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Whether it’s the allure of wealth, the danger of the underworld, or the beauty of love against all odds — Ashley’s Stories brings you tales that are bold, emotional, and unforgettable.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I am not running from men. I am strategically avoiding unnecessary male chaos, which is totally different.
00:06At least that's what I tell myself as I power walk through downtown Phoenix at 9 in the morning,
00:11holding a cardboard box filled with the last pathetic artifacts of my job.
00:15A job I just got fired from.
00:17Because apparently, accidentally spilling cold brew on your manager's lap counts as hostile behavior.
00:24Even though he leaned over my desk and scared the soul out of my body, whatever,
00:30corporate, America is allergic to women minding their business.
00:33My cheeks are hot, and I'm muttering to myself like a feral squirrel.
00:37Tourists in neon sneakers side-eye.
00:39Me as they stroll past palm trees swaying in a too-perfect breeze.
00:43Sunlight bounces off glass buildings so bright, I could swear the whole city is mocking me.
00:48I tell myself I'm fine. I tell myself I'm calm.
00:51I tell myself men are canceled until further notice.
00:54And then a man whips around the corner on a scooter,
00:57like he's auditioning for a midlife crisis reboot and nearly crashes into me.
01:02Oh, come on!
01:02I yell, stumbling back.
01:04He swerves, yelps, wobbles, and tips over into a bush.
01:07I close my eyes and breathe.
01:09This is why, I whisper to the universe, I avoid them.
01:12As I'm recovering my sanity, a black SUV glides to a stop beside me.
01:16Not screeches.
01:18Glides.
01:19Like wealth itself asks the air to move aside.
01:21The windows are tinted to the level of,
01:24this car definitely has bodies in the trunk.
01:26But the paint shines like obsidian under the morning sun.
01:29I don't know who's inside.
01:31I also don't care.
01:32I turn away, determined to walk home,
01:35eat cereal, and pretend today never happened.
01:38Except the SUV door opens.
01:40And a man steps out holding,
01:41two puppies.
01:42Actual puppies.
01:44Fluffy golden retriever puppies.
01:46Wearing tiny bow-tie collars and kicking their legs excitedly.
01:49I blink.
01:50Hard.
01:51Nope.
01:52I tell myself.
01:53This is a hallucination brought on by unemployment.
01:56But the man is real.
01:57The puppies are real.
01:58And the man?
01:59He's the most dangerously attractive thing I've ever seen in my life.
02:03Dark hair that looks like he woke up and the sun personally styled it.
02:06Sunglasses reflecting the bright city.
02:09Tailored tan suit that fits like it was sewn onto him by angels with tape measurers.
02:13Expensive, but understated.
02:15The quiet kind of rich.
02:16He's walking toward me with deliberate, confident steps.
02:19Like he knows the sidewalk belongs to him.
02:22People stare.
02:23People move.
02:24People make room the way they make room for CEOs, celebrities, or people you really don't
02:28want to piss off.
02:30My heart stutters.
02:31He stops in front of me.
02:33Lowers the sunglasses just enough to reveal eyes the color of warm honey lit by sunlight.
02:37Are you Maya Carter?
02:39My stomach drops straight to Arizona's molten core.
02:42No, I lie immediately.
02:43Absolutely not.
02:45Never heard of her.
02:46Sounds annoying.
02:47His mouth curves and not a smile.
02:50Something sharper.
02:51Amused.
02:51Dangerous.
02:52The puppies wiggle and yip at me like I'm their long-lost mother.
02:56He glances at the box in my hands.
02:58Rough morning?
02:59You have no idea, I mutter.
03:01Good, he says.
03:02Makes this part easier.
03:04What part?
03:05His voice slides into command like it's muscle memory.
03:08Breakfast.
03:08I stare at him.
03:11I'm sorry.
03:12What?
03:12He adjusts the puppy in his left arm.
03:15I'm inviting you to breakfast.
03:17No offense, I say, but I have a strict policy of not talking to strangers, who could buy
03:22and sell half the state.
