"Because I don't have any place to go. And… I feel safe here with you". She whisper the last words.

CATHERINE

He look at me with stern eyes after I blurted out those words. His eyebrows form in a frown. I don't know what he's thinking. Maybe he thought I'm an easy girl. He's not asking question about me so I guess he's not interested. My heart still beating fast. What if he doesn't want me here? What if he will not let me stay here? I don't want to leave. Not yet. Is it too early to say that I don't want to leave because I feel safe with him? It's what I feel.

The moment I saw him, I knew he will never hurt me. I felt the pull between us. I can't stop myself for feeling nervous whenever his eyes locking with mine. Those sad, beautiful eyes glaring at me like he can see through my whole soul. But I also felt the wall around him. Like he's hiding himself to the whole world. Obviously, he's living in an abandon warehouse and I guess he's living here for a long time. I wonder what happen to him.

"Just because I saved you once, doesn't mean I will do that again. I'm not superman" he break my thoughts.

"I'm not asking you to save me whenever I'm in danger. I'm asking you to let me stay here."

"Look around you. It's not the environment you used to live. You are not belong here." That hurt. But I will not giving up.

"Well not anymore. I am homeless now. I can't go back to the hotel and get my things. They know where I'm staying. I'm sure they will come back there and get me." I explain.

"Look. I'm exhausted. I want to take a rest"

"Good. Me too" he looked at me again with those tired, sad eyes that always caught my breath.

~~00~~

I put away the basin and when I came back from the bathroom he's already sleeping on his bed, his chest naked up to waist. His breath steady. He looked relax and at peace yet he looks vulnerable. I studied him for a while. I don't understand that this good looking guy is hiding. I'm pretty sure, those thugs who chased us wanted him dead. I don't understand that he still save me from my father's bodyguard even if the fact that he's already hurt when he saw me. Who is this strange man?

I sigh and went back to the bathroom. I need a shower so badly. I feel tired and exhausted from the event of this day. I don't want to think about my future. For now I just need my shower and sleep. I strip my clothes and throw them in the corner. I take my time washing my body. I used whatever I saw on his bathroom. His soap and his shampoo linger on my body. I smell like him.

Minutes later, I feel refresh. I used his towel that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door to dry myself. I went to his wardrobe drawer and pull out a t-shirt. I slip it on my body. Next I look for his boxer shorts. They were big for me but I don't mind. I bite my lip to suppress my giggle. I feel like I'm his girlfriend who is sneaking on his house. I look around once more, scanning his house. I feel at home. It's weird.

I walk toward the bed and lie down beside him. No way will I sleep on the couch. I need something to snuggle while I'm asleep. I can't sleep without my pillow covering my face. I carefully lift the other pillow and snuggle it. It smell of soap and him. I look at him once more before I close my eyes.

~~00~~

I wake up with my stomach growling. I look the clock on the bed side table, 11:50 am. I overslept. Damn. I never overslept. I sit up and notice that the man beside me is missing. My heart started to race. I run downstairs to look for him. What if he left me? What if he left with his wound still fresh? What if he won't come back? Panic spread through me. I open my mouth to call him but I realize I didn't know his name. I put my palm on my face and mentally kick myself. I'm so stupid.

I look around the warehouse but no sign of him. I went back to his bedroom to check his drawer. His clothes are still there. Where is he? Then I heard the door slam. I rush downstairs to see him standing with a paper bag on his hand. He look up to me and quickly glance away. He put the paper bag on the table.

"Hey! You're here! I thought you left." I sigh a relief. I almost hug him. I stand in front of him.

"I bought a food. I don't have stacks on the fridge" He simply said without looking at me.

"Oh." I bite my lip. I don't know how to talk to him. He seems distant and irritated around me. Well since he met me.

"You'll go ahead and eat. I will eat after you".

"What? Why don't we eat together?"

"I ahmm. I need to change the gauze."

"I can help you with that."

"No! I can do this."

"Okay. I will wait you then". I insist.

"Please. Will you do what I'm asking you to do? At least this time?"

"No! I want to eat lunch with you". He close his eyes, defeated.

"Okay princess. But will you also change your clothes first before we eat lunch?" Crap. I forgot that I'm wearing his clothes. My legs are bared and his boxers are almost peaking.

"But I don't have any clothes to wear."

~~00~~

We're now sitting awkwardly on his table eating Chinese take away. After he took a bath and changed his gauze he brought me his sweater pants to put on.

"How are you?" I ask him after a long silence.

"I'm fine." He still doesn't look at me.

"You know. I still don't know your name."

He look at me. Finally! My heart started to race. His gaze could melt all the ice in Antarctica.

"Vincent". His name is so manly.

