Lock and Key

Four

A week had passed since Hazel realised she would be trapped with the man that saved her life.

It was early as Hazel sat in the lounge with a book as she cuddled into a large chair.

She struggled to sleep last night as she kept hearing things coming from under the mansion.

The homesickness didn't help either and it made her question asking him if she could go to the nearest pharmacy to get some pills to help.

She wanted to ask him but she hadn't spoken to him since the first day she was in the mansion.

He avoided her constantly and she automatically thought it was because she annoyed him and that he just wanted to be alone but it was something else something he knew she wouldn't understand.

Hazel focused on the words on the pages of the hardcover book she chose from the large library in the mansion.

Suddenly he walked into the lounge before sitting next to her.

She looked at him over her book as he lit a cigarette before throwing his head back.

"Stop staring at me," he said before looking at her.

"Im sorry," she said before looking away.

He didn't respond as he placed his cigarette between his lips allowing the smoke to pour down his throat.

She then looked at him again as smoke poured from his nose causing her body to tingle.

She couldn't avoid how attractive he was.

She knew nothing about him but that was what she enjoyed as it was a little game with many levels.

Hazel then looked back at her book.

"What's your name? she asked.

"Shut the hell up and keep reading," he said calmly.

"You know mine," she said softly.

He looked at her "It's Claude" he said before placing his cigarette between his lips again.

She watched him as she thought about what she would say next.

"Do you hate me?" she asked.

"No, I don't hate you.

You haven't given me a reason to hate you" he said.

"Then why do you act so mean?" she asked.

"It's been a while since I've been around anyone like you.

The people I surround myself with don't get a fuck about me" he said.

"You scare me.

Every time I talk to you it's like I'm talking to an active bomb" she said.

"Then leave and get killed.

Im not forcing you to stay here" he said.

They looked at each other as she thought back to the sleeping pills.

"Um I was wondering if I could go to a pharmacy and grab some sleeping pills sometime" she said softly.

"Why the hell do you need sleeping pills?" he asked.

"I've been restless and thought they could help," she said.

"When I go out next I might pick some up.

You're not leaving this mansion" he said.

"I thought you weren't forcing me to stay here?" Hazel asked.

"I won't let you do something stupid.

Just stay in the mansion" he said as his voice softened a little.

"I wasn't thinking of leaving," she said before walking out of the room.

Claude watched her leave before putting out his cigarette.

He then ran his hands over his face before throwing his head back onto the chair.

He couldn't tell her that he cared about her.

He didn't want to see her get shot by vengeful fuckers that should want him dead.

Claude had been covering her up for a few days after his boss found out that he saved Hazel.

He was in a large gang and if he said anything that they didn't like he would be a dead man with a bright red target on his back.