Chapter 39: Warned
Meera

"Are you sure you can manage on your own?" Dino asked for the tenth time now. Meera, slightly running out of patience, threw him a dry look. Did he forget that she spent two years overseas alone.

"Dino, it's for one night. You'll be back tomorrow. I'll live."

"You won't leave the house?"

She nodded. "I promise."

He left the room for a second and returned back with a- "Oh my god! Get that away from me!" Did Dino just extend a gun over to her. Was he crazy? Meera liked to think so. He was clearly acting in that manner.

"Meera, listen to me. You gotta keep this." "No, I'm not gonna leave-" "Fucking listen to me!" He made her stop talking, "Things are getting bad, okay. It's getting dangerous and I don't want to leave you here unprotected." But he had to. "You don't have to use it," he said, "Just keep it with you at all times. It's locked but you can pretend to use it on someone just incase."

Meera just stood there, expressionless. All Dino had said was that they'd gotten a lead on the person who was responsible for putting Randal behind bars; and that he was going with Ryan to check it out. Now, she was beginning to doubt his reason. This clearly did not look like something he was just going to 'check out.'

Dino swallowed hard before speaking. "Alright look, I'm sorry. I would've-" He stopped, ran a hand over his face. "I hate leaving you alone. I don't wanna. I would've stayed if we weren't out of men. I can...if I can just get one of my guys to take my place."

Meera melted. "Dino, I'll be fine," she walked up to him, "Leo is gonna check on me when he gets back from I have no idea where and I have your earpiece thingie." Yet, Meera still found herself taking the gun from his hand. "But if it makes you feel better, I will keep it."

"Do you know how to use it?" Meera was never going to use it. "Yeah, you just unlock the gun, pull the trigger and shoot."

"Meera..."

"It's okay," she smiled, flashing the killing object across his face, "I'm fine. What time are you even leaving?"

She followed him into the living room, watched him tuck a second gun beneath his shirt at the waistband of his trackpants. Then, as if that was not enough, he secured a knife in the side of his boot. Panic filled Meera.

"Uhm Dino, are you planning on killing someone tonight?"

He spun around, completely oblivious that she was standing there. Cursing once again, he shook his head. "I don't know who we might be dealing with. We just gotta be prepared on our side."

Okay. One, he was definitely lying. And two, why the hell was he lying.

Dino inhaled deeply. "Look, I will explain everything when I get back tomorrow. I know I'm freaking you out. I'm sorry-" "But you will be back right?" Meera cut in. That was the ultimate question. She needed to know that he was going to be alright.

Meera bit her lip when Dino took her hand in his. He took the gun from her, placed it on the couch.

"I will be back tomorrow. No matter what," he added. His words may have been convincing but his expressions definitely weren't. "You promise that you will come back," she demanded, "because honestly, I won't know what the hell to do or where to look if you don't."

The next thing that happened, or rather, the next thing that Dino did was unexpected. But beyond magical. He removed the chain from around his neck and slowly slipped it on Meera's.

"That's my promise princess that I will come back for you."

"Dino?" Her voice cracked. "You didn't...you never took it off?"

He smiled that gorgeous half-smile. "That's because I never found a reason to Meera," he touched the alphabet on the chain with his fingertips, "Now you that reason and this is my promise to you."

The honk of a car...