"Thank you Vincent for saving me last night."

"You're welcome"

"You're not going to ask my name or aren't you curious why are they chasing me?"

"No."

Here we go again. We're like doing 20 questions. It's official. He's the most stubborn man I've ever met. He's so frustrating.

"I guess you already know me. I'm Catherine Chandler. Yes Chandler. See, the reason why they are chasing me because they want me back. I left our house for so many reason and one of them is because of my dad."

"Yes. I already knew that. That's why I don't want you here. You're too precious for them. I'm sure he's already reported that you're missing."

"Please, I can hide here just like you."

"I thought you wanted to run?"

"Yes, but that was before I met you" I whisper. I don't know how to explain to him the pull between us. I can't stop it even if I wanted to.

"Don't you get it Catherine? Listen to me. I'm hiding for over a decade now. There are people out there whose hunting me and want me dead. They will never stop until they eliminate me. Being here with me is too dangerous for the both of us. Especially to you. If they know that you have something to do with me they will also kill you. And choosing to hide with me, is only making it worse. You're father think I kidnap you. You just added people to hunt me down."

He's right. I didn't think of that. If my father will find out that I'm here hiding with a wanted person he will make sure Vincent will go to prison or worse dead. I won't let that happen. I bite my lips to suppress my frustration and for wanting to cry. It seems like everything I do is wrong. It seems like my father will always win no matter what. I can't go back to that house and I can't stay here as well so I better go and runaway. I make a decision before and now I will stand for it.

"Okay. Thank you for explaining. Now I understand and I'm sorry if I'm being too pushy to you. I will leave but don't expect me to go back to my dad and act like nothing happen. I will continue running until I get away from this town. Don't worry I won't tell anyone about you. I hate my life and I hate it all the more now." I can't stop the tears from my eyes and I sob like a crying baby. I stand up and walk away. I didn't look back.

I run outside the warehouse. I'm used to being alone but this time I felt like the whole world turn me down. I am so confuse for feeling like this. I'm usually the type of person who don't care who are the people who walked in my life and stayed or walk away. But with Vincent, why do I care? Why I'm hurting like this? He saved my life and that's it but why do I feel like I owe my life to him? I didn't notice that I am walking in the alley where he saved me last night. I bow my head to hide my face to the curious people who pass me by. I don't want them to see me like this. The famous daughter of Thomas Chandler walking in the street wearing big sweater. It's going to be the headline for tomorrow.

~~00~~

I went back to the hotel in a rush and get my things. I showered and changed. I put the t-shirt back on, jeans and a sneaker. I put a cap on my head and went to the reception area to pay the bills. I look around outside making sure the bodyguards wont lurking around. When I am sure they are not there, I blurred away, unsure where the path I take.

Hours later I was in a crowded China town. I don't know why I went here. It's getting dark so I decided to look for a motel just for a night. I check in a ordinary motel. The girl in the reception look at me with a skeptical look on her face. I'm not sure if she recognize me or not. She gave me the room access card, I thank her and went upstairs. The room was simple. The walls are painted in white as well as the bathroom. It's cozy. My father will never think of finding me here.

I slam my body on the mattress. What now? Where do I go from here? What is my future awaiting for me? How can I survive without my parents money? Is this the curse for being a Chandler? Sometimes I wish I didn't born in this earth. Or I wish I was born to a normal life. I wish my parents are not Thomas Chandler and Vanessa Chandler. I sigh. I close my eyes and I see the same sad lonely eyes staring back at me. His words keep repeating on my head. What happened to him causing him to hide for over a decade? Why they want him dead? Just the thought of him lying cold makes me chill. I erase that thought. But he pushed me away. How can I help him if he doesn't want me in the first place. I stand and went to my things. I will go out tonight. I want to forget this past few days. I wanted to call Tess but I probably knew they will track her phone to track me. So I decided to go out alone. I dress up and went out in the chilly night.

~~00~~

The music blaring my ears. I am sitting in the bar drinking my fifth glass of vodka. I am a little bit tipsy but I still manage. Someone sit on my side and approach me.

"Hi. I see that you're alone" he said, smiling.

"Obviously" I answer sarcastically.

"I'm Zack. Wow. You have mesmerizing eyes" he look amazed. I made my eyes smoky and I put heavy make up so that if ever someone bump me they won't recognize me. I feel like I look like slut, which is my original intention.

"I'm Catherine" I smile a little. Although he look handsome on his own way I can still see the sad eyes that mesmerized me.

"So. What brought you here? Broken hearted?" he ask.

"Maybe. I wanted to forget".

"Oh. I can help you with that". His face light up.

"I don't think you can".

