The light snowing outside was in stark contrast to the warmth exuded by the fireplace inside her apartment. Seliyna was biting her fingernails in nervous apprehension as she stared at the door. They could be here any moment. Her thoughts drifted to last night's dinner with the man.

He had not bothered to introduce himself to her last night at the dinnertable but the way the waiters treated him at the restaurant was enough to tell her that he was not a man to be trifled with. His greeting smile had the characteristic slyness of a man who knew what cards he was holding. The only reassurance Seliyna had that he wasn't there to harm her was a small giftwrapped parcel he gave her before getting seated. She observed the gift wondering what it held inside while curiously fiddling with the ribbon it was wrapped with. 

"Your father had once mentioned that you like perfumes."

Seliyna smiled lightly and nodded. She missed her father, he was protective of her till his dying breaths last week. He did odd jobs for the man who was seated across her till his failing health meant that now she was left with dues to owe to this man. Her father had always kept her out of his work life, to the point that till this date she didn't know who he worked for till he was contacted by them. "Thank you." The man took no notice of her appreciation and drove the hammer right onto the nailhead. 

"You must be aware that your father had borrowed some money from me" Seliyna didn't know but she did not dare question this man. She just nodded. "But I have no money."

"While you may think so. That is not entirely true. Your father was cunning and shrewd and the reason why I hired him to work for me was because of that. He knew how to multiply money. I believe he has almost certainly left you something which you can use to pay back his dues. Tomorrow evening I will personally come to your home and see what I can retrieve from it."  

All she could do right then was nod meekly.

 

At first the knock on the door was so light Seliyna thought she imagined it. Then it grew louder, quick and sharp raps on the door which showed that the person or people on the other side meant serious business. A slight shiver ran through her, she was determined to bravely face what was thrown at her. She knew very little about how this worked but the least she could do was make her presence disconcerting.

The people on the other side of the door stopped their knocking and turned the handle instead to find it already open. When the boss and two of his henchmen entered Seliyna was standing with a broad but flushed smile on her face.

All she was wearing was the perfume the boss had gifted the previous night.

"I'm so sorry! I just got home and couldn't answer the door myself. I was just a bit occupied. Please have a seat " she laughed nervously, part of which was due to anticipation of what would follow and partly because of being completely bared in the presence of three men whom she knew little about.

The three men exchanged a few confused looks before taking a seat. "Would you gentlemen like a cup of coffee?" her voice had no sign of nervousness now and had lifted to a more confident level. The boss shook his head and whispered orders to his two henchmen. "Search the house thoroughly." Seliyna could barely hear his words. She took no notice of the two men now searching her apartment and the mess they left behind by displacing pillows, clothes and cushions onto the floor. She started washing the dishes in the kitchen sink while humming a tune under her breath but she had a watchful eye on the two men one of whom had now entered the kitchen with her and was overturning some vessels. They won't find anything there. She thought to herself. Her thoughts were interrupted by what she thought was a pair of eyes upon her, she met his stare with a smile and the man who immediately went back to his work. 

But it wasn't his sly staring which concerned her. It was where his fellow mate was which worried her more. The painting on the wall of her bedroom hid behind it a convenient hole. She had discovered it yesterday and the last thing she wanted was its contents to be unveiled to these men. But the other man was now watching the painting with a glimmer of interest. Just as he was about to move closer to the wall it hung upon Seliyna very intentionally tripped and crashed into the man almost disbalancing him to the ground as she clutched him tightly making sure he felt a plentiful of her. When she regained her balance, she was red in the cheeks and her arms crossed across her chest in faked embarassment. 

"Oh I am so sorry. Thank you!"

It was enough to distract his thoughts from checking the painting. 

When they were done, the men had nothing to report to their boss who made no effort to hide his disappointment and glanced at the young woman. 

"Well you have to pay up my dues somehow. You seem like a smart one. From now you work for me."

Again like the evening before she had no choice other than nod. She would have to tread in uncharted waters from now. 

Dominic was outside an apartment complex smoking a cig relaxing against the wall. It has been one hell of a couple weeks. His hood covered his face with a shadow, only seen was the cig as he inhaled it. Flicking some of the ash he thought about the recent events. Moved to a new crew, only to have that crew leader get taken out by a rogue, then started in another crew. Mostly people he sorta remembered from Midas but most were new to him. 

He heard some shuffling around and wasn't sure what it was backing up to look and see if he could see anything. 

The table crashed to the floor. Seliyna kicked it again out of frustration. She had been working for Don Manolo for a week now and it was taking a toll upon her. The pay was measely if any at all. The Don made her do all kinds of jobs from collecting rents and tributes to transporting drugs for him. The days left her tired and hungry. Often she would steal a loaf of bread from the store on her way back. 

Today evening had a nasty shock in store for her though. The door was ajar when she arrived at her apartment and a look was all it took to break the bad news. The apartment was in a state of chaos, furniture moved from their usual spots, closet and drawers opened, the few clothes she had strewn across the floor and the money she had saved gone. 

