Both Mr. and Mrs. Blades left for an emergency when their phones rang and only Alexander and I remained in the living room.

"Are you going to tell me?"

He checked his watch then began to walk towards the door. "I need to go."

"You're going to need to tell me sooner or later," I growled as he walked past me.

Alexander stopped walking and I stepped in front of him.

"Tell me. Why did everyone know about this and not tell me about it? They're my parents. Why didn't anyone say anything? I thought -." I stopped myself when I realized I was talking too much, something that I tend to do when I'm angry or frustrated.

I stared up into his eyes bitterly. "Why'd they tell you and not me? Is it because I'm the younger one of us two? Even if so, it's by five months. Five. I don't understand why everyone decided to keep me away and I don't like it. I've seen my own share of bloodshed and loss. I'm sick and tired being babied by everyone. I never was a weak little girl that needed protection away from the world and I'm certainly not that now."

"Later," he said softly and continued walking. This time, I didn't bother to stop him nor chase after him.

I made my way upstairs in fury. Any exhaustion I felt vanished as my veins boiled in anger.

*

While everyone was gone and I was alone, I explored more of the house and saw that there were three other guest bedrooms excluding mine, all far away from Alexander's room. I was about to claim one of them as my own when I saw that two of them weren't furnished and the other one had a bed but didn't have pillows or blankets so I sulked as I continued. The basement, something that Alexander hadn't mentioned, was designed almost exactly like the one at my house. Half was equipment and weights while the other was just open space with mats.

When I checked the time on my phone and realized that the stores must be open by now, I quickly grabbed my wallet and headed towards the garage. There were two cars. One was a dark navy blue SUV that looked like it could withstand raining bullets and the other was a sleek black sports car. Of course I took the sports car with a mischievous smile on face, not even feeling guilty.

I went and bought one of the best laptops they had since I didn't have time to have one custom made. The moment I got to Alexander's home, I headed straight for my temporary room. I began to reinforce the security in my new computer and download new programs.

As I waited for everything to finish on my new computer, I yawned from the lack of sleep. The heavy navy blue curtains blocked out all the natural light and I couldn't help but be lulled to sleep by the absence of light.

*

I looked around the darkness, seeing nothing but endless abyss.

"V-Vita." I heard my name being called by an unforgettable voice laced in pain. My body froze and I couldn't move.

"W-where are you?" I called out as loud as I could as I waved my arms out in front of me, trying to find something... anything.

"Did my life mean nothing to you?" Her voice continued to float around me.

Out of nowhere, I felt something grab my neck in a tight grasp, effectively cutting off my breathing. When I reached around me, I couldn't feel anything.

"Why'd you do it?"

"I-I d-didn't know," I wheezed out, my vision becoming hazier by the second.

Suddenly, her voice distorted and let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"All YOUR fault! All YOUR fault!" The voice continuously chanted and I stopped fighting whatever was trying to kill me.

*

I woke up gasping for as much air as I could. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to erase all the memories and nightmares from my head. After a few moments, noticing my breathing had returned to normal, I headed for my suitcase to grab some clothes for a quick shower. Even though I had taken one a few hours ago, I couldn't stand the stickiness of sweat on my skin.

When I went to open my suitcase, I saw the rectangular case right next to me and I couldn't help but open it. When I saw what was in there, the memories I buried deep inside me slowly began to resurface. I slammed the case shut and quickly ran out of the closet with my clothes.

Turning on the water, I didn't wait for it heat up and simply stepped in. It seems the shock of my situation has worn off and reality had settled in. Tired of keeping myself upright and putting on a nonchalant facade, I crumpled down onto the smooth bathroom floor. I pulled my my legs up to my chest, wrapped my arms tightly around them, then buried my face into my knees.

Under the cold spray and solitude, I couldn't help but let the tears steadily fall down my face. I let myself cry, but I didn't dare make a sound.

*

I was lying on my bed, playing with my new computer and checking the firewalls when I heard the main front doors open, then close. Knowing it was Alexander, I closed my laptop and made my way downstairs, the walls around my emotions thicker and higher than ever.

He was sitting leaned back on one of the sofas in the living room, suit jacket off and on the arms of the sofa. His tie was loosened and he had rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt.

"I'm tired of waiting. Tell me." I kept my voice vacant and my stare extremely unfriendly.

Alexander took a quick glance at me with his dark grey eyes. "Sit."

I sat down on the opposite side of the cream sofa, facing him with the side of my body leaning against the sofa.

"Your parents and mine, they founded an organization." He began. "It's composed of special forces, investigation units, multiple different task forces, forensics, etc. We take private requests but also missions from the government. Joint task forces with other government branches are quite common. Workers are just agents."

"Most of us is public. Those agents often do joint task forces with other agencies. However, there is a hidden aspect. Even the workers within the organization don't know it exists."

"Why?"

"Highly secretive. Everyone on it is rigorously trained and tested before being considered to enter. You don't just sign up, the organization has to choose you."

"I don't understand the big deal."

