My eyes take in every ray of light, a similar feeling to that of waking up in the morning to the ever so bright light. The repetitive beeping sound only further irritates my pounding head and the air has an undertone of bleach. I'm in a hospital. Once things become into focus, I groan. The room around me was a large space. There were large windows and pink plush chairs. Now this was confusing me, despite the fact that there was much hospital equipment, the room was too nice to be a hospital. "Emma?" Jacob sits up from the chair groggily and swiftly makes his way over. I don't know why but I start to cry. "Shh, Shh, Shh Baby don't cry. Aghhh, I need to hug you but I don't want to hurt you." His gaze looks up towards the door and he reluctantly takes a step back.

"Hey, You're awake!" Becky exclaims as she walks into the room with Spencer.

"Yeah." My voice sound raspy and rough, "What happened? Are Rafe and Tabitha alright?"

Everyone smiles at me and Spencer says, "Rafe and Tabitha are completely fine. Darling, you were hit by a car, and your the lucky's son of a bitch, becuase all you had was a dislocated shoulder, sprained wrist and a concussion."

"It feels like my entire body's broken," I whine.

Spencer walks up to me, holds my hand and says, "You saved Rafe's life."

"Yeah only after endangering it. I stupidly picked up the phone on the busy street instead of watching over the kids." I watch as Jacob inwardly winces, knowing that it was him on the phone.

"Well you're a hero," Becky says. with finality, "I called your mom, and she was going to fly down but I assured her that Spencer, Jacob and I would take good care of you."

I smile, "Thanks Beck."

"Well, I hope you recover Emma. But I must be on my way," Jacob says coldly.

"Umm, ok? I don't mind if you stay," I say more as a plead than a gesture.

"No. That's alright, you have your-"

Before he finishes talking, Felix walks into the room, "Emma! I heard what happened, are you ok!"

"Hey Felix," I laugh, "yeah, I'm fine. Just a little banged up."

I look over at Jacob, who has now paused, jaw clenched and hands fisted.

"Were you leaving Mr Reynolds?" Felix asks Jacob.

"No. I no longer have to," he says tightly.

"I thought you had to go," Becky questions.

"Nope. I can stay." He replied, not taking his eyes off me.

My phone buzzes, and I wince reaching over and read the text, oddly enough, it's from Spencer, 'I can't believe you and Jacob are banging!'

"Who is it?" Beck asks.

Without looking over to Spencer, I reply, "My mom, she's just checking on me." With that simple sentence, Spencer knew his theory was right. All I hope now is that he keeps it to himself.

"You may need to take a week off school though, to recover."

"How did you guys get all this information, I thought they only release that stuff for family."

"I don't know," Becky responds ignorantly, "Jacob got it."

I look over to him, he is now once again sitting in the pink chair, and looking at me. "Thank you," I direct towards him.

Felix walks over and says, "If you want, you can stay at my studio flat. It would probably be more comfortable than your dorms?"

"No need," Jacob asserts, "she's staying with me. Her mother already knows and it's figured out."

"Well, I mean it is Emma's decision," Felix replies flabbergasted.

Before this turns into a toxic show of masculinity, Becky steps in and says, "Well since Felix offered, Emma would love to stay with you."

Felix smiles over to Jacob victoriously. So Jacob stands up and strides over to him. Next to Felix, he is taller and clearly more likely to win in a fight, but it's the promise of violence behind his eyes that is what is really scary. "Did you have something you want to say to me?!" Jacob yells.

"Woh, big brother, I think you need to go outside and chill." Becky walks over and puts her hand on Jacobs chest.

"No what I need is for this punk to back the hell off Emma."

"Why do you even care!" Becky responds frustrated.

"I-I don't care. I'm just saying that Emma's mom thinks that she's coming back with me. So I don't want to lie to her."

I don't think he could be anymore transparent, "No," I say, "Jacobs right. Going to his is convenient. It's fine."

"No," Becky interjects, "It's not fine. You clearly want to go with Felix, don't let Jacob bully you. into doing otherwise."

"Becky, I promise you, that I really don't mind."

"Are you sure?" she urged.

"Positive," I reply. After everything, eventually Felix leaves and kisses me on the cheek, which completely riled Jacob.

About an hour later Spencer left, who in parting, whispered in my ear saying, "You have to tell Becky at some point."

Then Becky left with Jacob and myself. Jacob slid gracefully into the backseat of the Mercedes, I turn to Becky and take her into a very gentle hug, "Thank you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, and I'm so glad your okay. But next time follow my lead. Clearly Felix wanted you back to his place. He has a thing for you," she winks.

"He does?" I was genuinely shocked by this. I guess I really hadn't noticed.

"Oh please, a blind person would have seen it." We both laugh and she helps me into the car.

Once Peter merges into traffic, Jacob and I both sit in silence. Despite the hand he has on my thigh, were were extremely distant. "How was your day?" I finally ask breaking the silence.

