Chapter 69
Wait, isn’t he supposed to be at the office? How did Tobias just pop up out of nowhere?
Tobias moved like lightning-clean and precise. In less than ten seconds, the four punks were all on the floor, moaning and squirming at her feet like they just got run over.
“Bro… it hurts… so bad p>
“Same here p>
“He’s gotta be a pro… went straight for our weakest spots. Just one punch, but it feels worse than a full-on beatdown p>
“I think I’m dying… someone call an ambulance… I might still make it if they hurry p>
Most diners had already cleared out of the restaurant. The servers huddled off to the side, staring in awe as Tobias stood there like a living storm-cool, sharp, and utterly untouchable.
“That was like a scene straight out of an action movie p>
“For real, and he’s insanely hot too p>
One of the waitresses practically had hearts in her eyes, totally swooning.
Amid the gasps and whispers, Tobias stepped forward, long legs moving with that calm, confident rhythm that drew every eye. The fierceness he showed earlier vanished, replaced by a gentle gaze as he looked at Lisette. “Are you hurt anywhere p>
Lisette shook her head. “No, you got here just in time. Thank you p>
She blinked. “But how come you’re here p>
Then she noticed Tobias’s gaze had shifted-his expression got darker, and he was giving her a weird look.
She instinctively reached up to touch her face. “Why are you looking at me like that p>
The way he looked at her got even stranger.
She started to feel a little creeped out. Remembering his major germophobia, she grabbed a disinfectant towel from the table and offered it to him. “Here, you just knocked out four guys. Wipe your hands p>
He didn’t take it. Instead, his eyes landed on the extra set of tableware across from her. His brow furrowed. “You were meeting someone p>
Lisette nodded. “Yeah, a classmate invited me out for a meal p>
Still seeing the towel untouched, she reached over and gently grabbed his hand, cleaning each finger one by one. Honestly, his hands were stunning-long fingers, smooth skin, almost like they were carved from marble.
These were the same hands that just saved her.
In the background, the punks were still groaning dramatically, proof of how much damage they’d taken from those very hands.
Her little gesture of cleaning his fingers shifted the mood entirely. What had been tense and dangerous now felt full of secret sparks and subtle flirtation.
And of course… someone just had to ruin it.
Owen was still completely freaked out from Tobias’s earlier takedown. The man looked like he walked right out of a mafia flick. And oh yeah, Owen was already sore all over from the slapdown Lisette gave him earlier. Hearing the injured punks crying only made his own bruises ache more.
God, if Tobias landed even two punches on him, he’d be ICU-bound for sure.
Shivering involuntarily, Owen jumped in quickly, blurting out, “Hi there, buddy! I’m the classmate Lisette was meeting. That’s me p>
He could feel the wave of rejection coming off Tobias in waves-it was like standing in a freezer.
Panicked that he might be mistaken for one of the thugs, Owen added quickly, “We’re really close! Like, we go way back, stuck in the same boat kinda deal p>
Basically: Please don’t beat me up.
At that moment, he felt incredibly lucky to be Lisette’s signed talent. Having a shared interest with her might literally save his life today.
Otherwise? He might be leaving this place on a stretcher.
Lisette: p>
Buddy, two minutes ago you were pretending you didn’t even know me, now you wanna act all tight with me? Seriously?
“A guy like you, switching sides faster than flipping pancakes-didn’t you just say you and your mom were like, still sharing an umbilical cord and you’d never take my side? Now suddenly we’re ’tied together’? Owen, you got no shame or what p>
Owen let out a sheepish chuckle, totally unfazed. “You’re both super important to me p>
Lisette raised an eyebrow, eyes cold. “Okay then, real talk-if your mom and I both fell into a lake, who’d you save first p>
Owen flinched like he’d been hit right in the knee. Do we really have to go there p>
“Hmm p>
Yeah, she’s pushing. Who told him to act like it was none of his business earlier? He just stood there watching like it was a drama-Lisette doesn’t let that stuff slide.
Tobias’ mood darkened by the second. Owen, sensing the danger from this walking blender of a man, shot upright and hollered, “My mom knows how to swim! So obviously, I’d save you first p>
Lisette shot him a side-eye. “Yeah, sure. Totally believe you p>
“For real!” Owen held up four fingers. “I swear on all four of these p>
“You fraud. Not buying it p>
Meanwhile, Tobias just stared at the woman who had put on his tie that morning. Now she was chatting away with another man like nothing. His gaze grew darker, stormier, unreadable.
Lisette, done dealing with Owen’s antics, turned back to Tobias’ hand, switching to his other as she gently wiped it clean. Out the corner of her eye, she caught the four punks trying to sneak off.
“You think we’re done talking?” she called out, voice like ice.
They froze, stiff as boards, clutching their stomachs and awkwardly turning back, full of regret.
Lisette had always been the spoiled, lazy type. She’d rather lie down than sit, and sit than stand. That morning’s chaos? Way too much movement for her. Sure, she got Owen under control-but she was exhausted.
She tugged Tobias down to sit and kept wiping his fingers as she asked casually, “So. Who sent you p>
The goons looked at each other, faces twitching. “Well… there are certain rules in our line of work… we really can’t say p>
Lisette leaned back in her chair, smiled lazily. “Oh? If it’s that hard, I guess… it’s possible p>
Before they could exhale in relief, her gaze sharpened. “Only catch is, you’re done. Blacklisted, off the streets p>
That landed like a punch to the face. The four thugs stared at her, confused-but then almost laughed. What could this pretty college girl possibly do to ruin them? People talked big all the time. Nothing new.
Lisette caught the look in their eyes. She smiled lazily. “Cripple you, and poof-bye-bye street cred p>
Them: p>
Girl seriously needed to chill!
Then she tossed out the bait. “Spill the truth. How much did she pay you? I’ll give you five times that p>
“Five p>
The guys couldn’t hide the flash of greed.
Three of the gang nudged their leader, practically ignoring the pain. “Dude, did you hear that? FIVE TIMES p>
The blonde thug groaned, “Yeah, I heard you the first time p>
Money talks. His brothers’ burning stares had him tossing all the so-called ’code’ of their job right out the window.
“I dunno her name,” he said. “She called last night offering a lowball price, we turned her down. But around 9 this morning, she rang us again-offered two grand. Wanted us to beat you up, mess up your face if possible p>
“And once the cash hit, we came straight here p>
As Tobias listened, his aura turned ice-cold.
“That’s it! Straight-up jealousy, plain and ugly!” Owen slammed the table and stood up. “She can’t stand how pretty Lisette is, wants to wreck her face. That chick must be hideous p>
As soon as he finished, a chill ran from the base of his skull down his spine.
It felt like some monster had just locked onto him.