Chapter 15

I had never been so nervous sitting in my sister's living room as I was now.

"So, who is this?" Margaret asked, voice as sweet and kind as ever, if not a bit curious. I couldn't blame her. Men were never much of a priority for me. The only member of the opposite sex I even acknowledged being Howser. And my family had known him just as long as I had. For me to bring a guy around… it was unheard of.

But here I was, sitting opposite of my sister with Meliodas sitting far too close to me.

"Um," I nibbled my bottom lip. Margaret would be angry with me when this was all over, but there was no getting around it. I would have to say it eventually, may as well just get it over with. "This is Mel…" I decided on a name change, catching Meliodas slightly off guard if his raised brow was anything to go by, "my… boyfriend."

As expected of my eldest sister, Margaret's eyes lit up like stars in the night sky. "Really? A boyfriend?"

Smugness rolled off the man to my right in waves. But he stood and offered my sister his hand as he said, "yes, I'm Mel, it's nice to meet you, officially." His smile was kind and sincere and… completely throwing me for a loop. He had a totally different air about him. The kind I'd expect from a man in the military.

"Oh, how rude of me," the lavender haired woman rushed to stand. She took Meliodas' hand and shook. "It's nice to meet you as well, Mel. I'm Margaret."

They returned to their seats, a smile tugging at the blonde's lips. "Your father must like those older names, huh?"

I gritted my teeth. If he thought he was going to mess with my sister, he had another thing coming.

"Oh? You've met father and Veronica already?" Margaret questioned innocently - a hint of hurt at the edges of her tone. Completely unaware of the identity of the man she was speaking to.

He chuckled, shooting a sidelong, playful glance my way before answering her. "Well, not officially. More like, seen them at a distance I suppose."

The bastard was messing with me, not my sister, I quickly realized. I shouldn't have let him come. He was going to give both of us up and Margaret would kill us. She seemed sweet, but she could be just as fierce as Veronica. She had to be for her job.

"Well," Margaret smiled as she went through the steps of preparing the tea. "Maybe next time we can all get together then."

"No!" I shouted causing Margaret to drop the spoon on the tray with a clatter, tea spraying the surface. She stared at me with round honey eyes. I didn't need to look at Meliodas to know his expression would be one of barely masked mirth. "I-I mean I'm not ready f-for that yet. You know how Father and Veronica can be."

She laughed lightly. "There's no need to be embarrassed, Elizabeth."

"I'm not!" I insisted even with heat rising to my cheeks. Why did Meliodas have to come with, I whined as I chance a glance at him. A wide grin was, of course, on his face.

"It's alright. I think she's adorable when she's all flustered like this," he continued to grin at me as he took my hand in his. The same hand that he had mended the night before and I'm suddenly all too aware of his fingers interlacing with mine; those memories bringing my heart beat to a quickened pitter-patter.

"Can't really blame her, though, can we? I mean, I am her first lover…"

I was sure my face was on fire now - every fiber of my being urged me to get up and walk out the door in utter embarrassment. I'd been subjected to and survived everything this man had thrown at me, but this… this was a whole new level of torture. Punishment, perhaps? For my coldness toward him the night before?

I couldn't look at him anymore. My wide eyes turned to my sister who was watching us with her own flush. "Oh…" she muttered, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth in her shock, "oh my…"

Mortified, why did this seem to be a common feeling I had wherever Meliodas was involved? I sunk into the couch, wanting to disappear from this level of hell. How did I ever think this was a good idea? I should have tried harder to come on my own.

A squeeze on my hand reminded me that he's still holding it.

Reluctantly, I glanced his way. He gave me a quick wink before turning to address my sister. "Sorry, about that," he laughed pleasantly. "Elizabeth is just way too easy to embarrass sometimes. I couldn't resist!"

"Oh?" Margaret was barely regaining her ability to talk, but at least the color on her face was returning to normal.

"Yep! Seeing the normally confident Elizabeth get all flustered at just a few intimate words is really endearing," he smiled at me. His expression was… difficult to read. Just how much of what he's saying, if any of it, was true?

"Ah," Margaret cooed. "That's really sweet."

I tore my gaze away from Meliodas to look at my sister. Did she just completely forget what he said?! I did my best not to shout, "it's really not sweet. Not at all."

"Don't be like that," Meliodas' grin widened as he bumped his shoulder against mine. "I'll make it up to you later, promise."

"Uh, huh," I raised a brow at him. "I'd like to see you try."