03:23He gestures to the sunlit street.
03:26It's ten a.m.
03:27I brought puppies.
03:28That's the least threatening combination on earth.
03:31Sir, respectfully, that logic is flawed.
03:33Respectfully, he echoes.
03:35You look like you haven't eaten.
03:37Oh my god, I groan.
03:39Did my mother send you?
03:40Is this a weird intervention?
03:42He laughs.
03:43A low, warm sound that hits me straight in places that haven't been hit since.
03:48Ever.
03:49No, your mother didn't send me.
03:51Then who are you?
03:52Lorenzo Vale.
03:53The name hits like a soft explosion.
03:56I've heard it whispered in headlines.
03:58Murmured at downtown bars.
03:59Tossed around in local rumor circles.
04:01He owns skyscrapers.
04:03Sports teams.
04:04Casinos.
04:05Private jets.
04:06Islands.
04:06And allegedly, according to my old co-worker who read too many mafia blogs,
04:12he also owns half the underworld, but nobody says that part out loud.
04:16I swallow.
04:17Okay.
04:17Well, nice to meet you, Lorenzo Vale.
04:20I will now be leaving.
04:22He steps slightly to the side, blocking me with nothing but his presence.
04:26The sun gleams off his suit.
04:29The puppies lick my wrist.
04:30Why are you looking for me?
04:32I ask, my voice tighter than I want it to be.
04:35His gaze sweeps over me, but not creepy.
04:38Not vulgar, just observant.
04:40Surgical.
04:40Like, he's memorizing.
04:42Details he shouldn't have access to.
04:44You returned a wallet yesterday, he says.
04:47My jaw drops.
04:48Wait.
04:49The one I found on the bus?
04:51He nods.
04:52My cousins.
04:53Oh my god.
04:54He told me his name was Kevin.
04:56You people don't look like Kevins.
04:58He bites back a smirk.
04:59He's bad at undercover work.
05:01Undercover for what?
05:03That's a long story, he says.
05:05One that isn't happening on an empty stomach.
05:08Dude.
05:09I sigh.
05:10My whole life is an empty stomach right now.
05:12Then let me fix that.
05:14No, I don't.
05:15Maya.
05:16He says my name like a fact he owns.
05:18Breakfast.
05:19With me.
05:20Now.
05:21My pulse jumps.
05:22And I hate that the command sends a shiver down my spine I will deny until death.
05:26I shake my head.
05:28Look, I'm having a terrible day.
05:30I'm unemployed.
05:31I'm sweaty.
05:32I probably smell like stress and iced coffee.
05:34I'm not in the mood to be seduced by...
05:36I didn't say anything about seduction.
05:38He says coolly.
05:40But interesting that you brought it up.
05:42I choke.
05:43I...
05:43No, I please delete this conversation.
05:46He shifts both puppies into one arm.
05:48Effortlessly.
05:49Like he was born carrying adorable chaos.
05:51And reaches into the SUV.
05:54He pulls out a box.
05:55A bakery box.
05:57He opens it and the scent hits me instantly.
05:59Warm cinnamon rolls the size of my face.
06:02He holds out the box.
06:03At least take one.
06:04I can't take bribes, I say weekly.
06:07It's not a bribe.
06:08It feels like a bribe.
06:10It's breakfast.
06:12You're sketchy.
06:13You're hungry.
06:14I stare at him.
06:16He stares back, patient but unyielding.
06:18My stomach growls so loud the puppies jump.
06:21He raises one brow.
06:22I'll take that as a yes.
06:24I steal a cinnamon roll with the guilty speed of a raccoon committing a heist.
06:28He gestures to the SUV.
06:30Come with me.
06:30No way, I say through a mouthful of frosting.
06:35There could be bodies in there.
06:37He laughs again.
06:38That warm, sinful sound.
06:40If there were bodies, I wouldn't invite you into the car in broad daylight.
06:43That is not as comforting as you think.
06:47Let me rephrase.
06:48If you get in, you're safe.
06:50Why?
