Chapter 60 – The Claim

Mannie’s POV

I shifted back. My heart was filled with suspicion, and a small frown appeared on my face.

“Who would be willing to save me?” I thought inwardly, trying to rack my brain. I didn’t think I was anything special.

If possible, I felt more insecure than I actually appeared.

While I was still wondering who could be the one helping me, my waist was suddenly grasped from behind.

“Who dares to mess with my woman?!”

My body jumped, startled by the sudden voice beside my ear.

The beating paused, and even the howling thugs could only whimper, not daring to make a noise in front of Dominic.

I turned my head slightly. His hold was firm but not painful, his hand resting against my waist like it had always belonged there. His scent — clean, masculine, familiar, filled my nose and made my stomach twist in confusion.

The air around him felt heavy, almost dangerous. His calm eyes carried a kind of rage that made even the boldest thug shiver.

Dominic waved his hand, and one of the stoic bodyguards immediately brought the leader forward.

“You’ve got guts,” he said coldly.

What followed next was the sound of bones breaking and a howl that pierced the air.

I shivered and swallowed, my heart thumping against my chest. My palms grew sweaty as I watched Dominic twist the attacker’s wrist with a sharp crack.

The thug screamed and fell to the ground, holding his arm.

Dominic turned to me, his expression unreadable. He pulled a small gun from his jacket and shoved it gently into my trembling hands.

“Show them you won’t be prey,” he said.

My heart hammered. I could hear the thump-thump my heart made as I held the gun that weighed a ton. It was like holding a brick made of fear.

My breath hitched. My fingers trembled. My mind went blank, and I couldn’t even think, let alone do anything.

Everything inside me screamed no.

I shoved the gun back to him and, out of blind panic, I kicked him. My foot landed on his shin, not hard enough to hurt him much, but enough to make me gasp at what I had just done.

Then I turned and fled.

Tears burned my eyes again. I felt that everyone was bullying me today. Why did today just go this way? Couldn’t I just live a normal life?

The thoughts kept flooding my head. I didn’t even know where I was running to until I came face to face with a wall.

I stumbled, my knees hitting the dirty ground. The pain barely registered. I fell forward, my hands scraping against rough cement, and before I knew it, sobs burst out of me.

I cried hard. The kind of crying that came from deep inside, the kind that hurt.

All the frustration, the fear, the anger — everything — poured out. My chest heaved as I hugged myself and buried my face against my arms.

“I just wanted a normal day,” I muttered between sobs. “Just one normal day.”

My voice cracked. It hurt to even breathe.

A voice inside my head suddenly spoke to me. I didn’t know where it came from, but it sounded like my own thoughts whispering back.

“But… he actually helped me.”

“Yeah. But I kicked him.” I sniffed, biting my lip as I sat on the cold floor in contemplation.

“Sigh! Now, I need to apologize,” I whispered to myself.

I rubbed my face with both hands and took a shaky breath. My eyes were sore, and my cheeks felt sticky with tears. I glanced down at my clothes and patted them. Luckily, they weren’t stained. It was surprising, considering the floor was filthy.

I didn’t think much of it. I just wanted to get up and leave before more trouble found me.

I stood and brushed the dust off my legs. My knees stung, but I ignored the pain. My heart still raced, but I forced myself to move.

I needed to find Dominic before he left. I still needed the money. He was my sponsor, after all. Whatever contract we had wasn’t over yet.

And honestly… I didn’t want to end things like this — with me running away again.

I walked quickly toward the direction where his car had been parked earlier. The road ahead shimmered slightly in the afternoon light, and I could already see his tall figure near the car, speaking with one of his men.

The moment I saw him about to enter the car, I sped up. My slippers slapped against the pavement as I ran.

With my stupid eyes on top of my head, I failed to notice the small stone on the ground, just a few steps away from Dominic.

My foot caught it.

I stumbled.

“Ah!”

I tripped, falling hard on my knees. Pain shot up my legs, and I winced, trying to steady myself.

A blush rose on my face, burning hot. Embarrassment flooded me.