Because there was absolutely no way I could forgive him for pulling this shit in front of my sister.

The infuriating blonde only chuckled. "Challenge accepted."

"You two are just darling," Margaret's giggle interrupted our, my, death stare. My eldest sister had a small smile on her face as she studied the two of us. I didn't want to know just how much of a couple we must look like in her eyes.

Neither of us got a chance to say anything before we heard a low hum.

Meliodas reached for his phone, glancing at it then back up at us, "Sorry… But I really should take this." He said with an apologetic grin. "I'll be right back."

I got a quick glance at the screen as he finally let go of my hand and stood. It was a number I didn't recognize - the caller ID reading Restricted.

This was my chance!

I watched as he went for the front door, closing it behind him. Despite the urge to follow and listen in on his conversation, I knew I only had a moment to do what I came here to do.

I sighed with relief, quickly pulling the envelope I had stuffed the picture into from my jeans pocket. "Margaret," I whispered with a sense of urgency. "I need you to take this and have Gilthunder look into it for me. As much info as he can."

She furrowed her brow and stared at the envelope in my hand. "What is this Elizabeth?"

I shook my head, "It's nothing. But it is important that Gilthunder sends me everything he finds according to the instructions I left inside."

She eyed me suspiciously then. All of those years in the prosecution box had taught her to tell when someone was lying… if only those skills had been around earlier, but I couldn't think on that now. She's watching me too closely, "Gilthunder is deployed currently."

"Overseas?"

She shook her head, "No, just cross country."

Good. "I need you to send this to him. I'll give you the money to mail it first class. I just need this."

"Why do I get the feeling this is more important than you're letting on?"

I glanced over my shoulder at the door, "It's not," I insisted. "just do this favor for me, will you, please?"

She looked between me and the envelop again, then sighed, taking it from my hand and tucking it into her blouse. "alright… but, I expect you to explain when you are able to."

I merely nodded as Meliodas walked back in through the door and into the room. "Sorry about that," he said with an apologetic smile settling back on the couch with me. "Just a business call."

Thankfully, Margaret made no mention of our private exchange. "What is it you do for a living Mel?"

I stiffened as the realization that I came in here with zero backstory for my supposed boyfriend hit me. Shit, I curse, eyes darting over to Meliodas.

The blonde appeared a lot more cool and collected than I was feeling. A proud smile worked across his face. "I manage a bar."

My jaw slacked. His answer wasn't technically a lie. But it wasn't really the truth either. Not that I wanted him to say anything about his life of crime to my sister, an assistant district attorney.

"Really?" Her brows shot up, obviously not expecting that. "What's it called?"

"Ah," he waved her question off with a perfect air of nonchalance. "You wouldn't know it. It's a little too close to the wrong side of town, but we manage alright."

"Perhaps, I'll get a chance to visit it someday," Margaret suggested, not at all bothered by his vagueness.

But why would she be? She didn't know who he was or what kind of business the both of us were mixed up in. All she saw was her little sister's boyfriend. The only thing that probably would give her pause would be that picture tucked in an envelope inside her blouse.

"Maybe," he shrugged noncommittally.

"Well," I stood up, "It's about time we get going." I ignored their confused stares. "Thank you for the tea."

"Of course." Margaret was eyeing me suspiciously again, "But do you have to leave so soon? I was hoping to hear about how the two of you first met!"

No. God, no.

Meliodas chuckled, "Oh yeah, that is quite the story."

"Another time maybe?" I asked rather impatiently, but Meliodas and Margaret seem to ignore me as they literally leaned into the conversation.

"It was at a club, actually." He started, shooting me a daring look and that damnable grin. "I saw her on the other side of the bar, and I just... knew. She was there with a couple of friends, but I had to get her attention. So I stole her drink. She chased me out onto the dancefloor, and we danced the rest of the night."

That daring look meant more now than it did before. The story he was telling Margaret sounded sweet and romantic, but to me… to me, I heard him reminding me that he was a crime boss. A man with eyes and ears everywhere. He knew I was at that club. He knew my team was there. He knew our objectives and knew we couldn't touch him.

Perhaps… he was even telling me he knew why I was here today.

Did he know?

Margaret's contented sigh pulled me out of my stare off with him, and I'm feeling a different kind of flush now - the kind one feels when they're caught in a lie, "That is quite the story. You have a real flair for it, Mel." She complimented while they both stand. "I would love to hear more, so I'm sorry to see you both leave so soon, but I suppose the life of a detective is a busy one!" She beamed proudly at me.

