A Criminal's Kiss

Chapter 20

Authors note: This chapter has bummed me out. Seriously. I wont say why but then again most of you already know. Or you will find out...

Anyway, here it is!

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I stared at Blake, taking in all the details in his face that seemed to have magically changed in the year that I hadn't seen him. I stood there dumbly, surveying his light brown hair, which was messier and longer than I remembered, some of it falling into his signature hazel eyes. The light stubble that covered the lower half of his face made him look even more dangerous and it added to his rugged handsomeness. I couldn't help but admire his muscles, which were clearly visible through the material of his thin white shirt, before my eyes met his again.

He blinked.

I blinked.

Then a slow smile spread across Blake's face, "How did you know I was here?"

"We know people," Jake said, shrugging, before I could reply.

I looked around trying to keep my mind off the fact that Blake's eyes were still burning into me, "Is Elliot here?" I questioned. The house looked empty, so chances were he hadn't gotten here before us.

Blake frowned, "Why would he be here?"

I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, thanking whatever greater force that had delayed his arrival.

"He found out you were out of prison and decided that it would be a great idea to come and teach you a lesson," Jake replied . "You've lived with us long enough, you should know hoe are messed up family works by now."

Blake raised an eyebrow, "He thinks he can take me on? I'd like to see him try."

"Your boyfriend has huge ego," Jake whispered in my ear.

I rolled my eyes, "Take it easy Blake, he's already beat you up once. I'd rather not see you get seriously injured by my brother again," I said, thinking back to when Elliot had taken all his anger out on Blake, a year ago, just before he had gone to prison.

"I could have beaten him up any day," Blake said arrogantly, smirking.

Jake snorted, "Really? Not many people can take on Elliot."

"And from the looks of it," I said, "you couldn't either."

Blake's smirk vanished and his face softened, "Why do you think I didn't take him on?"

"Why?" I asked, frowning.

"I care about you, you care about Elliot. Fighting Elliot wouldn't exactly have gotten me in your good books, especially not after what I did," Blake sighed.

I froze and states at him, unsure how to react. He cared about me?

"I'm really sorry Skye. I thought that if I did what I had to and destroyed the Moreno gang, it wouldn't make a difference, I was told to use you and I didn't really have a choice... I'm so sorry for everything. I'm so sorry for everything I did to you."

I blinked again, before a small smile appeared on my face, "I... I guess I sort of care about you too."

Jake made a gagging sound.

Blake stared at me, "What?"

"She said she cares about you," Jake snapped. "Well, in her own weirdo way..."

Blake continued to stare at me.

"Jeez are you deaf now?" Jake asked.

The tension between the two was becoming more and more awkward and I silently prayed that Jake would soon leave.