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Rick's POV

I parked my motorcycle in the parking lot in front of the nightclub, Stardust, where I worked as a bartender and got off my motorcycle.

When I left Italy and came to New York, I didn't know what to do. I felt lost. The only thing I knew I wouldn't go back to my old life; running away from that darkness was the best decision I had made in my life. Now I was just Rick, nothing more. Rick Adams. New identity, new life.

Fortunately, I had an experience in this job; when I was on a holiday in Monaco, I worked at my friend's nightclub as a bartender for fun. So when I came to New York, I decided to work as a bartender.

Suddenly, I heard a woman voice calling for me to stop a man who was running towards the parking lot, holding a clutch in his hand. Probably, it was that woman's bag.

I blocked the man's way and ordered in an authoritative tone, "Give the bag to me."

"Get out of my way!" he demanded angrily as he pulled out a knife.

"Give the bag to me!" I repeated firmly and when he wanted to attack me, I dogged and did a spinning hook kick, making him drop the knife. Then I grabbed him by his collar and punched him.

"Help!"

I looked at the woman who was screaming as she approached us. She had dazzling blue eyes, making me lost in them. She looked so beautiful in her red mini dress.

"Be careful!" she warned me, interrupting my thoughts.

At the last minute, I dodged quickly when the bastard tried to hit me. As I wanted to punch him, he ran away.

I picked her bag from the ground while breathing heavily and held it towards the angel.

"Thank you," she gave me a grateful smile, taking her bag. "Are you fine?" she asked, concerned.

"I am fine. Don't worry."

"I-" When she wanted to say something, her phone rang, cutting her off. The angel sighed and pulled her phone out of her bag. "Excuse me," she gave me an apologetic look.

"Good night," I gave her a slight smile and left, letting her pick up her phone, giving her privacy.

After giving a customer his order, I noticed the same girl walking into the nightclub with two girls. They approached a table near the dance floor while talking and smiling. Meanwhile, I couldn't take my eyes off the angel. I was mesmerized by her beauty. And her dazzling smile...

"Hey, be careful. Now your loyal fan will tear you in two, bro," my coworker, Harry teased me, leaning towards my ear.

"What?" I frowned, giving him a puzzled look.

"I am saying that you should take your eyes off that chick, or Ms. Cosmopolitan will make a scene," he commented, gesturing to the angel, and smirked mischievously.

"I don't look at anyone," I mumbled, averting my gaze. "And don't talk like I and Sabrina are dating," I added firmly.

Sabrina was one of the regular customers. Harry kept teasing me that she was crazy for me and often came here to see me. Despite the fact I warned Harry not to talk nonsense, I felt that she flirted with me. However, I wasn't interested in her, and nothing happened between us.

"Yeah. Yeah." Harry gave me an unconvinced look and smirked slyly. I rolled my gaze and looked at the angel.

"Good luck!" Harry tapped on my shoulder and walked away as she was walking towards us.

"Could I get a glass of mojito?" She gave me a dazzling smile, leaning her elbows on the bar counter.

"In a minute." I smiled warmly and started preparing her drink.

Once I placed her drink on the counter, she said, grabbing the glass. "Thank you for the drink and your help. If you weren't there..."

"Don't mention it. Everyone would do it in that situation," I cut her off and gave her a bright smile.

"By the way, I am Vanessa," she introduced herself, extending her hand towards me.

"Rick." I shook her hand, giving her a warm smile.

"I thought you were Spaniard, Italian... or Greek. You have an accent," she commented, puzzled.

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "Actually, I... am half Italian, half American," I lied. Actually, I was a full-blooded Italian.

"Oh really?! I love Italy. It is a beautiful country. So... Is it a nickname then?" she asked curiously, smiling brightly.

"No, just Rick," I mumbled, averting my gaze.

"Which city?" she asked, intrigued after taking a sip from her mojito.

I pursed my lips together, thinking if I should tell her or not. Was it just curiosity or more? No, she didn't look like a girl who would work for him. Probably, she felt the same attraction which I felt towards her.

"Palermo," I replied honestly and sighed sadly as the painful memories from the past flashed in my mind.

"Sicily?! I heard that it is so beautiful there, but I didn't have an opportunity to visit Sicily. How long did you live there before coming here?" she asked enthusiastically, giving me her dazzling smile, and ruffled her hair.

"Umm... I..."

"Rick, the boss is calling you," Harry informed me, interrupting me.

I nodded, breathing deeply in relief. Talking about the place where I had lived since I was born ached my heart. Especially, remembering the awful memories which still haunted me made me feel bad.

"Excuse me. I have to go." I gave Vanessa an apologetic look.

"Don't worry. See you later." She smiled warmly. I nodded and went to my boss' office.

When I came back from Nathan Carter's office, I looked for Vanessa, hoping she hadn't left yet. I grinned happily as I saw the angel dancing with her friend. Then I walked towards the bar counter to continue working.

"I would like to get another glass of mojito, please." I turned around as soon as I heard a cheerful familiar voice.

"Sure." I beamed at her.

"It tasted slightly different. I couldn't identify which ingredient gave that taste, but it was so good," she resumed while waiting for her drink.

"It is a secret." I winked at her playfully.

She chuckled. "Well... Tell me about yourself then. I hope it isn't secret like the ingredient."

"There is nothing interesting about me. I have a normal, boring life most probably different than yours," I mumbled, giving her a lazy smile.

"Then you are the one who I want. A normal guy without any skeletons in his closet," she commented mischievously. I looked at her, surprised. "Imagine now you confess that you killed someone," she added, amused and laughed.

"Not in the last few months," I said nonchalantly.

She furrowed her eyebrows, looking at me speechless, and then she burst out laughing. "Cheers to a normal, boring life." She raised her glass, giving me a brilliant smile, and sipped it. I grinned in amusement.

"So... What brought you to USA?" she asked, giving me a questioning look.

"Maybe I have to find my light," I replied in a serious tone, looking her in the eyes.

She bit her lower lip shyly. "Umm... Did you find your light?"

"Who knows?! Time will tell it." I shrugged my shoulders, maintaining eye contact. She beamed at me and sipped her drink.

***

When I was going towards the parking lot after work, I heard muffled voices.

"Let go off me!"

As soon as I heard Vanessa's voice, I rushed towards the parking lot. Two men were trying to push her into the car roughly and covered her mouth. She was struggling while trying to pull the man's hand away from her mouth.

"Let go of her!" I demanded in an authoritative tone.

"Who do you think you are?! If you want to live, get out of here now," one of the men warned me, giving me a threatening look.

"I told you let go off the girl now!" I demanded, emphasizing each word. Meanwhile, Vanessa was struggling, trying to get rid of their grips while crying.

The other men gestured to the other one to get rid of me while trying to push Vanessa into the car, but she was still resisting.

When the man approached me and tried to hit me, I dodged the blow quickly and punched him in the face. Then I did a knee strike, making him collapse to the ground. He held his stomach, groaning in pain.

As the other man saw his friend's state, he let go off Vanessa and rushed towards me.

"Vanessa, run!" I exclaimed, looking at her while she was trembling in fear, but she didn't move an inch, frozen.

When the other man tried to hit me, I did a spinning kick, making him fall down. Then I leaned towards him and punched him again and again.

"Rick! Be careful!" Vanessa shouted in panic.

When I turned around, another man punched me in the face. I cursed in Italian and wanted to approach him furiously, but they ran away.

"Rick," Vanessa rushed towards me, crying, and hugged me tightly.

***

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Lots of love,
H. Mia