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26

"Arie," he whispered, his smile dropping as he closed the distance between us. "I'm sor..."

My right hand met his left cheek brutally, stopping all that he had to say. "How dare you?" I hissed, landing another smack on the same spot. "How could you do this to me?" I raised my hand up again to place another one, but he caught my wrist before I could do so.

"Plan your next move very carefully," he spoke in a low, belligerent tone tightening his grip on my wrist, daring me to slap him again. Pain jolted from the area, forcing tears to sting at the corner of my eyes.

"Or what?" I scowled at him.

"You don't want to find out." He took a step closer, staring into my eyes. "And don't tempt me!"

Silence caved in, filling the room with tension, constricting my chest. "I trusted you." I could barely utter the words from my throat. A tear escaped my eye as I continued to hold his gaze firmly without blinking.

He released my wrist, compelling my other hand to jolt towards it and try to rub the pain away. A clear, red handprint was engraved onto my wrist.

"I'm sorry!" He hung his head low in shame and guilt. "I'm really sorry that I had to do that to you, but you weren't listening."

"So you thought drugging me was a good idea?"

"Yes. Yes, it was, and I'll do it again if that keeps you safe." He raised his head again, casting his gaze on me. "I had to get you here somehow. Whether it was by hook or by crook. And in your case, it was by crook."

"You think this is funny?" I glared at him.

"Am I laughing?" He retorted with a serious expression pasted on his face. When I didn't say anything, he continued. "That's what I thought."

"I hate you!" I spat through my clenched teeth. "I fucking trusted you and this is what you do when you don't agree with me?" My voice began to rise with each word my mouth spat out. "You drugged me, you sadistic bastard." I jabbed my finger into his chest. "You came into my life and all this started to happen." I lifted my finger and slammed it back onto his chest harder with each sentence. "You're the reason they're probably trying to kill me. Now you pretend to keep me safe because it's all your fault and you know it." Tears pooled down my face, cracking my voice. "I tr-tru..."

Leo's sad eyes looked at me through his thick lashes. He seemed rather hurt and disheartened at my words. Taking quick steps towards me, he yanked my body into his before I could finish my sentence and put his huge arms around me. I began to sob uncontrollably into his chest, letting out all the frustration and pain built up inside me. He soothingly ran his hand through my hair while his other one caressed my back up and down.

"I just wanted to graduate without any surprises, Leo." My voice crippled against his hard, broad chest.

"I know, love. I know." He squeezed me further under him. "I promised to protect you and I will do it no matter what."

"I didn't feel mercy for the woman who tried to kill me."

"What was that?" He pulled away and seated me on the bed.

"I said that I didn't feel bad for the woman who tried to kill me."

"That's understandable in your situation since she tried to kill you. It would be a whole different story if you felt bad for her," he chuckled.

"No, I slammed my heel into her head and kicked her when she was down." I furrowed my brows and looked up at him. "I became a monster. I became someone I didn't recognize."

"It's human nature to feel and act like it after going through all that." He placed his hands on my forearms and sat on the bed next to me. "Don't beat yourself up too much over it."

I was trying so hard to not beat myself over it, but I couldn't stop thinking about that horrific event. It had been carved into my mind and I couldn't get it out no matter how much I tried. It was going to be there forever now.

"Look at me!" He lifted my head with his hand under my chin. "Don't think about it. You handled yourself good yesterday and took down that assassin. You should be proud of yourself for bringing down the bad guy despite the very little training from me, because I am. I'm really proud of you." He cupped my face in his huge hands. "You don't know how much you intrigue me by the passing minute. You surprise me from every aspect and that means a lot to me. So, I thank you for that." He managed to bring a small smile to my face and with that, the anger drained away slowly, but surely.

"I have the room next door ready for you. It'll be your room for the duration of your stay here. I had Zaya but some clothes for you, so they're in the closet. You can change anytime you want."

The mention of clothes brought me back to the unfamiliar clothing that I was currently dressed in. "Did you change my clothes?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Yes. Why?" He asked, nonchalantly.

"You changed my clothes?" I paused after every word to convey my concern.

"Yea. Wh... oh." He stopped and wide eyed me. "Oh c'mon, Arie. I have seen plenty of naked bodies, yours wasn't any different." The last part put a little dent on my heart. I was just another naked body to him.

Unknowingly, my brows frowned, forming a pool of water in my eyes. I couldn't cry over a little thing. Stupid crying Arie. "I'm joking, love." He began laughing causing me to glare at him. "Zaya changed you into them." He continued his little laugh, but stopped when he realized I wasn't amused at all.

Taking my hands into his, he looked into my eyes. "I would never do that to you. I'll never touch you like that. Ever," he promised. As much as I wanted him to keep his promises, a part of me wished he broke this one someday. What the fuck is wrong with me?

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