Helloooooo beautiful people! I am just dropping by with a loooooong overdue update. I'm terribly sorry guys, I had finals and then I got sick at the same freaking time and then I was depressed and now school started up again! It sucks but Imma fight for my future and for this fic! I know, I know, it's a slow start, but don't worry, the crazy will start pretty soon ;) Also, HAPPY FREAKING NEW YEAR?!

Chapter Three

The ride to the diner where Rose insisted I drop her off was awkward. I had never spent this much time in her company and feeling as I was, well maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

We weren't doing anything untoward and we were both silent, neither one for small talk it seemed. But that wasn't what made it awkward, at least for me. No, that would be the way Rose was looking at me.

Her brown gaze bore into me like nothing else had before, searing and I wasn't sure but it seemed almost intrusive, like she was looking for something. A soul perhaps? If so, she was fuck out of luck.

I had sold that worthless thing ages ago and hadn't looked back since. She wasn't going to find it.

When I thought we were going to make an entire car ride in silence, I should be so lucky, she opened her mouth and closed it a couple times, probably thinking of how what she was no doubt about to ask would come out right. I left her to her process figuring if she couldn't see my soul then she ought to know that I was also a very good liar.

"Will you come in? When we get to the diner I mean...I'd like you to come in and have some of my special tea."

" You want me to come in... For tea?" I asked slowly, giving her what I was sure was an incredulous look.

"That's what I said, wasn't it?" She glared at me. Completely at ease and unperturbed.

I mean, I did just hit her with my car. It's not like she can go to the police, but still, I'm a fair man.

"And why would I do that?" My headache was pulsating at the back of my head but I was too amused by the audacity of the girl before me to be annoyed.

"Because."

And that was that. She glared at me one last time before turning to look out the window as the sun- God damn it- attempted to blind me as it glared at us in all of its morning glory.

I took the chance to observe my strange companion. Her sweet scent shot right through me and I inhaled greedily. Warm sugar. I could almost taste it and believe me, I wanted to.

My discomfort over-powdered my common sense, allowing me a minute to stop lying to myself as I stared at Rose.

I thought she was beautiful. Plain and simple. I had no profound explanations and flowery descriptions. That was it.

I admired her smooth, tanned skin, the graceful neck and plump lips that I've dreamt of more than was right and that hair…That hair was something else and I had a special place in hell for all the things I imagined doing with it.

I wasn't being subtle and if the fidgeting was any indication, she knew I was boring a hole through her. There's no way she couldn't feel that, but if she was intent on watching old Moroi pass by, then I'd let her while I looked my fill.

But why?

I could explain it to myself about as much as I could to someone holding a gun to my head. I never- and I mean never- act like this. Apparently all you have to do is throw some shitty timing, an unwanted guest and a pretty, untouchable girl together and I was all of a sudden very reckless.

I don't know why this particular beauty has captured my attention, why and how it will no doubt screw me in the end, but I was only a man and if she kept putting herself in my cross hairs, well…

"Can we stop here?"

I looked out to see where we were, not good since I could not afford to be distracted- but we were still about two blocks from the café she insisted on. The one she invited me to for tea. I could say no, hell, I should have said no in the first place and I definitely should not have asked her to get in the damn car. It was too late now and I did not have the energy required to dwell.

"Why?"

"Everyone knows who you are," she paused, seeming to search for the right words. "But I…I just want you to be comfortable when we step in there. There's always people around and I could handle the gossip but…" she trailed off but I didn't press. It sounded like a lame excuse, especially from those lying lips but I was curious enough to go along with it.

I didn't think I could make it 5 steps with the way I was currently feeling but I had suffered worse and walked away fine. This might be a new level of stupidity for me but it wasn't a new game, and if it was something I knew how to do it was play.

I didn't respond and apparently she was not waiting for one already having returned to the window, craning her neck to see something. I signaled to my driver anyway and ignored the eyebrows that shot up.

He neatly pulled aside, checking his mirrors and everything like a good driver, one who hadn't just had a stranger all over the front bumper a few minutes ago.

I opened the door and got out, scanning the area swiftly and extended my hand to Rose. It took a second before her much smaller hand slid into my palm and the warmth it created between that little space was…it was strange.

Within seconds we were strolling along the street, hardly anyone out at this time of morning but I was still uneasy and had to fight the urge to reach for my gun. I didn't do open spaces and I was now practically in the middle of the street. If this wasn't asking for it, then I don't know what was.

Everything ground to a halt with a firm squeeze of my hand. It took me a little longer than it should to realize that I was still holding hers but she hadn't let go. It was more jarring than me holding anyone's hand so I gripped hers and led her to the café.

