Here is the next chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and read the last chapter. Happy Reading!

Chapter 7 The Chest

As soon as I open the chest, the room smells like Grey is standing right next to me. A warning fills my head, that maybe I shouldn't be going into here, but I lose myself in his scent, of lemongrass and something that smells distinctly like Grey, for several seconds, ignoring the warning. As my mind rights itself, and I go back to the task at hand. I kneel by the chest to take a peek at what is inside it. Inside the chest, are his clothes that he was wearing earlier, neatly folded. In between his folded jeans, there is a gun, that falls to the floor, as I move them onto the bed. The gun feels heavy in my hands, the metal of the gun cool. A shiver goes up my spine. I hate violence. I have seen too many injuries caused by a gun from my time as an ER nurse. I push the gun back in-between his folded jeans.

Underneath his clothes, there is a small photo album. In the photo album, there are a few pictures of him and Leila, during their younger years together. I scan the first few pages of pictures quickly, not really wanting to look at the photos, but my curiosity getting the best of me. Grey and Leila look happy together, smiling in each photo. In one photograph, they are making kissy faces at the camera. They both look young, maybe in college? There are some photos, of what I think, are Halloween pictures, Leila and Grey are laying on the grass, on their stomachs, looking at each other. Grey is dressed as a soldier, and Leila has his hat on her head. Their heads are propped with their hands as they smile at each other. I shut the album, having had enough of the happiness of Grey and Leila. Jealousy raising in my gut. Why couldn't Jose and I still be like that? Why couldn't that be me in those photos with Grey, instead of Leila? I move aside the album, placing it on top of his jeans.

What catches my eye next, is the fact that there are two phones in the chest. Two phones? Why, Grey? I tentatively touch the phones, wondering what secrets he is hiding on them. One phone is on, and that phone is filled with everything Jose related. There are messages from Jose, calls to and from Jose. You name it, it is from Jose. I pick up the other phone, it is off. I turn it on, wondering what secrets Grey is hiding. I go through his emails, most of which, I don't understand because they are written in a code. One email is of particular interest to me, when I find a link to a picture, with a message titled targets' girlfriend. The message, a description of the target's girlfriend, what she looks like, who her friends are, the fact that she has no friends in California, other than a friend who lives with a boyfriend in NYC, and what she likes to drink. The message ends with stay safe, sir. Taylor. This is stalker level shit, Grey! Who the hell is Taylor? I click on the link, wondering who the target's girlfriend is. When the link opens, I find a picture of myself. My jaw drops. I am walking down the street, looking sad, dragging a bag behind me. This picture was taken the day that I left to go visit Kate and Elliot in New York. Who the hell took that photograph? What the hell are you up to, Grey!

Next, I go through all of his text messages. Most are from Leila, wondering about something that I can't make out in the texts. I think she is talking about Jose, but I'm not sure. Once again, everything is in a code. I go through his call log, trying to figure out what the hell Grey is up to. Wondering why he has a picture of me in his email. For a moment, as I am snooping, I briefly wonder if this is how Jose feels, every time he goes through my phone without my permission.

Every name, on his phone, has a first and last name attached to a phone number. Then I find an interesting name in his phone, titled Girl from the Airport. I click on the number out of curiosity, wondering who that is, and why there is no first and last name attached like everyone else. My hands shake as I look at the number on the cell phone screen. My heart speeds up. That is my number. How did Grey get my number? And why does he have my cell phone number listed as Girl from the Airport? I stand there staring at the phone as if it will give me all its secrets. There is no way that Grey and C are the same person! Realizing the cell phone won't give any secrets away, I place the cell onto the bed as I begin to wonder; maybe Grey and C are the same person, but they can't be. Why wouldn't he remember me or tell me that it was him; if it was? And why after all these weeks of living next to him, wouldn't I know that it was the same guy that I met at the airport? "Maybe that is why you seem familiar," I mumble under my breath as I move aside a heavy navy blue fleece blanket, to find an Air Force uniform with the last name Williams written across the left side of the chest. The same type of uniform that C was in when I met him, that day in a Detroit airport. Above the Air Force name, tape on the right chest is what looks to be some type of symbol, but I don't know what it could stand for. It looks like a globe with a key, and around the globe is a half wreath. Maybe Grey and Leila weren't dressed up for Halloween in those photos. As I am lifting the uniform, to find out what else Grey is hiding on this boat, a knock sounds on the bedroom door, startling me, and sending me into a panic as I attempt to throw everything into the chest like I found it.

