Temporary Alliance

Chapter 19 : Vulnerability

Alexander's POV

"I was the one that killed her." Vita's words echoed in my head, repeating over and over again as I stared at the tears streaming freely down her cheeks.

The vulnerability in her eyes broke my heart and I reached forwards to cup her face with both my hands. Using my thumbs, I wiped her tears away when she didn't bother to. I leaned down so that our foreheads touched and whispered gently to Vita in this delicate situation. "What do you mean?"

Vita paused for a moment and I saw that she was replaying whatever had happened in the past in her mind. A few moments of silence later, the tears immediately stopped and a stone cold nonchalant expression took over her features. She ripped my hands away from her and took a large step backwards. Just like that, any visible proof that she had just been crying disappeared.

"Cadence was standing there and she was in the way, so I pulled the trigger."

I could see her trying to make this all sound like it didn't matter to her, but the clenching and fidgeting of her hands proved to me that talking about this was taking a big emotional toll on her.

A cold smirk took over her face. "Regret working with me now?"

"Angel- "

"Perhaps you'll be next if you're not careful."

I knew what she was doing. She was building her walls higher and higher around herself, making the emotional distance between us grow further and further apart. Her words were designed to repulse me so that I wouldn't even bother to try and get closer to her and pull out the truth.

"You're doing it again."

Vita rolled her eyes. "What?"

"Trying to push me away." I took a step closer to her and she took a step back. There was a brief flash of fear that skipped through her light blues.

"You're scared?" I eyed her carefully, but she didn't look into my eyes. "Why's that?"

When she looked up to meet my gaze, she put an impassive mask on, but I could clearly see everything as I looked into her eyes.

"You're scared of me?" I took a big step forwards and closed our distance.

"No, I am not. You're crowding me. Move."

I narrowed my eyes at her as she boldly held my gaze.

"Do you really think I'm that quick to judge?"

When Vita took one more step backwards, her back met the wall and she closed her eyes in dread.

"You know I'm a patient man, Angel. Until you to tell me the whole story, I'll reserve my thoughts. I know you, Vita, and you're not come cold-blooded murderer bloodthirsty for their next kill. You might have pulled the trigger and killed her like you said, but there's more to that."

Her eyes were ice cold as she maintained her facade. "Maybe there isn't. People change, Alexander. Maybe I've finally lost my mind."

I ignored what she said because everything that just came out of her mouth was absolute rubbish.

"I gave you a chance to pull the trigger on me, you didn't take it."

Vita clenched her jaw and I noticed that her hands were tightly in fists. Reaching out with my fingertips, I trailed it down her cheek, barely bushing against her skin.

"Tell me." I whispered as brushed a strand of her hair that was hanging in front of her face and hooked it behind her ear.

Her mask broke and a lone tear slipped down her cheek, but she quickly looked away.