Chapter 13: oh.

——♤——

His mind kept stubbornly trailing back to the feeling of her hand brushing against his.

Yet here she sat again in his office munching the pomegranate she bought earlier

"so you're telling me, that a man named Jan Van Eck who is Wylan's so called insane fucked up father kidnapped you and made an offer that suggests we break into the Ice Court of Fjerda which is a military stronghold to kidnap a single man for 30 million kruge?"

She exclaimed clearly confused, stopping her munching and staring at Kaz with a cocked eyebrow, Kaz nodded at her words watching as she ate a handful spoon of pomegranate anxiously.

"You eat like a squirrel. But yes." He suddenly said trying not to chuckle at her full cheeks full of fruit, choking at his words she rushed to drink something grabbing the closet thing, bitter coffee.

Cringing at the taste she swallowed the rest of the fruit gasping, "thanks, Brekker!" She exclaimed death glaring him harshly, Kaz tried not to laugh as he poured a cup of water.

"If ever die, you're the last person I expect to save me."

She spoke in annoyance grabbing the cup her hand accidentally brushing against his gloves ones as she took a sip.

Kaz gulped watching as she drank the entire water in one go, she coughed slightly, "why would you even call me a squirrel, while eating?" She asked grabbing the bowl once again, She hated the nickname.

"Because you do munch like one- are you seriously going back to eat that as if you didn't just choke?" Kaz rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"Well, if you didn't call me a squirrel  I wouldn't have choked!" She snapped with a slight smirk putting down the bowl ready for another sentence that might make her choke again.

"You are one." He teased.

Flipping him off with a glare she huffed in annoyance falling back into the chair, her cheeks flushed red as she looked away from him.

"I'm paying the House of the White Rose a visit tomorrow." He cut off the silence watching as she turned her attention back to him with a frown, "why?"

"To visit someone obviously, Nina Zenik, I heard from Rotty that she's your new friend." he spoke matching her look.

Is Rotty following her everywhere or what?

She laughed, her chin on her palm as she titlted her head at him leaning in, "so you really are stalking me!" She said watching as he glared daggers at her.

Her laugh, saints.

A smile completely enveloping her face, she tried to suppress her giggling, but ended up bursting into loud laughter.

"No. i'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"Shut up." He snapped going back to his work after shooting her a dirty look, she got up chuckling and leaning  against his desk, "make me." She whispered before walking away.

Kaz's eyes widened and he could feel the heat rushing up and covering his entire face to the point where he had to get rid of his gloves at how hot it is.

——♤——

Zaria couldn't meet Kaz's eyes in embarrassment at what she said yesterday, both didn't even glance at each other and here was Zaria outside of Nina's room.

"Hi!" Exclaimed the heartrender pulling her into a hug, "Hey..." greeted Zaria back with a small smile.

"Your boyfriend paid me a visit." Said Nina placing the bowl sweets on the table, Zaria groaned in frustration and took a bite off the cookie, "I'm not surprised, I was a dumbass and tried to flirt with him yesterday, what was I thinking!" She exclaimed letting out a fake cry.

"If only yoy heard his heart oncr I uttered your name." Nina laughed, her laugh was contagious, and sounded more like a teasing cackle than an expression of amusement.

Tapping her back.

"Yeah, probably from horror." She replied shaking her head and throwing it on the red velvet pillow, Kaz's heart indeed skipped a bear once Nina said her name he didn't notice nor even felt it, but she did—clear as day.

"Oh no sweetheart, from love."

Zaria couldn't stop thinking about her words, love? Kaz Brekker in love? Woth her?

Never.

...

Right?

She's not in love with him is she?

Oh...

Oh.

Oh.

Holy fuck. She really is catching feelings for the bastard of the barrel, Already?

Yet here she found herself sitting on one of the gambling chairs with a pretty Suli girl in her lap (no, not Inej) her hair between the girl's fingers as she twirled the raven colored hair.

She was watching Jesper gamble and the only thing running through her mind was the love her father had with her step-mother.

The way he always bought her a gift when he came back from Ravka, perfumes, jewelry, dresses, everything.

He spoiled her and their love was so sweet.

