Our stare doesn't last long though. It's broken when a fist hits Alex's face, making him fall down. My breath gets caught in my throat and my heart stops as if I had felt the punch in my chest.

The drunk pervert, who still stops me from moving, leans slightly on the side, blocking me the view. An incredible strength takes over me. I forget the paralyzing fear; it's replaced by the terrible fright for Alex. He's the only one in my thoughts, and in all my body, which is surely why I easily apply what he's taught me. I get out of the jerk's hold, twisting his wrist and kicking him hard in the stomach – even though I would have gladly kicked him in a more sensitive part, but I don't have time to aim correctly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see him bent double as I'm already rushing to the center of the crowd, pushing everyone on my way.

First, I recognize Dylan crouched down, and quickly a lying figure comes into my sight, making my rush even more determined.

It's barely a few feet away, but I'm not breathing until I meet Alex's eyes. He's leaning on his elbows and straightens up a little when he sees me. I breathe again, a puff of relief coming to my lungs. I swoop down on him, throwing my arms around him and almost making him fall backward. But he immediately wraps his arms tight around me, engulfing me in warmth while my heart is still frozen in worry inside.

"Are you alright?" I pull away to check his bloody face, the beads of sweat mixed with the drops of blood running down.

He is holding a tissue over his left cheek, the white paper becoming redder and redder, and it makes me turn paler.

"Yeah, and you?" His hand grabs softly my chin, and I find back the worry and anger in his penetrating eyes as he observes me carefully.

"Yeah, don't worry! You're the one covered in–" I don't get to finish my sentence; Josh appears with an ice bag.

"Here the ice!" he announces, replacing the now red tissue with the ice bag on Alex's cheek, where I can catch sight of a big purple mark under his left eye that makes my throat tighten around a lump of worry.

"Hey! You came finally?!" Josh exclaims, noticing my presence.

"Yeah, and I would like to know why?!" Alex asks, his dark inquisitive look going back and forth between Josh and me.

HONK HONK

A foghorn resonates, and a big, bearded man comes up next to us. "Round three or you forfeit?"

"In your dreams!" Josh smirks.

"Give me two minutes," Alex adds, his eyes, dark with anger, glaring at the man who just silently nods before walking away.

"So, you two didn't answer my question?" Alex focuses back on Josh and me as he gets up slowly.

"We'll explain to you later. Now you have other things to worry about," I reply, glancing behind at his opponent, a tall bulky guy.

I look back at Alex, swallowing the throbbing lump in my throat.

"Are you sure you're okay?" My voice is wavering when he removes the ice bag from his cheeks, letting the swollen bruise appear clearly under his dark eyes, and I'm pleading him with mine to give up.

But he just offers me a wide smirk, which let me guess his over-confident answer. "Yeah, don't worry! I'm gonna knock this bastard out!"

He grabs my hand and leaves a feather peck on my lips, the sweetness soothing me more than any word.

He pulls away, and any hint of smirk disappears as his expression falls into complete seriousness, his intense, penetrating eyes boring into mine. "Just stay here and be careful." He doesn't blink until I nod softly, and even then he eyes me intently for a few more seconds before turning to his brother. "Josh, I leave her with you. You watch over her." He doesn't let him time to answer, getting back in the ring, well, the center of the crowd delimited with four trash cans.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of her!" Josh shouts out, putting an arm around my shoulders as Dylan stands next to me on the other side.

I feel like I'm protected with two bodyguards, yet it's not for my safety that I'm worried.

Soon, Logan, Cameron, and another guy join us. I hear them talk about the money and the bets with Josh and Dylan, but all my attention is on Alex, my eyes glued to his silhouette as he shakes his opponent's hand and positions himself.

I catch sight of his gaze: dark with fury, glaring at his opponent. My stomach knots with a bad feeling. His look has already been filled with anger minutes ago, when I've joined him, yet it's getting darker and darker, clouding his eyes and blinding him with rage. I know it's not a good thing for a fight, Alex has taught me himself that the mind always has to be clear when you wrestle.

