His Melody

Chapter 23 - His Lucky Penny

"Well, well, well... what do we have here?"

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The voice of the unknown person eerily crawled up Leonardo's spine and latched onto the back of his neck in an almost suffocating grip as his eyes did not dare waver from his Melody.

'Fearful' was typically not a word one would use to describe 'Leonardo Romano' - 'fearless' or 'frightening' would be far more appropriate under normal circumstances, however, in that moment Leonardo was numbingly and irrevocably fearful. Fearful of possibilities, fearful of the unknown, fearful for the small girl who remained staring up at him innocently and lovingly - her eyes filled with trust that nothing on the planet would be able to harm her as long as she was in arms reach of Leonardo... how wrong she was.

Clenching his jaw, Leonardo stiffly turned around to meet the owner of the sickening voice. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he, initially, was unable to identify the shadowed figure who's eyes glowed an eery yellow under the street light, who's hollow cheeks sat heavy on his gaunt face and who's tattered clothing and disheveled hair suggested that he had not showered or changed in a long time. "If it isn't Leonardo Romano and his little bitch..." the unknown man continued causing Leonardo to wince slightly at the profanity used to describe his girl.

"Who are you and what the fuck do you want?" Leonardo drawled out. Composedly, he ensured to maintain a bored expression on his face as he leered at the man, however, he could not ignore the feeling of his heart thumping, painfully, in his throat as he worried for Melody. Subtly, he clasped the girl's wrist in a firm grasp as he ushered her further behind him, taking a protective stance and blocking her completely from the man's gaze.

"You don't remember me, huh?", the man chuckled with poisonous sarcasm as he threw his head back in false amusement, "Of course you don't...why am I not fucking surprised! I don't expect an entitled brute like you to remember someone like me anyway. I mean how could you? You probably cause mens deaths every day - must be hard to keep track of all your victims," he mocked with false sincerity as he glowered in hatred at him.

Leonardo's patience was wearing thinner as each second passed. He was irritated that he had yet been provided with answers and he was furious that Melody was hearing the way that this cunt portrayed him - he worked so hard to keep his girl safely shadowed from the truth.

As the unidentified man soon realized that Leonardo was unwilling to give him any other response other than merely rolling his eyes, he grew more infuriated. "'Isaac Thompson.' Does that name ring a bell?" He continued and Leonardo visibly tensed upon hearing the familiar name as he instantly realized who he was speaking to. "Ah. So you do remember? Lucky me..." He beamed sinisterly and Leonardo internally scolded himself for giving the man any inclination to what he was feeling.

"Um... L-leo... what's going on?" Melody's delicate voice awkwardly intruded on the two domineering mens conversation as she shakily tugged on her man's shirt in a mixture of fear and confusion. Leonardo clenched his eyes shut at the intrusion. He was angered that Melody would be stupid enough to intervene, however, he could not blame the poor girl, he could tell that her words came only from a place of honest concern.

"Yes, 'Leo'", the man spat, mocking Melody as she tried her very best to understand their situation, "do tell the girl what the fuck is going on." He challenged, relishing in the anger that emanated off the man at his words.

"Shut the fuck up," Leonardo grumbled dismissively, terrified of his Melody hearing the reasoning to this man's reaction.

"Oh I see... you don't want your girl here to see the truth of your cruelty, huh? Such a pity... I guess I'll have to tell her for you," he beamed in fake enthusiasm causing an uncomfortable feeling to settle in the pit of Melody's stomach. Before Leonardo had the opportunity to reply, the man continued speaking, "well, sweetheart, 'Isaac Thompson' was my brother and a few months ago he died on a job, working for your "sweet Leo", here. Because of your boyfriend, my brother is dead. That enough 'truth' for you?", his tone void of empathy as he recounted the event.