Chapter 27_ Italian Stallion
As Kane and Arya emerged from the park, the clock had struck noon. As they made their way to Kane's parked car, a crease of worry marred Arya's expression, prompting him to ask, "Are you okay?"
"I don't know...I have this feeling that someone's been watching us." Arya's words brought a frown to Kane's face as he looked around, but there was no one in sight. Dismissing Arya's concern, he replied, "Seems clear to me, must've just been your imagination."
"Yeah, probably." Arya nodded in agreement.
"That reminds me, I have plans with Alex. Should I drop you off first or will you find your way home?" Kane inquired, checking the time on his watch.
‘Really? He's ditching me on our first date!’ Arya thought to herself bitterly before answering, "Don't worry about me, I'll find my way home. I might even do some shopping while you two have fun."
Kane gave her a gentle peck on the cheek before hailing a cab for her. "Be safe, okay?" He reminded her, and Arya flashed him a smile before getting into the cab. As the cab drove off, Kane watched her go before getting into his car and driving away.
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After an indulgent shopping spree, Arya was making her way back home in her neighborhood, feeling content. As she thought to herself, ‘Being Kane's mentor definitely pays better than any other side gigs I've had. It was nice to splurge for a change.’
However, her moment of self-congratulation was short-lived when she spotted a familiar figure waiting for her. He was leaning against a streetlight, fixated on her.
"What, Piston? Can't believe you're still at it," Arya sneered at him.
"I'm not fooling around, Arya. I love you...and I'm tired of sharing you with other men. You belong to me," Piston growled possessively.
"Listen, Piston. I know we've known each other for a long time, but I've never had feelings for you. And I never will. Your constant stalking is disturbing, and you need to stop," Arya's words were laced with irritation, as she hoped to break through his stubbornness.
"Why don't you explain then, what you were doing in the park with Richie Rich this afternoon?" Piston asked with a smirk, raising his eyebrows.
‘So, It was him!’ Arya thought to herself before snapping back at Piston. "What I do with my time is not your concern. I will date whoever I want without having to answer to you." Her defiance only seemed to enrage Piston further, as he glared at her with fury in his dead eyes. He stepped closer, his hand reaching out as if to grab her.
Fear began to grip Arya as she saw what was coming. In a panic, she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Help! Help! Somebody, please help!"
"What do you think you're doing, Arya? Who do you think will come to your rescue? Everyone here knows that you belong to me." Piston's sly remark only fueled her fear as he closed in on her, attempting to force a kiss on her.
Meanwhile, Kane and Alex had been playing video games at the parlor for some time when Kane suddenly felt a pang of worry for Arya. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he realized it was late and she still hadn't returned. ‘Where are you, tigress?’ He mused to himself, no longer focused on the game.
"Watch out, Kane!" Alex shouted, seeing that Kane's car was about to crash in the game.
Dropping his controller, Kane quickly stood up. "I need to go check on your sister," he told Alex before rushing out of the house and into the streets. Just a few feet away from Arya's apartment, he saw the horrifying sight of Piston attempting to assault her. Without hesitation, Kane charged at Piston like an enraged bull, using every ounce of his strength to slam into him and propel him backwards against a wall.
"Get your hands off my woman!" Kane snarled, blocking Piston's view of Arya as he glowered menacingly at him.
Piston, momentarily taken aback by Kane's swift arrival, growled in defiance. "That's it, Richie Rich... Now I'm going to rip your head off." With that, Piston lunged forward, unleashing a monstrous right hook aimed at Kane's face.
But Kane ducked, dodging the punch and swiftly maneuvering around Piston to land a blow to his ribs. Despite being dwarfed by Piston's larger frame, Kane was agile and had a knack for defending himself. The two men exchanged blows, with Kane managing to dodge several of Piston's strikes and land a few hits of his own to Piston's body.
Growing weary of the brawl, Kane sidestepped and faked a punch before landing a devastating hook to Piston's jaw, sending him tumbling to the ground in a dazed state. As Piston groaned in agony, Arya hurried over to Kane, checking over his body for injuries. Relieved to find that he was unscathed apart from some scraped knuckles and labored breath, she flashed a grin at Kane. "Impressive, Rich kid," she jested.
Kane gave a hearty chuckle as he picked up her bags from the floor. Arya joined in, her voice laced with teasing. "Come on, Italian stallion. Let's head back home and get those hands cleaned up."
With a nod, Kane followed Arya as they made their way to her place, leaving a wounded Piston behind on the curb.
Once inside, Arya led Kane to her room where she tended to his knuckles, applying ice and disinfectant before gently wrapping them in a bandage. "Thanks for saving me." Arya smiled gratefully.
Kane simply winked in response, causing Arya to let out a small laugh. "So, what did you do all evening with Alex?" she asked curiously.
"Oh, lots of things," Kane replied with a mischievous smirk. "And let me tell you, we are highly satisfied with the outcome."
"What? Did you guys just play games all evening?" Arya quizzed with a knowing look.
"Well, we did play a few games when we got back," Kane admitted with a nod. "But we also did something completely different. And honestly, it's easier to just show you."
With that, Kane led Arya to Alex's room. "Hey buddy, can we come in? Your sister wants to see 'the project'," he called out before turning to Arya. "Alex is ready to show off his latest creation."
At Kane's words, Alex opened the door for them, revealing a new look that left Arya speechless. "Hey there," he greeted with a bright grin, clearly proud of himself.
A/N: Piston is becoming quite a nuisance, don't you think, Guys? Perhaps it's time to take care of him once and for all? Hehe...I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback.