CHAPTER 18

**AVA**
"Let's go inside.", he says, getting out of the car and opening the door for me.
"We'll be safe here for now.", I get out of the car, still feeling the adrenaline in my body. Pietro guides me to the building, and we enter quickly. We take an elevator up, and he leads me to a small apartment. The space is simple but cozy.
"Pietro, who were those people?", I ask, sitting on the couch and trying to understand everything that happened.
"I'm not sure.", he replies, sitting next to me.
"But I suspect it might be related to the group that hacked the company's system.", I swallowed hard, trying to process his words.
“But you still don't know who’s behind all this?”
"Probably. I’m not sure yet. I need to find out what's going on and ensure you're safe."
"Is that why you got so tense in the elevator?", I ask, recalling the moment I noticed his change in behavior.
"Yes. I recognized one of them. I don't know what they want, but I won't let them hurt you, Ava."
The sincerity in his voice calms me a bit, but I’m still worried.
"Pietro, do you think they can find us here?"
"For now, no. This place is secure. I use it as a kind of refuge, a place where I can think and plan.", I nod, trying to process everything.
"So, what do we do now?", I know we should call the police and report what's happening, but I can tell Pietro doesn't want to do that.
"First, I need to call some contacts and see what I can find out about those men. In the meantime, you need to stay here. It's not safe for you to go home or to work until I know more."
The idea of being stuck bothers me, but I understand the necessity.
"Alright. But I need to let work know. I can’t just disappear."
I call work, making up an excuse about an emergency and assuring them I'll be back the next morning. I know Paul will understand.
"Now we need to wait.", he says, getting up and going to the window, looking out as if expecting to see something suspicious. The room is silent, except for the faint sound of distant traffic. I try to relax, but my mind is racing.
"It shouldn't.", he says, turning to me.
"But I need you to know that I'll do everything I can to keep you safe. I just need some time to sort this out."
The hours pass slowly. Pietro makes several calls, speaking in a low and tense tone. I try not to listen, but it’s hard to ignore the worry in his voice. Finally, he hangs up and returns to the couch.
"I have some information. The men who followed us are linked to the same group that hacked the company's system. It seems they’re trying to intimidate me, maybe get something from me." "What do we do now?", I ask, anxious for answers.
"We'll stay here for now. I need to plan my next steps and figure out how to neutralize this threat. But I promise I won’t let anything happen to you."
I calmed down a bit with his words.
"I trust you, Pietro. I just hope we can get out of this situation soon."
"We will, Ava. We just need to be careful.", he says, leaning in to kiss my forehead, a comforting gesture amidst the chaos.
By the end of the day, I'm exhausted. The adrenaline finally wears off, leaving me tired. Pietro notices and suggests I rest.
"You need to sleep, Ava. Tomorrow will be a long day.", I agree, lying down on the couch. Pietro covers me with a blanket and sits beside me, holding my hand.
"I'll be here.", he says, and his presence is comforting. I close my eyes, trying to push away the tumultuous thoughts.
I remain asleep on the couch, drifting into a restless slumber. Suddenly, I wake up to the sound of approaching cars. My eyes widen, and I sit up quickly, seeing Pietro standing near the window, watching intently outside. The building is in a secluded area, and according to Pietro, he recently bought it, so there are no other residents here. I get up, feeling the tension in the air. Pietro looks at me and says:
"They found us."
"What? We should call the police. These people must be dangerous, Pietro."
"The police would never get here in time, Ava. I can handle this.", he says, stepping away to make a call. I approach the window, seeing three cars approaching the building. My heart races as I listen to Pietro on the phone.
I see a group of men dressed in black getting out of the cars and running towards the building. I close my eyes, shaking my head, remembering my family's death. I’m scared, but I’m not that frightened girl anymore. I know how to defend myself now.
"I’ll take care of this. My team should arrive any moment, but you need to stay here, Ava.", I open my eyes, seeing his blue eyes fixed on me with a serious expression.
"Your team?", I ask, confused, and he just nods.
"I can't stay here, Pietro.", I look out the window again and see the men are armed. I blink, remembering when my mother asked me to hide under the bed. I can't do that now. I shake my head when he touches my face.
"If they’re here for me, I can’t let anything happen to you."
"I've heard those words before, and minutes later, everyone I loved most was dead in front of me.", I say, looking at him. Pietro runs to a drawer, pulling out a pistol. I’m surprised he has a gun here, but I remember I have one too, but it's at my apartment. I see Pietro preparing the gun skillfully, as if it’s not his first time.
"Okay, let's try to get out and reach the car.", I nod and run to him, seeing he now has another gun in his hands. Pietro notices my look and says:
"Ava, this is dangerous."
"I know how to defend myself, Pietro.", he nods, handing the other pistol to me. He opens the door, raising his gun and getting ready to shoot. I hold his hand, taking a deep breath as I hear the men’s footsteps on the stairs.
I hide behind a wall, with Pietro doing the same. I look back, seeing two armed men opening other doors. Pietro nods, signaling for me to stay where I am, and I nod in response. When one of the men approaches, I see Pietro punch him hard in the face, lowering the gun and starting to fight. My eyes widen, realizing how good he is at this.
The fight is intense, but Pietro dominates the situation with impressive skill. While he focuses on the first man, the second sneaks up. I grip the gun in my hands, my body tense with adrenaline. The man raises his gun, pointing it at Pietro. Without thinking twice, I step out of my hiding place and shoot. The shot echoes down the hallway, and the man falls to the ground. Pietro turns to me, his eyes wide with surprise and gratitude.
"Good shot.", he says, turning his attention back to the first man, who is now unconscious on the ground.
"Come on, we need to get out of here."