"Yes!" I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

"You okay? Are you still alive? You have been in there an awfully long time. You didn't catch the flu or anything from jumping into that water."

"No! I'm fine." I say as I throw open the door. "Just cold." Grey looks at me as his eyes sweep over my body, his eyes finally landing on the red writing of the sweater, on my chest. His eyes linger for a few seconds too long as he says, "You look cute in my clothes. That's my favorite sweater, you know." I blush, as his eyes snap to mine, as I push past him, as he says, gently touching my arm, "I'll be right back, try not to do anything too crazy like jump into the freezing water again. I'm going to go change."

My heart pounds quickly as Grey's skin touches mine, and just as quickly his warmth is gone, leaving behind an icy trail of air in his fingertips wake. My heart continues to beat quickly. Now, my heart isn't beating fast from him anymore. It is from fear, that he will figure out that I went through his things, and that he will kill me for doing so. I sit on the bench, trying to gather the warmth from my body. I curl myself into a ball, trying to slow my fast beating heart, my eyes every few seconds, go to the bedroom door of their own accord. Grey, stays in the bedroom for longer than he should, to change his clothes. I can hear him talking to someone on the phone. When Grey re-emerges, I think I see a suspicious look in his eyes, almost like he knows that I was going through his things, but all too quickly the suspicious look is gone. Maybe I have a guilty conscious.

"You ready to get back to the house. Jose just called me to inform me that I should be ready to go soon." He says, but as he is talking a grimace appears on his face, almost like he hates his job. A question appears in my mind, it won't stop nagging me. Why does Grey hate working with Jose so much? After all, he chose to go into the mob, didn't he? I had so many questions that I wanted answers to.

Grey, gently takes my hand, as he pulls me to my feet, his body close enough to mine, I can feel the body heat bouncing between us, as he says "I'm going to go start the boat. Thanks for coming out with me today."

"You are welcome," I say, as I feel my cheeks heat, from the close contact between us.

On the ride back to the marina, I ask Grey once again, wondering if Leila is an uncover agent for the Air Force, my mind floating, between the possibility of Grey and C, being the same person. Of Grey being linked somehow with the Air Force too, especially if they are the same person as C told me he was a Major in the Air Force that fateful day in Detroit. I can't let him know, that I know though. He would kill me if he knew, that I knew. "What does Leila do for work?" I ask, my eyes connecting with his for a few short seconds as his eyes leave the water.

"Why are you so interested in Leila all of a sudden? I thought we were finished with the topic of Leila for the day."

"I wanted to know what she did for work. All you told me earlier was that she went to school for art. So what did she do with a degree in art?"

"You know, you ask a lot of questions for someone who Jose says; doesn't care about anyone other than herself."

I roll my eyes as I hear the statement, thinking, of course, Jose would say something like that. I wonder what else Jose has been saying behind my back. "So, you going to answer my question or not, Grey?"

"She works in a gallery as a dealer. Not that it really is any of your business."

"Earlier, why did you say, that if you told me what she did, that I would not believe you? Why couldn't you just answer me honestly, Grey? And if she does work, then how come she is home all day long? I never see her leave."

"You are awful observant, aren't you?." He murmurs to himself as I shoot him a look as he starts talking louder, "Because, maybe I wanted you to believe that she did something cool for a living."

"What gallery does she work for? Is it one around the area?" I ask, generally interested in how long Grey is going to carry this on for. He looks nervous as his eyes meet mine once again, but then something else takes over, and calm appears in his eyes. As he says "No, she works from home. The gallery that she works for, is in Texas. She is here on assignment, to look for some painting at auction next month.

