Chapter Sixteen

The photos showed to be untraceable through investigation from a private team of scientists he hired to help. Among them, he found himself needing the help of Bardock to prove his innocence since he was the best in the field. Deciding to trust him, Trunks wait patiently for the results from the head of the team leader. Still having a small hint of doubt, Makoto took matters into her own hands to get a prospective glance at the results. Swinging by Bardock's home while Trunks was in a meeting, Makoto waited patiently in the same green colored lounge where she first heard the news. There was a bit of urgency on her part to get out in time and meet for lunch with Trunks. Bardock came out with wet hair as he finished buttoning his shirt before staring up at Makoto.

"I didn't expect any visitors," said Bardock as he continued to straighten himself out. In that moment, Makoto felt she couldn't take her eyes off him. He looked too normal, with a bit of shy nervousness to his manners as she picked up on it. Curiously, she leaned back into her seat as she watched him take a seat.

"Why did you take this case?" asked Makoto, switching her crossed legs to test his eyes for a moment only to see them follow her legs. Bardock relaxed into his seat while he studied her face for a moment to see where this was going. The silence was making Makoto a bit nervous but even more curious as to why he hadn't answered.

"I'm trying to study your posture and analyze your way to thinking," said Bardock suddenly, seeing how Makoto bowed her head a moment at being caught only to see a grin move to his lips. "I understand your reasoning for asking since it was I who gave you the photos and now it is I who am analyzing the authenticity as well. Trunks as for my help on this case but I refused at first instead for him to insist I joined. I believed he thought it would put you at comfort knowing there was someone on the case you could trust."

"How do you know I trust you?" asked Makoto, but within the blink of an eye he was sitting right next to her with his forefinger leading her chin to look at him.

"If you didn't, you would have never confronted him with the photos, followed through with this investigation, or be sitting here now, in my lounge to ask for the honest truth before the reveal," analyzed Bardock, seeing the shocked blush push into her cheeks.

"You really couldn't know me that well," countered Makoto as her fingers started to twitch a moment before Bardock released her chin and leaned back. His touch was lingering in a strange manner, and Makoto was unsure why she was affected. Bardock just gave a smirk as he stared at her for a moment until she would admit it, under his watchful gaze. Being as stubborn as always, Makoto stayed silent as she gazed back at him, wondering what cologne he was wearing that seemed so appealing. It felt as if something was attracting her to his watchful gaze but the feeling was amazing. Pushing him to the back of her mind, Makoto decided to play him up at his own game. Opening her purse, Makoto pulled out a white envelope as she held it out. "The moment you take this envelope, you have to agree to the stipulations that I give you…no double-crossing."

Bardock was taken by this request while he watched her curiously.

"Will I get to know the stipulations before I make the choice to accept or refuse?" asked Bardock, watching Makoto place the envelope on the table. It was interesting to watch how nervous she was as her eyes looked around the room before landing back on him.

"At the meeting tomorrow, tell me what I want to hear," requested Makoto, staring straight at him. Bardock couldn't believe the bribery she was using to make things seem as if it never happened, that trickery was at play. Bardock could understand her reasoning to not ruin her relationship, but there was something she was hiding and he wasn't sure what just yet. It was time for him to lay his cards all out on the table. Showing a sad smile before glancing over to Makoto, he could see how ready she had been to make this decision.

"If I lied to you, then where would our trust be?" asked Bardock only for Makoto to deflect.

"I'm not asking for you to let me know if your decision at this moment but instead take some time to think about," replied Makoto as she started to move to her feet as if leaving. Bardock followed her before she could leave the lounge and grabbed at her wrist.

"I don't want your money and you should know the truth," started Bardock only for Makoto to pivot on her heel quickly.

"Not another word on the matter, just take the money!" The coldness in his eyes made her move back a few steps until she felt her back press the against the door. He was so close, gazing and she was wondering why her body was so attracted to him. There was something strangely unbearable being in his presence. A grin slid across Bardock's lips as he watched how her eyes softened while being close to him.

"How long are you going to let me wait idly in the wings while you continue to be hurt? It will continue to happen and still you will always ask me to lie to you," murmured Bardock, watching how she was starting to react to his lowered voice by the squeamish manners. He watched her starting to battle whether she should quickly go or stay. Taking it up a notch, Bardock let his hand touch a small button in his sleeve to release another round of his new experiment: pheromones. He was completely irresistible to her senses but if the experiment went as planned then tomorrow evening there would be a lot to talk about at the meeting. Makoto felt hit with a wave of euphoria, wanting to get as close to Bardock as possible. A small voice kept nagging but she ignored it for the time being, feeling somewhat a feeling of spite move through her. "I'd never hurt you like that, if you'd just give me a chance."

A blissful moment filled him the moment her body gave into the temptation as her fingers grabbed at the collar of his shirt and pulled him in for the kiss. He never thought she would feel so good or taste so sweet. This was what he had been waiting for this past year, to make a dream produced to him made into a reality.