06:51I demand.
06:52He steps close.
06:53So close I can smell expensive cologne and puppy shampoo and sunlight on fabric.
06:57Because, he murmurs, eyes locked on mine.
07:00I don't let anything happen to what's mine.
07:03I freeze.
07:04My breath tangles in my throat.
07:06I'm not yours.
07:07Not yet.
07:08Oh, absolutely not.
07:09Absolutely, yes.
07:11Absolutely help me.
07:12Before I can reject him again.
07:14A man across the street shouts someone's name and starts running toward us.
07:18Fast.
07:19Lorenzo's head snaps toward him.
07:21His entire posture changes and protective, predatory, ready.
07:25He grabs my hand.
07:27Inside, he orders.
07:29And I?
07:30The woman who swore off men?
07:31Chaos?
07:31And everything in between.
07:34And pulled into his world with no way back.
07:37The SUV door shuts behind me with a soft, expensive click.
07:41The kind of sound that tells you the vehicle costs more than your entire life.
07:45Sunlight pours through the tinted windows, turning everything gold.
07:48The puppies tumble across the leather seats like tiny, privileged clouds.
07:52I'm still gripping the half-eaten cinnamon roll like it's a security blanket.
07:56Outside, Lorenzo speaks low and sharp to the guy who was charging toward us.
08:00I can't hear the words, but the tone is unmistakable.
08:04Calm.
08:05Controlled.
08:06Lethal.
08:06The guy backs away.
08:08Fast.
08:09Then Lorenzo opens the driver's door, slides in, and the entire car adjusts as if bowing
08:14to his weight.
08:15He glances at me.
08:16You okay?
08:18No, I say.
08:19I've been okay zero times today.
08:21In fact, I think I'm developing hives.
08:23He doesn't smile, but something in his eyes softens.
08:26You're safe.
08:27You keep saying that like it's a known fact.
08:30It is to me.
08:31He starts the engine, and the car hums smooth and low as we glide into traffic.
08:36Phoenix sunlight glitters off car hoods.
08:38Palm trees flash by.
08:40Puppies attack my shoelaces.
08:41And I'm sitting here wondering when exactly my life turned into a bizarre.
08:45Daytime mafia rom-com.
08:47So, I say.
08:48Who was that guy back there?
08:50He merges effortlessly, hand resting on the wheel with quiet authority.
08:53A messenger.
08:56From who?
08:57A rival family.
08:58I nearly swallow my tongue.
09:00Like mob family.
09:02He lifts a brow.
09:03Is there another kind?
09:05Well, there's family family, I mutter.
09:08Like cousins in Thanksgiving drama.
09:10Trust me, he says dryly.
09:12Ours comes with more paperwork.
09:14I throw my hands up.
09:16Fantastic.
09:17I get fired almost flattened by a scooter, and then casually kidnapped by the IRS of organized
09:22crime.
09:23You're not kidnapped.
09:24I'm literally in your car.
09:26You walked in voluntarily.
09:28You grabbed my hand.
09:30You took a cinnamon roll first.
09:32I narrow my eyes.
09:33Don't use facts against me.
09:35He finally smiles.
09:37Not the amused curve from earlier.
09:39This one is real.
09:40Small, quiet, but sunlit.
09:41And it hits me like a warm punch to the ribcage.
09:45Where are we even going?
09:47I ask, adjusting the puppy chewing on my hoodie string.
09:50Breakfast.
09:50You already fed me emotionally manipulative carbs.
09:54Those were appetizers.
09:56We're doing courses?
09:57Is that what's happening?
09:59Lorenzo doesn't answer.
10:00He just turns down a palm-lined boulevard and pulls up to a rooftop.
10:04Cafe with an open patio.
10:06All bright umbrellas and clinking mimosas.
10:08The whole place smells like fresh bread and bougie happiness.
10:11The puppies leap into his arms the second he opens the door.
10:15He nods at the valet.
10:16Watch my car.
10:18And don't scratch the paint.
10:19The valet nods like he's speaking to a king.