Her stepmother even left her family to be with her dad who was a very talented well known Inferni who used to travel to Ravka every month for his business.

Zaria loved her stepmother, she was kind, yet the terror she had from before still haunted her and she didn't trust anyone trying to be a kind loving mother.

She never knew the meaning of thay word anyways.

So she grew up around Jesper and his family mostly she can still remember when they used to have dinner every Friday night when both of them listened in awe to her father talking about his adventures.

"We should go together!" Used to exclaim young Jesper with a bright grin towards Zaria who nodded immediately.

"Yeah!"

Zaria knew why Jesper feared of people finding out he's grisha, he was always scared of using it in fear he might get killed or kidnapped for it, so he hid it.

He was glad to have her.

She always tried to show him that he was a miracle, telling him that he is the most amazing and talented person she ever met, being like an older sister to him, she reminded him of his mother.

She was caring, kind and the sweetest person on earth.

And Zaria was the same thing.

Both of the teenagers used humor, flirty words and jokes to hide their trauma but when they were both alone, so alone to the point where the silence almost drove then insane.

They broke down, not in front of everyone, but only each other.

Jesper hated her mother, she was a psychotic woman who did cruel things, the way she would ruffle his hair everytime and young Zaria would step in and grab her wrist.

Both the children glaring at the woman with a clenched jaw.

"Don't touch him, come on Jes, let's play.." she said grabbing his wrist and walking away, Jesper turned around and looked at the woman death glaring her daughter before sticking out his tongue.

Not knowing that Zaria was definitely fucked that night.

Both were inseparable, when his mother died, she was there to clean his wounds when he fell, she was there making sure he ate, she was there comforting him.

She was there for him, always.

And he was there for her and if there was anyone who even touched her, they will end up with a bullet in the heart, head, crotch, legs, arms, eyes and hands that touched her.

And he swore to every saint that he will do it without a thought.

Yet here she sat on one of the gambling tables wearing a tight black suit and her hair was in a braid with few strands out.

She would smile at him whenever she catches his eye and go back to listening to the girl on her lap, Zaria cocked her head and pushed a strand away from her face.

The suli girl blushed under her gaze as she looked away scooting closer towards her, Jesper cocked an eyebrow at the two and Zaria winked.

"She's hot what can I say?"

The suli girl wasn't in love with Zaria instead she was only doing this because of a pervert man who has bern following her and forcing her to sleep with him so that was why she found herself on the raven haired girl's lap who was an amazing actor.

"Show him to me, love." Spoke Zaria keeping her eyes on the Suli girl who shakingly gestured with her head towards the guy who was death glaring her.

"Jes, keep an eye on her, i'll deal with it."

She muttered placing a hand on the girl's waist and getting up, she walked towards the man who strengthened up and stared down at her with a death glare.

"Lower your eyes."

She muttered eyes burning in rage as she looked at him with pure disgust, "or what?"

Everything happened in a blink of an eye, she had kicked him straight in the balls and grabbed his hair pinning him violently against the bar.

"Now, tell everyone in here that you are have been following a young girl who is 17 years old for the whole night." She threated coldly with eyed filled with rage and voice so calm it gave everyone chills.

The man struggled against her hold but when the collar got tighter around his neck and he started choking he spoke, "I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING HER!"

He exclaimed and everyone started yelling in disgust, "silence." Spoke Kaz Brekker watching intensely with a cocked eyebrow and everyone fell silent.

"If I ever see you anywhere near her, I swear to every saints, i'll slit your throat."

She threatened pushing him out of the door with a kick, he stumbled to the ground and tried to make his way back towards her but a knife was suddenly pointed at his neck.

Inej had her famous death stare and was pointing her dagger at him, he froze, and he was suddenly thrown to the ground by a punch coming straight to his jaw and the other to the nose

Inej and Zaria both punched him and the girls are towering over his form after hearing a satisfying crack.

"That's what you get for messing with us, motherfucker."

She spoke and with that both the girls walked back inside the Club leaving him scream in full pain, Zaria broke his nose and Inej made his mouth bleed.

Walking in as if it was nothing, both high fiving each other.