THE SENSATION OF BEING watched. It never failed to creep Ethan out. Even after all these years, even when he knew he was capable of protecting himself now.

He turned in the direction and caught Amelia's eye from across the room.

He had sensed her presence before he'd seen her.

She gave him a smile and suddenly, everything somehow glowed.

But he kept his face indifferent and his glare in place.

She looked a little too happy over there. So, he motioned her over.

She obliged while Ethan drowned his half finished drink.

"Hi," she grinned.

"Go to my office right now."

She narrowed her eyes, an objection at the tip of her tongue.

"And how long would I have to wait for you there?"

He looked up and she deflated a little.

"You'll wait an entire day if I make you," he said simply. Like he hadn't been desperately waiting for her since last Sunday.

"You're insufferable, you know," she said before walking away.

It took Ethan a second to process her words.

She'd definitely be getting punished for that.

He ordered another drink, watching the scene unfold in front of him. Some variation of fire play.

He only watched half heartedly. He was only interested in a scene when it was him who was in control.

He sat silently until an hour had passed. He checked his watch, finally deciding to put Amelia out of her misery.

He pulled the door of his office open and was about to say something but the words died on the tip of his tongue when he saw her there, naked and waiting for him.

He ordered his brain to get its shit in order.

The flash of white on her upper arm caught his eye.

"Consider it a warning." He said, walking towards her.

She rolled her eyes.

"I saw that. Ten canes."

She opened her mouth to say something but then thought better of it.

He stopped in front of her and felt her holding her breath.

He reached up, his fingers brushing her cheek.

Electric currents danced in his veins, matching the ones in her eyes.

Three weeks in and he still hadn't gotten over whatever this was.

She moved and the white bandage shone again.

Usually, he avoided personal questions that didn't concern him.

But for some reason, that tactic didn't seem to be working right now.

There was an unfamiliar sensation that bubbled in the pit of his stomach every time his eyes landed on that bandage.

Ethan didn't like not knowing. He needed to name whatever he was feeling.

That was the only reason, he convinced himself before he asked the question.

"What happened?"

"What?"

"Your arm. What happened?"

"Oh," she frowned at him, probably surprised that he was even asking.

"I got stabbed," she said.

Stabbing had never been as casual of an affair as Amelia had made it right now.

He raised an eyebrow, unsure whether she was messing with him.

"Any background behind that very vague statement?" He asked, a little irked.

"I thought you weren't interested in backgrounds."

"I never would have asked the question in the first place if I had only wanted that as an answer."

"Okay. Umm... I work with CPS. These things, they're part of the job."

"Part of the job? So what... the parents very frequently try to kill you?"

She gave him a look. A look riddled with the horrors Ethan had kept himself safe from for so long.

He wanted to take it away. He never wanted to see that look in her eyes ever again.

"It would have been so much better if that were the case," She sighed heavily.

Ethan didn't agree.

"But unfortunately, it isn't. Sometimes we're the target but mostly, they're trying to attack their kids. This guy, he tried to attack his seven year old daughter because he was drunk and he thought that the little girl was his wife. His wife had left him and the daughter for another man years ago."

A shiver ran down Ethan's spine.

That might have been Ethan's childhood if his mother hadn't been there.

"That is... fucked up."

"It is."

He looked at the bandage on her hand once again. The feeling was stronger now, the need to do something.

He imagined her in front of a little girl, protecting her while somehow managing to keep her smile intact and genuine. An angel sent from above.

"Why don't they send backup with you?"

"We don't have the resources. Backups are reserved for cases where there are specific reports of aggressive behavior. This one was supposed to be a low profile, easy case."

Ethan nodded. That wasn't right.

The topic could have been dropped here. But he still wasn't sure what the feeling was and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't absolutely fascinated.

"Why do you do this? Why not a simpler job that doesn't threaten your life on a daily basis?"

"Where's the fun in that?" She joked. A masochist through and through.

He stared at her until her smile vanished.

"I don't know. I guess I wanted someone to save me when I was little and there was no one. So, now I try to be that person for the kids out there."

Ethan stared at her.

She was the craziest woman he'd ever met.

Humans have never been this beautiful, this selfless. He refused to believe it.

"So, you're telling me that there is no personal gain here?"

She shrugged.

"Not really. Except that I feel good about myself everytime I do it."

"That's a bullshit gain. There's absolutely nothing materialistic you get out of it?"

She laughed at that and his stomach twisted.

"Why are you so surprised? Haven't you ever done something just because it made the other person happy or because it made their life a little better?"

No. He had never.

He nodded instead, letting the subject drop. He had never delved into his Subs personal life before.

This girl was making him cross all his boundaries and he needed to get a grip.

This conversation had led him nowhere. He hadn't been able to figure out what he was feeling, except that the feeling had grown.

It annoyed him more than it should have.

"What?" She questioned.

"What?" He repeated.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She gave a nervous laugh.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Like you're maybe super mad at me? Or maybe you want to kiss me? I don't know. You're hard to read. It's like staring into a blank page."

He really was. But she wasn't. She wore her emotions on her sleeves, waiting for someone to read her, to understand her.

She shifted her weight from one foot to another awkwardly when he didn't make any effort to respond.

"Right," she said more to herself than to him. "So, what do you have planned for today? Because you know, I've been here for a while now. One and a half hours to be exact but umm... I don't know..."

Ethan took a step forward, slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer.

She was cool against him. Soothing.

He kissed her before she could finish her sentence. Her body went rigid and Ethan grabbed the back of her neck to push her further into him.

She relaxed, finally catching up with reality. She opened her mouth, hooking her hands behind his neck.

She tasted of vanilla. Ethan realized, in that moment, how dangerous addictions can be.

A/N: Sorry for the extreme delay but since I've almost ran out of pre-written chapters (🥲) the update schedule will get a little late.

As usual, thanks for reading and I hope you're enjoying the book <3