10:21I whisper,
10:22Why do people act like you're the human version of a credit score?
10:26Respect, he says simply.
10:28Fear, I correct.
10:29Same thing.
10:31He leads me toward the patio.
10:33Sunlight glinting off his watch.
10:35Subtle, but clearly worth more than my kidneys combined.
10:37The hostess's eyes widen a fraction when she sees him.
10:41Mr. Vale, your table's ready.
10:43Of course it is.
10:44We sit at a shaded table with a perfect view of the city skyline.
10:48Bright, buzzing alive.
10:49Lorenzo places the puppies on the bench beside him,
10:52where they immediately curl up like spoiled loaves of bread.
10:55I cross my arms.
10:57Okay, explain.
10:58What part?
10:59All of it.
11:00You showed up today with puppies.
11:02Why?
11:03What do you want from me?
11:04He studies me over the menu.
11:06Gaze steady, unreadable.
11:07You did a favor for my cousin yesterday.
11:10That wasn't a favor.
11:11He left his wallet on the bus.
11:13You returned it.
11:14He looked like he was going to cry.
11:17Lorenzo gives a slow nod.
11:19He told me you were honest.
11:20Okay.
11:21And kind.
11:23I shift in my seat.
11:24Compliments make me suspicious.
11:26Especially coming from someone who looks like he files his taxes in gold bars.
11:30And Lorenzo adds,
11:32You didn't ask for anything in return.
11:34I blink.
11:35People?
11:36Ask for stuff?
11:37All the time, he says.
11:39Money, jobs, connections, deals.
11:42His gaze flicks to the city below.
11:44People use me, or fear me.
11:46You didn't either.
11:47Well, I didn't know you existed, I admit.
11:50That's exactly why you interest me.
11:53My heart lurches in a very unhelpful way.
11:55The waiter arrives with water.
11:57Lorenzo doesn't look at the menu.
11:59He just says,
12:00Two breakfast plates.
12:01Extra fruit.
12:02And bring the pastries she'll pretend not to eat.
12:05I sputter.
12:06That is so...
12:07Accurate?
12:08I was gonna say rude.
12:10Mmm.
12:10You can be both.
12:11I dig my nails into my palms.
12:14Look, Lorenzo, I'm not in a great place.
12:16I'm broke.
12:17I'm stressed.
12:18I'm not exactly emotionally stable enough to flirt with someone who has a private jet for every day of the week.
12:25His eyes spark with amusement.
12:27I don't have one for Thursday.
12:29I was being sarcastic.
12:31I wasn't.
12:32I bury my face in my hands.
12:34This cannot be happening.
12:35The sunlight warms my hair.
12:37The city buzzes.
12:38The puppies cuddle.
12:40The pastries arrive smelling like edible heaven.
12:42And yet the danger hums beneath everything like a quiet generator.
12:46Tell me about the guy who ran toward us, I say.
12:49Lorenzo leans back.
12:51He works for a family that thinks they can threaten me.
12:54Threaten with what?
12:55He hesitates.
12:56Not because he fears telling me.
12:58But because he's choosing how much of himself to reveal.
13:01They want access to my shipping lines.
13:03They want a seat at a table they didn't earn.
13:05So they poke.
13:07They test.
13:08His jaw tightens.
13:09You being near me gave them an excuse.
13:11An excuse to what?
13:13Spy?
13:13Scare me?
13:14Use me?
13:14Yes.
13:15I freeze.
13:16You dragged me into danger.
13:18I pulled you away from it.
13:19By putting me in more of it?
13:21By keeping you where I can see you.
13:24I stare at him.
13:25That's not reassuring.
13:27It should be.
13:28His gaze sharpens.
13:29Because when you're with me, nothing touches you.
13:32A shiver runs down my spine.
13:34Not fear.
13:35Not exactly.
13:36Something darker.
13:37Something I don't want to name in public.
13:39Why do you care?
13:40I whisper.
13:42Lorenzo looks away for the first time since I met him.
