Invitation

"I've given so much hoping you'd notice, only to be blamed for everything that happened"

| Kane |

I sat in the car for twenty minutes looking at the shop
Wondering why Doe wasn't there and her friend was swerving people
Where is she?

Did I upset her last night by going home?
Did she see me threaten Emil after all?

Eventually I braved the outcome and made my way inside, riddled with nerves
"Ah back for more?" The girl joked
What's her name again?

"Odessa? Doe's roommate?" She said, seeing the confusion in my hesitance
"I know" I lied
She clearly saw through my lies, as her boyfriend behind the counter smiled at me knowingly

"Is Doe here?" I asked
"Would I be playing librarian if she was?" He laughed. What's his name again?
"Fine. Do you know where she is?" I asked instead

"She left about an hour ago. With some lady" Odessa shrugged
"What lady?" I asked
She said she didn't know many people.

"I don't know. They knew each other. She was dressed up, expensive jewellery, expensive handbag" she said
Oh no

"She said her name... what was it?" She tried to recall, looking to her boyfriend for help
"Inara?" I questioned

"Yes that's it" he said, seeing the look on my face. And Odessa's smile dropped
"Is that... not good?" She asked
"No... no it's fucking not" I muttered as I left.

| Doe |

This had strangely been very nice
Inara is... hard on the outside
And yet she's like Kane
She's warm on the inside

"How long are you here for? Before you have to go back to England?" I asked
"Oh I'm not sure if I'll bother with that" she said
"Bother?" I asked
"It's boring. The people are so... pushy. I might drop out and come back home" she said

"Oh" I said unsure
It was becoming clearer and clearer to me that Kane's family must have some serious money
Because she spoke like dropping out of university was a normal thing?

Like she wouldn't lose anything out of it.

"What?" She asked
"Nothing" I shook my head
"No. Come on" she urged
"I just... well if I had a chance like yours, I wouldn't... waste it" I said cautiously

I was worried it sounded rude
But people like me don't get those kind of chances

She only smiled. Before laughing
"There in lies the difference between us. My family can afford the waste. We were never exactly brought up to cherish what we have" she chuckled

"How did you grow up?" I asked intrigued
"Kane hasn't told you?" She asked
I shook my head
I don't really know... anything about his life
Just him.

"He was... temperamental growing up. But he got it under control. Never did like being told no" she remembered
"What about... girlfriends?" I asked
She grinned

"Kane doesn't do... girlfriends. He doesn't do any sort of feelings really. He's always... shut off. Training. Following dad's every word" she recalled
"Training?" I echoed confused
For what?

She looked at me for a moment
Like I'd... caught her out?
"Boxing" she said vaguely
Oh.

"Point is. He likes you Doe. That much is clear because he's never told us about a girl he's interested in. Let alone brought her home for dinner" she explained

I looked down, trying not to let my smile show too much
"Speaking of, he has told you about the wedding?" She asked

"Wedding?" I asked
She groaned
"Stupid boy. His friend, Dom is getting married. He was supposed to ask you to be his date?" She said

"Oh. No... he's... he hasn't asked me" I said
Was there a reason why?
He didn't stay last night
He hadn't called or text all morning
He... she just said he likes me... so what am I doing wrong?

| Kane |

An hour. I waited another hour before they came back
Talking and laughing? Like... friends?

"Doe" I said, nearing them
"Kane" she said surprised
"What are you doing here?" Inara grinned
"I wanted to see Doe. What are you doing here?" I asked back

"Oh we went for coffee didn't we? It was lovely" she said, wrapping her hands around Doe's arm
Like she had a claim on her

I watched the action a little too annoyed
Because she's the one who told me I had to tell her the truth
That she was too good for people like us

And she is.
But now she's taking her out for coffee? Behind my back

"I was actually just telling Doe about the wedding, you didn't ask her?" she said, tiling her head at me
I hate my sister.