It's pride that I couldn't accept and it just twisted my insides.

"That it is," Meliodas agreed with her, and I feel a nervousness wash over me. How much trouble did I just get myself into?

Margaret walked us to the door, kissing my cheek as we leave. For a split second, I savored that feeling, because there was a part of me that wondered if I would ever get a chance to feel it again. She waved happily from her doorway as we climbed into the same sports vehicle Meliodas had driven us in the night before.

The car was silent as we both watched Margaret close the door, cutting me off from my lifeline.

The silence was deafening. I could hear ringing in my ears. My imagination was running wild with the things to come.

There's a soft hum from the man in the driver's seat as he clicked his seat belt into place. "I guess tea isn't so bad." He jested as he turned the key, bringing the ignition to life.

I bit my lip. I knew what came next.

Instead of reaching around me to tie a blindfold over my eyes, he put the car into drive and started to pull away. Which had all of my red flags flying, and sending me sputtering, "Wait, you're not going to blindfold me?"

Was he planning on just getting rid of me now?! Why would he change his M.O. so suddenly?

My heart was pounding. For the first time since meeting him, I'm afraid.

He looked back at me curiously as we came to a stop light down the street, "If you would prefer the blindfold, I can give it to you." His grin widened, and I'm both terribly confused and still scared.

I'm not sure what he saw in my face that made him soften his own expression, but now he was giving me a look close to tenderness - if not a bit of guilt. "You introduced me to your family, Elizabeth. That kind of trust should be met with a little of my own, don't you think?"

… What?

Was I reading him wrong? Meliodas was going to let me see where the bar was? So did that mean he didn't know about the picture?

The fear was gone. But in its place, I found my own guilt. Guilt that I had to swallow. I did what I had to do to solve a case. I wasn't here to make friends. My goal wasn't making Meliodas trust me.

My goal was to dismantle the gang responsible for XGEN.

And then, my next objective was taking out the Seven Deadly Sins.

Dom: *Grabs box from under the tree and passes it to Luv* Merry Christmas LUV!

Luv: *eagerly bounces in place* What is it, what is it?! *begins tearing off the wrapping paper*

Dom: *Smiles happily, full of Christmas spirit as she watches the carnage of flying wrapping paper flung in the air*

Luv: *blinks at the contents of the box* … is it… is this what I think it is…? *pulls out a shirt and screeches at the top of her longs* IT'S PURPLE! *grins so brightly her face looks like it will split in two* I love it, thank you! *scrambles towards the tree and pulls out another gift and hands it to Dom*

Dom: Oh Luv! You shouldn't have! *Just as fiercely tears open the meticulously wrapped box and opening it, before giving Luv a knowing grin* How did you know? *Pulls out a still-warm cup from Starbucks* Salted Caramel Mocha! My favorite *starts drinking the coffee*

Luv: Weelllllll *looks around the room sheepishly* I figured since it's… kinda my fault that I should… feed the addiction? *scrunches her features together* Wait… I may have that backwards… I think I'm suppose to stop the obsession, not feed it. *taps her chin as she thinks before shrugging it off* Eh, oh well.

Dom: *Eye twitches* What do you mean addiction? *Drinks the rest of her coffee and gives a contented sigh* Anyways! *Grabs last present from under the tree* This one is to all the readers! *Opens up the box to pull a scripted note out* Next Time on Don't Trust Me: Elizabeth has finally gained some trust with Meliodas, but will she find that she regrets the lengths she's gone to embed herself with the sins? Just what information did they gather from the party? Nothing is as it seems and she quickly realizes this rabbit hole goes a lot deeper than she'd ever imagined.

Luv: *looks at Dom curiously* ...Is it weird we wrapped a present for our readers?

Dom: SSSHHHHHHHHHhhhhhh… *places finger over Luv's lips and whispers* Just let it happen...

Luv: *removes Dom's fingers with a confused furrow to her brow* Your fingers smell like coffee… how many Salted Caramel Mochas have you had today? And WHY do your fingers smell like it? *shakes her head* You know what, nevermind. I don't think I want to know.

Dom: Nope, probably not! *Smiles happily, throwing her empty coffee cup into her secret corner where there are fifty other empty starbucks cups*

Luv: *sighs heavily* See you next chapter! Have a Happy New Years everyone!