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46

As I was about to slide into the limo behind Arabelle who already made herself comfortable, Leo grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him, away from any eager ears. "I'll be in the car right behind yours, so don't worry. Just have me on speed dial if anything happens, alright?"

"You're already on speed dial, Mr. Pepperoni," I smile up at him, gaining a smirk in return.

"Not in front of my men," he laughed as he pulled me further away from the door. "Call me if necessary, okay?" He then kissed my right temple and grazed his thumb over my cheek sending a warm, secure sensation bolting through my body. "I'll see you on the other side, love."

He closes the door as I slip in next to Arabelle. The limo begins moving with the pounding sound of my heart echoing in my ears. His kiss didn't make me feel giddy or excited like some new crush, instead I felt safe in his arms. He gives me a sense of security that is rare; nothing like I've felt before. His mere touch brings me immense warmth that I perceive not only in my heart, but in very inch of my body. Deep down I wished Leo would ride with us, but this talk is much more crucial and needed to be done without him.

"You tickle his fancy," her voice startled me out of my thoughts as she looked out of the window and up at the clear, sunny sky.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean he likes you, princess."

"How would you know?" I arch my brow as a smile erupts on her face while her shoulders slouch into her seat.

"It's obvious. Don't you see?" She scoffed. "Why would he protect a girl like you when he doesn't have to and wage war on his own friend? It's because he fancies you," she shook her head and looked at the mirrored ceiling of the limo that reflected the different illuminated shades of blue and violet. "He loves you."

I let out a nervous laugh and look out of the window. "I don't know. He's never said it or anything." I know that he cares immensely for me, however love? I can't be sure about that. I know what I feel for him, but the idea of someone like him loving me, humors me. She had good points though. Why would he risk it all if he didn't feel strongly for me? Casual flirting has always been the only thing that we've had so far but if he feels more, then I need him to man up and say it to me. Maybe I should heed my own advice and do it myself.

"He shows it in things that he does for you. It's hard for him considering everything he's been through and it's not my place to lay out his past for you. Hopefully, he'll tell you one day if he decides to keep you in his life and not push you away for your own good, princess."

"For my own good?" My eyes surf back into her direction.

"Yes," she sighed and continued, "the last time I saw him like this was a couple years ago and it... well," she paused and shook away her previous statement. "With you, he's so much more happier."

A smile graces my face thinking about Leo. Only if he knew how happy he makes me; what his earth shattering smile does to me and my body. I want to scream it out loud and declare my love for this man but that would be too much considering I haven't even told him yet.

"Hello?" A see a pale hand wave in my face, retrieving me from my thoughts.

"Huh? What?" I look at her.

"You completely zoned out on me, princess."

"Okay, why do you keep calling me princess?"

"Arie? Ariel? The little mermaid? Princess Ariel?" She hit me with the duh face with her brows high up creasing her smooth forehead.

"Don't. Just don't. Arie will suffice. And we're here to talk about something else, so how about you begin your explanation."

"Well, here goes nothing then." Her jaw tightened as she took a deep breath. "Approximately two months ago, I heard Astor and his brother talking about you. They were very hush about it but your name kept coming up time and again during the conversation. I couldn't very well hear what they were saying but I tried and I also couldn't exactly ask them. So, the next day I pulled up everything on you. Your family, life, work, school, bank account. Everything."

"My bank account? Seriously?" My eyes narrowed on her face that revolted me at this point. "Did you find a massive cobweb that decorated my almost empty account?" I snarl at her.

"Yes, in fact I did." The smug smile on her face made me want to knock the bitch out and throw her right out of the moving limo. "Back to what I was saying, I looked up everything on you. You were clean. No connection to our world, no history of crime at all, good grades, full scholarship to Columbia University, and you even got into their medical school. I didn't know what it could possibly be so I reached out to your brother."

My hands ball up into fists at the mention of Ashton. She played him to get to me and she's going to have it coming her way one day. A confined space like this wouldn't be the best place for it.

"I found out where he was and went to that party dressed up as a sleazy sorority girl." She let out a groan in disgust as she travelled back to that memory. "I began talking to him but he was drunk out of his mind so I gave it a rest that night and came back the next morning to the same stinky place that reeked of cheap beer and filthy sex. Absolutely disgusting. I never had to deal with such vileness back in England."

"Well, that's a frat party. I don't know what you expected, but this is how it goes here."

"Well, it's a good thing I didn't go to any schools here. I'd have to carry a jug of sanitizer with me."

"Jesus," I sigh and roll my eyes at her sense of preeminence, "just get your explanation over with."

"How about you don't interrupt me then, yeah?" She scowled at me and turned to her left to gaze out the window again. "When I got there, I found him passed out by the poolside of the house, drenched in beer and sweat. I couldn't talk to him like that so I just left to get my own things done. I pretended to run into him the day after and gave him my number so that we could talk. The more I got to know him, the more I began to like him. I was getting attached, however not in a love kind of way, but in a friendly way." I noticed a smile emerge on her red lips as she paused for a brief second before promptly continuing, "I couldn't get any information about you from him and it had almost been a month. It never takes me a day, let alone a month to extract information even with me spying on you at times. You can say I'm a very curious and insecure person."

"More like stalkerish, but go on," I give her a sarcastic, encouraging smile.

She turned to her right and shot me a glare before continuing, "so, one day we were hanging out at another filthy party that he invited me to, when your auntie texted him and he kind of told her about me. She immediately assumed that we were dating and wanted us to come over for dinner. Ashton refused saying it was nothing but I pushed him and said I could pretend to be his girl. I wanted to meet you myself and he agreed."

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