Page 22 of My Vigilante Valentine

Especially someone who’d seen The Blade in action up close.

And yeah… right again—kidnapping wasn’t much better as far as alternate conclusions.

I should’ve been more careful. Should’ve found another way to handle that guy without revealing my true nature and the depth of my skills.

How would an Average Joe have handled it? Surely, any random customer in my position would’ve attempted to take down an armed robber, right?

Eh, maybe not.

Not if they were unarmed and untrained, anyway.

But the second I’d heard that glass break? My instincts were all I’d had. They’d taken over, leaving no room for thoughts about to how to make it look like I didn’t have something wholly different coursing through my veins.

At first, I’d been so focused on tracking the Valentine Villain’s patterns that I hadn’t even realized Luna was locking up. Usually, I was hyper-aware of my surroundings, but tonight, I’d gotten caught up in my research.

Amateur move.

When she’d loudly said goodnight to her employee, the sound of her voice had snapped me out of my haze, but by then, I’d gotten a few ideas for how to get the maniac, and no part of me wanted to pack up and leave.

If she’d asked, I would have. I wasn’t an animal.

But as she’d neared my table, shocking me by leaving me alone in favor of closing up in companionable silence, trusting me in a way no one else probably would…

I’d stayed.

I’dchosento stay.

And now, I was trapped between a rock and a hard place.

Or, more accurately, between an unconscious robber and a very headstrong coffee shop owner who thought I was something straight out of a comic book.

Which was... a very big problem.

And yet, I wasn’t mad that I’d been here. Luna had been in the back room when he’d come in, probably doing paperwork or inventory. Blissfully unaware.

And the thought of her getting hurt?

Unacceptable.

So… I’d done my thing.

And now Luna was staring at me with those bright eyes of hers, practically vibrating with those pesky, unanswered questions.

I needed to handle the aftermath of my bad choices tonight and smooth things over somehow, but first...

“Are you okay?” I asked, maybe a little too gruffly.

It seemed to catch her off guard—definitely not the answer to her question about me leaving before the cops arrived. “Am I— Wait, what?”

“An armed robber just broke into your place of business,” I said, keeping my voice steady and cool. Impassive, even. “Most people would be shaken up.”

Her lips curved into a small smile. “Honestly? I feel safer than ever.”

I frowned, hoping she was joking, but also not.

And she made me this way—a tangled web of contradictions that twisted me up inside.

“Okay, well, now that you mention it,” she said after a beat, glancing toward the front door, “I’m supernot okayabout the mess he made. Definitely not looking forward to cleaning that up tonight.”

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