13:44His expression shifts.
13:46Shadows of something old flickering under the bright sunlight.
13:49Because you remind me of someone.
13:51My breath stills.
13:52Who?
13:53Someone I failed.
13:55My chest tightens.
13:56Lorenzo?
13:57He shakes his head.
13:59Don't ask.
14:00Not yet.
14:01The waiter interrupts with plates of eggs.
14:03Toast, fresh fruit, and pastries the size of my anxieties.
14:06I tear into a croissant just to have something to do.
14:09He watches me with that same unnerving, unreadable focus.
14:12What happened to your job?
14:14I swallow.
14:14I got fired for being unprofessional when I spilled coffee on my manager.
14:19Did you do it on purpose?
14:21No.
14:22Then they were idiots.
14:24A laugh escapes me before I can stop it.
14:26You can't just call corporations idiots.
14:28I can.
14:29I own four.
14:30He's joking.
14:31I think, maybe.
14:32I don't know anymore.
14:34We eat in mostly silence.
14:36Though his version of silence feels like a conversation.
14:39Happening beneath the surface.
14:40Like he's reading every micro-expression I've ever had.
14:43When we finish, he takes a sip of his espresso and says,
14:46You're staying with me today.
14:48I choke on air.
14:49I'm what?
14:51You heard me.
14:52Lorenzo, I have a life.
14:54You said you're unemployed.
14:55Unemployed people have plans!
14:57What plans?
14:59I open my mouth, then close it.
15:01That's not the point.
15:02You're safer with me.
15:04Says who?
15:05Says everyone who knows what I'm capable of.
15:07I slam my hand on the table.
15:10Why am I suddenly in a mafia custody situation?
15:13He leans forward.
15:14Elbows on the table.
15:15Sunlight catching in his eyes.
15:18Maya.
15:19If they think you matter to me, they will use you.
15:22And now they think you matter to me.
15:24Why?
15:25Because I showed up.
15:26That's it?
15:27That's all it takes with men like them.
15:30My voice drops.
15:31And do I matter to you?
15:33His jaw flexes.
15:35More than is convenient.
15:36The air snaps between us.
15:38Before I can find a single coherent thought,
15:41a glass shatters somewhere across the patio.
15:43Loud.
15:44Sharp.
15:45Lorenzo's eyes flick instantly toward the noise.
15:47He stands, offers his hand.
15:49We're leaving.
15:51Was that?
15:52Not them.
15:53His voice is low.
15:54But they're close.
15:55Close.
15:56They're watching.
15:57My stomach twists.
15:58Lorenzo.
15:59He takes my hand again.
16:01Warm, steady, sure.
16:02We're going someplace safer, he murmurs.
16:05And this time you're not arguing.
16:07And for the first time in my life,
16:09I don't want to.
16:11Lorenzo doesn't drag me.
16:12He just walks with purpose so intense
16:14that gravity drags me with him.
16:15The sun is high, blazing off metal.
16:18Railings and car roofs as he steers me back into the...
16:21The puppies hop inside like tiny.
16:24Bodyguards with bad coordination.
16:26Where are we going now?
16:27I ask, breathless.
16:29Someplace uncovered, wide open.
16:31Daylight makes people behave.
16:33That sounds like something a mafia dad would say.
16:36Accurate.
16:37He pulls into traffic with a calmness that...
16:39Absolutely does not.
16:41Match the way my heart is beating, like...
16:43Morse code for panic.
16:44The city is bright.
16:45Golden almost too.
16:47Normal for the fact that I'm...
16:48Apparently involved in a...
16:50Low-grade crime family showdown.
16:52Okay.
16:53I say, gripping the seat.
16:54Can we talk about how I didn't sign up for any of this?
16:57You signed up when you returned that wallet.
17:00That was a civic duty.
17:02Exactly.
17:03That doesn't make sense.
17:05He glances at me.
17:06The faintest smile tugging.
17:08You do that a lot.
17:10What?
17:11Talk yourself into circles.
17:12Well, your entire existence is confusing.
