Jake P.O.V.

I hurled my fist as hard as I could at the punching bag. Deep anger burned in the pit of my stomach and I unleashed on the swaying bag in front of me. My knuckles ached and I was panting, coming down off of my anger.

I ran my fingers through my hair as I caught my breath. That damn Norman. What was she doing over there anyway? Hadn't I told her before to stay away from him? I thought about the way he was touching her when I threw open the door. The red haze came back and the familiar itch in my fists returned.

I let out an angry yell as I slugged the punching bag as hard as I could. I knew I was angry but there was another emotion I couldn't quite put my finger on. It felt like frustration but slightly different. I remembered how I felt as I ran to Norman's room. I remember how I had so desperately prayed I wasn't too late.

Helplessness.

I had never felt it so strong before. I was always dominating and controlling so I had never left lost control of the situation; But this time I had. I had no control of Adriana and that terrified me. I wanted to keep her safe and happy.

An image of Adriana smiling in bliss when she bit into her first taste of beef Wellington made me smile. If I had my way she would eat like that every day and make that face every time I saw her.

Then I saw the little teasing sultry smirk on her face when she winked and meowed at me. The sparkle in her normally dull sad eyes made me want to see more, to see if I could make those beautiful green eyes shine like stars.

I froze in my relentless punching and blankly watched the violently swaying punching bag come to a stand still.

I liked her.

For the first time in my player life, I liked someone. And not just because she had a nice body, even Adriana had a killer one, I liked her for her. I liked her personality and that shy little smile, the tiny blush that came up on her cheeks when she looked at me.

"Jake...?"

At the sound of a timid voice behind me I snapped out of my thoughts and turned around. Oh God.

Adriana stood in the doorway to my gym wearing a black sports bra and tight leggings. My eyes strayed down to her flat stomach and long legs before slowly trailing back up to her face.

My heart jumped a little when I saw her eyes staring wide-eyed at my bare chest. I chuckled lightly to hide my growing embarrassment.

"Take a picture it lasts longer."

Adriana seemed to snap out of her daze and her face flushed an unnatural adorable shade of red. She whirled around away from me and mumbled quietly,

"I-I'm sorry I-I didn't know this gym was yours..."

I smiled and pulled a shirt on as I walked over to her,

"It's fine you can use it whenever you want."

She cautiously turned around and relaxed when she saw I had a shirt on. I couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"Oh thank you. I have never used a gym before, I usually go running."

I raised and eyebrow and teased lightly,

"The Bookworm runs? Where to? The library?"

She pouted when I laughed at my own joke. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot agitatedly.

"I will have you know I am a very fast runner."

At the glint of challenge in her eyes I smiled and ruffled her hair playfully,

"Oh really Kitten?"

I watched pleased as she blushed profusely but nodded. I took my hand away and smirked at her,

"How 'bout a little challenge then? I have to buy my dad a birthday present but I have no idea what to get him. If I can a mile faster than you, you have to come with me to the mall and help me."

Adriana looked a little surprised but smirked back and asked,

"And if I win?"

I thought briefly about what she would enjoy most then it came to me in a flash,

"I will get you a motorcycle."

Her eyes went wide and excited,

"Really? But those rewards are uneven in value."