"Oh I see, and working in a gallery isn't cool in your opinion? " I ask.

"I don't know, you tell me?" Grey asks as I shrug my shoulders at him as he eyes me.

"No, being an art dealer for a gallery sounds boring as hell to me. I am all for excitement. Why do you think I work for Jose?" He asks.

"I don't know, because you have a death wish, or want to go to jail because that is where Jose will end up eventually, hopefully. I could only be so lucky." I murmur.

"Don't wish death on anyone. Death can come at any time to anyone. It can be a cruel mistress. I have seen good people die, too young, who didn't deserve to die. People whose deaths will haunt me for as long as I live." Grey shoots at me, killing the conversation of me wishing death on Jose. I want to ask him, what he means. I want to ask him why his voice hardened, but I know he means business. That he isn't going to talk to me about what he has seen, after all, I am only his next door neighbor as much as I wish I wasn't. He has a girlfriend, Leila. I notice Grey visibly stiffen as we approach the dock. I notice his posture change, even his tone of voice changes as he turns into a different person as we get closer and closer to the dock. This must be the Grey that Jose loves so much, who gets people to follow his directions with no complaints, or questions.

Seconds turn into minutes of silence. The wind of the ocean blows my hair into my face. I tuck my hair behind my ears. There is a slight mist coming from the water, blowing into my face, ticking my nose as I try to imagine a world without Jose in it, without Leila in it. A world where Grey and I only exist. A smile on my face appears. I bite my lips to try to keep my smile to myself, as I try to imagine Grey in an art gallery, viewing paintings, talking about what he sees in each of them. I can't see him doing that at all. At least not the Grey that I know. He must have been so different when he was younger, or maybe that is something he does only for Leila because he loves her. "Why are you so quiet, Stacia?" Grey asks, breaking me of my thoughts.

"No reason, just trying to imagine you, standing in a gallery looking at paintings. I can't see it." I giggle, finally.

"What? You can't see me standing in a gallery looking at paintings." He grins at me, as he rolls his eyes, "It sounds like so much fun. Next time I go to one, I will invite you."

"Really?"

"Really." He grins.

"That sounds like fun. When is the next time you are going?"

"When I am dead." He grins, "Or whenever Leila drags me. I would rather have my fingernails ripped out then go to one, but if you would like to go to one. Then I could have Leila bring you with her when she goes to look for that painting on auction."

"Sure," I say. I was joking. I have no idea about art, other than if it is pretty or not, but the idea of spending time with Leila sounds like a great idea. Maybe, I can see what Grey likes so much about her. Maybe, when I spend time with her, I can ask her if she is undercover. The questions float, around in my mind.

The rest of the ride back to the marina is quiet. Grey and I don't converse. A million questions swarm in my mind about Leila, about Grey, about me, and about Jose. "Stacia, you alright?" Grey looks at me with concern, almost like he is trying to figure out what is going on in my mind.

"Yeah." I murmur. "Just thinking."

"Well don't think too hard. I knew I smelt smoke coming from somewhere, dear Stacia" He grins at me as he docks the boat.

"Thanks for the great day, but Grey, please don't call me Stacia, anymore. I hate that name."

"Ok, Princess, what would you like me to call you?" And for some unknown reason, when his fingertips touch mine. A shock sails up my spine, as he spins me to look him in the eyes. There is a look in his eyes that I haven't seen before, my mind blanks as I battle with deciding if I should tell him to call me Ana or not. My mouth gets sticky as my eyes dart to his. His eyes are so familiar looking. His lips look so soft. What would it be like to kiss him? "So Princess, it is then?" My heart beats quickly at the sound of his voice so close to me. I feel like he knows the effect that he has on me, as he pulls away, a smirk playing on his lips, as he asks, "How loyal to Jose are you?"

"That's an odd question. I already told you. I don't love Jose." I murmur as I take in his scent. His scent fogging my mind. He smells like sea salt, lemongrass, a hint of shampoo, and something distinctly Grey.

"Loyalty and love are two things completely different." He murmurs as his eyes bore into mine. His fingertips still resting on my arms.

