20. Coming Back!

Author's POV

Arthur quickly caught her and she yelped while wrapping her arms around him tightly. She couldn't understand how this happened.

"What's wrong with you?"

Arthur frowned and placed her on the window asile.

She looked at him nervously as her heart pumped faster than it should.

"I was holding the stool so you won't fall and you still managed to do it. Seriously?"

He scolded and she flinched.

"What if I wasn't here?"

She was silent and was just looking at him with scared eyes.

"I am talking to you!"

He frowned at her silence.

Cami came out of the kitchen and saw him trying to talk to her. She also noticed how scared Arabella looked, she was sad for the girl but she can't do much to rescue her.

"Chief, I am sorry to interrupt."

Arthur looked back at her.

"But Arabella have selective mutism problem so if she is scared then she won't talk."

Arthur's head snapped towards Arabella.

"What? Why?"

He cursed himself for scaring her more.

Cami walked away, leaving them alone.

Arthur sighed and touched her cheek gently. She flinched under his touch but didn't move away.

"I am sorry for the last night, Dove."

He sounded worried.

"I know I scared you."

Her eyes were on the hand which was on her cheek.

"I am not going to hurt you. I can never do that."

Her heart melted when she saw worry in his eyes.

Arthur placed hands on her both sides and leaned to her level.

"Can you answered few of my questions?"

He asked in soft tone.

She hesitated but nodded because he was being gentle.

"Assume that your house have lot of cockroaches. You are getting sick because of it and they will are doing nothing but harming you and your family. What will you do? Will you kill them or let them invade your house?"

She took her time to open her mouth.

"K_Kill them"

It was merely a whisper.

He smiled when she spoke.

"Very good, that's what I did last night... They were here to hurt me and my family and I killed them to protect my people. Was I wrong?"

She thought about it and shook her head.

"No!"

"Then why are you not talking to me? Is protecting family wrong?"

He caressed her chin.

She shook her head.

"Sorry!"

She couldn't understand how to respond because even though he was killing bad people, he was brutal and she was scared of that.

Doesn't matter if he is being gentle with her, he is a criminal and that's the reality.

"I shouldn't get involved in your business."

She mumbled hesitantly, not wanting to offend him.

"From now on, I'll just focus on my work..."

Arthur didn't like the feeling that she has no place for him in her priority list but he knows that the way to his destination is long and he have to be gentle.

"Right, you should focus on your work. Leave rest of the things to me."

Arabella was naive to crack the hidden meaning behind his words and got up to leave but he was blocking her. They were too close, she could see his ripped body as few buttons of his shirt were opened.

She closed her eyes when his alluring masculine scent teased her. He was smelling like her favourite thing. The mere touch was filling her with butterflies.

Arthur stepped back from her and she snapped out of the thoughts.

"Thanks."

She mumbled and rushed away.

Arthur sighed and watched her as she disappeared in the kitchen.

"Selective mutism?"

He was going to find out the reason.

Cami was watching Arabella while she was washing dishes.

"Are you okay? Chief isn't that bad, I know him since he was a kid. A little strict but he isn't unfair."

"I know!"

Arabella placed the plates away.

"But I think I shouldn't get involved in his business... This is not my interest. Things will be better that way. He is kind to me because he must be thinking that I am a kid but I know that his work is dangerous and I don't want to get into any trouble."

Cami sighed and shook her head when Arabella walked away.

"You are more than just a kid to him, honey. You are too naive to understand this but we'll see how it turns out."

Arabella did her work and Arthur noticed how she was minding her own business, she didn't even smile at him.

It was time for her to go home and he was waiting by his car.

"Get inside, I'll drop you back."

Arabella halted in her place when she heard him. She recalled what happened last night.

"Thank you but I'll manage. You don't have to do so much for me."

"Get inside the car, Dove."

He wasn't requesting.

She gulped and sat inside. He smirked and started the car.

She was nervously fiddling with her fingers while he was silent. He just wanted her to go back safe.

Thankfully nothing happened like yesterday and she sighed in relief.

"My friend is waiting for me. I'll go with her from here."

She saw Julie and informed him.

Arthur stopped the car and spotted her friend who was wearing all green. He nodded in approval and let her go.

"Good night!"

She looked at him and closed the door.

"Good night!"

"Damn! He looks exactly like him... Scary!"

Julie whispered while looking back at Arthur who was sitting inside the car.

"Don't you get the deja vu?"

"Every second!"

Arabella whispered and Julie looked back at him.

"For god's sake, don't look back. He will know that we are talking about him."

"Sorry, sorry!"

Julie bit her tongue apologetically.

"He is also like his brother. I thought he won't force me to do things but he does. I didn't want to come with him still he made me."

She complained.

Arthur was driving back after dropping her when he got a call from his father.

"Hey, Dad!"

"Hi, how's is it going?"

Damian sounded calm as usual.

"Good till now, I told you about the attack last night..."

He parked the car but stayed inside while talking to his father.

"Oliver is coming back, he is very eager to come there. Don't know why he is so passionate about the deal."

Damian chuckled.

Arthur rubbed his face stressed, he doesn't want to go back because his little Dove is here and right now she is distant from him.

"Dad, I think we both should look after this deal because it's not safe here. Leonardo is plotting."

Damian never felt so good after listening to something.

"That's what I was saying all these days. Boys you have to work together."

Oliver wasn't happy.

"This is my deal, Arthur... Why do you have to come in between? You think I can't handle the danger?"

"It's not about you capabilities nor mine. It's about our enemies. You know I don't want to work with your arrogant ass either..."

Arthur would have agreed to go back if Arabella wasn't there.

On other hand Oliver didn't want anyone to know about Arabella.

"What happened to working individually."

"We can do that after this deal!"

Arthur replied, hoping that his stubborn brother agrees.

"If you don't want to work together then both of you stay back, I'll take over this deal. I can't risk your life."

Damian declared.

"No!"

They both said in unison.

None of them wanted to leave Arabella behind. Damian raised his eyebrows amused, for the first time both of them had same answer.

"So you both agree to work together?"

"Oliver, think about it... I don't want Dad to risk his life because of us."

He was genuinely worried that his father would come here to deal with the mess and he doesn't want that.

"Fine!"

Oliver agreed.

"We will work together... I am coming back, Arthur."