Cheryl POV

I didn't know how but we've managed to maintain our position from last night until morning. I didn't get off Finn, and he didn't turn, so yes! I was lying on top of his shirtless skin.

"Good morning." I felt him heave a sigh.

Smiling. "Good morning."

After that, none among us brought up a dialogue. We just stayed in bed, cuddling in the comfortable atmosphere of the early morning.

Finn even silent his phone after it went off twice.

After what felt like an hour, I forced myself to ask the question I'd been meaning to. "You take all those things?" I gestured to the weeds and everything on his nightstand.

He was wordless; he only heaved another sigh.

"Those are cocaine Finn, aren't they?" I asked as I kept observing those dangerous drugs from a distance. "Why?" I pushed.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Because it is not good for you." Unlike him, I could easily answer the question.

"What does it matter?"

"It does matter. You're too young; those things will kill you before you know it." My voice was soft under his raspy-annoyed tone.

He snorted. "I never expected to live long, for your information."

Those words hit somewhere in me I couldn't specifically point out that I remained mute and only focused on breathing.

Maybe it was because of my disappointing demeanor, but Finn finally turned over to his side, and I had to shift to my side, laying my head on a pillow just like he did until we were facing each other.

"You have no idea how much this means to me." He smiled. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me, and for this?" He motioned between him and me. "I would forever be grateful."

I couldn't look at him in the eyes. Every ounce of me was reacting to his words.

That I found myself pleading. "Then stop, please. You have a lot of beautiful things ahead, don't waste it."

When my hurting eyes met him, he was surprisingly staring at me as a small smile played on his lips. "It's the way of my life... I have nothing left, Cheryl." There was a certainty in his tone that stung me right in my chest.

Without thinking, I blurt out. "You have me. If that's what it will take, I'm here... right next to you."

His stare depth into me. "Not because you want to." He murmured.

I shake my head when I cut my gaze. "I want you to stop because I want you too, Finn." I gave him those simple yet strong words.

He wasn't done processing my words when I bit my bottom lip and closed the space between us.

"I want you to be healthy when you're ninety; when you've achieved everything you deserve for what you did to those kids yesterday and even others I have no idea of." My voice was low and shaky, but I wanted him to know life was worth living, mostly when a lot of lives depended on him.

"I'm messed up. I'm a bad person." He swallowed sadly.

"No one is perfect, Finn."

It took almost ten seconds after those words left my mouth when I felt his lips cautiously sweeping against mine, but he pulled away so fast, he looked terrified.

I bet he was afraid for the first time he kissed me was a different story.

"I'm-I'm sorry." He frowned, and a sudden crease formed on his forehead.

My eyes quietly observed my kidnapper just like his bright chocolate eyes do me. He had a very straight nose, his jaw was defined, and his lips were attracting mine that I found myself attaching my mouth to his.

I felt him letting out somewhat a relieved sigh as his tongue slid into my mouth.

He was perfect, only he didn't know, and he never wanted to believe.

Finn POV

"So you put the cream after brewing the coffee?" She asked with her cheeks in her palms on the studio counter.

"Where did you grow up?" I playfully acted confused while shaking my head.

She laughed, for it was my favorite sound. It was what ignited my energy. It was healthy. It was my medicine. "I'm more of a takeout person."

"Clearly, I realized that."

"Right now?" She asked.

"No! You've been here for a while now. You eat only Steph's food." I reminded her.

"Oh, trust me, I was worried your men would poison me."

I exhaled out a laugh. "I was right then."

"Right about what?" She curiously asked.

"I told Liam and Steph the same." I handed her the coffee I had made for both of us.

"Oh." She hid her smile behind the mug. "It's delicious, thank you." She said after taking a sip.

Waking up to finding Cheryl on me was something I never believed would ever happen. If you told me something like that days ago, I'd be laughing. Only she didn't just cuddle with me. She told me she wanted me, she saw me in the future, she believed I had something good in me. And it was Cheryl I'm talking about, the girl I kidnapped over a month ago, the girl I wanted to kill before, the girl who hated me more than anything in her life, yet I found her sucking on my lips, stroking my skin, pulling me closer to her.
She was my world, and now I finally felt wholesome.

Since after twelve years of excruciating pain, that day, I was able to breathe, I was able to relax, and sink into the warmth of something that felt like home. That day was the best day of my life since after my parents died.

"How do you do all those charities and study? And..." She gnawed on her inner cheek.

"Killing?" I smiled at her cute reaction, and she nodded.

"Well, let's say, with Teddy and Reddy's help, Denny and some of the company's team and my manager."

"Teddy and Reddy, those you shot that day?" She softly asked, and the memory came back in my head. I had to look away.

"Yes." I breathe.

"I'm sorry about them. I'm sorry I had to be the reason." She said to me when her eyes looked over to her bare toes. Her tone was melancholy.

"It's okay. No one is meant to touch you. They lied to me."

"I shot you, but you act as though I gave you a life when only I wanted to take it away from you." She confusedly asked.

"Maybe if you're hurt, I get hurt more. Maybe if someone touched you, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself." I should take away the 'maybe' because deep in my heart, I knew I was lying. I knew it was definitely not a little doubt existed in those words.

Cheryl POV

"You two left earlier, Friday night," Steph said.

"I needed some rest." I honestly answered.

"Anyways, the event was so fun. My mom made a lot of money from the kitchen allowances."

"Congratulations." I smiled at the excited girl. "So Finn and your mom are close?"

"Yes, she's like a mother to him, all of us actually. Sometimes the three of us eat dinner at the restaurant. She makes us a special meal." Steph explained.

"She knew about Finn's history?"

"No! She can't know, not that she would judge, but it was a pact we made to keep it away from our parents," Steph told me.

"Oh!" I swallowed and grabbed a fry.

"So you and Finn are...?" She pursed her lips and arched her brows.

"We kissed this morning," I said and chewed on my food.

She was stiffing a laugh. "So tonight, you'll do the main thing?"

"Shut up, no!" I giggled.

"I've seen the dude's thing. I'm sure you can handle it, only if it's your first, then I'm advising you to run." She giggled along, but mine turned to a frown when I looked away.

I couldn't believe her.

"Hey! No, I didn't mean, shit, that's not what I meant. We haven't. Eww, never." With panicked eyes, she rushed her words.

I immediately felt embarrassed for thinking about Steph and Finn. I stood up and headed towards the television set, avoiding her eyes.

Leaning against the wall, the tv came to life.

"Shit Cheryl." Steph was on her feet racing to off the tv when a particular line stopped her, just like it slit through me.

"They believe FH hideout is in Chicago." A reporter said. I stalk over to the front of the screen, just beside Steph, whose breathing was hyperventilating.

"After a recent body was found on East 100th Drive, two people had confirmed the attendance of Cheryl Mason at a charity event that took place in 'Works with Modern enterprise.' On Friday night in a company owned by Denny cage. Although the cops still haven't yet confirmed the news, but Chicago police department is on it."

I felt the blood in my veins boiling.
How? I didn't get it. We were so cautious. It was a masquerade event, and the mask sure changed my looks, didn't it?

My heart was racing as my eyes dilated, stuck on the woman reporter showing on the television.

"I need to call Finn." Steph ran out of the room, leaving me alone with my throbbing heart. I could hear it pounding in my ears.

I could feel the fear rising in my body. That's when I knew I was with Finn. That's when I realized I wanted him safe. I wanted to be next to him.