Surprise Part 1

The deep blue eyes that never failed to capture me were filled with mirth and mischief as he said that, sending a shiver down my spine.

"What?" Flabbergasted and confused I stared incredulously at him with my jaw slack.

'He wants me to tell the truth? So, I can tell Cher everything that had happened?' my brows furrowed as I was deep in thought.

But that doesn't make any sense! One of his top rules are to never tell the truth! Is this a trap?

As if he knew what I was thinking I watched as Mark's lips spread in an even wider smile. "Just like I said tell them everything from the murder to the private number to the kidnapping." He said in a calm unhurried voice, but the devious tone was noticeable.

My face twisted in an even more perturbed expression. "You're for real?" I asked, still in disbelieve as my eyes glided over Mark's face features searching for any lie.

"Hmm." Mark hummed in a thoughtful manner as his eyes shifted upwards, his hold on me still not loosening. "You are allowed to tell her everything." He continued. "However," He added, and I rolled my eyes at him as I shook my head.

'I knew it.'

"You can't tell them that it was me." His gaze went back to me, staring at me with a blank expression.

Silence filled the room as I was trying to find the words to utter. The wrinkles on my nose became prominent as I scrunched it up. Glaring at him I could feel the sentence escape pass my lips in a tense matter as my eyes were fixed on him, trying to gauge for a reaction.

"What are you trying to do?"

An overdramatically gasp could be heard from Mark. "Am I that suspic-"

"You are." Fast and sharp I cut him off.

Pressing my palms against his pecs I tried to push myself free from his hold letting frustrating grunts escape through my lips as he won't budge. "You undoubtedly are, and I won't fall for it."

Exhaling he took my scrunched-up nose between his thumb and index finger. Wiggling it around as his expression turned blank. "You want your friends to live, right? So just do it."

"As if I can trust your words." I sneered with my nasale voice.

Cupping my cheeks, he glowered at me. "You know, I could have just killed your friends first and then kidnap you, but I didn't. I am giving you a fucking choice here. You don't want it?" Shutting close my eyes I could feel his hot breath fanning on my face.

His raging pulse that could be felt from his palms was loud sending a message to my brain to not test his patient any further.

Gulping I opened my mouth carefully. "So as long as I omit your name from the story you wouldn't kill anyone, and I don't have to go back with you?" I confirmed again.

A slow lopsided grin started to form on his face.

"That's right."

'Bullshit.'

There's something more to it then he is telling me. You're basically telling me that he will let me off the hook just by doing that?

Yeah, right.

I inwardly scoffed, making sure that he couldn't read my expression.

"And…" Mark started disturbing my thought process.

There's more!?

"Didn't you say under one condition? So why are you adding more conditions?" I questioned as I smiled, but the smile was not reaching my eyes. One of my brows started to tremble as I could feel the vein in my temple twitch at the annoying man in front of me.

Mark only shrugged, his grin never leaving his face. "I never said how long the condition was going to be, did I?"

'You little!'

Exasperating I defused the spark of temper that was starting to rise in my body.

Ignoring my anger shaking body he continued his long one condition. "You have to tell her at work."

Deep lines were marring my forehead again. "Why?"

With a smug expression he taps at my nose. "That is for me to know and for you to find out."

I gritted my teeth as I glowered at him, not liking where this was going.

He kept smiling innocently at me his crescent eyes aimed at me until they widen, and his mouth formed an 'O' shape.

"Oh, that reminds me!"

He finally let's go of me and went for something that was in his pocket. Pulling it out he handed it over to me. "You're going to need this." He nodded at my phone that he took away from me from the time that he had kidnapped me.

I grimaced at the sight of the small device that tracked my every movement and recorded every conversation that I had. "I don't really want it." I mumbled, eyeing at the device as if it had a disease.

Mark forced the phone back into my hands. "Well, you have no choice."

"Asswipe". I mumbled under my breath.

He gave a chaste kiss on my forehead and waltzed back to the window. Leaving me behind whose face was heating up as I did my best to give him the worst stinky glare.

"Well I'm going back to my house." He said announcing his departure.

Trying to contain a smile from breaking out I asked

"What are you going to do?"

He tilted his head sideways giving me an obtuse look. "What else can I do then watch you through the cameras the whole night?"

And like that he disappeared from my sight.

My eyes wanders around the guest room where I would be sleeping in before I let out a long sigh.

"Now, I don't want to sleep anymore." I grumbled as I went back under the warm duvet, forcing my eyes to close praying that the night would quickly come to its end.

…

Cher didn't joke when she said that she spared me from bombarding me with questions. Before the breakfast could even grace the dining table Cher's mouth went off; overloading me with questions.

I could only answer her with shaking eyes and a wobbly smile as I would sometimes glance at Brandon for help. But Brandon had none of that as he also gave his own share of questions.

