Leo held my hand and shielded me behind his body. "Stay behind Meg. And this time if anyone shoots me try not to get in between okay?" He said.

He looked at me with utmost seriousness, "What we're doing here is risky. I want you to text Amy and tell her and Alex to get out of there in exactly five minutes. We're going to create a diversion by baiting ourselves so that they get enough time to escape. If anything goes wrong, take cover." Leo said, he walked ahead, leaving me behind to catch up with him.

"Nothing would go wrong." I said. "I trust you."

Leo stopped in his steps, he jerked me towards him and wrapped me in a hug. It was now that I understood the pressure and stress that he was under. He kissed my forehead. "Sometimes I don't know what I'll do without you." He said, his voice strained.

"Maybe you'd take less questionable decisions." I patted his back. He broke the hug and flashed me a nervous smile.

I dashed the text to Amy.

Leo and both of us ran past DeLuca's goons like our lives depended on it, which they actually did. I felt my heart race when we heard footsteps approaching. Leo carefully peeked to see.

He cursed under his breath. "They found us." He muttered. "Meg, get out of this alley and take a cab. Amy and Alex will text you the location where they're waiting. And if I don't come after half an hour, tell Nico."

"Shut up." I hissed. "I'm not leaving you here to die. If you die, I'm dying with you."

Leo removed his gun from his pocket and loaded it. The way he looked with a gun passed chills down my spine. At this moment he did not look like my adorable boyfriend, he looked like a ruthless and cold-blooded gangster.

I couldn't bring myself to move and abandon him. He pulled me roughly towards and pressed his lips on mine. "I'm not used to repeating myself darling, you better go when I say so." He whispered in a strange way that made shudder. I think this was his authoritative gangster voice. What does he think he can scare me to run away?

The loud sound of gunshot changed my mind. Leo pushed me away and I ran through the narrow alley that resembled a maze. Every time I heard gunshots I couldn't help but fear for the worst. Before I knew, I had tears straming down my eyes. God I hope Leo was fine. I waited at the end of the alley, hoping Leo would barge in at any moment. But I couldn't wait longer, I was at risk. I hailed a cab and went to the location Amy texted me. But, Leo wasn't there. We waited there and my worries grew. I tried to hope he'd be here but he wasn't.

"Meg..." Alex cleared his throat. "We should leave."

"A minute more." I said.

Alex looked at me sadly. "I'm sorry Meg, I promised Leo that I'll keep you safe. Have faith on him, he will be there."

With that Alex drove to Valeria's estate.

#

We reached back Valeria's estate and Leo still wasn't there. The others tried to reassure me but I waited by the gates for two hours. Gigi arrived and was literally pulling me inside when I saw someone approach the gates. For a moment even I couldn't recognise Leo. His shirt was torn and soaked with blood. Scars and bruises covered his face. This was Leo. The sight of him injured so badly made me cry.

"Oh my god!" Gigi gasped. She turned around and shouted. "Andrew! Come here." She ran to bring Andrew.

When Leo reached the gates he collapsed on a nearby bench. I quickly went by his side to help him sit upright.

"Meg." He weakly cupped my face with his blood-stained palm. "I'm sorry for..." His words were incoherent. It made me cry even harder. He wiped a tear with his thumb. "We can't stay together anymore." He said.

His words caught me off guard. What the fuck was he saying? He couldn't possibly mean it. Before we could talk, Andrew arrived and took Leo away.

#

It was way past midnight and I was in my room, browsing for colour schemes for Maria's wedding on my laptop. There were times when colour schemes

unable to sleep. Leo walked in the room, looking visibly better. He was bandaged up bad but he looked like he had chances to survive, before he looked like he'd fall dead. He limped slowly by the bed.

"I mean what I said back then Meg. We shouldn't be together for your own saftey. You were right when you said our worlds are different. I'm too deep in shit to become a part of your world and I can't let you become a part of mine." He said.

I swear I felt like something in me snapped.

"Who are you Edward Cullen? Am I supposed to be Bella Swan? Is this supposed to be freaking Twilight Saga? What's this I need to breakup to protect you bullshit? I'm not a fucking teenager Leo! I'm an adult, an independent woman who takes her decision. I took a decision to stay with you despite knowing everything you do and the danger you're in. I calculated my pros and cons, I'm prepared to face all the dangers that come with my decision. I took a decision to run when you asked me to. Don't tell me what I should do or shouldn't do!" I blurted.

I had more to say, a lot more actually. And since he'd started it, I had to vent it out.

"You don't have the responsiblity to protect everyone Leo! You can't keep putting everyone else above yourself. Just listen to your heart, do you even want to let me go? Because I sure as hell know I don't want to let you go."

Leo's bandaged fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why're you so stubborn? Why don't you understand that I can't see you get hurt because of me. Is it wrong of me to keep your saftey above my selfish needs?" He said softly, his eyes looked so sad.

"Selfish needs?" I laughed bitterly. "Its called love. And its not stubbornness. I'd rather risk it all with you instead of being safe with someone else. "

Leo looked at me with an inscrutable expression. He rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. "I can't let my feelings for you put you in danger anymore Meg, we're breaking up." He said.

With that he left the room, leaving me alone in the hauntingly silent room.

#