The gang closed in, their laughter echoing through the dimly lit street. One of them kicked an empty bottle, the clattering sound bouncing against the walls and filling the silence.
Adesuwa's pulse raced, but she masked it with a sharp glare. Pride wouldn't let her show fear, not to these lowlifes. Still, her grip on Daniel's arm betrayed her nerves.
Daniel didn't move. He stood tall, his face unreadable, like a statue rooted to the ground. Only his eyes betrayed him—dark, steady, carrying something far more dangerous than his ragged clothes suggested.
The leader swaggered closer, tilting his head. "You look brave for a beggar. But tell me—what happens when brave beggars get their bones broken?"
Daniel's gaze didn't shift. "You'll find out before I do."
The words were quiet, but they landed heavy. The man blinked, caught off guard, then forced a laugh to hide it. "You've got a mouth, I'll give you that."
The others chuckled, though it sounded less certain now.
Adesuwa's eyes darted between them. She wanted to demand that Daniel step aside, to tell him she didn't need protection—but the truth was, she did. Her pride burned at the thought, but something stronger—fear—was clawing at her chest.
One of the men circled around, eyeing her bracelet. "Nice gold," he muttered, reaching a hand out.
Before his fingers touched her, Daniel shifted. Just a single step forward, slow but deliberate, blocking the man completely.
The gang fell quiet for a beat, watching him.
And Adesuwa's breath caught again. That step—it wasn't clumsy, desperate, or reckless. It was precise, controlled. The kind of step made by someone who knew exactly what he was doing.
Her heart pounded. Who is he?
The tension thickened, heavy as smoke. The night seemed to lean in, waiting.
And in that moment, even the drunkest man in the group realized it—this wasn't an ordinary beggar.
Something dangerous was hidden in his shadows.