17:15He doesn't argue, which somehow stresses me out more.
17:18We drive five minutes to a massive outdoor shopping district.
17:22All fountains.
17:23Palm trees, bright banners.
17:25And families taking Instagram photos.
17:27If there's anywhere mafia dudes won't cause a scene, it's here.
17:29Under the blazing noon sun with toddlers screaming for ice cream.
17:33He parks in a no-parking zone like it's optional.
17:36Sir, I hiss.
17:37That's illegal.
17:39So is half my schedule, he says, deadpan.
17:41I cannot deal with him.
17:43He steps out, lifts the puppies, one under each arm, and nods for me to follow.
17:49People stare, obviously.
17:50He looks like a walking billion-dollar ad campaign.
17:53And I look like a woman who recently lost a job and gained a crisis.
17:57What's the plan?
17:58I ask, jogging to keep up.
18:00Blend in with suburban moms?
18:02Stage a puppy flash mob?
18:04Pretend we sell expensive vitamins?
18:05He doesn't answer.
18:06He walks us straight to the center plaza, where sunlight hits like stage lights, and sits
18:12at a table beneath a bright yellow umbrella.
18:15The puppies curl under his chair.
18:16I stand there, hands on hips.
18:18You brought me to an outdoor food court?
18:21It's public, he says.
18:22Crowds, cameras, witnesses.
18:24They won't try anything here.
18:26Oh, great, I mutter.
18:28My life is protected by people shopping at Sephora.
18:31He motions for me to sit.
18:33You're shaking.
18:34I'm not shaking.
18:36You're vibrating.
18:37Vibrating is a strong word.
18:39Maya, he says, voice dropping into that low, steady tone that could convince a cactus to
18:45hydrate.
18:46Sit.
18:47I sit.
18:48Not because he orders it, but because I suddenly need the chair more than it needs me.
18:53He watches me like he's reading micro-expressions again.
18:56Reading everything.
18:58Seeing more than I want him to.
18:59Finally, I breathe out.
19:01Just tell me the truth, Lorenzo.
19:03Why am I involved?
19:04Why can't you just tell your enemies I'm a random civilian?
19:07Why me?
19:08His shoulders tense.
19:10A controlled, tiny motion.
19:12Because you're not random.
19:13That's not an answer.
19:15He looks away, squinting toward the sunlight bouncing off storefronts.
19:20You remind me of someone I lost.
19:22My throat tightens.
19:24The person you mentioned earlier?
19:26He nods once.
19:27Who was she?
19:28I ask gently.
19:30He hesitates then.
19:31My sister.
19:32The world stills.
19:34She was...
19:35He stops jaw-locking.
19:36She was kind like you.
19:38Too kind.
19:39She trusted the wrong people.
19:41And when the families went to war years ago, she...
19:44His voice breaks.
19:45Barely.
19:46But enough to fracture the air.
19:48I reach across the table without thinking.
19:50My hand brushes his.
19:52His eyes flick to the touch, stunned for half a breath.
19:55Like he's not used to someone offering comfort instead of fear.
19:59I'm sorry, I whisper.
20:00He's quiet a moment.
20:01Then he turns his hand and threads his fingers through mine like it's...
20:05The most natural motion in the world.
20:07I won't let that happen again.
20:09He says softly.
20:10Lorenzo, I whisper.
20:11I'm not her.
20:13No!
20:13He agrees.
20:14You're not.
20:15But you're someone I can't lose.
20:17Heat blooms in my chest.
20:19Overwhelming, bright, terrifying.
20:21I look down.
20:22I don't know if I can be part of this world.
20:25You're not.
20:26You say that like it's optional.
20:28It is, he says.
20:30And his voice is so loyal and quiet that I believe him.
20:34I'll protect you from it.
20:35Why?
20:36I ask again.
20:37Because I need to hear it.
20:39Need to understand.
20:40His fingers tighten just slightly around mine.
20:42Because somewhere between you yelling at scooter men and stealing pastries...
