Chapter 42 Pressure of fear
894words
He stepped in front of Vale. His body tense on the urgency of wanting to protect her and at the same time, the pressure of fear.
Sal obviously knows who is the person in front of them. His fist was tightly clenched on his sides, but the sweat trailing off his neck is a definite give away of what he truly feels.
Vale rolled her eyes mentally, aggravated. She needs to train Sal harder. It looks like he's gonna piss himself off.
She squinted her eyes at the man who stopped them from getting into the car.
His presence is too much to bear.
Vale felt like gripping her hair, annoyed that she had been found. But, upon seeing his face, she had hoped that she was invisible. Which in reality, it's impossible.
'Shoot me!'
She gulped the lump in her throat.
"Fuck off, kid. This is between her and me."
Sal takes a few steps towards him as they both stare hard into each other's eyes.
Vale felt like her breath was stuck in her throat as a panic wave hit her body. She clenched and unclenched her fist, trying to regulate her breathing, trying to calm her nerves.
Thud!
She was about to open her mouth to speak when both of them throw punches at each other.
The crowd was already started crowding them, and she tensed whether to flee from the scene or to stop them.
She pressed her nails on her palm hard, trying to draw her panic somewhere else.
"Ugh!"
Vale broke up from her tensed state when Sal falls down from Keith's kick, and at the same time, her nails pierced her palm.
"Is that all you've got? Huh?"
Sal got up, and Keith was about to deliver his punch when she stepped in and block him, closing her eyes and waiting for the pain, which never comes.
Opening her eyes, she trembled at the fire burning in his eyes.
"Stop this! People are watching..." she whispered weakly at him.
He lowers his hand and looks at her with defiance and disbelief on his face.
"Please," she begged.
"Boss!" Vale sucked a breath hearing Sal calling her that.
Glancing at Keith's hard face hoping he won't be suspicious.
Who is she kidding?
After all, he was a mighty gang leader. His curious eyes were enough to make her knees turn into jelly.
"Leave!"
"Are you deaf?! She said leave-" Sal was about to throw another insult when she interrupted him.
"Sal, leave first. The kids need their food now," she tried to lower her voice, hoping that only Sal could hear her.
"But-"
Vale turned her back to Keith so he wouldn't see her stone-cold face over Sal, signalling that she had said the final as his leader.
His jaw flexed as he gave her a dissatisfied look before he turned to his car, "What are you looking at?! Leave! There's nothing to see here!" he shouted at the crowd before disappearing inside his car.
Vale mentally shook her head at his attitude.
The crowd dispersed as Sal's car zoomed fast down the road.
Taking a deep breath, she turned slowly to face him.
"What are you doing here, Keith?" she asked.
"Why can't I be here, Vale?" he tilted his head while raising his eyebrows.
Her breath hitch as she tried to calm her tense nerves. Again.
He's trying to intimidate her with his overbearing presence as a leader, which leaves her uncomfortable and made her squirm in her own skin.
"If there's nothing else, I'm leaving," she said, turning around.
A swift pair of strong arms circled around Vale as his scent surrounded her and made her want to succumb to his affection. Her back landed on his chest, and she struggled to keep herself from the dangerous longing gnawing on her heart.
His hot breath hit her exposed neck and made Vale released a gasp uncontrollably. His chest rumbles as he chuckles, knowing the effect he had on her.
"I will never let you leave, love," he said with a low voice, tightening his arms when she tried to pry his arms off of her.
"Let me go!" Vale squealed when he lifted her onto his shoulder, "What are you doing? Let me down, right now!" she whisper-yelled at him.
He didn't answer her. Instead, he gripped her thigh as a warning and made Vale whimpered in pain and fear.
Her face turns red when she realized that people were looking at them. She bit her lip as she cursed Keith again and again on her head.
Without realizing it, her fist landed on his back hard, earning her a groan from his mouth.
A smirk slipped into her face, "Put me down right this instant, you beast! I'm wearing a goddam skirt!" she whisper-yelled at him with clenched teeth.
He stopped.
Vale was about to shout in victory when she felt his hands moving up and down her thigh and made her already red face feels impossibly hot. She groaned in protest when her body grew hot at his action.
'Wake up, vale! This is fucking public harassment!'
"Keith-!" she tried to warn him only realizing that a moan had slipped out from her mouth.
'I'll make sure his hands pay for that!'