Besides, seeing how big his opponent is only embedding the dread in every part of my body. The guy looks like a hybrid between a gorilla and a bull; the words 'The Crusher' written on his shirt seem to suit him perfectly. He's grunting and showing off his muscles to his side of the crowd who replies with cheers, making it clear that he's an experienced fighter. On top of that, he looks in shape, without scratches, only a blood mark on his brow bone, probably from Alex's win at the first round.

From the moment the foghorn rings out, my chest grows so tight that my breathing comes out ragged and thin. Alex attacks his opponent right away, assaulting him with punches and kicks. It's like he's enraged, and he's tiring himself out more than anything else, as the bulky guy in front dodges each of one of his attacks.

I shake my head, almost frantically, feeling he's losing it. I'm praying, begging him to stop in my head, but there is no way he could hear me even if I screamed it because of the loud crowd getting wilder, and mainly because he's lost in his feral rage.

I hear Josh confirming my fears in a mumble, "What the fuck are you doing Alex?"

I do not dare to look at Josh or at his friends, afraid to take my eyes off Alex even a microsecond, yet I can hear the seriousness in Josh's voice that is usually so playful.

Rapidly, what I've been dreading happens: his opponent stops one of his attacks and grabs him in a hold, then he pushes him on the ground. Alex lands right in front of me. My heart tries to jump to him, banging painfully against my ribcage and knocking my breath out. His opponent is holding Alex down on the ground, putting all his weight on his back and preventing him from moving.

My eyes meet Alex's dark ones, and everything seems to go in slow motion around us.

I hear the boys beside me reassuring me, yet I don't know what they're saying exactly; their voices are distant, drowned out by my heart pounding in my chest, louder, faster. Even the cheers and protests of the crowd are just a faraway humming.

There's only Alex, me, and our gazes. I try to convey everything: my emotions, my feelings, my trust through my eyes, giving him all my strength, and I see his gaze lighting up. A cocky smirk slowly forms on his lips, and he manages to kick his opponent with his free leg, pushing him back and swiftly getting up, just when the bearded man counts 'three'.

The crowd cheers loudly, and everything seems to resume to its normal speed, my breathing too.

The 'Crusher', who seems taken aback, quickly attacks Alex again, yet Alex dodges all of his punches, keeping his famous cocky grin. I start to relax a little bit, and that's when his opponent grabs him in a chokehold. All my muscles get paralyzed, including my heart. But Alex throws me a wink, and I recognize the Alex I know. I understand he has everything under control, and my heart resumes in a wild pace, trusting him. I smile back as he wraps one of his legs around his opponent, making him stumble. He takes the opportunity to turn the situation around and does a takedown, punching him hard at the same time – I don't even know how, yet only Alex can do this! Finally, as Alex has predicted it, the 'Crusher' ends up knocked out.

The horn announces the end of the fight and Alex's victory as the bearded man holds Alex's arm up, the crowd cheering strongly – though not as loudly as my heart.

The freezing dread turning into warm sparks, I rush towards Alex who meets me midway. He grabs my face between his hands and kisses me passionately, a light-striking kiss that I return with the same strength and passion.

When we pull apart, I'm breathless and swept off my feet, figuratively, and in no time, literally, as he takes me in his strong arms. I laugh wholeheartedly, feeling so light now that my fears are gone, replaced with relief, joy, and pride that fill my heart with butterflies.

Alex puts me back on the ground, yet I still feel like floating in his arms.

"Sorry, I'm all sweaty." He sighs, though he keeps his grin, as wide as mine.

My eyes travel from his wet curls and sweaty, bloody face down to his clammy body, only noticing now his black tank top drenched with sweat and clinging to his strong torso. The lines of his six-pack are easy to guess under the damp fabric, and the sculpted muscles of his arms are on full display, glistening, highlighted by the efforts he's just done. I don't know how I haven't remarked it before. I've surely been blinded with worry, but now I have to make an incredible effort to tear my eyes away from his body.

