Author's POV:
Dane started his car and made a U-turn to get back to college.
Suddenly Erin ran towards the car, opened the door of the passenger side and jumped in, feeling rebellious, she turned to Dane and gave him a high-five.
On the other side, Carl turned red with madness. He kicked his car while Erin stuck out her window and yelled at him excitedly.
"Don't worry Valenti. I'll be back soon. Drive save. Have a nice dayyyyyyyy." She kissed her hand and waved at Carl hysterically.
Dane also felt thrilled remembering the old days when she was with them. Then reality hit him. "What if psychopath Valenti shot him or worse kidnapped him to torture!" He felt goosebumps all over his body.
"Don't worry you'll be fine. He is a nice guy." She patted his arm and started laughing at the face he was making after hearing her. "Alright fine... maybe he'll shoot you." Dane's eyes widened. "But don't worry I'll take that bullet for you." She was smiling from ear to ear.
"Is it too late to drop you back at the food truck?"
"Hahahahahaha maybe."
"As if both signorino and master Carl were not enough, now you have also gone mad." Dane quietly murmured.
.
At college, Dane gave the paper bag to Vin who kicked him a few times for being late. He just makes a face of irritation, only if his boss knew how he got the medicine.
Erin was hiding while holding a glass of smoothie that Dane gave her earlier.
After getting dismissed by Vin, he came back to her. They were following their young master when their eyes widened to witness Vin who stopped in front of a.... girl. They both exchanged looks.
"Is she a celebrity or a model?" Dane whispered while trying to take a close look at her. "I don't think I saw her in any beauty pageant." He was saying but Erin recognized her, she was the same girl from earlier this morning.
They were talking, actually only the young master was speaking, the girl just raised her head to look at him. He was ordering her to do something, she just remains as she was before. She was obviously busy and Vin disturbed her.
They were so engrossed in the scene that they didn't even notice what's going on around them.
"Hey Dane, where did you get this smoothie?" She asked while taking a sip.
"I bought this for Signorino earlier. He was mad at me and Rob so he didn't take it. You can have it." Dane replied while eating the snacks he bought for himself.
"What the...!" Their mouths fell open when Vin sat on one knee.
Someone pat Erin's shoulder but she ignores it. Then something poked at Dane's head, at first he tried to ignore it but then he heard something.
Click!
They both were too familiar with that specific tiny click sound. They both raised their hands in the air, and started to turn slowly forgetting the scene they were enjoying before.
Erin narrowed her hazel eyes and tried to steal the gun, but the opponent was swift. Before she could do anything the guy pulled her by her wrist, turned her around and put his one arm around her soft neck. He pointed at Dane with his gun.
"Hey E...Erin?" Dane stammered.
"Valenti don't!"
"Do you really think you can run from me?" A light but cold voice came to her ear.
"Master Carl... Have mercy?" Dane almost cried out.
"Don't worry Dane, he's not gonna hurt you." She assured him.
"Really?" Carl sounds amused. He tightened up his grip around her neck, choking her a little.
"Erin! Mr. Valenti?" Dane looked back and forward, and didn't seem to know what to do.
She smiled, brought the straw to her mouth and took a sip of smoothie. Dane was surprised to see her, she was still holding that damn glass, she didn't even spill it.
'Come on man there's a cold-blooded psycho holding a gun at the freaking head of mine.' Dane was this close to losing his mind.
"How did you find us?" She asked calmly while expanding the straw a little before offering a sip to Carl. Dane's eyes widened when he actually took a sip and... smiled?
"It wasn't so hard. As soon as I came, I saw two idiots hiding behind a tree, peeking and whispering. You both were way too obvious." He smirked.
As soon as she heard the word peeking, she elbowed Carl but not too hard and looked at Vin who was now... holding the hand of the girl? What the hell!
"I didn't think that she was so easy." She murmured.
"She's not." Carl stated behind her "Look closely."
Erin looked again. Vin was wrapping up the girl's hand. "Is he trying to..?"
"That's what it looks like." Carl said while keeping his eyes on Vin and the girl. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"H...hey ... E... Erin?" Dane stammered. Hearing his voice, she turned around and was surprised.
Freaking Carl was still pointing his gun at poor Dane's face. She tried to take the gun out of his hand politely, but he didn't let go. So she glared at him.