When I could feel their slow rising anger emitting from their body, as I still didn't explain anything, I quickly answered that I would explain everything at work. They both shared a look, raising their eyebrows inquiringly as they didn't understand why I couldn't just explain everything now, but after they saw the pleading look in my eyes, they decided to hold their tongue.

Instead they quickly swallowed down their food and cleared the table. I didn't even had the chance to let the food digest in my stomach as Cher yanked me up from the table, dragging me to her car.

Not getting the opportunity to buckle my seatbelt Cher mercilessly stepped down on the gas paddle. I could feel my head being flung back and my hand clutching at the seat belt from the unexpected force, my eyes brimming with tears.

In seconds we arrived in front of our workplace. I stepped out of the car; my hands still clutched against my chest as my heart refused to settle down.

"Well?"

I turned around to see Cher with her hands resting on her hips as if she was waiting for something.

I tilted my head giving her a confused look. "Well, what?" I queried.

She groaned. "We are at work, so spill it." She said, her tone impatient.

I simpered as I scratched at the back of my head. "Oh, that." I drawled out. "I meant that I would tell you at lunch break."

She narrowed her eyes at me as she stomped in my direction. I held up my hands defensively leaning back as she got close to my face.

"You're not lying, are you?" She asked, her voice on the border of beating me up and beating me up.

I felled myself dwindling away as I stammered. "N-no! Of course not, how could I ever lie to the great Cher. I will really tell you everything at the lunch break." I laughed apprehensively, trying to assure her.

"Hmm." She hummed as she backed away, her eyes still filled with suspicion. "You better." She pointed at me warningly before walking into the building.

When I was sure that she went in the building I let out a relieved sigh. My tense shoulders slumping down and the sweat that almost broke down retreating back into the skin. "That was a close one." I muttered.

The vibration in my pocket made me roll my eyes as I let out a frustrated groan. Pulling out my phone I looked at the message that Mark send me.

Private Number: "Did I tell you that you look gorgeous today?"

April: "Not now Mark."

Private Number: "So you don't want to hear about the surprise that I have planned for you?"

Feeling alarmed at the word 'surprise' I swiftly replied back.

April: "What are you talking about?"

Private Number: "Nah, now I don't want to tell you. You'll just have to see it :)"

See what!?

"April aren't you going to come inside?" Cher called out to me from the revolving door.

I darted my eyes between her and my phone before putting the phone back in my pocket with a sigh as I followed Cher inside the building. Please let the surprise be something good for once.

Unexpectedly the whole morning I didn't catch Mark's face even though he would pop up at the most unexpected moment before I knew his identity.

Cher and I both trudged on the stairs as we made our way to the rooftop; carrying our lunch. As we finally made our way up, trying to catch our breath, we opened the door to be met with the amazing few of New York another plus point of working in this building.

We both sat down on the oak colored benches against the wall, but we didn't make any attempt to open our lunches. Instead Cher stared at me with her big penetrating eyes as she waited patiently for me to start and so I did.

I told her everything from point A to Z but made sure to omit Mark's name from the story. The deeper I got into the story the darker Cher's expression became.

"So that's what happened."

I said, finishing the story in a whispery voice.

My eyes were locked with the reddened eyes of Cherry that were brimming with tears. "So, the reason that you became so secretive and the reason that I couldn't get hold of you anymore after that last message was…"

Her voice sounded hoarse as she found it difficult to get out of her words. I silently nodded, confirming her train of thoughts.

"Oh god." Her voice broke, tears streaming down her face as she covered her face with her palms. "I am a fucking terrible friend."

My heart broke hearing that statement. "No, you're not-"

"Don't try to make me feel better April." She glared at me as the mucus still got discharged from her eyes and nose. "You were kidnapped April. Kidnapped! And I fell for that bastard message. God…he even used me and Brandon as blackmail."

Her lamenting voice brought tears to my eyes as I relived the events that had happened. She grabbed my hands between hers. "You must have been so scared." Her words were drowned out by her tears and her sobbing, but I could hear every word clearly; every letter piercing my heart.

"Yes…" I croaked, swallowing the big lump in my throat.

Cher embraced me tightly as we both let our tears flow. We sat like that until we were only sniffing.

Cher let me go wiping her dried tears away. "But you've seen that bastard's real appearance, right? What does he look like? If we know what he looks like we may be able to figure out his identity."

I went rigid at her question and a sudden realization hit me. Mark only said to omit his name from the story. He never said anything about me not being able to tell them how he looks like.

Maybe if I tell her his description, she would be able to figure out that it is Mark.

Hesitant but albeit I opened my mouth to tell Cher how Mark looks like. "He-"

But was abruptly interjected by a dark deep voice that send tremor through my whole body.

"May I also be a part of this?"

Mark came from behind the wall, his eyes fleetingly meeting mine before looking at Cher. His jaw was clenched and so was his fist as anger took over his eyes.

'What is he planning?'