"I don't mind!" I let a grin appear on my burning cheeks before I quickly wrap my arms around his strong, sweaty torso.

"Okay, then." He smirks and grabs my chin to kiss me again.

Though we're interrupted by Josh and all the boys congratulating Alex, a circle forming around him, more and more people that I don't know.

The more the gathering is growing closer, the more shivers creep on my skin with the sensation of feeling out of place. However, Alex keeps holding me close and warm in his arms, and I forget my unease when I gaze up at him. His eyes are shining with excitement and pride. I get fascinated by his big grin, the dimples dancing on his cheeks and the glow illuminating his features. It's something he doesn't display often, and once again as I commit it to memory, I don't even remember all the people around us.

After the crowd around us fades a little away, I step aside, leaving Alex some space as Cameron and Dylan are patting him on the back and shoving him – don't ask me; it's weird, typical boys' display of affection that I will never understand!

But Alex grabs my hand. "Hey! Where are you going? You still didn't answer my question of earlier." He looks at Josh, his expression getting serious again.

My doubts and insecurities come back like a dark shadow on my bright mood. The impression that he keeps me away is always there in the back of my mind, and in moments like this, it reappears in a thick haze where the little voice telling me he's ashamed of me is echoing from everywhere.

"I have to go!" Josh replies with a sheepish grin.

"No, you don't." Alex puts an arm around his brother's shoulders, not letting him escape. "So... How come Elena came here tonight? And that she almost got assaulted by this fucking bastard?" His jaw tenses, and his eyes find back his dark anger just by talking about it.

Josh's face turns pale, his eyes widening as he is visibly not aware of what has happened exactly, and my chest tightens in front of the two baddest bad boys who seem preoccupied with me.

"Hey! I'm fine now! I know how to defend myself, I learned with the best!" I offer Alex a smile, and I'm relieved to see his features relax slightly.

"Still, it was stupid to invite you here alone." He eyes Josh.

"Sorry, I thought it was a good idea." Josh looks sincerely sorry, as his smug attitude is vanished.

"It's not his fault. I asked." I cut off Alex who is opening his mouth to retort something. "And if you had told me, none of this would have happened," I find the courage to let him see a glimpse of what's on my mind and hold his tenebrous gaze.

He sighs. "Okay, but next time you come with me."

I smile, my doubts clearing when his arms engulf me again.

"And I swear if I get hold of this bastard, I'm gonna make him regret," Alex adds. His voice is tight like his hold, but while his tone is deadly, his embrace stays warm like he would protect me against anything.

As much as I love to be shielded in his arms, his blinding anger and what it has almost cost him in the fight are still too fresh in my memory to let it take over again.

"Don't worry I made him regret!" I smirk. "Now, how about we celebrate your big win?!" I suggest changing the subject.

"Good idea!" Josh agrees, finding back his cheerfulness.

Before we go, Alex has to take care of some 'business' with a dubious guy wearing shades, even though it's already past nightfall. So Alex leaves me for a little moment, after making sure I'm not left alone and asking, well more like commanding Logan to watch over me.

We're in the middle of a deep conversation about my cookies, Logan begging me with puppy eyes – something kinda funny and odd on a tough bad boy's face – when an unmistakable and now well-known screeching sound makes me jump: police sirens resonating in the distance.

My heart finds back its restless pace that this sound always seems to trigger. Though I can see I'm not the only one agitated as the crowd starts to run everywhere, people leaving in a hurry. I'm pushed and shoved from all sides.

My head starts spinning faster and faster as the sirens get closer and seem to come from everywhere. I don't know where to go. I search for Logan, but he's nowhere to be seen, and I keep being pushed away. I look everywhere for Alex or any of the boys, yet I don't find any familiar faces. The frightening surroundings suddenly appear really clearly to me: the barely-lit alley now flashing with blue lights, the gray, run-down walls covered with graffiti that I feel narrowing around me, and the mob of strangers. It's suddenly hard to breathe, the air becoming scarcer and scarcer as people are rushing around like a human whirlwind.