I smiled softly at her and smoothed her ruffled hair,

"You're right. A day with you is priceless."

~~~~~~~~~~

"Ready?"

Adriana set herself up at the starting line and nodded at me.

"Go!"

I clicked the timer and watched as she took off. She pumped her arms furiously as she flew around the track.

'She is certainly fast'

She finished a lap in under three minutes and her pace never slowed. It was the final stretch of her final lap and she sprinted as hard she could and I crouched down by the finish line, timer ready.

"Done!"

I clicked the timer as Adriana launched herself over the line. She braced her hands on her knees and panted heavily. In a flash of concern, I flew over to her side and rubbed her back,

"You ok?"

She mutely nodded and beamed at me excitedly,

"What was my time?"

I glanced down at the timer,

"7:01"

She pumped her fist,

"Beat that, man-whore!"

I frowned at her choice of endearment. I whined,

"Why do you have to call me that? Call me something cool at least."

She glared at me incredulously,

"Oh and Bookworm is cool?"

I tweaked her nose teasingly,

"No it's cute."

A blush flared up on her cheeks and she looked down at her dirty shoes,

"Is not..."

I laughed and set myself up at the starting line. I winked,

"Ready to go."

Adriana clicked the timer and yelled,

"Go!"

I pushed forward and ran lightly. The rough rubbed of the track crunched under my shoes as I ran along quiet leisurely. As I jogged by Adriana she yelled tauntingly,

"I guess you really wanna loose huh?"

Oh now shes done. I twisted my head and flashed her a smile before sprinting as hard as I could. I slid into the zone as i breathed deeply and pushed myself as hard as I could. Adriana's mouth was dropped open in shock as I flew towards the finish line. I smirked and sprinted across the line, hearing a faint beep as Adriana hit the timer.

Refusing to let my breathlessness show, I walked over to Adriana,

"What was my time?"

Adriana looked down at the timer and stiffened. I looked over her shoulder and smirked at her.

~~~~~~~~

"Off by one freakin' second..."

Adriana grumbled as we walked towards the food court in the mall. I chuckled at her cute peeved face. I placed my elbow on her head, reminding her indirectly I was taller than her,

"One second is all it takes."

She slapped away my elbow and pouted sourly. After a few seconds of silence she asked,

"Where do you want to eat?"

I shrugged nonchalantly,

"Don't care."

She suddenly perked up,

"Panda Express?"

I nodded and jumped when she grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the end of the line. Adriana's hand felt so strong and small wrapped around mine. If felt so right.

When we reached the end of the line, I could not help but notice she did not let go of my hand. I sure as hell wasn't going to remind her.

Adriana held my hand all the way up the line and finally realized when she reached the pick up the tray and saw our entwined fingers. She hurriedly pulled her hand away and blushed hard,

"O-O-Oh sorry..."

I laughed and picked up the tray, trying to hide my disappointment at loosing her warm grip,

"No problem."

We sat down at a small table and an awkward silence came over us. She absent-mindedly ate her cashew chicken and wantons. When she ran out of wantons she reached over for mine.

"Hey thats mine!"

I smacked her fork away playfully with mine. She snapped to and frowned at the wanton,

"But I'm hungry."

She lunged for it again and I smacked her away with my fork. Somehow, we descended in a sword fight with our forks and were standing up and running around the food court yelling at each other.

"Ha! Take that!"

She dodged my lunge and aimed for my neck,

"Take what, man-whore?"

I took a chance and threw my fork at her face,

"This!"

She squealed and ducked her head, giggled when I missed. She grinned and brandished her fork when she saw I was defenseless.

"The wanton is mine!"

I ran away and she chased after me, laughing maniacally.

'Mental Note: Give Adriana your wantons.'

I hurdled over table and chairs and somehow made it back to our table, people giving me dirty looks as I brushed past them.

The wanton was still sitting on the tray by itself and I scooped it up and held a knife to it.

"Stop or the wanton gets it!"

Adriana froze and held her fork in a battle-position.

"You wouldn't..."

I laughed and pressed the knife further into the now soggy wanton,

"Oh I think I would, Bookworm."

"Hiya!"

She ran towards me and tried to snatch the wanton away. I held it tauntingly over her head,

"Common you can get it, Kitten. Just jump a little higher."

I held in tantalizingly close the her groping hands. She pouted as she turned to me and shoved her fork into my stomach.

I started cracking up when the fork broke in half. I slumped to the ground and pounded my fist on the table with laughter,

"I-I-I broke the fork with m-my abs!"

Adriana frowned and picked up the broken fork,

"I'm sure it wasn't that..."

I lifted up my shirt partially, showing her my chiseled abs.

"Pretty sure it was."

Adriana blushed and pulled down my shirt,

"Don't do that in public!"

