*James P.O.V*

*Present day in the past*

I was doomed from the start. I truly didn't believe that Lola would catch my eye, and for good reason. I only realized how wrong I was when she finally came on deck just before we got to Cuba. I'm sure that I'm not in love with her but I feel like I could be in time. That's what really sets her apart from anyone else I've met. That and she doesn't perpetually piss me off which everyone seems to do at some point. I find it downright impossible to be angry with her.

*An hour or two later*

I jerked awake at the feeling of Lola's hand leaving mine, I must've fallen asleep at some point. I turned to see her glaring at me and shifting over to put distance between us.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"Why wouldn't I be here?"

"You completed your mission. You don't need to play these games anymore!"

"What games are ye talking about?" I was sincerely confused now.

"Stop pretending to care about me!" I looked at her in shock.

"What the hell are ye talking about?! I never pretended anything!"

"Stop lying! You only brought me on the ship because you wanted to bring me here! You never cared about my safety!" She accused.

"Ye don't know what yer talking about!"

"Excuse me! James you brought me to an unfamiliar island without telling me and then brought me to some stranger and then left me!"

"Ye weren't in any danger!"

"How do you know that? How did you know he wasn't going to kill me? Did you even ask why he wanted me?"

"If he wanted ye dead he wouldn't have had me bring ye here."

"So what? If he did want me dead you would have killed me, right? I can't trust you after all this! I shouldn't have ever trusted you!" I grabbed her arm and pulled her close enough that I could make out the flecks of color in her beautiful eyes. I was beyond livid at this point.

"Can ye hear yerself right now?! Would ye just stop?! Please just stop for one second and think! There are so many other ways I could've done things if I didn't care about ye. I could have easily left ye at the mercy of every man on the ship when we were sailing. If I didn't care then I could have just left ye t' be kidnapped by the Templars in Havana. If I was just trying t' bring ye here then I wouldn't have been nice about it. Trust me it would have been just as easy t' tie ye up and drag ye here. If I didn't care about ye then I wouldn't be here right now. I could have just left and sailed to Nassau or somewhere else once I completed my mission but I didn't leave. I stayed behind. I put myself in a situation to be killed if the bastard actually had the guts t' shoot or stab me because I was so concerned with keeping ye safe. I could have even left right after the attack but I stayed and waited for ye t' wake up because I wanted t' know that ye were okay. I didn't have t' do any of the things I've done so far but I did them because I cared. You don't even know what happened yet yer so quick t' make assumptions and accuse me of nonsense. I didn't get a mission t' bring ye here until we were leaving Great Inagua and I certainly wouldn't have brought ye here if I thought ye would be killed! Everything I've done is because I cared and my feelings for ye have been pretty damn blatant but ye obviously have overlooked everything that's happened!"

I was breathing raggedly and I had anger vibrating through me but when I took in her face I saw a shift in demeanor. Her eyes had gotten softer and seemed to be laughing at me. Her lips were fighting the urge to lift upward into a smile and she was shaking as well, but not with anger. She was shaking with laughter. This made all of my anger leave me. I was left with nothing but confusion.

"I know" As soon as this words left her lips she broke out in a wide smile and giggles streaming out like tears.

"What?"

"I know James. I'm sorry I just needed to be sure that you would tell me the truth. I thought by making you angry you would only speak honestly." She smiled but I could see the guilt in her eyes.

"So ye purposely pissed me off?" I glared at her.

"Yes." She mumbled nervously. I glared at her for a few minutes until I got her squirming. I then pulled her into a hug that left her frozen in surprise.

"If ye were anyone else I would have left ye for that." I said and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I know."

*Lola's P.O.V*

I honestly expected him to be extremely pissed off at me I never considered that he would get over it so fast. I was serious when I asked if he would kill me. I wanted to know just how deep his feelings for me ran. I had a feeling that they were far beyond simply liking me and I was right. His reaction just proved how far he would go for me.

"Thank you, James."

"For what?" He asked, looking down at me.

"For caring about me." I pecked his lips lightly and smiled brightly at him.

"It would have been impossible for me t' not care." He responded and I blushed bright red.

"Do you just have some morbid obsession with seeing me turn red?" I mumbled and he chuckled.

"Maybe I do, lass. Maybe I do."

"Well stop." I pouted at him.

"How can I?" He responded, leaning in to kiss me.

"Is that mí niña I hear?" We heard coming from outside of the room. James quickly moved away from me just before Mamí and Papí walked in.

"Hola mamí. Hola papí." I greeted them.

"Mija, are you feeling alright? You look like a mess." Mamí asked pulling a lock of my hair and I yelped and pulled away.

"Estoy bien, Mamí. You worry too much." I smiled at her.

"I'm a mother, Lolita. It's my job to worry. If I didn't who would." She joked and I slyly looked at James out of the corner of my eye.

"He would." I mumbled under my breath but Mamí caught what I said and giggled at the slight flush that came to James face.

"Is that so, James? You worry about mí niña that much?" Mamí teased, staring him down.

"No comment." He responded and avoided her eyes.

"It's nice to not be the one blushing for once." I commented with a smirk and smiled coyly when he glared at me. The three of us continued our banter until we heard someone clearing their throat and turned to see Papí glaring at James.

"Papí! Stop looking at James like that! I thought he was a good friend of yours." I scolded.

"That doesn't mean I want to hear about his relationship with my daughter." Papí retorted.

"You know he's a good guy. What are you so upset for?" I asked.

"You're my daughter, Lola. No man is good enough for you." Papí answered monotone.

"Well you don't have to worry about that since we technically aren't together... yet." I whispered the last part and could practically sense the grin James was fighting to keep off of his face.

"Aren't you supposed to speak with Ah Tabai, Lola?" Mamí asked before Papí could say anything.

"What for?" I asked, completely confused.

"Your purpose Lola." Mamí responded cryptically and I realized that she said that because James was here with us.

"That's right. I'll go see him now." I said getting out of the bed and going through Mamí's things until I found a brush. I fixed my hair before heading to the door.

"I'll take ye t' him." James said jogging up behind me.

"That's fine James. We'll take her. You should go see if there are any mission that could use your expertise." Papí quickly intervened. James raised an eyebrow suspiciously but nodded and took off.

"Come Lolita. We'll take you to Ah Tabai." Mamí said and I followed her and Papí to the same building we had entered earlier when we first spoke with him.

"There you are. I think it's time we get started." Ah Tabai said when we entered.

"Get what started?"

"Your training."

"Mentor you don't mean-" Mamí started but was cut off.

"Yes. You're daughter is to join us. She must become an assassin." Ah Tabai said.

"No. I-I can't! I can't kill people! You never said anything about having to kill people!" I shook my head profusely.

"Relax. You don't need to kill anyone. You just need to train for now. Since you're unfamiliar with our lifestyle I'll leave your parents to train you for now. I'll check on your progress regularly." Ah Tabai said.