"They wanted to keep you safe and have a normal life. The less you knew, the better."

I really couldn't be angry that my parents wanted to vigorously protect their only daughter, but I didn't agree with their concept that the less I knew, the better.

"Which part do you work for?"

Alexander didn't answer so I looked over at him. His lack of answer confirmed mine. Like that, silence fell between us and it wasn't as strained as it was before. I felt that I could tolerate his presence a little more than I had before.

"Red, could it be that old enemies got him?"

"We don't know yet but we're searching. Unfortunately, we don't have any means to identify the captors yet."

"They were looking for something."

"Your dad's career has been decades long with all kinds of different missions with different security clearance levels. It could be anything."

"Any luck with the interrogation?"

"Not yet."

"Anything else, Red?"

When he shook his head, I got up from the sofa and left him.

*

It was a few hours after Alexander came home when he entered my room. I ignored his presence on purpose by making myself look busy.

"Angel."

He walked closer to the bed and put papers in front of me. Seeing that I couldn't ignore him anymore, I sat at the edge of my bed.

"What's this?" I eyed the papers and picked them up cautiously.

'Read it.' His eyes were telling me.

There were two groupings of papers that were separated by black clips. One seemed the be the documents for marriage and the other was two pieces of paper. Alexander had already signed his parts, now, it was up to me to sign mine. Knowing that the big package was simply legal documents for marriage, I simply skimmed it over and signed it. I handed it back to Alexander while I began to thoroughly read the other one.

The two-page package was just the conditions of our short-term 'alliance'. It listed the things he told me already, like how we needed to convince his mother and that I would get to be in this investigation, and some other minor details.

Then, my eyes nearly bugged out when I saw the last clause.

"W-what?!" I pointed at the last condition on the paper and showed him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

From the look in his eyes, he understood what I was talking about. "Exactly what it says."

"The one who doesn't confess at the end will choose the fate of the marriage." I read. "That is the most inconspicuous thing I've read. Confess what?"

He stepped closer, his eyes never straying from mine and his face ever a blank slate.

I frowned. "Don't we want the same thing from the marriage? I use you and you're using me. Surely you don't want to stay married me. I certainly am gonna stay as far away as possible from you. Don't you want it to be over as soon as it ends?"

"You have some use," he answered.

I searched over his eyes and replied sarcastically, "Wow, how romantic. However, I have no use for you after all of this is over."

I crossed my arms over chest, feeling my competitive spirit rise. "Fine. I hate losing so I accept. So, what are we not confessing in order to win this... bet... of yours."

"That you lost your heart."

Unable to believe what I was hearing, I burst out laughing. "Ha! Who? You?"

"No." I stopped laughing and quieted at his firm answer. "You are."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah right, Red. What if neither of us confesses?"

"We'll still go your way then. Everything can return to how it was. Our relationship being the nonexistent kind." He returned the words I said to him a few days ago back at me.

I signed, hopped off the bed, then took a step closer to him. "Perfect. No way I'm losing. There is absolutely nothing between us and I feel nothing for you."

There was a slight tick in his jaw, the only thing that showed he was slightly aggravated by my comments. "Prove it."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What do you mean?"

"Kiss me."

I tossed the papers on the bed and grabbed his neck, pulling him lower to put him face to face with me. "Sure. Easy."

Wrapping my arms slowly around his neck, I pulled him closer, eyes never straying from his. My heart began to pound a little faster as I looked down at his lips. From our proximity, I could feel his heart beating as well.

I smirked, my lips just a breath away from his. "Careful, Red. You might want to calm that heartbeat of yours. Any faster and I might think you like me."

There was a pause. His lips turned up just a visible fraction and his deep voice lured me in. "I can say the same for you, Angel."

Alexander's comment made me narrow my eyes even more at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I told him indifferently as I tilted my head slightly to the side and pressed my lips firmly onto his.

I felt one arm wrap itself tightly around my waist, pulling me closer to his hard chest, and his other hand cupped the back of my neck, keeping me unbearably close to him. He was so close that he invaded all of my senses. The world blurred around me and everything melted away. All I could focus on was the man in front of me. I kissed him as fiercely as he was holding and kissing me. Sparks flew between us and the room heated. Something had changed between us and it was dangerous.

We both slowly pulled away from each other, the only thing I could hear was our heavy breathing.

"See? I feel nothing," I stoically said to him as I put on a vacant mask.

Alexander was clearly amused from the glint in his eyes and the slight tilt of his lips.

"What's so funny?"

"I would believe you if you weren't so red."

I immediately pushed him away from me and turned around to get the papers. Shoving the papers to his chest, I snarled at him.

"Listen, this thing between us is temporary. I'm going to make sure it stays that way because I'm not losing."

We ended up in a stare-off with series of emotions flickering behind our eyes but neither one of us said a single word.

I wasn't going to give any part of me to him ever again.

This thing between us will end the moment we finish the case.

****

They have their secrets, so does she.

What is she hiding?

Thank you so much for reading. Please comment and vote if you liked it :)

Until next time,

InvincibleBunny