Chapter X

The following days were submerged in silence. She wouldn't dare to try and speak with him but that left her with so many questions, all of them pointing at him. Why wouldn't he at least look at her was a pain in the ass for Aelin. She knew that this was no Stockholm syndrome, she was not harboring no puppy love for him, she needed him to survive and he also would have killed her by now if she tried anything funny. Escape was no option. So why the hell it kept on bothering the lack of attention? Was he supposed to give it to her? No. She needed it? No. But damn it she for sure craved it. For some fishy reason she did.. And it was not ok. She wanted to know about who killed his brother, she wanted to know if it was the same person that wants them dead , she wanted to know so many things but she knew better than to anger him in this kind of situation.

He was watching TV that night. A classic, " The Good Fellas ", the irony pulled a small chuckle out of her and a harsh look from him.

- What's so funny?

- Nothing that concerns you!

Her bold answer gave her a new reason to be proud so she smiled accordingly but that seemed to piss him off more than it should.

- You seem to have grown some balls, I advice you to cut them off before I do.

- Before or after you finish your cinematic break?

She turned her back on him while laughing which truth be told was a bad thing to do because the next thing she knew was that he was in front of her with a devilish smirk on his face just like the one he was wearing on their first encounter.

- Aelin fucking Mercer, you might want to think twice before you open your pretty little mouth because you're in no position to talk back to me. Got it?

She gulped looking at him like she was facing a gun. She nodded two times intending to go upstairs and as far as she could from him but she realized something. She got fed up of this whole situation, the same twisted plot with some threats, the big bad wolf and the coward that shuts up every time. No more bullshit, at least for today she needed something more.

- You always do that. Threaten me like I'm some kind of enemy, treating me like I wasn't the one that held you that night in her arms while you were crying yourself out.

- Shut up.

- Why would I do that? Because you say so?

- Yes, because I do and if I say something you might as well follow my order.

He was pissed off and Aelin loved every single second of it.

- You... You fucking jerk, who the hell are you? My boss? No, last time I checked you weren't even my friend, so give me one good reason to why should I listen to you. Fuck it, I don't even know your name and I've been with you for almost 3 months. I got bombed, burned, shot at because of you, I had nightmares consisting of you and despite all that I still gave you some sympathy and you can't even act nice towards me. Who the hell you think you are?

She was screaming and was about to speak more of her mind but the next thing she knew was that his hand grabbed her neck pushing her against the wall, his face got so close to her that their noses were touching.

- Listen up, princess. I may not be your boss or your friend but I'm the one in charge in here. When I say something you might want to listen because it's for your own damn good. I don't owe you shit so stop nagging about that night, got that?

His words were harsh and she couldn't help but nod and tremble facing his boiling anger. He was not hurting her with his hands, he was actually not using force, nor with his voice because she got used to him speaking like that, but his eyes, his eyes were a different story, they were pure bullets building wounds inside her chest.

They stood like that in silence for what felt like hours, but it was only for a few seconds, staring at each other, trying to get more than what meets the eye. Aelin was so focused on him that she almost missed the headline of tonight's news on TV.

House caught on fire on Greeman's Street.

Two people found dead.

The family's dog was trying to save them but he got caught up by flames.

No chances of survival.

All the words that were leaving the host's mouth were like sharp knifes buried in Aelin's heart.

People couldn't believe that this was happening.

But neither did Aelin.

He looked back at the tv and saw the full HD display of a burning house. She started to grow numb, her knees felt weak. Her house was on fire and her family was gone. She screamed so loud that it pierced her throat, hot tears were flooding her eyes and the only thing that she was conscious about was his warm embrace and soothing whispers.

She was and orphan for the second time in her life and Aelin once again cursed the odds for not taking her instead.