The café in question, or The Attic, as it was proudly called was as you'd expect of a place called that. It was old but miles from being rundown.

There was an understated classiness to it that seemed to be an effect of East Moroi's ancient charming façade. It looked nice on the outside because that was what people wanted to see. It spoke of nothing about the inside, but then again, people hardly thought to think about that, didn't they?

Rose tugged at my hand and I let go of her. She reached into her pockets, pulling out a small ring of keys a second later and I realized that she was here to open up.

This was amusing to me since A, how much hustling did Rose do exactly? And B, she lied to me. It was expected of course, but it was…unsettling. Again, my experience should make me walk away, maybe drag Rose with me and punish her.

But since we already decided that common sense, experience and self-preservation meant fuck all today, I guess curiosity won out instead.

As she finished unlocking the shop, I stayed her hand, pulling open one side of the double-doors instead, I waited for her to enter before stepping inside and shutting it closed again. There was a closed sign waiting to be turned but she headed straight for the counter instead.

I looked around at what consisted of The Attic and found that I was right. As expected the inside spoke to nothing of the cold exterior. The walls were a tasteful shade of green with red accents. The tables and chairs were a complementary blonde wood with cozy spacing and vibrant plants dotted the tables and surrounding area. It looked like an attic might if it cleaned up well and served breakfast.

It also made me feel extremely unnerved for some reason. I wasn't spiritual, but the longer I stood in this place the more unbalanced I felt and we could not have that.

"You work here."

It wasn't a question but I still got a distant, "Sometimes."

I turned to look for Rose but she wasn't there.

Hm.

I would leave her. It was only a matter of time before I figured out what she was up to and by the looks of things, she might be about to crack.

As I sat on a stool-wooden- at the little corner counter, she came through a door behind there that I assumed led to a kitchen. I honestly had no idea as I had never stepped foot in here or any other café now that I thought about it. I had people to do that for me so I didn't need to.

Although it was funny that I lived here, a place where everyone knew of me and yet, I couldn't give the name of my own neighbor.

"Tea. Drink. Now." Was all Rose said before disappearing again.

Since I had agreed to tea, I drank and immediately regretted it.

I loved hot things and would have probably burned my taste buds away, quite literally, if I could have helped it so this was not my problem. It was the thick consistency of the liquid and something that tasted suspiciously of grass.

My eyes twitched and my headache intensified but I drank the vile beverage down with good grace and set the cup far, far away from me just in time for Rose to reappear.

"Eat."

I looked down to see that she had placed some sort of broth and a plate of toasts before me.

I stared at it, not quite understanding what it was that was happening. What game she playing. A normal person might call this being taken care of, but I wasn't normal and I didn't need taking care of. I was feeling like shit, yes, but I had never alluded to Rose that I did or that I needed anything. What was this?

Rose must have read the look on my face because she set her jaw and looked away.

"It's not poisoned, f-y-I so just eat it, okay?"

So I ate it, hardly tasting anything beyond the warmth of the soup and the cardboard-like texture of the toast. It might have been prepared by the best chef in the world and I would not have noticed, too busy pondering the bitter taste it all left in my mouth.

It felt like I was on the edge of something big. Like my life was changing rapidly, in the matter of a fifteen minute car ride and I was welcoming it with open arms. Either that or this was one hell of a headache.

Whether something good or bad came out of it, I would no doubt have to pay. Nothing was for free- especially for a Belikov.

Before I knew it, my food was done. I had eaten everything and I hadn't thrown up. I patted my chest as I burped and huh, what do you know. I was no longer nauseous and the burning in my chest was mostly gone, although I was still dead on my feet and would probably wind up pissing all over Rose's clean counter.

I didn't know what to do. Did I thank her and leave? Ordinarily I would threaten her to stay away from me if she knew what was good for her but this time it was different. I had hit her, she had taken care of me and I couldn't handle that.

As I sat there trying to come up with what to say, the soft click, that unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked was enough to clear my head.

The thing with being me was that I was always prepared. If not physically, then mentally. It was often a struggle being both. But this- this was something I knew.

As I let the disappointment of daring to hope sink in, I looked at my little crook.

She held an old revolver in a surprisingly steady two-hand grip with the barrel pointed straight at my chest. I had to say, she got points for taking me by surprise. It didn't happen a lot and it was usually really bad for the other guy.

I looked from the weapon in her hands to her eyes and smiled.

Goddammit, I really had to piss.

A/N: What the hell is Rose thinking, huh? I have no idea either! BTW, do I use the F-word too much? Lol, I really like the word so I tend to use it for everything but if you guys think it's too much lemme know! Until next time :)