"Want me to buy you some drink?". before I answer he call the bartender and order two more glass of vodka for me and one beer for him. He click his bottle to mine and drink almost half of it. I drink mine and wince when the liquid hit my throat. I grab the lemon and put it in my mouth. He's looking at me intently and I become nervous.

"I can sense that you don't want to talk. Want to dance instead?" he ask. Oh this man is persistent.

"Okay. Let me finish this one first". I gulp the last glass of my vodka and between the rim of it I peek him, his smile became devilish. I shook my head suddenly feeling light headed. We stand up and lead me to the dance floor.

We dance to the rhythm of a techno music. Some party people screaming, enjoying too much. I smile at them thinking how carefree they are. Zack hands came to my waist and I didn't mind swaying my hips with him. I smile, mimicking their actions. I put my hands on Zack's shoulder. His face millimeters away from me I can smell his breath. I felt dizzy, his face became blurred his lips touching mine. I push him away, my vision becoming double. I touch my head. I feel like I'm floating on air.

"C'mon babe. Let's dance more." He grab my waist pulling me to him. His hands aggressively went to my butt.

"Let me go!" I push his hands away but this time he his grip became more tighter. My body convulse. His face nudging my neck. I keep myself wiggling out of his strain. I wanted to scream. Then suddenly I sense like someone watching me. I scan the room and in between the haziness and sanity I saw the same eyes. It's glowing in gold but then suddenly it's gone. I search again hoping I will see it. That mysterious presence I feel makes me calm. Then I heard his voice. That voice that will always make my knees go weak.

"She said let her go" his voice is rough. His stare is hard. If looks could kill, Zack already buried ten feet under the ground.

"Who are you?" Zack ask him, annoyed.

Vincent grab my arms and pull me out of Zack grip. I gape at him. I can't believe his here. I heard Zack speak but I didn't barely listening to him. All I hear is the beating of my heart. Again Vincent expose himself and risk it all to save me.

"Catherine. Do you know him?" Zack ask again.

"Yeah. I know him" I said without breaking my eyes on Vincent. "How did you know I'm here?" He look at me and the sad eyes changed into something.. anger, frustration, scared? I don't know.

"You still want to dance?" he simply ask. I shook my head in response.

"Hey. Who are you?" Zack ask, trying to grab me back.

"You need to walk away before I do something you won't like" he his breathing hard.

Then he pull me with him, still gripping my arm tight. I tremble, my head is spinning.

"Vincent. Why are you here?" he doesn't answer me. He keeps walking. "Vincent. Stop. I can't walk. I feel dizzy."

"What are you doing?" he ask. Oh god. He looks angry.

"What?" I snap. Why is he angry at me? I should be the one who is angry at him for pushing me away. He clearly said to my face that he doesn't like me. So why is he here?

"Why are you here Catherine?"

"I don't understand why you're asking? You push me away remember? I beg you to stay with you but you said I'm not belong there. That I'm already risking you're life. So why are you here?"

"Even if I explain it you will not remember anything tomorrow."

"How come. I'm not drunk!" okay maybe a little bit. But I still know what I'm doing.

"Not yet. He slip some drug on your vodka."

"How did you know?" I ask, stunned.

"Because I saw him."

"You mean you've been watching me the whole time?" Unbelievable. He's been there but he didn't approach me? He look away. Ha! He's guilty. He wet his lip with his tongue. And I momentarily forget how mad I am with him.

"Yeah"

"Why do you care now?" I ask him. I wanted to know why he's here before the drug completely affect. While I still process what he's saying.

"C'mon Catherine I will take you home".

"No! I don't want to go home!" I'm screaming. I feel dizzy. My vision become hazy. My stomach is flipping out and before I knew it I am vomiting. Damn! That's why I hate drinking. Two muscular hands caught me. His other hand holding my hair and the other stroking my back. When I emptied my stomach he gave me his handkerchief. I wipe my mouth and bit my lip, unable to talk.

"I don't want to go home. Please" I beg. His hands encircled my waist to keep me from falling. He carried me and started to walk. I press my face on his neck, smelling him. It remind me of his pillow.

"Vincent" I whisper his name. God. I feel awful.

"Don't talk."

"Vincent" I repeat. I probably don't remember this tomorrow so I will do what I wanted to do until I pass out. I snuggle my face more on his neck and wrap my arms around him. He hold me tight. I smile, feeling protected by his grip.

"Take me home. Not to the hell, but to yours."

"Sleep Catherine. I will take you to my home".

I close my eyes and the last thing I've heard is his beating heart against mine. I hold him closer. Now I know where I wanted to be.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading. I know this chapter will probably bore you. Forgive me. I'm a lame writer. :D

Btw. Why I can't see my story on the BATB category? I'm just wondering.