I winked,

"So I can do it private?"

Adriana sighed and started to clean up around our tray. I heard her grumbling under her breath,

"Damn boy... Could wash clothes on those abs..."

I chuckled and popped the wanton in my mouth.

~~~~~~~~

We walked around looking into stores to get something for my father.

"How bought something Lord of the Rings?"

I frowned when Adriana said this,

"Why that?"

She blushed and frowned,

"He threw a ring at my eye when I met him..."

I laughed,

"Not as bad as what he did to me one time!"

She raised an eyebrow at me doubtingly.

"He was dressed up as the Mad Hatter and shoved a cake that said 'Eat Me' in my face then made me drink this nasty drink that said 'Drink Me' on it."

Adriana giggled,

"Thats not so bad."

I kept my passive as I added,

"He then shoved me in a Queen of Hearts costume and shoved a living white rabbit in my arms."

Adriana froze and stared at me. Seeing that I was serious she started laughing her butt off, pointing at me and giggling,

"Q-Q-Queen of H-Hearts?"

I frowned and nodded sourly.

She giggled again then grabbed my hand and beamed up at me,

"Thats hilarious! I want to see that one day!"

I rolled my eyes,

"In your dreams."

She stopped outside a candy store and pointed at it, still holding my hand much to my pleasure,

"How 'bout in there?"

I shrugged and let her drag me in.

"How 'bout a giant gummy bear?"

A giant 20 pound gummy bear sat in the corner and I gagged,

"Gross."

She picked up a giant lollipop the size of her head,

"How about this?"

I frowned and snatched it out of her hands,

"Something a little nicer?"

She had just open her mouth to reply when a loud voice yelled from the entrance of the store,

"Anna?"

Adriana gasped and whirled around,

"Matt?"

She ran toward a teenager about the same age as us in a Hollister tang top.

'Matt' scooped her up into his arms and spun her around and she squealed happily. My heart clenched in jealously and I stalked up to him and offered him my hand coldly,

"Jake Collins."

Matt put down Adrianna and took my hand giving me a reserved smile,

"Matt Arden."

Adriana clung to his arm and beamed at me,

"Matt has been my friend since I was four years old."

I instantly relaxed at the word friend. Matt however was looked at me scrutinizingly.

"Do you happen to be Jake Collins of Collins Productions, the Stiller Corporations enemy?"

I raised an eyebrow at him and slipped an arm around Adriana's side and pulled her to me,

"What about it?"

Matt looked angry,

"Eli Stiller, owner of Stiller Corporations, is my uncle."

I stiffened and returned his glare,

"And I care because...?"

Matt shook his head,

"I can't approve of Adriana seeing a Collins."

He spat out my name like is disgusted him. I ushered Adriana away and she gave me a concerned look. I whispered to her quickly,

"Just give me a second."

She nodded then began to browse the colorful candies and stuffed animals. I returned to Matt and crossed my arms and studied him coldly,

"Who she sees is none of your concern. And, we are not together."

Matt relaxed instantly,

"Oh good. Don't even bother, she is already spoken for."

With that, he spun around and stalked away.

I remained there for a few seconds, puzzling over what I just heard. Who had Adriana spoken for? There was only one person.

"Norman..."

I growled irritatedly and returned to Adriana only to find her with large bags full of candy and large stuffed tiger.

"Sorry you were taking forever so I checked out already. Wanna a lick?"

She offered me her lollipop but I shook my head, feeling nauseous with anger and fighting that itch in my fists. Not here. It wasn't allowed to happen here. Not with her. I hurriedly grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the exit of the mall.

"Wait Jake what is wrong?"

The concern in her voice helped soothe the blazing fire in the pit of my stomach.

I could only whisper hoarsely,

"I can get a present later. We need to leave. I will explain later."

She simply let me pull her to the waiting limo. We were about to slip inside when a loud bang rang out in the clearing. A bang like a gunshot. My blood ran cold and I whirled around just in time to see Adriana slump to the ground.

~~~~~~~~~