"It was fine," he replied, and for the rest of the car ride we both remained silent. When we entered his buildings garage, Rodger parks the car, and leaves.

However, just as Jacob stays in the car staying ahead, I do the same. Eventually, I sigh, and take out my phone. This gets his attention, and when he sees me on the Uber app, he gently takes the phone out of my hand and says, "No, please don't go anywhere."

"Well clearly you don't want me here, so..."

"Fuck," he cursed, "Of course I want you hear. I just... it was my fault wasn't it? You got hit by the car because of me?"

"No," I stressed.

"Emma, I'm not good for you. I don't deserve you," he mumbles into his hands.

"Stop saying that," I beg, and my eyes start to water.

"Jesus," he hisses and slides over to me, "don't cry. It destroys me, and I need to be strong right now."

"Please don't break up with me yet," I say at almost an inaudible whisper.

"Hey," his voice goes serious, "We are never breaking up. Life isn't worth living without you in it."

My breath hitches, "We are totally dysfunctional."

"I prefer the idea that we're unique."

"Mhmhm, is that right?" I ask still teary.

"Yes," he stated as a matter of fact.

When we exited the car, he placed his hand on the small of my back, grinding us both the the private elevator. I leaned into his touch, letting it soak into me and chase the pain away. Once we enter the private confines of the elevator, I grab his tie and before yanking his mouth down onto mine I say, "I fucking love you." He hooked one arm around my waist, all while I kissed him like I owned him. The feel of his possessive hold and enduring support was seductively promising, and exactly what I needed after the day I had. Using my mouth he tilted by head, deepening the kiss and I moaned into his mouth. He licked me like I was ice-cream, held me as if I was a priceless artefact, and possessed my like Ariels voice. When the elevator finally chimed, alerting us we had reached the the top floor we separate. However, the brass doors open to reveal Ava, lying seductively across his couch in nothing but an extremely revealing teddy, and blindfolded. Jacob places his hand over my eyes, and carefully spins me around. However, he was quick to release me, as sexual, provocative slurs began to spill from her lips, "Fuck me dry... Push me over the edge... Take me here, and then take me to the gala tonight." I had turned back around, he was running over to Ava, full stride and angry. I could see his lips moving, but I didn't hear any words. My ears ring and my eyes filled with tears, like a lake freezing over on the surface. I pushed the button to the elevator and descended to the lobby. I know that this wasn't his fault, but for some reason I wanted to punish him, and apart of me wanted him to chase me, to want me. But all I knew was that I can't be with him, so long as Ava is in his life.

When I exit the building in a frantic manner, the confronting heat mixed with the swell of body's was overwhelming beyond measure. My phone went off like an annoyed rattlesnake, buzzed it's way through the fabric of my jeans. When I looked at the caller ID, it read 'Boyfriend'. I have no idea when Jacob would have changed his contact name, but it did warm my heart. When I answered the phone, he rapidly begun speaking, "Please don't leave, I know I fucked it up again, I'm coming down in the elevator please-" I hear the elevator ding and I look through the glass doors which exposed the lobby and watched at Jacob stood, stunned and panicked. Speaking into the phone, and maintaining a speedy walk towards me, he said, "Don't waste your time trying to leave, your coming back upstairs and we're going to talk."

Choosing to frustrate him further, I begin to make a steady pace down the busy footpath of Manhattan. "Jacob, we have no reason to talk, and do you really think that I'm going to go back up to your place after what I just saw?"

"Emma," his voice turned gruff, "I know I've messed up-"

"No you didn't. Stop saying that-"

"Please just let me explain," he begs.

"You don't have to, it's okay," I say into the phone and sigh. But I'm jerked out of the conversation by his hand on my shoulder. Before I even look, I know it's him. The electricity and arousing stir that I get deep in my stomach when he's near is gnawing at me. Déjà vu, we were back to middle of the street, just like this morning. Even in the busy hustle of manhattan afternoon rush, Jacob still managed to turn the heads of people who walked by. Aside from the obvious fame and status which he held, his looks were that of a person sculpted by God himself. However the eyes. The eyes while an enticing blue, showed a raging storm."I don't want to-"

"Emma," he said warningly, "we can do this the easy way or you can make things difficult. But I'll be damned if you try and end things like this."

I closed my eyes, understanding that I wasn't lucky enough to get away with a quick good-bye. "Fine. I'll come up."

--

Now that we were back, the penthouse felt different. Cold and malignant. I look over to the couch where a huge pile of my stuff was pilled. "Why do you have my clothes!"

"Because your staying here for a week."

"Yes. But thats is my entire wardrobe and two more wardrobes worth of clothing that isn't mine."

"No, really?!" he said sarcastically.

"Awesome. The short generic answers aren't tediously annoying at all," I mused.

"I'm glad," he replied with snark.

"Becky, complied your clothing and Peter bought it here. As for the other stuff, I gave someone your measurements and they bought you stuff."

I inhale a deep breath, "First, the fact you know my measurements is creepy, not Romantic. While I appreciate all the new clothes, It's too much."