Out of nowhere in this tide, a hand grabs my wrist and drags me away. In a daze, I follow without any resistance, recognizing the well-known sweet-burning electricity that encircles my wrist.

I breathe again, ragged, fast intakes of air, but still breaths, as we're slipping through the crowd, taking several turns in dark narrow alleys. I have no idea where we are, neither I know the ways we've taken. My eyes are fixed on the strong back that leads me, afraid to lose him again if I glance away.

Once we're alone and the sirens' shrill sounds are far off, Alex slows down, his piercing eyes finally finding mine.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, and you?" I breathe, the oxygen now reaching more easily my lungs.

"Yeah, I'm used to this, but you– Fuck!" He stops talking, his dark gaze focused behind me.

Glancing back, I quickly understand the worry forming on his eyes: a police car is coming our way. Just when I've found my breath again, it's knocked out again in a gasp. Yet now I'm with Alex, and there is a confidence inside my chest that only springs when I'm with him.

I throw a look around, the impasse of our situation settling in. We're in a quite narrow street that looks a lot like the one we've escaped, but there isn't any cross street near to get away.

He sighs, shaking his head. "They'll scan every corner of the area."

Seeing him giving up isn't a good sign, yet something catches my eye and an idea pops in my mind.

"I have an idea! Go hide there." I point to some trash cans on the sidewalk.

He gives me a questioning look. "But you–"

"Trust me!" I assure him with a smile and shove him toward the garbage cans.

This may not be really nice, but it can work.

The street is quite dark; from afar the policemen probably haven't been able to distinguish exactly our silhouettes, so I take a gamble on my bold idea, praying it will work.

I start to walk as casually as possible – well as much as I can while I'm shaking inside – giving a quick glance at Alex's makeshift hiding place as the car slows down near me.

The car window comes down slowly, my heart rate going up rapidly.

"Good evening, Miss," The two officers say in unison, looking more friendly than I've expected.

"Good evening," I reply quietly, biting my lip, which brings my mind back to Alex as he's already in all my thoughts.

"What are you doing alone in the rough area at such a late hour?" the one in the passenger seat inquires, and I purposely avoid his gaze.

"I'm going home after some babysitting. It's just around the corner. Is there any problem?" I try to sound as convincing and natural as possible, while inside my stomach knots with nervousness.

"There was an illegal fight organized nearby. Did you see anything or anyone?"

"Oh?! No, nothing." I fake a surprised look, widening my eyes a little.

"You should be careful. Don't dawdle on your way home!"

I nod quickly, the nervousness joined by restlessness, thrill, and a jot of relief expanding in my stomach as I sense that my lie is working. It seems almost too easy to be true! Do I really look that innocent?!

"Thanks for your help, goodnight." The driver waves before restarting the car, I guess also answering my internal question.

"Goodbye, Officers."

I pretend to walk again and glance back to see the car disappearing in the distance.

I've done it! A big proud grin tickles my lips with the adrenaline as I realize my idea has worked perfectly.

"You knocked me out!" Alex laughs, catching up with me. "You're amazing!" He looks at me, and even in the darkness of the night, I'm dazzled by this sparkle I can't describe shining once again in his tenebrous eyes.

I don't even know what to reply, though my bright red cheeks might be an obvious enough answer even in the dim lighting.

"Who would have thought it would be so helpful to have a good girl for girlfriend?!" he adds with a playful smile.

"It's helpful because everyone assumes that I'm a good girl, but I'm a badass inside!" I use his own words that fly out naturally out of my lips.

"Yeah, you're MY badass!" He wraps his arms around my waist from behind, pulling me against his strong chest to kiss me on the cheek, while keeping one of his famous smirks on his lips.

I can't help but smile wildly in return, the swarm of butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

Did you think Alex would be knocked out?! No! Alex always wins ;) He's the baddest bad boy!

So, do you like this chapter? Don't you think they're too cute? :)

Do you think Elena is fitting in Alex's wild world? 

Please let me know what you think in the comments, vote, add to your library...

Your help and feedbacks are always more than welcome! :)