All Along, You

XVI- WHY I LEFT

VEGAS' POV:

Flashback:

I look at Pete as I stroke his cheek. Sometimes I cannot believe it when I wake up lying next to him. I wonder what he's dreaming of. Is it me? Maybe

"Vegas, we ran out of bellpeppers." He says in his sleep. That's what he says all the time although I hardly even let him buy the groceries himself. The maids should do it. This is why I think maybe Pete secretly wants a more quiet and simple life. Maybe. I would be okay with that too but it's not possible for people like us. Especially not me. I can't leave this line of work. Not if I want to have the means to protect my family.

For Pete, there are some people he's fought, defeated, and even killed while working as a bodyguard. Their allies must have seen his face and could want revenge. For Macau, he's inherited the risk from the family name. For me, it's a no-brainer. Even my so-called "family" wants my head.

I wonder if Uncle Korn knows that I realize I'm being followed no matter where I go. I wonder how many spies there are among the people I hired.

Sometimes, I wonder if I just got lucky or I'm being too confident. What if Pete...no, no, he wouldn't do that to me. Not my baby, no. He isn't going to betray me. Never.

I look at him and touch his face and his hair. I'm sorry I thought about you betraying me for a second, baby. I'm sorry. And I hope my silent apologies are conveyed when I plant tiny kisses on his forehead. When I pull him in an embrace, I start to kiss his neck. He giggles and pushes me softly which makes me think he's been pretending to be asleep for sometime now.

"Vegas, tickles...stop it..." I continue to tease him and he abruptly opens his eyes.

"Hey, I said stop!" He says angrily with one eye open and both his palms pushing my chest away.

"So cute. I love you, baby." I tell him and he stops pushing me.

"I love you too." He says and I bury my face in his neck. It must have tickled a little but he endured it and it makes me love him even more.

*cellphone rings

"Vegas, someone's calling you. It must be Porsche" I hear him but ignore it. Porsche has been appointed as head of the Minor Family by my uncle when my father died. To say he doesn't deserve it is an understatement. The guy knows nothing about the business.

"Hmmm, I love it here. And I'm off-work. Let his ears rot." I bury my face even deeper in the space between between his jaw and collarbones.

"Hmmm someone wants to be babied this morning, is that it?" He asks as I feel him stroke my hair and I'm not sure if I deserve all this happiness but I take it anyway. I take it all. All the love, all the comfort,and the pleasure that someone else probably deserved more than I do.

"You know sometimes I wonder if we were destined to be together or I'm just keeping you away from your real soulmate." I raise myself up and tell him as I caress his face. He rolls his eyes because I've told him this so many times.

"..but that's not important. No matter what, I won't give you up. And don't leave me, okay? I'll chase after you even in the afterlife, Pete" I swear I'll do it.

"Wow, so scary! Grandma, help me! My husband is such a frightening man!" He pretends to push me away with zero strength.

"Your husband?" I raise my eyebrows at him, pretending like my heart did not skip two beats.

"Why, aren't you?" I ignore him to tease him but he pouts and I couldn't take it.

"I'm no one else but your husband" I tell him sincerely because I'd rather be no one if not his partner. I plant a kiss on his cheek again. "I love you, my Pete. So much you don't even know"