize in this game. He was a psychopath with the body of a god and the mind of an intelligent being. And to top it off, he had a pet mountain lion.
A mountain lion? Seriously? Who keeps them as pets?
Yet, at the same time, I felt thankful for the wild animal that saved me that night. The chilling realization hit me that the Devil might be obsessed with me. 
Nevertheless, letting go of those thoughts, I re-focused, I needed to talk to my dad and explain what was happening in Preston. I was diverted from the discussion before but I know he will listen to me. I trusted him implicitly. I knew that he would choose the path of justice, regardless of the fact that Oliver was Russo's favourite cousin.
Many lives were now depending on him. On his judgment. Much justice is pending, due.
I couldn't forget how Lorenzo had been punished and suspended from the college, despite being entirely innocent. I couldn't fight for him then, but now, I was determined to make things right for everyone who had suffered. How others like him, Hardin, Miley and Olivia had suffered. 
One day I surely will bring them justice.
Suddenly, a loud honk made me jump a little. Ever since that incident on the road, unexpected sounds or sudden movements had a way of making me uneasy. Looking up, I was stunned to realize that the source of the honk.
"Lorenzo?" I gasped frowning.
"Thinking about me, Piccola?" he replied in a way that took me a few seconds to realize he was really here, teasing me like he used to. "Am I shirtless this time or..." He hadn't changed a bit.
Unlikely to my words, I forgot the promise I made just a few seconds ago. No matter what I can't deny the pull. Luckily, he was dressed this time. A brown jacket, brown shirt, and black denim. His helmet hid his face, keeping me from gazing upon his handsome features and not making out in my head.
"Shut up!" I snapped.
"But you were the one who's been missing me, thinking about me all along. Tell me, piccola, is that all a lie?" He asked in his deep, husky tone.
I scoffed. I remember how he ghosted me all this time and his mood swings giving me a whiplash. I understand why he is been called a player. He was really good at it.
At first, he would attract and then he would ghost them. Something Lara informed me on the first day.
I could only stare, struggling to find words to catch up with his questions. "You were gone!"
He chuckled before parking his bike and stepping down. He removed his helmet, revealing his beautiful, handsome face once more. He looked like the kind of man they write about in books, and I couldn't help but be captivated by him. His tall, muscular frame seemed to tower over me, and his charming smile, paired with those hauntingly beautiful eyes, left me feeling enchanted and hypnotized.
At times, it amuses me greatly. Despite standing at a modest five feet and five inches and possessing a well-built frame, I appear remarkably timid in his presence.
"Yes, I've been away for a few days. Some... Urgent work came up," he explained. For the first time, we were having a normal conversation, devoid of teasing.
"A whole week?"
He raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips, taunting me. Mesmerizing as he was, I found myself lost in him once again, my thoughts momentarily drifting away. I cleared my throat, bringing myself back to reality as I clarified, "I-I thought you didn't want to stay in touch after what happened at the nursing..." My voice trailed off. Nervousness gripped me as I faced him. Yet, deep down, I knew that at some point, I had to. "I thought maybe you ghosted me for that reason."
I tried not to look at him. It was hurting. I knew I had feelings for him, but I wasn't sure what exactly he felt for me. Unexpectedly, like a cherry blossom in unforeseen weather, he held my hand, almost whispering, "I am sorry!"
What? He just said sorry? To me?
I stared at him unbelievably as he continued, "I always thought that I was enough to live. But that is until I met you." He looked at me. "I know I was wrong for ghosting you, but there was something more important I needed to take care of, Ana."
Is this an apology?
"But I promise, I won't make this mistake again!"
I wasn't sure what to reply to him, so I just said, "You will. I am not sure if I can handle this situation again... It's too much burden."
I huffed, crossing my arms across my chest and looking away. Instead of offering more consolation, this time he chuckled, inhaling a sharp breath. I looked at him, almost unbelievingly. But his handsome face kept distracting me. We both looked away from each other for a moment.
"Have you missed me terribly, Piccola?"