20:47You got under my skin.
20:48I blink fast.
20:49Sunlight suddenly feels hotter.
20:51Before I can respond, a shadow moves across the table.
20:55A man stands a few feet away.
20:57Tall.
20:57Tan.
20:58In a crisp polo and sunglasses.
21:01Not armed.
21:01Not threatening in a movie villain way.
21:03Just...
21:04Intentional.
21:05Direct.
21:06A courier of trouble.
21:07Lorenzo's posture shifts instantly.
21:10Walk away, Lorenzo says without looking at him.
21:13The man shakes his head.
21:15Boss wants an answer.
21:16You don't get answers here.
21:17The man glances at me.
21:19She's the answer.
21:21My heart catapults straight into my throat.
21:23Lorenzo stands so fast his chair shifts.
21:25You don't speak to her.
21:27The puppies bark under the table, picking up the tension.
21:30I stand too, palms sweating.
21:32Lorenzo.
21:33He steps in front of me, shielding me with his body.
21:36If your boss wants a meeting, he addresses me directly.
21:38He wants leverage, the man says evenly.
21:42He says you can either share your territory, or lose something important.
21:46Heat flashes in Lorenzo's eyes.
21:48Sharp.
21:49Molten.
21:50Terrifying.
21:51You tell him, Lorenzo says, voice calm as the desert sun, that if he comes near her,
21:57I will bury every branch of his family tree so deep they forget daylight exists.
22:01The messenger swallows, steps back, and walks away without another word.
22:07I stand there shaking.
22:08Actually shaking this time.
22:10Lorenzo turns to me, jaw clenched, eyes burning.
22:14Are you hurt?
22:15No, I say, breath snagging.
22:18But I, I can't be part of this.
22:19I can't become someone's leverage.
22:22I can't live like this.
22:23He looks like I slapped him.
22:24He looks like I slapped him.
22:26Maya.
22:27I'm not strong like your world is strong, I say.
22:30I'm normal.
22:31I'm me.
22:32You think I want you to be part of this world?
22:35He snaps quietly.
22:36I want you out of it.
22:38Far from it.
22:39Then why didn't you let me walk away earlier?
22:41His voice lowers into something painfully raw.
22:44Because then they would have followed you when I wasn't there.
22:47Silence stretches between us.
22:49Bright, painful, loud.
22:51He steps closer.
22:53Come with me, he says.
22:54This time there's no command in it.
22:57Just a plea.
22:58Let me keep you safe.
22:59I shake my head.
23:01You're not hearing me.
23:02I, I want safety.
23:04But I don't want safety from danger you bring with you.
23:07He flinches.
23:07A subtle, shattered expression.
23:09I see, he whispers.
23:11My chest tightens.
23:13I didn't mean to hurt him.
23:14I didn't know hurting him was even possible.
23:16He backs up a step.
23:18Then another.
23:19Maya Carter, he says softly.
23:21You are the first person I've wanted in years.
23:24But I won't trap you.
23:25The sincerity hits me like a punch.
23:28I'll end this, Lorenzo says suddenly.
23:30Fiercely.
23:31I'll shut down the deal.
23:32The threats.
23:33The meetings.
23:34I'll corner his family so hard they'll fold without a fight.
23:37Lorenzo, that's not what I meant.
23:39He steps closer again.
23:41Sunlight washing over his face.
23:43I choose you.
23:44Overpower.
23:45Over leverage.
23:46Over everything.
23:46I freeze.
23:48What?
23:49You asked why you matter.
23:51His voice cracks.
23:52Just once.
23:53That's why.
23:54My throat burns.
23:56Lorenzo.
23:57A shout cuts through the crowd.
23:58The messenger from earlier has returned.
24:01With two more men trailing behind him.
24:03Lorenzo moves without hesitation, grabbing my hand.
24:06Stay behind me.
24:07No, I say, surprising even myself.
24:10We're doing this together.
24:12His eyes flash, a mix of pride and panic.
24:14The men stop a few yards away.
24:16Not charging.
