"No!" Elias's voice broke through the chaos, distant yet desperate amidst the screams and cries. The gunshot echoed in her ears, and Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut, ready to take the hit.
But before she could feel the searing pain of the bullet, a strong hand grabbed her wrist, yanking her urgently. She collided with a firm, warm body, the mild scent of sandalwood awakening her paralyzed senses.
The bullet that was fired in her direction hit the clock on the wall by the counter. Nearby customers screamed and ducked for cover, as did Elias, his terror-filled eyes fixed on Evelyn.
"Are you alright?" Zevian's deep, husky voice breathed new life into her, shaking her out of her daze. Evelyn opened her eyes, confused and breathless.
Before she could process what was happening, Zevian pulled her even closer, shielding her with his body as he ducked. They squatted down as the attackers continued firing, and the man guarding Kiana instinctively pushed their table up, using it as a makeshift barrier against the barrage of bullets.
"Daddy!" Kiana's cries grew louder as she looked at Zevian. Freeing herself from John, her bodyguard/chauffeur's arms, she moved closer to Zevian, who quickly pulled her into a protective hug with his other free hand.
Evelyn's eyes quickly searched for Elias in the chaos, and a sigh of relief escaped her lips when she saw him ducked beneath a table with two other refugees.
"I won't skip school again!" Kiana murmured, her words accompanied by choking sobs. She finally understood the danger John always warned about when she sneaked out alone and swore never to do it again.
Zevian kissed the top of her head and patted her back, attempting to comfort her. He couldn't be angry, not when her sneaking out this time had given him a chance to meet someone again, someone special in such a filmy way. He thought, his eyes softening as they fell on Evelyn beside him.
"John and I will fight them. Stay with her, okay?" he said, ushering Kiana toward Evelyn. Evelyn quickly embraced the little girl as the two men stood up.
Evelyn rubbed Kiana's back and comforted her as the trembling little lamb clung closer to her. 'So that's why she looked familiar,' Evelyn thought, hoping Zevian would be safe. She knew he was a great fighter and had witnessed it during one of their dates years ago, but her heart still pounded hard, the sound of guns bringing back her agonizing childhood memories.
Zevian's gentle demeanor shattered the moment he got up, his expression darkening like that of a devil. One of the shooters stumbled back as he saw him, fully aware of who he was. His mates' expressions also changed, shock filling their eyes as Zevian calmly rolled up his sleeves and walked in their direction.
"Why the fuck is he here?" one of them grumbled, his hand trembling in panic. He pointed the gun at Zevian but couldn't dare to pull the trigger. Only a fool would shoot the richest man in the country, one whose connections spread far and wide in the underworld.
John quickly fought the other two attackers who had marched at him, his strong hands twisting their wrists, forcing them to drop their guns. Unlike him, Zevian took his sweet time to stand right in front of the other attacker, one who had fired at Evelyn earlier. He stopped just a few inches away from the gun, his hands casually tucked inside his pockets as if being kind enough to let the man shoot him.
Zevian extended his palm, demanding the attacker hand over the gun with his eyes. The man gulped, his mind racing, unsure if he should just shoot himself or allow Zevian to do the deed. But as Zevian's expression darkened, he quickly passed the gun.
"Who sent you here?" Zevian inquired, checking the last bullet left in the pistol.
"We were on our own! We attacked for money!" the young mob lied, almost pissing his pants when Zevian suddenly pointed the gun at his head.
Zevian raised an eyebrow and placed his forefinger on the trigger. "You should do a background check on your targets before blindly falling for money."
His words left the man gasping in shock. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, not expecting this devil to catch it in the chaos. He glanced at the table behind which their target was hiding, his mind forming theories before his eyes popped wide in realization.
No way! Did they just attack Zevian's secret woman? He wondered, wide-eyed, recalling how Zevian had pulled that woman when all he was trying to do was bruise her shoulder and scare her as per the orders.
"W-we were sent just to scare her, sir! Please leave us! Please!" One of his mates, suffering under John's kicks, answered instead, his wrenching cry following as John kicked him hard in the stomach.
Zevian sighed, running a hand through his hair, annoyed at being interrupted by the officers. He simply nodded, ordering John to let them handle it from here as he could always find these rats later, even if they escaped the cops.
The crowd that had stopped at the commotion slowly dispersed as the cops started restricting the area, while the people inside the shop heaved long sighs of relief, slowly emerging from their hiding spots.
Many, specifically women, couldn't help but squeal as Zevian walked back with John following him. While a few quickly recognized him, many envied Evelyn holding Kiana for catching such a cool husband.
Elias ran to Evelyn's table, and so did John from the other side. He removed the table shielding his little miss and threw it aside, making room for his boss. Kiana broke from Evelyn's arms and pounced on Zevian as he squatted down to check on them.
"Are you okay?" Both Elias and Zevian asked in unison, their concern directed at Evelyn, who looked like a frightened mess.
"Let me get some water," Elias said, and Evelyn nodded, fighting to stay calm.
Memories of her kidnapping when she was six replayed in Evelyn's mind, her mother's petite figure being shot with bullets by the kidnapper with a jagged scar running across his right cheek. The pain, the cries, all flooded back in a torrent, making it hard to breathe. Her chest tightened, her vision blurred, and she felt the familiar, suffocating grip of a panic attack closing in on her.
Zevian's face darkened with worry as he watched Evelyn's expression turn paler. Her breaths came in short, rapid gasps, her eyes brimming with tears. "Evelyn?" he called softly, his voice breaking through her spiraling chaos.
She looked up at him, her eyes unfocused, the monsters in her head growing stronger and more brutal. Tears slowly streamed down her, and she moved closer, seeking solace in his arms, the only place that felt safe.
"Get me out of here. Please!" Evelyn begged, her voice barely audible as she buried her face into the crook of his shoulder, her tears soaking into his shirt.
Without hesitation, Zevian instinctively picked her up in his arms. "Bring Dr. Mike to my home." He ordered to John before walking out of the mess.
"Did we finally find my mommy?" Kiana wondered, looking at John who was equally stunned to see his boss carry a woman. "I think we did!" Kiana mused, her face lighting up with a smile.