"Care to tell me the difference because to me, they are the same thing. I have no loyalty to him, even if he did help me out during a rough time, in my life. Not after everything, he has done to me and my step-brother, Mason."

"Love is a deep feeling of affection, intimacy, and acceptance of a person. While loyalty is an allegiance or a commitment. They are different, but also the same. Loyalty is needed for trust to exist and trust is needed for love."

"Well let's just say, that Jose and I don't have any of that. We exist together, that is all." I murmur as I turn from him, breaking all contact with him, my mind breaking free, of the effect that he has over me.

I ask, "What about you? How loyal are you to Leila? I have seen her with Jose, and I think, something is going on between them."

"There is nothing going on!" He says, his voice raising slightly.

"Whatever, Grey, but when she ends up in bed with Jose, don't come running to me. I know how he works."

This isn't about Leila and me. This is about you and Jose."

"I don't see how my relationship with Jose, is any of your business," I mutter as I jump off the boat, that it is now docked. I don't understand this line of questioning, and I don't like it. Our great day has been shot to hell thanks to Jose, somehow. I take off, walking quickly to his car, he catches up to me, too fast for my liking. He unlocks the door to the car. Once we are inside, he turns the car on, the radio blasts some pop music. I turn it off, immersing the car into an uncomfortable silence. I hate Grey. I hate the way he makes my stomach turn to butterflies. The ride home is dead silent. The only thing that can be heard is breathing. As we turn into the driveway, Grey turns the car off, locking the doors, he looks at me as he says, "Don't trust anyone."

"Why?"

"Just do it." He orders, his voice dropping.

"And what about you?" I ask, my head turning, unsure if I am hearing him right. I look him in the eye, as he tells me not to trust anyone.

"Especially me." He says, as his fingertips slide along my cheek, as my blue eyes connect with his dark gray eyes.

"Why, especially you?"

"Because, I'm dangerous, Princess. Dangerous enough that if Jose knew. . ." His sentence stops as someone bangs loudly, aggressively, on his window. Grey quickly, drops his hand away from my cheek. The one that he was gently rubbing. My head whips to look around him, unsure of who is banging aggressively on the window. My heart beats quickly, thinking that it could be Jose. Instead of seeing Jose, I see an angry, pissed off, looking, Leila, standing there with her hands on her hips. "What the hell!" She yells "Are you stupid? You gave her your Harvard sweater to wear! The one that you always gave to me when I was cold!"

Grey rolls his eyes at me, as he exits the car, as he whispers, "Laters, Princess." A smile falls onto my lips, at hearing his words to me, but then my eyes lock onto Leila, and the smile disappears from my lips as quickly as it appeared. As I slowly make my way up the stairs into the house, Grey and Leila can be heard arguing in their house. I wish, I could keep his sweater, it is warm and smells like him, but I know Jose will find it, and when he does, he will have questions, questions that I am not going to answer, or answers that I don't even have myself. I place his clothes into a paper bag, and stick them into the front seat of his car with a note that reads,

Grey,

Thank you for today on the boat. It was fun.

-Ana

As I am signing my name, Ana, I wonder if he will figure out that it was me from the airport because I am almost sure that Grey and C are the same person. I can't believe that I have found C! The thought makes my heart hammer in my chest. Moments after I leave his clothes in his car, I see Leila, go into Grey's car, grab the bag of clothes, take the note out, and rip it up, burning the notes with a lighter. At that moment, I hate Leila, even more than I thought I ever could. The tears, start to pour out of my eyes. I angrily wipe them away. Maybe, I should leave Grey alone. He seems happy with Leila. Maybe, I am stuck with Jose in this miserable life forever.

I pretend to be sleeping when Jose comes home that night, he doesn't bother to wake me, before he leaves to take care of his nightly mob duties with Grey. All I remember is Jose whispering into my ear, "I know you were out of this house with our neighbor, without my permission. I also know that he was back in this house today after I left. There will be consequences come tomorrow when you are awake."

Thoughts? Please review and let me know what you think. I will see you all hopefully with a new chapter on the weekend of September 29. Until Next Time!