He guides us both towards the corridor, "It's not too much.It's just enough. I want you, my girlfriend, to feel comfortable here."

"No, is really is too much. I don't want you to spend money on me. Because when I can't do the same you're just having control over me."

Instead of responding, he gently pushes my hips on the couch, the very couch he fucked me on earlier.

I sat in the same spot I'd occupied that morning, and exactly like this morning he was trying to control me with sex, "Don't try to control me with sex, Jacob."

"I'm not trying to control you."

"You manipulate me. You do things and say things . . . just to get a particular response out of me."

"Baby, lets not pretend that you don't do the same."

"Woh," My eyes open with astonishment, "I'm allowed to...I'm a woman."

"Of course," he says and moves his mouth closer to mine, "how could I forget." His luscious lips collide with mine, his hands are gentle on my body, careful and cautious.

I tried to penetrate his mouth further, but he pulled back with a groan, "We can't. I am never going to do anything that would ever intentionally physically harm you. Including making love to you, only hours after being discharged by the hospital."

"Well aren't you just a good samaritan," I grumbled. "Your really not going to even make out with me?" I lowered my voice further, trying to keep it down. "Because I have it so bad for you. I get—well, hot. Like I'm overcome with this desperate need to be touching you. My brain scatters and I have to take a minute to ride it out, but it's so hard to deal. So many times I've almost dropped whatever I'm doing to get to you."

"Who's manipulative now?" he probes, and I stick my tongue out at him.

"Should I stay in a guest room?" I ask him.

"Why would you? You'll stay with me in my room, unless you think you would be more comfortable in a guest room."

"I just don't want to get in you way, plus, if I stay in your room, it would probably feel more like we're living together. Which in a normal relationship usually happens years into it." He looked disheartened by what I said, so I quickly followed up, "I want to stay with you. You're my boyfriend-"

His eyes dart up to meet mine, and he said, "You just called my your boyfriend."

"Yeah?"

"I mean, obviously I am, but that's the first time you called me it."

Suddenly it dawned on me how hypocritical I was being in this relationship. I wanted things from him, like commitment and fidelity, but I was giving him the mixed messages all along. I told him I was his girlfriend, but then never actually showed it. "I'm sorry," I blurt out, "thank you, for being the best boyfriend ever."

He seems speechless for a moment. "You're welcome," he eventually answers confused.

--

The smell of freshly brewed coffee brought my well-trained senses to life the following morning. I blinked up at the bedroom ceiling of Jacobs Manhattan apartment and gave a sleepy smile when I discovered him standing beside the bed, holding said delicious concoction of coffee beans and skim milk. The sight of his leanly muscular torso and washboard abs almost made up for the exceedingly sore chest and kneecaps. "How are you feeling mi amour?"

"Turned on," I admit, raking my gaze up and down his body.

"I meant in terms of your injuries," he laughs.

"Oh yeah, right. There sore, obviously, but I'll live."

"I'm glad."

He places the cup in my hands, and I absorb it's warmth, "by the way Becky's coming around after class, so I'm going to actually need to move my clothes to the spare bedroom."

"Why is she coming over?"

"She's dropping off my laptop so I don't fall behind in school work. Speaking of work, I don't want to keep you from yours."

"Your not," he says not so convincingly.

"Baby, yes I am. Go to work or whatever. I promise I won't throw any rave's while your away."

"Hey, mi casa su casa."

I place the mug on the bedside table, reach my arms out and use my fingers to signal him forward. He complies easily, and I place a kiss onto his lips. "Thank you for taking care of me."

"Anytime, Every time," he purred.

Gleaming granite countertops, walnut framed mirrors, jacuzzi tub, walk in shower room with over-sized shower head, fluffy towels neatly arranged, tile floor with underfloor heating, fluffy bath mat, wicker laundry basket. The space itself was triple the size of my dorm room. After locating my toothbrush, we brush our teeth side by side at the double sink vanity, our gazes meeting in our mirrored reflections. It was such a domestic, normal thing for couples to do, and while it felt natural, it also felt foreign. Up until three days ago, such intimacy would have sent me running. I guess years and years if my mothers unsuccessful relationships kind of scared me off the idea of love. But that all changed with Jacob. After he helped me, or more so did it himself, he moved all of my items of clothing from his room to the guest room. I could tell by the way he would look at his watch subtly that he was running late, and just staying behind with me. "Jacob..."

"Yes baby?" he answered attentively.

"Go to work," I said softly. With a pout he says, "You know if I could I would laze around here, adhering to your every, need... every desire," his hands traced up the side of my body, "but I have this annoying thing called 'job'."

"I know, so while I stay here recuperating, you go play with your billions, and then when you get back, I'm going to fulfil your wildest fantasies."

"It honestly amazes me how even with multiple injuries, you have the desire for my cock in you. Absolutely fascinating."

"Don't be crass," I mockingly scold. He kissed me hungrily, and reluctantly left for work.