How can I change the course of things when they're already set in a different future? asked Bardock late one evening over a late drink with ChiChi while the rest of the house was asleep.

Go for it, and get what you like I did Goku. I wanted him, loved him, and he's been mine ever since. I knew he was the one and made it a reality. The first step is to break them up, play off her emotions, and then go in for the kill, said ChiChi in her drunken stoop. Bardock at first couldn't believe those words coming from her lips but it was a good tactic. All he had to do was get back into the science career, create a new 'love potion', and use the test out on Makoto before releasing the product a few months later.

His mind drifted back to the woman underneath him on the sofa, enjoying his touch and presence surrounding her. How long would this last? It wouldn't be real for long if all his tricks were found out. She was ready and wanting him, only because of the pheromones. Something was telling him it wasn't right to continue but his lips continued down her throat while his fingers grabbed at pulling her dress off. The shrill of a phone ruined the moment as she seemed to snap out of it to crawl for her purse that had fallen on the floor. Nervousness washed over Makoto while she gathered her head now that there was a distance between them and answered the phone quickly.

"I'm running a little late I'll-"

"I'm well aware of where you are Makoto, no need to lie," came the stressed voice on the other side as shock pushed through her. "I recommend getting decent before I enter since I'm walking up the steps now."

Hanging up the phone in shock, Makoto looked over to the waiting Bardock sitting up on the couch with his hair ruffled and shirt unbuttoned.

"He's here," was all she could manage out in this moment of embarrassment. Moving to her feet, Makoto straightened her black dress but ignored her hair as she slipped on her heels. The door opened quickly as Trunks glared over at Bardock for a moment before holding a hand out for Makoto to take. Taking the walk of shame across the room, she looked over her shoulder sadly at Bardock before an arm securely moved around her should and pressed her close to his chest.

"Give me the bottle," said Trunks sternly, staring at Bardock who leaned back casually.

"What bottle?" asked Bardock only to see a scowl.

"It's pathetic you should steal my mother's prized invention for your own use," replied Trunks, only for Bardock to shrug. The jig was now up. "Pheromones has been something my mother has been working on for a while to create a 'love potion' for the lonely wanting a little romance. It's a shame you had to use it in this way, to get something that wasn't yours to begin with."

"I was so close, and she would have been mine for a little while until she came to her senses when I ran out," said Bardock, pulling the vile from his pocket and detaching the thin cord that had been rigged into his sleeve. Tossing the vile, Trunks pocketed the product while Makoto seemed to look confused between the two. "Maybe I should have started earlier in the game instead of waiting this long to snatch her away. That's the last time I listen to my drunken aunt."

Trunks couldn't help but let out a sigh while he thought of ChiChi, who always looked out of the best of everyone. If it wasn't for her strong values, he thought he would cut the entire family off his list but he knew her reasons were with pure intentions.

"There is always someone out there for everyone, it's just not obvious at first. I hope you'll find happiness and come to terms so there are no longer temptations," said Trunks as a man with a briefcase entered the room and placed some documents on the table. Bardock couldn't believe what he was looking over as he let out a chuckled. He put himself into their lives, and now he would sign himself out of it forever. Putting ink to paper on the documents, the man quickly collected the documents and left as Bardock looked up to the confused Makoto and beaming Trunks.

"Keep him from bruising her fingers any further, he's gone into his biting stage as his teeth are starting to come up," finished Bardock. Trunks gave a grin and nodded.

"I will have the company reassign and locate you to another area in hopes we can meet on better terms again someday," he said before leading Makoto from the room. Makoto was still trying to understand what had went on within those past moments as Trunks lead her to the back of the limo. His fingers pulled her mouth gently against his for a sweet, tender kiss before slowly pulling away.

"What just happened back there and why do I feel so suddenly dizzy?" asked Makoto, leaning forward a bit until the dizziness started to go away.

"Bardock stole a vile of pheromones from my mother's lab and used them on you to make your body feel attracted to him. It worked and my agent was able to catch it in time before things progressed any further. During the current investigation, I have had another team working on the photographs as well to find they were fakes. Instead of harming Bardock, I had him sign the papers that gave you full custody of Augustus and the right for me to adopt him. My mother is currently watching him until we return with the stolen vile," explained Trunks. Makoto couldn't help but nod as she leaned against him, relaxing that this was finally all over.

"I went there to pay him off to tell me the pictures were fakes at the meeting tomorrow," said Makoto only for Trunks' chest to rumble with a chuckle.

"And why is that?" asked Trunks, curious as to why Makoto would want to hear something that could have been potentially false. A long sigh moved from her chest as Trunks felt her lift his hand onto her stomach before weaving her fingers through his.

"For our growing family," replied Makoto softly, feeling suddenly now that all the stress was off her shoulders. Trunks held her closely and kissed her forehead repeatedly in disbelief.