When They Met

Five Years Ago...

Gia's eyes narrowed as she navigated the winding streets, her senses on high alert. Suddenly, a figure darted out of the shadows, pursued by something or someone. She wasn't sure. Gia's heart skipped a beat as the figure collided with her car, the impact sending her heart racing.

She leapt out of the driver's seat, rushing to the aid of the injured man. His eyes locked onto hers, a mixture of pain and wariness.

"I am so sorry," she gushed. "Are you hurt? Oh my gosh, I'm so stupid of course you're hurt. Blood!" she panicked even more and frantically looked around. The sight of blood always threw her off and she didn't know what to do.

"Get me out of here," he growled, struggling to stand.

Gia tried to hold his arm but hesitated and looked around to see if she could call for help but there was no one in sight. It felt to have not even a single person on the street. The street looked to be deserted, something straight out from a zombie apocalypse movie. 

"Get me out of here," he repeated himself.

"You need medical attention. I can't administer first aid, I don't even have a first aid kit," she rambled and pulled out her phone. "Let me call my mom, maybe she'd know what to do."

He lifted his uninjured arm and snatched her phone from her hand. His steel gaze flicked to the men still chasing him, before returning to Gia. "No moms. No first aid. No hospitals."

Gia's jaw set in determination. "You're bleeding. What if you die? I could get into a lot of trouble. You're going to the hospital."

His eyes flashed with anger, but she stood firm, helping him into the passenger seat. All through the ride to the hospital, his eyes darted to the rear mirror. He clutched his left arm that was injured from his fall while his feet bounced anxiously on the floor of the car. Gia was too stressed from fear to observe any of his movements, all that mattered to her was getting him to the hospital.

She almost had panic attacks on their way to the hospital and he thought she was just being dramatic. Typical damsel in distress, he thought to himself.

The hospital was a blur of sterile smells and antiseptic sounds, Gia pacing anxiously as he received stitches. She was a wreck of emotions until the doctor assessed his wounds and assured her that they were all just minor injuries.

As they left the hospital, his gaze slid toward Gia, a hint of surprise and gratitude flickering across his face. "Thanks," he muttered. She looked genuinely worried about him and he found it weird because he was just a stranger to her.

Gia raised an eyebrow. "You're welcome." They were silent for a while before she spoke again. "I am Dana," she said with a small smile.

He hesitated. It took him a full minute to decide whether to respond or not. "Jace," was all he said.

The drive to his hotel was silent, though she'd much rather get the handsome stranger to talk her. She loved the sound of his voice it was deep, firm yet charming. It was the kind of voice that made you want to listen and do its bidding. 

"Are you really sure that you're feeling okay? If you're not we could always _"

"I am grand," Jace said firmly. His blue eyes looked a little annoyed.

"I know that it's not my place to ask but, what exactly were you running from? Was it a dog or something?" she glanced at him with curiosity.

He sighed before speaking, "I was just exercising."

"But it was only past noon. Why do I feel like you're not saying the truth?" she glanced at him again. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's perfectly fine. It's not like I can be of help to you anyway."

He sighed again for what felt like the umpteenth time, "Dana, I think you were pretty helpful earlier but it's best if you stay out of my business. I honestly appreciate what you did for me back there. You have no idea what that means to me."

Gia drew her lips in a thin line and didn't know what else to say. She just focused on the road and stayed quiet. It felt like that was exactly the beautiful tall stranger was indirectly telling her to do. She felt bad but didn't say anything all through the rest of the ride.

As Gia pulled up to the entrance, Jace turned to her, his icy-blue eyes searching.

"Why did you help me?" he asked, his voice low.

Gia's smile was enigmatic. "Maybe I just didn't want your blood on my conscience."

His gaze lingered on hers, she had the most beautiful set of grey eyes he had ever seen. He stared longer, enchanted by them before he gave her a clipped nod and slid out of the car, disappearing into the night.

Gia watched him go, a shiver running down her spine. She had no idea that this chance encounter would set off a chain reaction, altering the course of her life forever.

He pretended to walk into the hotel she dropped him in front of and he walked right out when she drove off. He walked a few streets away, cautiously looking over his shoulder as he went to the hotel he actually stayed at with his cousin.

Luca burst into Alvan's hotel room, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Hey, cugino! Heard you had a little accident."

Alvan raised an eyebrow, wincing as he settled onto the bed. "Just a scratch."

Luca chuckled, dropping into the armchair beside the bed. "Save it, Alvan. I heard it was a lot more than a scratch. And I heard you had a little help from a beautiful signorina."

Alvan's eyes narrowed, a warning glinting in their depths. "Don't start, Luca."

Her eyes and voice were already stuck in his head and he didn't want his cousin taunting him any further.

Luca held up his hands, feigning innocence. "Who, me? I'm just making an observation. You're not exactly the type to accept help from strangers, especially not beautiful ones."

Alvan's jaw clenched, a hint of color rising to his cheeks. "She just happened to be driving by. It was nothing."

Luca's grin widened. "Nothing, huh? That's not what I heard. I heard she was a real firecracker, this one. Stood up to you and everything."

Alvan's eyes flashed, a spark of amusement igniting despite himself. "Shut up, Luca."

Luca laughed, leaning forward. "I'm just getting started, cugino. So tell me, what's the story with this mysterious signorina? Did you get her number?"

"What the heck, man? If you liked her that much you should have stepped forward and asked for her number," Alvan muttered but Luca heard him anyway.

"Easy man," Luca chuckled lifting his hands up in surrender. "I'm just saying. It's been a while since I saw you around any female. We are starting to think that you are gay. Not like that's a bad thing thing. I'd still love you if you like guys. All I'm saying is that I was starting to think," he cut himself off. "We were all starting to think _"

Alvan narrowed his eyes at him and cut him off, "When you say we, who are you talking about?"

Luca shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, "You know me, Alessia, Javan, your mam, gran Gran and even your father surprisingly."

Alvan couldn't bring himself to refute him on hearing Alessia's name. She was already gone and burried but sometimes Luca was still in denial and talked like she was still with them. Well she still was, only in their hearts. They were both in Prague for her after all.

"I am not having this talk about my sexuality with you or with anyone at all. My muscles are sore from all that running. I want a drink," Alvan got up from the couch and sauntered to the kitchen of their suite to get drinks. "Could you order something? I'm starving. All that talk about some stranger has made me hungry," he called from the kitchen.

"You mean some drop dead gorgeous stranger? I think you two would make a perfect couple," Luca said loudly and Alvan just groaned from the kitchen.