Chapter 390

Lorenzo hung up the phone, bent over, and offered his hand to Ella. Ella looked at his hand reaching out to her. She gave a nervous chuckle and placed her cold little hand into his large palm.

Lorenzo spread his legs slightly and was about to pull Ella up. As Ella straightened up, she realized how awkward their position was—she was kneeling between his legs. “I uh… was being chased by some bad guys,” she stammered, trying to come up with an explanation. It sounded ridiculous even to her, but it was the truth.

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. “Chased by bad guys again?” he asked, his tone skeptical.

Ella instinctively swallowed. Now that Lorenzo mentioned it, she started to wonder if the incident at Long Harbor Airport was really targeting her. She hoped not. If it was, nowhere would be safe.

“What trouble has Mom gotten into this time? As the chairperson of the Turner Group, shouldn’t her daughter be safe from such threats?” she wondered.

Ella forced a smile. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me, but—”

She didn’t get a chance to finish. Voices from outside the car interrupted her. One of the men, furious, kicked a luggage cart. “Damn, those two girls ran pretty fast.”

Ella had been about to get up, but seeing those guys outside the car, she instinctively ducked down. In doing so, her head ended up resting on Lorenzo’s stomach, since his legs were on either side of her armpits.

Lorenzo and Ella exchanged a glance of mutual awkwardness.

“Let me hide here for a bit, just for a moment,” Ella whispered, clinging to Lorenzo’s waist. She couldn’t bring herself to stand up, feeling too exposed.

This was surreal. Ella had never imagined she’d find herself in such a situation, living in what was supposed to be a peaceful time.

Outside the car, one of the thugs was on the phone. “Sorry, Boss, those two women got away,” he said.

“What? Surround the airport?” came the response.

“Got it,” the thug replied.

Ella’s heart sank. ‘Surround the airport? So this person has influence in Fiorenza too. Mom sent Emily and me here and got us into trouble. Does she not even realize who she has offended? This is a disaster.’

Ella’s back was slick with sweat as she nervously turned her face to look at Lorenzo, half of her face still pressed against his stomach. “Why isn’t the car moving?” she whispered urgently.

“You’re still in the car,” Lorenzo replied calmly.

“I can’t get out,” Ella insisted. She had heard the thug’s call. They weren’t planning to leave and intended to surround the entire airport. If she got out of the car now, she’d be caught for sure.

“Won’t you save me?” Ella clung tighter to Lorenzo’s sides, her grip on his waist more desperate than ever. She refused to let go, no matter what.

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. “Saving you doesn’t come cheap.”

Ella’s mind raced. What does he mean by that? Is he actually charging for rescues now? She asked, “But when you used me in Long Harbor, you didn’t ask for money.”

Lorenzo chuckled, a low, amused sound. “That was for Mr. Giovanni’s sake. But now…” His voice trailed off as he paused, his slender fingers lifting Ella’s chin. He leaned down slightly, bringing their faces so close that their breaths mingled.

Lorenzo was undeniably handsome, his features strikingly sharp. Ella had always struggled to distinguish faces, but Lorenzo’s looks were unforgettable. His deep-set features and those eyes—always hinting at a hint of charm—were mesmerizing. Yet, after their intense encounter at Long Harbor Airport, Ella knew exactly how ruthless those eyes could be. The kind of ruthlessness that cut straight to the soul.

Even now, staring into those deep, captivating eyes, Ella couldn’t help but swallow hard. “What?” she whispered.

Lorenzo’s voice was smooth. “Now, what do I get out of this?”