Stockholm Syndrome? ✔

S.S 19

Felix's POV

Archer made the best pancakes ever; thick and fluffy with a little hint of sweetness. They were lightly brown, and tasted like heaven in my mouth. I devoured every little bit, scraping through the honey that fell in lines on my plate. He made his pancakes with flair and brushed his skills aside with a shrug when I asked how he could possibly be that good.

The only thing that tasted better than his pancakes were his lips. They weren't just soft; they were full and drove me to a place near to insanity every time I touched them with mine. They had the taste of innocence that hid the riches kissing him provided. It always took much strength to pry myself away from him and that day was no different. I felt every atom in my body protest when I separated my lips from his.

Finding him had been easy. I already knew he would be in California when I used to spy on him. He was two states away from me, something that surprisingly didn't sit well with me. I had made not just one promise, but two promises to him. The second hadn't been communicated to him. I thought it was best if he didn't know that I silently promised to protect him any way I could. I knew he would protest.

I moved to California, deciding to live a secluded life under the radar. I had enough money for a mansion, but I settled for a cabin in the woods. It was secluded and offered me as much privacy as I needed. It also allowed me to move my arsenal without raising alarms.

I'd been doing just fine for the last couple of months. I still made art transactions and went to local diners to eat. The cabin was a bit lonely, but I got used to it. I didn't have any desire in me to call hookers anymore. I thought about it, but I knew deep down it wasn't what I wanted and would only serve to frustrate me.

I didn't spy on Archer for two months. Even though I had moved with the purpose of protecting him, I couldn't put myself in situations where my heart would lurch every time I saw him knowing I couldn't contact him.

I couldn't contact him. I'd disrupted his life enough as it was. Sure he'd been quite brave when he was in my basement, but I'd seen his vulnerability. I knew there was a point I had terrified him. He may have been willing to let me get away with kidnapping him, but I doubted he wanted me in his life. It was best for me to keep away.

That was until Casey Vasiliev contacted me. He and his brother were crime bosses involved in the drug trade. They had competition and they wanted him out of the picture. They didn't go into details about how they found out the murders I had committed, but that they didn't threaten to submit me to the police after I said no told me they had no proof.

I had no desires to kill, even if it was in the name of justice. I had made a promise to Archer. Even though sometimes I imagined getting rid of some people who I knew were up to no good, I reigned myself in. He wouldn't know if I killed someone, but I would and the guilt would eat me up inside.

I cared about the boy and I cared just as much what he thought of me. It was something strange. I'd never cared about what anyone thought, but there was this boy who came around and changed that. He stirred emotions in me that left me in awe. I had yet to figure out what they meant.

When the Vasiliev brothers contacted me, I knew I was going to either kill or be killed. I made a choice. They insisted they wanted me and they were going to get me, only the target wouldn't be what they wanted. If they came for me I would have no choice but to defend myself. Surely Archer would understand that, right?

I scribbled the note and passed it under his door. Locating him had been easy. I didn't live far from his campus. I scouted the area until one day when I saw him leave campus to his apartment. I followed him. I was quite good at being inconspicuous so he didn't see me. I slid the note under the door with a certain organ of mine aching. He was literally on the other side of the door and I couldn't talk to him.