Chapter Four – Touch Her and Die

Leo stood in the wreckage of Ava’s apartment, jaw clenched so tight it hurt.

The air smelled like blood, gun oil, and broken furniture.

“This,” he said slowly, “is why I don’t let things get close to me.”

Ava stepped over a shattered chair like it was nothing. “You didn’t let me. You followed.”

He turned on her. “They came with guns.”

She shrugged. “They usually do.”

Usually.

That word echoed.

Jin and six armed men stood frozen, staring at the unconscious attackers scattered around the room.

One was embedded halfway into the wall.

Another had a dislocated jaw.

A third was hog-tied with his own belt.

“Boss…” Jin said carefully, “none of our guys fired.”

Leo didn’t answer.

His eyes were locked on Ava.

“You fought them,” Leo said.

She tilted her head. “Obviously.”

“You’re not bleeding.”

“I heal fast.”

“That’s not normal.”

She sighed. “Define normal.”

Leo grabbed her wrist.

Hard.

The room went deadly silent.

Jin tensed. “Boss—”

Ava’s gaze dropped to Leo’s hand.

Then she looked back up at him.

Her voice was calm.

“You have three seconds to let go.”

Leo smirked. “Or what?”

She moved.

In one smooth motion, she twisted his wrist, stepped inside his guard, and flipped him over her shoulder.

The Ghost Boss hit the floor.

Hard.

Every man in the room sucked in a breath.

Leo lay there for half a second, shocked—not by the pain, but by the fact that it existed at all.

Ava knelt beside him. “I said three.”

She released him and stood.

Leo laughed.

It burst out of him, loud and wild.

Jin stared like he’d just watched God trip.

“You just threw me,” Leo said, pushing himself up.

“You grabbed me,” she replied.

“You could’ve killed me.”

She smiled. “I didn’t want to.”

That answer messed him up more than the throw.

They moved to Leo’s penthouse for safety.

Ava walked in like she owned the place.

She eyed the view. “Nice cage.”

He poured her a drink.

She pushed it away. “Milk.”

He signaled a guard. “Strawberry.”

The guard blinked. Nodded.

Leo leaned against the counter. “Someone ordered that hit.”

Ava sipped her milk. “Obviously.”

“You know who.”

She met his gaze. “Yes.”

“Tell me.”

“No.”

His eyes darkened. “They tried to kill you.”

She leaned forward. “They tried to test me.”

“That’s worse.”

She smiled thinly. “Welcome to my life.”

The interrogation didn’t last long.

The last conscious attacker cracked under pressure.

“It wasn’t about the girl,” the man sobbed. “It was about the symbol—”

Ava sighed.

Too late.

Leo stiffened. “What symbol?”

The man screamed as something invisible crushed his throat.

He collapsed.

Dead.

Everyone froze.

Leo turned slowly.

Ava stood there, hand raised slightly.

Jin whispered, “Boss… she didn’t touch him.”

Leo stared at Ava.

“You used internal force,” Leo said quietly.

Ancient. Controlled. Lethal.

Something no modern fighter should know.

Ava lowered her hand. “I told you not to ask questions in front of idiots.”

The room was silent.

Then Leo laughed again—low, reverent.

“You’re dangerous.”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“You could destroy me.”

She stepped closer. “If I wanted to.”

“Why don’t you?”

She looked at him, really looked.

“Because you’re useful,” she said. “And interesting.”

His grin sharpened. “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me.”

That night, someone made a mistake.

A rival syndicate tried to abduct Ava from Leo’s building.

They never made it past the lobby.

Leo tore through them like a storm.

By the time Ava arrived downstairs, blood coated the marble floors.

She looked around. “Messy.”

Leo wiped his hands. “They touched what’s mine.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Still on that?”

He stepped close. “Say the word, and I’ll burn the city.”

She considered.

Then shook her head. “Not yet.”

He smirked. “Yet.”

Later, on the balcony, the city sprawled below them.

Leo lit a cigarette. Ava leaned on the railing, calm as the night.

“You don’t need protection,” Leo said.

She nodded. “No.”

“But you don’t mind it.”

She glanced at him. “Do you?”

He smiled slowly. “I like standing between you and the world.”

She smirked. “Careful. You might get addicted.”

He leaned closer. “I already am.”

She took a sip of strawberry milk.

And somewhere deep in the city, old powers stirred—because two monsters had just decided to walk the same path.

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