"Did you... not want to?" Doe asked nervously, shifting her gaze from me and avoiding my eyes
"I did. I really did, I..." I stopped myself
Because the sad look on her face hurt

She wants to go? With me... why?
"I'll let you talk. I'll be in the car" Inara said, holding her hand out for the keys
I gave them to her, glaring at her
Fucking interfering little-

"It's fine if you don't. I'm not... I'm not expecting you to ask just because Inar-"
I stepped closer, pulling her face up to look at me
"I've been waiting for the right time to ask" I said honestly

"You have?" She said hopeful
Why is she nervous around me?
She's the one that makes me feel like I'm melting

Like I'm... some young kid with a crush again
Except she does like me back
And I truly can't figure out why
I'm nothing compared to her

"Yes" I said, trying to figure out how to word it
How to ask her in a way a gentleman would

"Then yes. I would love to go with you" she saved me
"Really?" I let out
"Really" she nodded, leaning up on her heels to kiss me

And I kissed her back
Like every single kiss was the most important
Because there's too many people threatening to blow up my life
To tell her who I am
What a monster I am.

And I can't bare it
I can't bare the thought of losing her
Of her hating me
Of any kiss being the last one
"When is the wedding?" She asked

"Next week" I said
Her eyes flew open
"Next week?!" She asked shocked

"I... I need to buy a dress" she said, rushing towards the apartment door in the side street
"You'll look beautiful in anything" I said, following her
"This is a wedding Kane. A wedding" she stressed
And I couldn't hold back my smile

I never felt like smiling much until I met her
"I... I could buy you a dress" I pulled her to a stop as I offered
"What?" She laughed. She looked at me like I was ridiculous?
"I could buy you a dress. Any dress you want" I said hopelessly

Just say yes
"No, I... I couldn't ask you to do that" she said
"You're not asking, I'm offering" I said
"I..."
"Please. Let me" I nearly begged

She thought silently
"Can I think about it?" She asked instead
"Of course. Maybe I could come back tonight? We could look at some" I suggested

"Okay" she agreed.

| Kane |

I shut the car door
And I took a breath
"You took your time" she said, scrolling through her phone

"Why did you do that?" I asked
"Do what?" She said causally
I snatched her phone and abandoned it on the dash
"Why did you go and see her?" I asked angrily

"You're the one that told me to leave her. That we weren't good people and she's too innocent!" I shouted
"She is. And I stand by what I said, I just... I wanted to see why she's so... nice" she said

"Why?" I asked
"Because most nice people have an agenda Kane. I wanted to see if she was taking you for a ride" she said
"And?" I said expectantly, knowing the answer

"And she's... really sweet. She's smart. She's beautiful, she's polite. I can see your problem" she sighed

"And maybe she's... good. For our world. For you. I've never seen you as happy as when you're with her. She does something to you" she said
I know. And it both calmed and petrified me

That someone so easily and quickly took complete control of my head and my heart
I never often thought I had many feelings
Sure I care about my family
About Luca and Dom.
But that's as far as my sympathy and my emotions went

Until her
"I hadn't invited her to the wedding because..."
"Because you're worried?" She pointed out
"Because a lot of dangerous people will be there. And I'd be stepping out and showing everyone that I finally have a weak spot" I explained

"Everyone attending are friends brother. Family. No on there will cause her harm" she assured
I know.
"But that doesn't mean word won't get around. And people who hate us, people out for us, they'll find out about her. Emil already knows and he's threatened her-"

"Emil?" She asked surprised
"Yeah. He's been here twice that I know of" I said, looking over at the shop. At her serving customers with her beautiful smile

And I suddenly hated every single one of them in there
I want to just... take her away
So no one can see her but me
So no one can ever hurt her

"You have men here?" She asked
"Two cars" I said
She nodded
"Good. Then he can't do anything can he?" She assured

No he can't. But for the sake of appearances, it didn't mean he couldn't talk to her if he caught her in the street
In the shop
And he could tell her everything.

And I'd... I'd lose her
I can't lose her.

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