*Chapter 20*

It was still in the middle of the night when we all returned. I watched as everyone got in their cars and left while I was sitting in front of Zaron's door on the steps. Zaron then turned to me and pressed his lips together in an anticipating gesture.

"Stop looking at me like that," I avoided his eyes when he took a seat next to me.

"Like what?" He cocked his brow and forced me to look at him. His hands pressed on each side of my cheeks and slightly quishing my face that I was willinglessly pursing my lips.

"Like that." I pulled his hands away and shifted my gaze to the ground. "I know what you're expecting to hear."

"So, if you know, don't make me ask," he insisted and got up. "Let's get inside first," he muttered before using his key to open the door. "Come on, it's cold outside."

I sighed and followed him in before he closed the door behind me and head to his room. Meanwhile, I was a bit uneasy, seeing as the situation was a bit awkward for me since I have never been in a position like this one. Like, I've never told anyone the entire story behind me and my family which made it difficult for to handle.

"What's making you so distracted?" Zaron wondered and grabbed my wrist, pulling me to his room. "We should get changed first," he suggested, pulling his shirt off. "Should I give you something to change into?"

"It's fine," I shook my head before getting rid of my clothes excluding my underwear, heading for bed. Zaron was only in a pair of sweatpants when he joined me after turning the light off. "Wait, are we really just going to sleep now?" I frowned.

That was when Zaron switched on the night lamp. "Of course not!" He rolled his eyes. "I want you to tell me about everything I'm missing out right now and right here." His expression abruptly got serious.

I bit my lips, moving on top of him where I rested on his bare chest and listened to his heartbeat. My eyes almost automatically fell close to the relaxing sound. "We have a deal going on though, I'm not willing to tell if I don't gain anything out from it."

"I didn't forget," he wrapped his arm around me and let his hand brush through my hair.

"I'm really not good at this though," I sighed. "You see, it has everything to do with my father and because of that it has also reflected on my brothers and on me. I'm actually able to fight as you can tell. It's like, my whole life I have been prepared to follow my Dad's steps when I'm fully educated. A lot of training, lectures and before it also used to be lessons that I had to get through and I'm still not close to being a professional."

I bit my lips, and thought about how to formulate my words to get to the point.

"I'm sure that you heard of my father before. The famous but basically unknown assasin that is barely at home because of what he's doing. Maybe I should just get straight to the point. To keep it short, my Dad, he's Jacob Emmett Collister well and obviously I'm his son Quentin Collister. There you have it, nothing too major."

"Nothing to major?" He sat up which forced me to copy him since I had still been laying on his chest. "You are lying!" He rested his hand on my arms in a secure but at the same time insecure grip.

"Why would I lie?" His eyes should have probably fallen out by now.

"No fucking way," he sighed. "In what did I get myself into?" He massaged his forehead and pressed his lips together.

"Come on, I swear it's not as bad as it sounds," I tried to calm him down.

"Just give me a moment," he said and avoided my face when I got off of him to let him stand up before he left the room.

I bit my lips, not suspecting him to react like that. I mean, it won't change anything between us which is why I thought that he wouldn't care that much. I sighed as I waited for about ten minutes that felt more like an hour. So I stood up, not being able to stay patient any more and looked for Zaron as I landed in the kitchen where he was leaning against the counter with his back turned to me.

He didn't notice me, not until I approached him and wrapped my arms around his torso. He looked back in shock and briefly smiled before he turned around.

"Are you breaking up with me?" I worried.

"What are you talking about?" He shook his head. "Not because of something like that," he said in an obvious tone.

"Good," I smiled.

He huffed and smirked at me, letting one hand stroke my cheek while the other was on my back. It was dark around us since he hadn't bother turning the light on. Just the dim moon spending enough light to see everything especially his eyes where the reflection of the moon was glittering in.

"Zaron," I started, noticing that the gap between us slowly disappeared. And even though I had something in mind to say, I just left it and forgot as soon as his lips landed on mine. Why did it feel like I didn't get to kiss his lips for a while?

My arms automatically rested on his neck, pressing his warm torso against mine, capturing the heat that was streaming from his body. My eyes were close when I enjoyed and savored the moment of his lips pressed against mine.

It was a soft and tender brief kiss, seeing as none of us intended to deepen the kiss before pulling away. But instead of completely releasing ourselves from each other, we kept close, so close that the tip of our noses were still touching and that I could feel his warm breath brushing against my lips.

