Micha DeSouza sat nervously in the back seat of a black car as the two bodyguards bound her hands together and gagged her. All she had been doing was walking home after visiting with her older brother, Felix. Next thing she knew, Micha was jumped by two American thugs and drug into the back of a black sedan with tinted windows while a gun was kept in her side. She wasn't even close to understanding exactly why she was being kidnapped; she just had a strong feeling she would hate how this whole thing ended.

"We're here," one of the men said gruffly an hour later.

The other thug pulled Micha's gag out of her mouth, allowing her to breathe properly as he pointed the gun to her head. "We are going to take off the bindings before we enter the airport and you better not try to run off. If we have to chase your ass down, we are going to go kill your Mum and your brother, Felix. Oh, yeah, we know who your family is, and if you give us any trouble, we'll hunt them down and make them suffer for your ignorance. Do you understand, Miss DeSouza?"

Micha nodded slightly and the thug ripped her bindings off her wrists. She rubbed the sore part on her wrist as the two thugs escorted her out of the car and into the airport. They were on either side of the poor girl as they made their way to the terminal. "Excuse me," the first thug addressed the flight attendant. "My siblings and I are traveling to Los Angeles . . . when will the next flight be taking off?"

The woman checked the schedule. "The next flight to Los Angeles will be taking off in a few minutes, sir. Would you like to purchase tickets for this flight?"

"Yes, ma'am.

Micha noticed the man's big golden ring as he reached for the cash in his pants pocket. A lizard symbol circumscribed sparkled under the airport terminal's lights as he brought his hand back out of his pocket. Micha assumed the second man also wore the golden emblem somewhere; most likely the insignia of for whomever these goons worked. The flight attendant handed him three tickets and the three individuals rushed to the correct terminal and barely made it onto the plane. The flight was tiring as it was a long flight to America, but Micha dared not sleep for fear of what the two men might attempt during her slumber.

The plane finally landed in JFK National Airport around seven o' clock in the morning American time and Micha followed the two thugs to the terminal of their connecting flight. The thugs sat on either side of her as they began their three-hour-long wait for the plane, dozing off in the first half hour. Micha forced herself to stay awake, trying not to move too much and disturb her captors.

A half hour before their connecting flight was to arrive, a voice alerted her to another man's presence. "Hello, love."

Micha looked up at the owner of the voice in shock and her breath almost caught in her throat as she whispered, "Iki? What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

Micha watched as he shrugged and gave her an adorable half smirk as he sat across from her. "Business as usual, love. I was given an offer I just couldn't refuse and . . . here I am, returning to Liverpool." Micha watched intently as Iki ran his long fingers through his spikey blond hair. Ever since she had first met Iki two years ago when Felix had started bringing her along to Durant's drug deals, she was very attracted to Iki. She loved his blonde hair and how he always styled it in its spikey fashion and his grayish-blue eyes seemed to memorize Micha from across the room. However, she had never spoken to him about her attraction to him since she believed no twenty-seven-year-old man would want anything to do with a fourteen-year-old teenager. At that point in time, she was now sixteen and he was twenty-nine, but what difference did that make?

"What are you doing so far from home, Micha?" Iki asked seriously, staring intensely at her. "Does Felix even know you're here in America?"

Micha held back her tears as best she could as she quietly whispered, "You're the only one who knows where I am, Iki . . . Th-these men are kidnapping me. They . . . picked me up off the street and are taking me away . . ." Tears slid down her cheeks as she lost her voice through her quiet sobs.

"Come with me while their sleeping, babes." Iki stood, his hand extended towards Micha.

Micha shook her head. "They know who my family is and will kill them. Besides, they would only find me again."

Iki knelt in front of her, his eyes flashing in concern. "Then I'll keep you protected . . . well, you and your family, of course. COme with me, Micha. I'll keep you at my side and these bloody twats will never touch you again."

Micha looked down at her hands, which she was wringing nervously. "I could never put you in that sort of danger, Iki." She blushed slightly and avoided Iki's interested look.

"You know, Micha, you're very beautiful when you blush."

Micha blinked and looked up at Iki as he continued, "Actually, you're beautiful . . . all the time."

Shocked beyond belief, Micha gazed into Iki's eyes, her hazel eyes seeming to almost connect with Iki's steely-blue ones as they captivated her once again. "I . . . I-I beg your pardon?"

Iki laughed softly as he ran his fingertips over Micha's flushed cheek, making her shiver slightly with delight. "Ever since I first met you two years ago, I knew you were the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with. I wanted to touch and caress you, to hold your soft features against my body at least once. I've longed to see those colorful eyes of yours light up with passion and desire. I've been . . . dying to . . . taste those . . . beautiful . . . kissable lips." Slowly, Iki leaned forward and pressed his warm lips onto Micha's.

Micha blinked, not quite sure all of this was actually happening to her. Here she was; being hijacked to Los Angeles, U.S. for who knows what purpose with no hope of ever returning to Liverpool, U.K., and her crush for two years had just confessed his love to her and was kissing her . . . very lovingly. Micha moaned softly as Iki gently ran his tongue over her bottom lip before thrusting it into her mouth. Micha gasped quietly and gently wrapped her arms around his back, pulling Iki closer and kissing him deeper. Iki chuckled softly into her mouth as he pulled her off the seat and against tightly his body.

Slowly and a bit reluctantly, Iki pulled away and stared intensely into Micha's eyes, which were bright with desire. "Absolutely brillant," he whispered, giving her a slow peck on the lips.

Micha realized she had been holding her breath and let it out slowly, her breath almost as shaky as her trembling body. Never before had Micha experienced anything so breath-taking, so knee-weakening, so . . . perfectly wonderful. "That . . . that was fantastic . . . "

Iki chuckled softly, moving his finger over Micha's swollen lips. "That it was, love." He let her sit down on the seat once again and watched her for several silent moments as she, too, watched him intensely. "Please come back with me to Liverpool, Micha. I love you . . . and who knows where these men will take you. We may never see each other again."

"We will see each other again, Iki, I promise." Micha ran her hand lightly through his hair, making him shiver slightly. "I just can't place you nor my family in that sort of danger. I would die should anything hapen to any of you."

"As would I should anything happen to you," Iki whispered into Micha's ear as he took her soft hand in both of his. "Here's what we'll do, Micha. I have connections here in the States. Do you know where they are taking you?"

"Los Angeles."

Iki smiled and hugged Micha. "That's perfect! A few of me mates live there; I'll have them keep an eye on you and keep you alive. As soon as I've made some money and built my empire stronger, I'll come for you. I promise I will, love."

Micha nodded and they shared a quick passionate kiss before Iki rose to his feet and pulled a small heart-shaped pendant out of his jacket pocket. "Here's your birthday present ahead of time, babes. Something to remember me by and to keep me close to your heart."

He handed it to Micha, who immediately placed it around her neck. "I love you, Iki, and I'll never let them take your memory away from me." They shared one more delicious kiss.

Micha watched with a heavy heart as Iki headed toward the terminal which would take him directly to Liverpool. "Iki!" she whispered loudly. When he turned to her, she said, "Please make sure Mum and Felix know I'm alive . . . and I'll be back in Liverpool sooner than they think."

Iki smiled sadly, but nodded before hurrying to the terminal to Liverpool. Micha closed her eyes and tried not to cry as she waited for their terminal gate to open.