"Are you going to shoot him?" She was holding the hand that held the gun.
"Yes."
"Okay." She let his hand go. Carl looked at her, a little confused.
"Go on, shoot him." She challenged.
"Wh-what!!" Dane was having a nervous breakdown. While Carl and Erin were busy doing a staring competition.
"Erin, what are you doing? I thought we were friends! Why are you encouraging him? Have you changed your mind? You said that if he tried to kill me... you would take that damn bullet!"
Drop!
Dane sat stupefied. Carl just dropped his... gun? What just happened? He didn't even glance at Dane. He was just glaring at Erin. Dane thought if psychopath Valenti had laser beam eyes Dr. Erin would be burned to ashes right now.
Not just Carl, Erin also didn't spare a glance at Dane. He felt a little out of the place.
"Haven't I told you, Dane? Mr. Valenti is a nice guy." She said pointedly.
Suddenly something happened, Carl grabbed her by the neck. 'Is he going to choke her? Again! For accusing him for being a nice guy!? How terrifying!' Dane thought but instead of choking, Carl hugged her. But his hug was way too tight that he almost choked her. 'Great!' Dane rolled his eyes at them.
It's like one of those moments when you don't want to see but you can't take your eyes off, instead you end up watching everything, even the minor details.
Dane finally shifted his eyes from them and saw something more interesting. He pulled out his cell phone and started recording a video.
"Erin, look!"
Signorino and the girl were bickering over something. Three pairs of eyes were looking from behind the tree.
Slap!
Their eyes widened.
Crazy Vin slapped the girl's hand!
Now the girl would run away while crying and shouting.
"Aaaahhhhhhh!"
They heard the not-so-manly, ear piercing scream coming out from Vin's mouth.
That girl freaking pinched him. Sweet!
"Where's my snack?" Dane was still filming the video so Erin had to put the snack into his mouth, and received a glare from Carl so she put a cheeto in his mouth as well as if that's the reason behind his glaring.
"Should we go help or stay back and watch!" She asked without even moving an inch.
"Ragazza selvaggia... I like it. It's like a match made in some kind of mad heaven. Haha!" He looked so happy that both Erin and Dane unconsciously moved away from him.
"I'm gonna ask Robbie to do a background check on this girl. Even though her face is not showing clearly in the video. It's okay, I'll follow her later and click her photos."
"Alright. But don't tell anyone in the Lucchese mansion about her."
"When Robert did her background check, tell him to send the info to me."
Dane didn't say anything, Erin just nod at him to do as Carl asked because she too wanted to know about the girl.
"Look! Why's that girl grabbing her stuff?"
"Maybe she's mad at young master."
"Let's see if my crazy cousin can make her stop."
They both stood up, Vin gave her the bandage after saying something, obviously he sucks at doing anything good and useful. Dane rolled his eyes.
That girl did the dressing herself using her good hand while Vin was watching her movements with stars in his eyes.
"What a joke! Dumbest guy ever!"
Both Dane and Erin just nodded in agreement.
Vin ended up tying the dressing without breaking her hand. Who said miracles don't happen? Then he took a pen and wrote something on her hand.
"Don't tell me he's going to write 'Get well soon!'"
Then Vin took a step back.
Dane chuckled. "Now he's going to do the thing."
"What thing?"
"Just look for yourself." Erin smiled.
Vin just turned and walked away. Carl was a little lost. Then he turned back. The girl was smiling to herself while looking at her bandaged hand.
"Now he's gonna flatter her by just standing and looking handsome."
He did as Dane anticipated but he did a little extra. He mouthed something to her.
Three pairs of eyes were looking at crazy Vin intently.
"Get. Well. Soon." He mouthed and finally left.
Now the same pairs of eyes turned to the other side expecting a reaction. The girl first didn't do anything but then... she smiled brightly.
"Maybe she charmed our Signorino with that beautiful smile."
Erin just nodded, totally agreeing with Dane.
Carl agreed too. Her smile reminds him of someone too. Then he turned to Erin who was also smiling brightly while looking at the girl who was busy admiring her dressed hand. He stared and realized that the girl reminded him of Erin. Now he knew, she definitely charmed crazy Vin with her smile.
"Let's see what our famous self-indulgent Vin Lucchese can do for a beauty's smile." Carl murmured to himself and smirked in upcoming anticipation.
****