Temporary Alliance

Chapter 3 : Secrets

I blinked. Once. Twice. Then, out of shock, I began to laugh.

"What?" I was frozen at the door. "Say that again?"

"Marry me," he enunciated slowly. "Yes? Or no?"

Appalled, my mouth dropped open. "Of course no!"

Alexander started stepping towards the door. "I know a great safe house very far away from here."

"Wait." I widened my eyes. "That's it? It's either I agree or nothing?"

I cringed. "Are you absolutely sure you want me to marry you? Me? Of all people?" I pointed at myself. "Me?!"

He ignored me and walked out of my bedroom, leaving me confused.

I chased after him and saw that he was already halfway down the stairs.

"Why not just let me go?" Recovering from the shock, I spat out distastefully at him.

He immediately paused, but then continued on descending the stairs. "Both your parents and mine would probably kill me if they knew I let you go do something stupid."

I rubbed my forehead, suddenly feeling that this conversation was sucking the energy out of me. "My life, my choices."

He turned his head slightly and raised an eyebrow a fraction. "You tell them that."

By now, he was at the front door and had his hand on the doorknob.

Weighing my choices, knowing they were extremely limited and that I had to make a decision soon, I ran towards him and grabbed his elbow.

"Why? Why marriage?" I questioned quickly, immensely curious as to what possessed him to ask of that from me.

When he turned around to face me, I squared my shoulders and confidently confronted him. Alexander stared into my eyes then glanced lower for a second before he returned his gaze back on my face.

"If you tell me why you wear it, I'll tell you." I knew he had looked at what I always wore on my neck after I came back home. My body tensed and my grip tightened on his elbow.

Closing my eyes for a second to calm myself, I tried to erase all emotions from my face but it didn't work.

My voice quieted, the defiance leaving me when I remembered why I wore this around my neck. "You drive a hard bargain."

He put his other hand on top of my hand, the one that was gripping his elbow in a tight grasp, engulfing mine. I felt the warmth of his hand penetrate my cold one as he tightened his hold around mine and peeled my hand off of him. Alexander dropped my hand immediately after he had freed himself from me.

"It seems you got one up on me," I said mostly to myself as I gave a quiet huff of laughter in utter dread.

Alexander didn't wait for my answer as he opened the door.

"Yes." Looking away, feeling absolutely defeated, I ran my fingers through my still damp hair. "I'll take it."

I didn't hear anything else other than an order from him. "Pack what you need. You'll be staying with me."

I looked at him and frowned. Then, I saw the blank mask he always had on him fall and he looked tired.

"You can't stay here anymore."

Knowing he was right and that the location of my house was compromised, I didn't argue. For the first time, I obediently listened to him and went upstairs to pack my things.

*

I walked down with a medium sized suitcase with only the most necessarily needs packed in it. In my other hand, I held the large rectangular case that seemed to resemble an instrument case.