"I like you a lot, Zaron," I whispered and closed my eyes once I rested against his chest.

He put his strong arms around me and placed his chin on my head, taking advantage of our height difference. "I think I like you more," he replied which charmed up a smile in my face.

"And I think my siblings really want to meet you soon, you don't have no problem with it?" I looked up.

"Are they going to kill me?" He worriedly raised his eyebrows.

"Of course not," I shook my head. "But I can't guarantee you that they won't hurt you."

"Wow, how calming," he rolled his eyes. That's where I pulled away and linked our hands together, before heading for his room. "You know... the-"

"The agreement we made? Yup I want to have sex with you," I smiled. "Really really bad. But it's not like you want it now, right? Sex is no fun when it's just one-sided," I shrugged.

"Then what was the point of our deal when you're still willing to wait?" He frowned.

"Maybe it was just for your sake," I couldn't actually tell why but it didn't matter to me as soon as I saw his expression.

A soft smile with eyes that could tell a whole story, the wrinkles under his eyes when he smiles that made him look older but also more gentle and his hands that were holding me like I was his.

Well I was his.

I smiled at the thought and turned away to head to bed while he went to get something from the drawer. "What are you doing?" I frowned.

"Looking for this." In that moment he pulled out something which I couldn't recognize from the darkness. But once he approached me and sat on the opposite side of the bed, looking at me. "I guess I should've given you this way earlier since you show up whenever you want and I let stay at home alone anyway," he said and placed a key connected to a maroon leather strap on my hand.

I looked down on it, not adjusting to the current change of atmosphere. "Seriously now?" I smiled. "Amazing," I reached over to press a kiss on his cheek before admiring the key again.

"Don't lose it," he warned.

"I won't," I shook my head. "I promise." It felt like I could finally reach his heart after all this time. Somehow like... I don't know, maybe like I could grasp the mutual feelings.

This is getting serious now.

Damn.

*

The next day I woke up once feeling someone moving me away after taking more than half of the bed for myself. I groaned and sat up, rubbing the sleep off my eyes.

"Sorry I didn't mean to disturb you," Zaron muttered and also sat up. I leaned against him and yawned when he put an arm around me.

"It's legit the first time I see you after waking up," I smirked. I wasn't too tired anyway which is why I didn't sleep long. Besides, I was hungry and you could clearly hear it after my stomach released a loud grumble.

"Come on, I'll make food," he said and stood up. "Or you'll make some breakfast. If I knew you could cook I wouldn't have listened to your nagging all those times."

"What? Who told you I can cook?" I gasped in surprise. My plan was busted? But he couldn't have known except... Henry! I'm so going to get revenge, I gritted my teeth.

"That's not the point! Why wouldn't you cook for me once?" He complained with a slight pout.

"Are you jealous?" I frowned. He huffed and head for the kitchen as I quickly tagged along. "Well it's not like it was planned at first," I shrugged. "It was just that one time where I was really hungry and waited for you to return but instead Henry showed up and well then I just left it. Cooking is just a waste of my precious time."

"Well it can be fun, too. Especially when we cook something together." I cringed at his words and shook my head.

"I'd rather not," I shook my head and jumped up to seat on the counter. "Too cringy," I shuddered.

"Cringy?" He cocked his eyebrow and shook his head with a chuckle. I noticed his hands on my knees when he slightly pushed them apart and let his fingers drive up to my hips where he played with the waistband. "I bet I could convince you of the opposite."

I smirked and closed the distance until our noses were touching. "I don't think so," I moved my lips, brushing against his. That's when he took advantage of the moment, nibbling on my bottom lip and sucking on my piercing.

A tiny, tingly and sharp feeling sparkled in my lips that kind of forced me to long for more. But at the same time I was too hungry to continue. "Zaron," I started and pulled away. "I'm h-"

I still couldn't understand how in the exact second my stomach started to growl, cutting myself off. "Hungry, I see," he added and nodded. Even my belly is smart enough to be aware of the situation, I guess.

"Let it be a lot, when you get to my house, I can't guarantee you anything edible," I warned.

"Wait, you mean we're going today??" He widened his eyes.

"Of course, the earlier the better! Or do you have any plans?" I tilted my head. He shook his head and turned away to get some ingredients to cook something fancy. "I just need to text them to let them now beforehand. I hardly doubt that any of my brothers wouldn't want to see you. It's gonna be fun," I grinned.

"Yeah sure," he agreed in an ironic tone and rolled his eyes.

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