I kept my head down, not wanting to look up at him. I felt so small, so foolish.

But then I saw it — a faint dirt stain on his trouser leg. My heart sank. That must have been from when I kicked him earlier.

Without thinking, I reached out and used my hand to dust it off, still keeping my head bowed. My voice came out soft, almost trembling.

“I’m sorry. A lot happened today, and I just panicked and fled,” I said.

Silence.

The sound of my heartbeat filled my ears as I hesitated. I wanted to ask him if he had come for me — if he just happened to be passing by or if he had actually come looking.

But the question stuck in my throat.

I didn’t think I was someone worth his attention. So I didn’t bother asking. My gaze dropped to the ground.

“You came for me… thank you,” I whispered, my voice still shaky. “Are you hurt?”

I slowly raised my head to look at him.

That was when I noticed a dark stain on his knuckles, blood maybe and even his immaculate suit had some parts rumpled and smeared with dirt. My chest tightened at the sight.

I quickly looked away.

His eyes softened for a brief heartbeat before turning hard again.

“In this world, you survive by striking first. Remember that,” he said quietly. Then his tone dropped lower, almost like a warning and a promise mixed together. “Only I can bully you.”

My breath caught. His words rolled through me, strange and warm and terrifying all at once.

Using one hand, he lifted me up from my knees.

I had completely forgotten that I was still kneeling.

My eyes widened into round saucers as I looked at him. He had lifted me like I weighed nothing.

“Am I really that light?” I muttered out loud without thinking, a small frown appearing on my face.

Dominic’s lips twitched. Then he chuckled, the sound low and genuine.

For a moment, I forgot everything — the alley, the pain, the humiliation. His laughter broke through the tension like sunlight breaking through clouds.

He didn’t understand why that small thing bothered me. He probably didn’t know why women hated being seen as either too light or too fat. But somehow, his amused look made me feel less pathetic.

Then —

Ring! Ring!

The sound of his phone broke the small silence between us. His smile faded instantly. A frown appeared on his face the moment he saw the caller’s name flash on the screen.

He swiped across the phone and lifted it to his ear.

“Hello, Granddad,” he said, his deep voice calm but slightly strained.

The voice that came from the phone was loud enough that I could hear it clearly.

“Yo! Your cousin is here. Bring over your preggo girlfriend!” the old man boomed.

My heart stopped.

I felt my world tilt at the way Dominic’s grandfather viewed me.

Preggo girlfriend?

A surge of electricity rushed through me. I shivered. My palms turned clammy.

I wanted to step away from Dominic, feeling like I had done something wrong just by standing there and hearing that.

Before I could move, his arm around my waist tightened, pulling me closer.

“Huh?” My eyes widened. My mind scrambled to process what was happening. When did he even put his hand there?

I looked up, confusion plain on my face. Question marks practically floated above my head.

He didn’t answer immediately. He only ended the call, his thumb sliding across the screen before lowering the phone.

I could hear my heart drumming against my ribs.

My eyes darted around, hoping no one had seen that scene — me in his arms, his grandfather calling me his girlfriend. But when I looked properly, I realized something strange.

There was no one else around.

The large expanse of road that had been full of people earlier was now empty. The air was still. Even his bodyguards, who had been there before, were nowhere to be seen.

“Damn, they move so silently,” I thought, swallowing.

Then I felt his heavy stare.

I turned, slowly, and met Dominic’s eyes.

He had just finished his call and was now looking straight at me, his gaze unreadable but steady.

“Um…” I started, trying to find words, to tell him I couldn’t go anywhere with him right now, that I needed to go home. But he cut me off before I could even form a full sentence.

“You will follow me back home,” he said firmly. “My grandfather and cousin want to see you.”

My mouth opened slightly, but no words came.

“Can I not meet them?” I whispered, my voice small and hesitant.

“You have to,” Dominic replied, his voice low and unyielding.

His eyes held mine, steady and certain, and I felt a strange chill run through me, not from fear though, but from the power in his tone.

For a moment, the world felt like it had stopped spinning. The sounds, the air and even my breath seemed to pause.?