She bent down and picked up a vase, adjusted the sleeve of her dress and threw it through the balcony onto the streets below.

"Fuck it." 

The yell of anger was loud to be easily audible to anyone standing in the street. 

Dominic heard more of the stuff being kicked around above him. As he looked up he noticed an object come flying off the balcony. His eyes try to focus and noticing its a vase heading towards him. He stepped to the side just barely missing it. 

He looked closely at the level of the balcony smirking, "This will be easy."

Taking a running start from the street, he runs up the wall pushing off grabbing the window next to him. Moving slightly, swaying himself swinging to the next then pushing off grabbing the window above him. Repeating the same process making it to end of the balcony.

Sitting on the corner of the railing kneeling ish as his hands between his legs looking into the room.

"A miss? Everything okay?" He asked staying outside on the balcony. 

"What the!" Seliyna was already armed with a stick when she heard the voice coming from the balcony. "What do you want?" her voice was fuming with anger. His tone did not suggest he was here to harm her but nevertheless she was wary about the presence of a stranger who had climbed onto her balcony. 

"Get in here for fuck sake. You are freaking me out by standing in the dark out there." She kicked away a stray robe which was lying at her feet. 

Stepping off the railing of the balcony planting his feet onto the balcony. He kept his hood up which kept most of his face hidden as he walked into the light of the room. The most she could see was the smile on his face as he came into the light.

"Everything okay? That vase about hit me. I heard a ruckus up here so I came to investigate it?"

"Does everything look okay?" she looked at him with a glare. "I've just been robbed. Everything valuable that I had. All my savings too." She was restraining from letting teardrops show up in her eyes. 

Seliyna sighed and threw herself upon the couch, running her hands through her hair and trying to think of what to do next. She looked at the stranger again. "Investigate my ass. I suppose you just came to check if there is anything else you could salvage from this place ay? See anything worth taking here?" she snapped at him. She immediately shook her head in disbelief at her rudeness to him.

"Sorry its just the mood speaking. I am Seliyna." She offered her hand to him. 

Looking over the room that he was in noticing it was quite the mess. Thinking wow she must have gotten robbed. Noticing the tear in her eye he felt bad for her, Dominic was a compassionate man. Always has been sucker for the ladies that is no doubt. 

"Well alri.."

As he went to speak she cut him off with her shouting that she thought he was the one who did this. Noticing then her quick change of thought he smiled and pulled down his hood after she finished speaking extending his hand to greet hers.

"I am sorry to hear this. I am Dominic. It is pleasure to meet you. Can I help in some way?" 

Dominic reached into his pocket digging for his wad of cash he normally carries with him. 

"The damage is done. I am broke." Whoever it was had taken everything. Even searched behind the picture and taken the artifact her father had left her. It was supposed to be worth a fortune. Not anymore for her. She only hoped Don Manolo would pay her for the next assignment.

"Nice to meet you Dominic."

This stranger was kind and maybe too kind for a complete stranger when he asked if he could help her in any way. She saw his hand in his pockets which had the fat look of a wad of cash in it. Was he going to help her with money? She could use the help but the thought of accepting money from him made her feel a little guilty. What if he was also like that Don Manolo and would come back later demanding it back.

"Why would you help me? I have nothing to offer in return?" She started picking up the strewn clothes from the floor and arranging them back in the closet while awaiting his answer.

Dominic looked around the room feeling sorry for this young woman to start off with such bad luck. Dominic was raised right if someone needed help he would be the first person to step in and help out. Taking out his cash counting it. Folding about half of it over and extending his hand with the cash in it.

"Listen its just how I was raised. No strings attached just a good guy helping out someone down on their luck. Look its about two hundred and fifty dollars. I hope it can help." Smiling as he kept his hand out.

"Also lets go getcha some food to distract you from this for the moment?" Smiling at her with his offer.

"I don't feel like it" 

That was her first response but she then looked at Dominic. Perhaps going out with him tonight would lighten her mood. She pulls out a drawer and hides the wad of cash underneath some folded clothes. "Thank you. You are very kind."

Probably thinking about what she would wear to this sudden date will make her forget about the nasty incident. She looks at some of the few clothes she has for a dinner. She picks her two only dresses  and stands in front of the mirror while holding them in front of her in turns.

"Ok. Lets go out. Give me a moment to change. You can wait outside in the balcony and try not to look." She shrugs and hangs up her gown on a hook in the wall. She tries out the red dress first and looks at herself in the mirror again. Nothing too flashy. Next she tries out the black one. 

"Which one do you think Mister Dominic?" she asks while looking at the mirror still.

Dominic stepped out onto the balcony, looking down at her view. He nodded, not bad for kid off the block. Moving his wrist up and adjusting the weapon that was stored in his sleeve while he waited. 

As he moved his wrist back the blade shot out. Moving his hand back forward the blade moved back into its sheath. He heard his name and he turned around and entered the room.

Seeing her in the black dress brought a smile to his face. Nibbling on his lower lip some, "That is perfect, wow you look simply beautiful!"