• Realize •

Layla's POV

"Now tell me what happened." Suzie was interrogating me in my room after I was up from a long nap.

I received a text from Yuri earlier while I was still asleep;

I'll inform him I hope everything's fine I'll miss you here :(

I sighed when I found her furrowing her brows at me. "I told you I missed you." I went to hug her but she dodged.

"Stop fucking lying to me and tell me the truth what happened?" She demanded and I widened my eyes. She only curses when she's super pissed or deadly serious.

She's not letting it go until I tell her.

"I kissed Sinn Phoenix and then ran away," I told her and she didn't react for a moment but then snapped her neck towards me.

"You did what?!" I closed my eyes in embarrassment and crossed my legs while I sat at the edge of my bed and Suzzie stood in front of me. Thank god I was in my room and the door was closed. I don't want anyone, especially Jasper to hear our conversation.

"Yes." She blinked and sat beside me holding my hand. "But why would you run away?" She asked me softly and I looked up at her.

"I don't know. I panicked and the only thing that came to my mind was to run away." I told her honestly and she sighed smiling.

"Do you like him?" She asked, giving me a cheeky smile and it was the first time someone asked me this question. I didn't know what to say and looked at her blankly which made her hold my hand tighter.

"You're in love with him Layla, it's all on your face." She told me and I felt like I was knocked out. It couldn't possibly be true.

"I don't know what happened but looking at you it's clear that you're in love with him."

"Stop!" I put my hands on my ears. I can't hear it any longer.

"You can't run away from the truth Layla, you'll have to face it one day or another." She told me. I never thought I'd fall in love with someone and that Sinn Phoenix when I signed up to work with them.

"It's better if you come to terms with your feelings before it's too late and you regret," Suzzie told me, pressing my shoulder reassuringly, and left the room leaving me alone with my raging thoughts.

I sat in my room in silence with the realization.

I'm in love with Sinn Phoenix.

_______________

I decided to go on a walk to clear my thoughts.

The realization that I'm in love with him came with the devastating feeling of running away after I kissed him. He might hate me now.

I walked grimly on the empty road no cars or anyone there except me. It should creep me out cause it was almost midnight and I'm here but I didn't care. And I have my dagger with me anyway.

I was kicking a pebble on the road when I felt someone behind me.

"Hiding from someone?"

Sinn's cold voice came from behind me making me freeze in my steps. I turned around and saw him standing in his black attire with his silver eyes staring at me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked shocked cause I didn't think he'll find me.

"You're forgetting that you work under me so inform about your whereabouts directly to me instead of someone else." He demanded in a cold tone.

"You were informed though, weren't you? That counts." I tried to reason with him but seeing how he was looking at me, he wasn't buying my bullshit.

"Get in the car." He ordered and I noticed his car parked at a distance from where we were. I must've been lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear it.

"What if I don't?" I challenged him and I saw him looking at me with his piercing silver eyes annoyed. "I'll count till 3." He told me and I arched my brow feeling anxious.

"1...2," he stared at me from his spot and I looked at him anticipating what he'll do when he counts 3.

"3." Before he'd count 3 I started to run away but before I could take 2 more steps he grabbed my arm making me face him.

"We've been through this before. You know how it ends." He told me in a calm voice and I remembered the time he came to pick me up thinking I was bunking.

But I still tried pulling on his hand and getting away but his grip was strong enough to stop me and not hurt me at the same time. I stopped resisting realizing I didn't hold a chance against his strong build and followed him to his car frowning.

He made me sit in the car putting on my seatbelt for me and sat in the driver's seat slamming the door which startled me.

He drove off without sparing me another glance and I had to hold onto my seat because of the way he was driving at full speed. I glanced at him and saw his jaw ticking. His eyes were glaring at the road up front.

I didn't say anything to piss him off even more. He parked his car in the driveway of the mansion and got out opening my door and grabbing my hand so that I don't run away.

He walked up the stairway to the mansion which was not the one that led to my room. It was the other one that had their rooms. I followed him cause he didn't let go of my hand and I didn't protest this time. He opened the door to his room which was much bigger than mine and after pulling me in, locked it.

He threw his coat on the armchair in the corner and I stood there not moving. He faced me and I saw his face contorted in anger as he walked toward me. I started walking backward until my ass hit against the desk by the wall and I heard it making a sound.

Sinn put his hands on either side of me against the desk and caged me with his body so that I have nowhere to run.

His head was hung low when he finally muttered, "Do you regret it?"

I looked at him and he raised his head meeting my gaze. His eyes were deadly serious and he looked tired like he's been restless the whole day.

My throat went dry and words didn't come out of my mouth. My heart ached to see him this way.

When I didn't utter a word he said without breaking eye contact, "Answer me, Layla." He didn't raise his voice but I could feel the desperation behind it. I felt a tingly sensation in my lower region when he said my name.

"I didn't regret anything. Not kissing you or even that night at the Astor mansion." I told him honestly, my voice wasn't shaky like I thought it would be. I don't want to run away from my feelings anymore, but I don't know about him.

"But from the way, you avoided me the past month, you sure as hell do," I said feeling the hurt I've been burying in my heart. I needed to get it off my chest.

His eyes widened slightly at my words and he sighed as if he realized something. He buried his head in the crook of my neck exhaling. I was left confused by his action. His warm breath fanned over the skin around my neck and I felt my heart pick its rate.

"Fuck." He cursed against my neck and I furrowed my brows in confusion.

He pulled his head from my neck and looked at me, our faces inches apart. "I would've never put my hands on you if I had to regret." He said and I stared cause all this time I thought he regretted it.

"But you-"

"I couldn't look at you 'cause I thought you regretted." He told me and I almost laughed at the absurdity of our situation.

"But you did ask to keep our boundaries," Sinn said not breaking eye contact.

"And you ran away after kissing me." His words made the blood rush to my face cause I was embarrassed by my actions. So I looked away from him avoiding his eyes.

"Whose avoiding who now." He called me out and I looked at him quickly.

He was dangerously close to me and the way he had me trapped between his strong arms took away my chances of running away this time. But I won't run away anymore.

He observed my face for a moment before something popped into his head. "Did you get nervous?"

I looked into his eyes which held amusement in them. He was right. I turned away from him feeling vulnerable under his silver eyes which wouldn't leave me for a second.

I nodded my head giving him the answer and felt the embarrassment drown me. I closed my eyes wanting to disappear from this universe but a familiar pair of soft lips made contact with mine, leaving me stunned.

It was a small peck and he pulled away staring at me. "I can't stay away from you anymore. Tell me now if you want to cause after this, I'll not allow any other around you." He paused staring at me intently,

"Not that I'll let any around you anyway."

His words punched out the air from my lungs. His eyes were deadly serious and I couldn't stop the overwhelming feeling in my chest.

I grabbed his face in my hand and kissed him, giving my answer by joining our lips. And this time he didn't waste a second and pushed me up to sit on top of the desk so I'm at his level. His hand pulled my hair away from my face as our lips moved in sync.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my fingers through his hair but he pulled away making a frustrated groan escape my lips.

I breathed heavily and he was as unfazed by it as the first time seeing his normal breathing.

"Tell me something, did his lips make you feel the way mine did?"