I flushed, caught red-handed. Lorenzo lived up to his reputation for making girls feel a flurry of emotions in their stomachs, and I was no exception. But I regained control over my emotions. I remember clearly how he chose to play games and... "That's absurd... I wasn't missing..."
Before I could finish my sentence, he took a few steps toward me, closing the distance between us. I gasped at the sudden closeness. He reached for my scarf and unwrapped it from my collar. His eyes fixated on the marks still visible on my throat from my recent ordeal.
"What are you doing?" I whispered. He didn't bother to answer me.
His brows furrowed, and his eyes burned with an unknown fire that seemed capable of scorching the entire earth. I couldn't fathom what had him so worked up. I knew there was nothing to be ashamed of in surviving such an incident, but Ava had been adamant that we keep this under wraps. It took her four whole days to suppress any reports related to it in the media, fearing it could irreparably harm the company. My father had complied.
David had assured me that he was diligently investigating the case and had promised justice.
"I-" As I stammered, trying to explain, Lorenzo didn't look at my eyes. Instead, he kept his gaze fixed on the mark on my neck, his cold knuckles brushing along the edge of my collarbone just below the injury.
I cleared my throat and began, "Uh, this was from last weekend when you were away." I felt my throat dry up as I recounted the horrifying incident of being choked nearly to death. I closed my eyes briefly, trying to shake off the traumatic memories. "But somehow, I survived."
Still, Lorenzo didn't avert his gaze from the red marks on my collar.
"It was a mistake" He murmured.
"What?" I asked furrowing, not understanding the meaning.
But without replying to my question, he asked another taking me by surprise. "Does it still hurt?"
I stammered, "I, uh, no. It doesn't hurt anymore."
He seemed to finally calm down and let go of me. The loss of his touch sent a wave of frustration on my skin. The warmth of his fingers had somehow managed to reach my very nerves, and I found myself yearning for his hands on me again.
"They haven't found the body yet. I think it was a mountain lion that managed to save me," I attempted a joke, accompanied by a nervous smile, but he didn't respond with a smile. I couldn't bring myself to tell him about the Devil yet. I don't know why I wanted him to keep a secret from the world and solve his mystery myself. 
Was I cheating on him?
I don't know. But I feel guilty.
We continued to stare at each other, his eyes filled with an intensity that seemed to cry out for his touch to fill every part of me—the only calm I would ever settle for.
RING-RING
Just as my phone rang, interrupting our intense stare-down, I glanced at the screen and saw that it was my Uber calling. Lorenzo carefully wrapped my scarf back around my neck.
"Uh, I think I will meet you at college... My Uber is..." I began, but Lorenzo interrupted me.
"Cancel him," he stated firmly before striding away to his motorcycle. He retrieved an additional helmet and extended it toward me. "You're coming with me."
"What?" I exclaimed. "N-No, my Uber is here, and I can—"
"I won't repeat myself, Anastasia," he interjected, his tone cold, effectively silencing me. A whirlwind of inquiries stormed within me. Where had he been all this time? Why hadn't he come to see me in the hospital? What was the so-called important work? Was he with Betty? Mia? Did I even hold any significance for him, or was it all just...?
Even though I had initially debated for a few good seconds before accepting his tempting offer, I was still confused about whether his company had intrigued me to tag along or the thrill of the ride itself.
****
Once again, with the howling winds and the adrenaline rush, we had reached the campus. Lorenzo charmingly helped me take off my helmet, giving me a dimpled smile. So soft. So beautiful. At the sight of his genuine smile, my heart somersaulted within my chest, captivated for a fleeting moment by the sincerity it held. Our eyes met and for once it whispered promises that maybe we could be...
"No," I admonished myself, a soft murmur against the wind. I closed my eyes, forcibly detaching myself from the tantalizing thought. He frowned in response due to my sudden withdrawal, but I turned away quietly, intending to make my exit.
He needs to fix his attitude before he gets to claim me.
A/N: What do you think Ana would do next? Clearly, she is intrigued by the Devil but she also has feelings for Lorenzo. Who will end up with Ana? Team Devil or Team Lorenzo? Comment down below. 
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