Amelia's shoulders sagged in relief when she saw Mark. They had a knife pointed at her throat, threatening her not to speak and trust her. She dare not attempt that.
"Sorry about that Belle, we just wanted to draw your boss out." One of the men said and rubbed her neck soothingly before pushing her away.
She didn't hesitate in moving behind Mark. She wondered where he knew these men from. Their faces were scary, lit the promise or leaving evil in their wake.
Mark knotted in rage but tried to control himself, "let's discuss this outside." He told them and they nodded. He turned to Amelia, " I'm sorry about that, I'll make it up to you." He promised her and she nodded in return.
On their way out, she studied their frame. One of the men looked as if he had a weapon, say a gun, sticking out of the back of his pocket. Why was Mark following them out? he wouldn't be able to overpower them. She thought.
So she crept to the window and removed the blinds slowly so that they'd not figure out that she was watching them. Then a thought struck her mind, what if they decided to kill him in broad daylight and take off.
She scurried to the door and grabbed out her phone in her bag and began to video the events.
Mark made sure that they were out of earshot from passers-by. " Why are you here?"
"Maybe we just came to pay a friendly visitation to you, I don't see how that is bad." One of them replied and Mark speared him a dangerous look.
" I don't have time for games, state your cause."
" You are needed at the base."
" I'm done with that shit. Tell him I said so."
" Well, no can do. It's not like you have anything holding you back here. Everyone knows that your wife is about to divorce your sorry ass, why don't you just come back and start anew, who knows?" He shrugged.
Mark leveled an annoyed glare at the second man who wore a nonchalant attitude. " I don't think that anyone in their right senses would want to return to their vomit except of course, they are dogs." He said, and they stared at each other before bursting into laughter.
To any unsuspecting passerby, they might seem like old friends catching up but the men knew what they were doing. " I'll give you advice for free, I don't care how you make use of it." One of the men said, his slow smile turning into a wide grin, his teeth baring right in front of Mark in warning. " We expect your return as soon as possible, or else..."
The second tapped Mark thrice on the shoulders, a firm slap, which could set fear in another person's heart. " I don't care about your tiny shop and the life you've built, I'll destroy it completely." He huffed like a hulk.
" Ciao, amigos." The men waved at him before entering their sleek car which perched at the end of the street. With a powerful rev which boasted of the beast's strength, they sped off leaving dust in their wake and Mark coughing.
" Who were those people and why were they trying to kill me? Why were you talking to them as if you are old friends and what did they mean by you are supposed to return?" Amelia attacked him with questions the moment he set his foot into the store.
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she tried to find out what it was that they were discussing. Mark didn't look like someone who would be involved in dirty affairs but judging from the way he was rigid, unflinching and unafraid, she began to have second thoughts.
" They were my friends, they wanted me to get involved in politics which I have blatantly refused, it's just a ruse to make me join them, they thought that you were my wife hence the harassment." Mark lied without breaking eye contact with her.
Whew, such a relief! This was one of the times that she was grateful not to be related to him, " So, I don't need to worry?" Amelia inquired as she watched him walk into the office.
Mark shook his head in dismissal as he pulled out his drawing stool, searching for the best way to send her away for a moment. Maybe if he said that she shouldn't come in regularly that would reduce her risk of encountering those scoundrels.
" They are the least of your worries but I'll prefer if you don't always show up around here so that they don't mistake you for my wife and God forbid something bad happens." He said.
Amelia stopped moving, his statements contradicted each other. He said that they weren't dangerous, but they could cause her harm, " Make it make sense, are they harmful or not." She inquired.
" Dangerous you mean, yes. Will they kill you intentionally? No. But to be on the side of caution, I'd prefer if you come in once a while, we can meet in secret places to talk about the paintings."
Amelia felt her heart drop, there was something always rising to make sure that they didn't end up together or scatter their relationship. Not that it was a relationship per say but she enjoyed his company which she was also sure that the feelings were mutual if not he wouldn't allow her to continue coming here.
" I won't go anywhere, I think we should start by making a disclaimer that I am not your wife to your neighbors. Once they are informed other people surely will be." Amelia said.
Mark's head shot up and he shrugged, if he pushed it might seem as though he didn't want her here. " Let's see how things pan out."
" Even in the face of adversity, you refuse to let the strange woman go? How honorable!" A female voice interrupted and they turned around.
" We really ought to start locking this door." Mark muttered under his breath.