24:17Not attacking.
24:19Just delivering more intimidation.
24:21The plaza security notices.
24:22Shoppers notice.
24:24Phone cameras are up.
24:25Good.
24:26Back off.
24:27I call out.
24:28Louder than I've ever yelled at anyone besides my tax software.
24:31There are like twenty witnesses.
24:33You're really doing this in front of a Wetzel's Pretzels?
24:35Lorenzo chokes on a laugh he wasn't expecting.
24:38The men hesitate.
24:39They're not suicidal.
24:40Just annoying.
24:42One of them holds up his phone.
24:43Boss wants a yes or no.
24:45Lorenzo squeezes my hand.
24:47Then he looks directly into the man's camera.
24:49No, he says.
24:50One word.
24:51Sharp as sunlight.
24:53My answer is no.
24:54And if your boss touches her, he's done.
24:56The men exchange looks.
24:58Unsettled.
24:59Crowds shift closer, sensing drama.
25:01Phones zoom in.
25:03Daylight exposes everything.
25:04The messenger nods once, stiffly.
25:06And the group retreats fast.
25:08Disappearing into the crowd like they regret every decision that led them here.
25:12My breath leaves me in a rush.
25:14Lorenzo turns to me, palms on my cheeks.
25:17His forehead nearly touching mine.
25:19You okay?
25:20I should be asking you that, I whisper.
25:23He gives a strained smile.
25:25I just picked you over in Empire.
25:27So no, I'm definitely not okay.
25:29Emotion floods me.
25:31Hot.
25:32Overwhelming.
25:32Impossible to contain.
25:33I didn't want you to give up everything, I whisper.
25:38You didn't want me to choose power over you, he says softly.
25:42And I won't.
25:44The puppies nudge my ankles, whining like emotional support marshmallows.
25:48I laugh through the tears stinging my eyes.
25:51What happens now?
25:52Now?
25:53He brushes his thumb along my cheek.
25:55Now I keep you safe in a life that doesn't involve wars or threats or territory.
26:00And me?
26:01I ask quietly.
26:02What do I do?
26:04He smiles.
26:05The kind of smile I know he doesn't give to anyone else.
26:08Whatever you want.
26:10But if you choose to stay with me, it's because you want me.
26:13Not the world I come from.
26:15I stare at him, heart pounding.
26:16The whole plaza spinning in sunlight.
26:19And if I choose you?
26:20I ask.
26:21His voice softens into something unguarded.
26:24Then I'll spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret it.
26:28I inhale sharply.
26:29A decision settling into my bones.
26:32Okay.
26:32I whisper.
26:33I choose you.
26:35He exhales like he's been underwater for years.
26:38Then he kisses me.
26:39In broad daylight.
26:40In a crowded plaza.
26:42With puppies barking and sunlight hitting every inch of us.
26:44Warm.
26:45Certain.
26:45Fearless.
26:46When he finally pulls back, he presses his forehead to mine.
26:50Hands still cradling my face.
26:52You're mine now.
26:53He murmurs.
26:54But only because you chose to be.
26:56I smile.
26:57Shaky.
26:58Emotional.
26:59Wildly in love.
27:00Guess I'm done avoiding men, huh?
27:02His laugh is soft and disbelieving and completely ruined by joy.
27:06Guess so, Maya.
27:07The puppies leap up, demanding attention.
27:09Lorenzo sighs.
27:10And now you're stuck with all of us.
27:13Honestly?
27:14I say.
27:15Scooping one into my arms.
27:16I think I can handle it.
27:18The sunlight is blinding.
27:19The danger gone.
27:21And for the first time today, I feel something new.
27:23Safe.
27:24Wanted.
27:25Home.
27:25With him.
27:26If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to like the video, subscribe to the channel,
27:31and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode.
27:34Your support keeps these stories coming.
27:37And I love having you here with me.
27:38So drop a comment.
27:40Tell me your favorite moment, or who you want to hear about next.
27:43Thanks for listening, and I'll see you in the next story.
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