The sun was shining brightly as Dmitri and Evan walked down the quiet street. Dmitri was dressed casually, a face cap pulled low over his head, while Evan still wore his white lab coat.
With a weary sigh, Evan trailed behind him, muttering under his breath. He really called me out for this?
He'd been in the middle of something important when Dmitri phoned, saying he needed to meet urgently—only to end up here, walking aimlessly under the sun.
He sighed again, pushing his glasses halfway down and pinching the bridge of his nose.
Hearing yet another sigh, Dmitri turned his head slightly, a small smirk curling his lips. He actually looks cute in those glasses, he thought.
"You're making it sound like I forced you," Dmitri said finally, slowing his pace. "I just wanted someone to walk with. And you're the first person that came to mind. You know Nik's busy."
Evan raised an eyebrow, adjusting his lenses. "And you think I'm not?"
Dmitri chuckled softly. "If you were that busy, you wouldn't have come."
He flashed him a small, knowing smile, while Evan could only roll his eyes in defeat.
They continued walking until they arrived at a cozy coffee shop. As soon as they stepped in, a pretty young lady behind the counter gave Evan a noticeable glance, which Dmitri didn't miss.
They picked a table by the glass wall and sat down. The woman approached, taking their orders with a warm, charming smile. She started with Dmitri, then turned to Evan, lingering just a moment longer before walking away.
Dmitri smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Hey… she's interested in you."
Evan didn't respond, pulling out his phone instead.
" Don't tell me you're still moody. I'm even buying you a meal," Dmitri teased, but Evan remained silent.
Shifting gears, Dmitri asked, "So… how's everything at the hospital?"
Evan finally put his phone down. "Everything was fine… until I got a call from someone."
Dmitri glanced sideways, pretending to look guilty, which made Evan laugh softly.
After a few seconds, the lady returned with their meals. They started eating, chatting casually, and Evan's mood slowly brightened.
The calm was interrupted when a group of teenagers burst into the shop, laughing and talking loudly. One of them accidentally bumped into their table, spilling Evan's coffee across his pants.
"Oh, sorry, sir!" the teen said immediately.
"It's fine," Evan replied, holding back frustration.
Dmitri raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? That coffee's hot."
"I'll be fine," Evan said, standing. "I'll just clean up in the restroom."
Dmitri nodded as Evan walked away, watching him go with a faint smile.
**************
"Let's go, we're done here," Maddox said, holding a pack stuffed with money.
Ash, leaning against the wall, let out a long sigh before following him. "Can't you do anything without using your fists?" he muttered, not looking at where he was going. He accidentally bumped into Maddox, jamming his nose into the back of Maddox's head.
"Ah! Why did you stop like that?" Ash exclaimed.
Maddox turned, fixing Ash with a piercing gaze. Ash met it with the same cold glare.
They were roughly the same height, though Maddox was slightly more muscular. Still, it didn't intimidate Ash.
"You've been doing this crap for months, and you're still crying over a few punches I threw? Pathetic," Maddox sneered.
Ash's glare didn't falter. Maddox smirked, leaning closer to place a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Want to fight?"
Then, removing his hand, he pointed a finger at Ash's chest. "We've been assigned to collect from a new house.So prepare that pathetic heart of yours — Onething's for sure I won't stop punching those idiots."
Annoyed, Ash slapped Maddox's hand away. Maddox just laughed and walked off.
Ash sighed, continuing to follow behind him until Maddox paused and bowed his head slightly. "Sir Dmitri," he said, acknowledging the presence of their boss.
Without answering him, Dmitri passed Maddox and moved in front of Ash. He removed his face cap,the sunlight hitting his red hair, making it shine even brighter. With his brightest smile, Dmitri said, "Hello, Ashley."
Maddox froze, still bowing his head, completely puzzled by the sudden display of charm. Ash blinked, caught off guard, feeling the warmth of Dmitri's presence and that smile.
Pushing his hair back with his fingers, Ash said, "Boss, I'll start thinking you're following me."
With a teasing smirk, Dmitri replied, "I was thinking of doing that, but today—it was all fate." He then turned slightly and pointed toward a nearby coffee shop. Ash followed his gaze.
"You see," Dmitri continued, "I was at that coffee shop over there when I saw you."
Ash frowned slightly. "So why did you leave your coffee and come here?"
Dmitri stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Reaching out, he gently brushed away a loose strand of hair from Ash's face, his fingers barely grazing his skin. The soft touch made Ash's heart skip—his cheeks warming slightly despite himself.
"I wanted to ask," Dmitri said with a faint smile, his voice lowering, "if you've thought about my offer—to be my bodyguard."
That statement made Maddox, who stood behind them, glance up in shock.
Seeing how close they were, Ash took a step back,he said, "You already know my answer."
But Dmitri didn't back off. Instead, he took another step forward, standing close enough that Ash could see the reflection of the sun in his emerald eyes.
"Why make it a big deal?" Dmitri murmured. "It's not like I'm asking for something impossible."
Ash was about to reply when a familiar voice interrupted.
"Dmitri, what are you doing here?" Evan's voice called out as he walked toward them. "That lady said you left the shop." His eyes flickered toward Ash, scanning him curiously before settling back on Dmitri.
**************
📝 Author's Note 💌
Hey everyone 👋
It's been a while since we last wrote something 😫. We just wanted to thank everyone who's added the novel to their library — and a special thanks to @Charo_3272 for the power stones! Your support means a lot to us 🫶🥹. We hope you're all enjoying how the story is going so far!
Xoxo,
QuillQueens ✍️💕