Nodding his head, Leo casually leaned back against the counter with his arms folded. "Yes,"
"Then I imagine you know how dangerous he is,"
"Depends on who you ask," Leo replies. Even before he stepped foot into Seattle, he has heard Rodrigo's name a few times through word of mouth. He was a known figure because of his ties with the Mexican Cartel.
Before Leo had decided to part ways with the life he once lived, Rodrigo along with his poor excuse of a son was amongst the list of names his counterparts wanted to be eliminated. In a way, Leo felt like all of this was an interesting play of events.
The one woman who managed to pique his interest happened to be engaged to the very son of someone he was ordered to kill.
Sitting on one of the bar stools, Imani found herself eyeing Leo's muscled back and the large colorful designed tattoo that graced the entirety of it, including parts of his arms. Its Asian themed influence sparked curiosity inside of her as her fingers itched to touch it but she was quick to remind herself that wouldn't be wise to act upon her urges.
"My father used to work for him back in the day as a dealer in the streets and he made a lot of money from it which is how he met my mother. His illegal activities provided them with a lavish lifestyle and it became addicting to the point that they went into debt with Rodrigo..." Imani explains, turning her glass filled with water in her hands.
"And when people are in debt with someone like him, it usually means death because he knew no matter how much people pleaded, they'd never be able to repay him what is owed...and that's where I come into all of this."
Licking her lips, Imani let out a deep breath as she shook her head. "Rodrigo told them that he'd let them live under one condition...that they would promise me to be his son's future wife. I was only three when they agreed to it. I've never had a say so in anything I've done Leo. I was raised to be the perfect spouse because of my parent's foolish ways and now I'm stuck,"
"So you've tried to run before?" He guessed out loud, glancing at Imani over his shoulder.
"Of course. I did when I was twenty-one when I had found out the truth about what they had done. I was so close but Jayden had found me hiding out at my aunts and Rodrigo decided to use them as an example...I still remember the look on my mothers face when she saw her sisters limbs hung throughout the tree in our front yard along with her husband and their children,"
Squeezing her eyes shut, Imai tried to push the unwanted memory away but no matter how much she tried, the image would always be at the back of her mind. "Rodrigo had promised if I ran again, he'd do worse to not only my parents but my siblings and their families too - but I shouldn't care. My own flesh and blood gave me up as a pawn and my brother and sister left me out to dry...and I'm the one who has to suffer just so they'll be safe..."
Just thinking about it made her angry. "It's the guilt that's making you stay isn't it?" It was easy for Leo to see what was holding her back because he understood. "They don't deserve your compassion Imani...no matter which way you look at it,"
"Maybe they don't but I have a three old niece now and knowing what Rodrigo is capable of scares me," Plus running would also have her life on the line. Seattle wasn't the only city the Torres controlled.
Turning around to face her, Leo looked her over, taking in her stressed state. The slight bags under her eyes, her bruised cheek, her damp hair hanging over her shoulders, and mix-matched attire showed him just how tired she must feel. It was a problem he wanted to fix.
"Is that why you were hoping your heart would give out before your wedding day?" Leo questions, immediately catching Imai's attention. "You haven't been taking your medicine as you should, hoping that it would speed up the process...am I right?"
Imani's eyes snapped towards Leo in surprise, a bit taking back at his words. "It's sad isn't it? To choose the easy way out but...I just want peace and I can never have that if I stay here," She confesses, sounding defeated.
"Is that what you want, a way out?"
"There isn't any so it doesn't matter," If she ran, her loved ones would surely die and the guilt from that alone would bring her to an early grave before her heart could, and if she stayed, she'd be miserable being married to someone as toxic as Jayden knowing she wouldn't last long. Either way, she looked at it, it was a lose, lose situation.
However, that couldn't be the furthest from the truth and Leo knew this.
"I can help but only if you allow me to," Leo softly offers, silently wishing she'd say yes. The moment she showed up on his doorstep was the moment Imani unknowingly became his top priority.
Whatever she needed...whatever she asked he would oblige.
Traveling around the world because of his old profession, Leo has seen his fair share of women. All shapes, sizes and ethnicities. The type of women that men would kill over just to call them their own. However, that night at the gala when his eyes landed on Imani made him believe that maybe there was a God because only he had the ability to create the type of beauty in front of him.
He was hers and she didn't even know it.
"No Leo. Me coming here is already bad enough. I can't put you in harm's way because of my reckless decisions. You even letting me come here is enough. I really appreciate it," Imani thanks him, grabbing ahold of his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. She watched as he looked at their hands before meeting her gaze, sending a shiver up her spine.
The way this man looks at her sets her body on fire. A sense of warmness flows from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. It was a feeling she's never experienced before.
Until him.
"No harm will ever come to you while you're with me...trust me," While Imani wasn't aware of who Leo is or what he was capable of, she had no clue how true his words were.
Imani softly smiled as she shook her head. "You don't understand Leo..." Imani mumbles, letting her words trail off while unknowingly squeezing his hand tighter. "When he finds me, I-..."
Leo carefully watched Imani visibly shake as thoughts of what Jayden would do once he found her ran rapt through her mind. Especially if he were to find her alone with another man. "I shouldn't have come here. It was stupid. Fuck was I thinking?!" She said to herself standing up, knowing she had to leave before her psychotic ass fiance came searching for her.
Leo was quick to pull her to a stop, gripping her hand to get her attention. "Don't be foolish Imani. You going back to him tonight will only make do much worse. You know this. Stay here tonight and you can leave in the morning,"
"Bu-"
"You'll be safe with me, I promise," Leo reassures her. Still seeing hesitancy in her eyes, he pulled her closer making sure to leave no room between them. Dropping her hand, he cupped her face, forcing her to look at him.
His brown eyes wandered over her face, admiring features he considerate nothing short of perfect. "I got you...alright?"
Imani could only nod as her arms found comfort around his toned waist. This moment reminded her so much of their encounter at the restaurant. The way he held her as she cried. How good it felt when he held her close making her feel safe even for a few seconds.
This man had the ability to easily soothe her soul that has been aching for so long that she knew this feeling was going to become addicting.
Needing to feel more of him, Imani's hands ran up his back and pulled him closer as she laid her head against his chest, breathing in his scent. She felt him place a kiss against her forehead before he held her tightly like he knew she needed, what she deserved.
Imani knew that tomorrow was going to be hell once she came face to face with Jayden. Before she had arrived at Leo's she had disabled her location on her phone but she just couldn't shake the feeling that he'd still find her. He always did.
But for now, she didn't want to think about it. All she wanted was to enjoy being held by a man she knew nothing about but who made her feel so much.
"Come on," Leo says after a few minutes, stepping back and grabbing ahold of her hand to lead Imani upstairs. Turning off the lights behind them, Leo walked up the steps with Imani following close behind. She was quiet and he knew her mind was probably thinking of every type of scenario possible but he was serious when he said that she'd be safe with him.
"I have two guest rooms," He states once they reach the top. "Choose whichever one you'd like,"
Imani eyed the two doors before shifting her gaze towards his opened bedroom door. She knew exactly where she wanted to lay her head tonight. "Your room," She answers hoping he wouldn't question her decision and thankfully he didn't.
As soon as Leo closed his bedroom door, Imani pulled off her sweats and slid underneath his cool sheets with Leo sliding in right behind her. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Leo pulled Imani close instantly feeling her relax against him as he placed a small kiss on her ear before whispering words that would come save her in her most desperate times.
