Please tell me if I'm confusing you.

Life with a mob wasn't exactly the happiest nor the easiest. It had been another year since Annabeth returned to his life. This time, as a mob.

"What do you know about me, Percy?" She had questioned him once early on when she decided to stick around him for awhile in case he went around and spilled what he believed was a dream to everyone and even to the press per se.

Percy tilted his head and tried to think, but nothing came up.

"Did you drug me?" He asked her suspiciously, not knowing how could he possibly know nothing significant about her, especially after all these days that she had spent with him and all the stuff she had told him.

"No." She shook her head and bit back the 'not yet' that she was about to say.

"Then how come I didn't know much about you, apart from the stuff I gained from the internet?"

"Because I haven't told you anything." She finally revealed the truth, as if it was something big.

Percy was speechless, he thought back to all the conversations they had, and it was true, she didn't spill a single thing about herself.

"So…" He tried to keep up with the topic, but didn't know where to carry on.

"What?"

"Are you going to tell me about yourself?"

"Maybe, maybe not. You know nothing about me and I find that making me feel very secure."

"Then what's the point of the question?"

"Just to make sure you don't know shit and also to get your hopes up."

"Okay…" They were silent for a while. "Annabeth," he called suddenly, "I still don't get it."

"Which part?" She chuckled, knowing that he wouldn't be getting anything given the information that she had fed him some time ago, it was far from enough for him to understand his situation.

"Why did you give me a choice?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, knowing what he was referring to but also didn't want to answer the question straight away.

"If I chose Jason, then I'd be cut off from you, didn't that made your job easier? Why did you make me choose you over him?"

"I didn't make you choose me." She defended herself, although it was needless. He cocked his head sideways, trying to understand her words. "Either choice result in the same thing to me fundamentally: I still have to shield you from my parents. The only differences were who you want to be with longer and what kind information do you want to gain. If it's Jason, then you'd never see me. If it's me, then you might get a chance to see him, even if what you tell him has to be limited."

"So why didn't you make me choose him, that would've make your life easier since you don't have to explain the complicated shit to this idiot and dragging him into a mob life." He sounded accusing, and with the narrowed eyes that Annabeth was giving him, he thought he had gotten into trouble, but the answer just surprised him.

"Because I'm a selfish bastard."

Percy raised a humorous eye brow at the choice of word to describe herself, she seemed to understood the question in his eyes.

"Bitch's my middle name dumbass."

"Sounds like a common fact." He nodded, even though he was still confused, but this being in front of him was never clear in everything she did or say.

"You know your job as a Hollywood guy is not at all affected by living with a mob leader right?"

"Yes, but…"

"It's hard, I know, but you're the victim. As long as I'm not seen with you, and the stupid police hasn't connected the dots yet, you're safe from mobs. You're not part of us, just remember that."

"What do I have to do?"

"Be Percy Jackson and not Riptide." She smirked at the early pseudonym he had used when he first started his career. "Don't let anyone suspect that you might have the slightest connection with a mob, because even if you're the victim, it's only me that know."

Percy nodded, feeling pressured when he thought of the interview that he was supposed to attend the next day, he suddenly felt stressed out.

"Oh and one more thing." The smirk on her face had not disappear, in fact, it had gone wider. "I invited myself to sleep with you, on your bed, tonight."

"You what?" He choked, suddenly not stressed, he was amused by the phrase and yet shocked. "Why?"

"Security matters."

"I thought you're feeling secure when I know very little about you, why do you want such an intimate relationship?" He teased, knowing what she meant by 'security'.

"Change of mind." She shrugged, playing along. "I like emotional and physical intimacy with the people that I trust."

"You never failed to amaze me, Chase." He shook his head, thoroughly entertained by the request and by her witty comebacks. Leaning down, he pecked her lips lightly, picked up his jacket and head to the door.

Despite the playful conversation between the two, there was a subtle meaning to it, especially that last part from Annabeth, it was pun. She, on the one hand, wanted to tell him about her feelings for him; on the other hand, it was a warning to him to not spill anything and let her down.

"Have fun with whatever you're doing." Annabeth's cheerful voice came from the living room that he left her in.

Percy rolled his eyes, "will do." He shouted back a respond. He had pondered whether to reply but decided to do so because it was rare to see her in a positive mood.

¢.¢

Living with another human meant tolerance for each other and understanding for one another. Annabeth had found many things that Percy did funny and he had find a lot of things she did interesting or even more, risky and dangerous.

There would be days that he had to head out early for an interview or because of something that his manager, Nico, called him in for. He had no idea what Annabeth would be doing, and he didn't really dared to ask. Until one night, he blurted out when he saw her at home before he was and was in bed already.

"Hey, baby." He approached her, sitting down on the edge of the bed by her side. Putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently while rubbing it. "What's wrong?"

She wasn't crying, but she certainly wasn't in a good mood. The emotion radiating off her was negative and he didn't like it, it was even worse than the ones she used to have. Despite seemed to have calmed down a little, she was still shaking her head refusing to speak.

"Tell me, Annabeth, please." He begged, getting worried with each shake of head that she did. "Please, baby, you're worrying me."

"I know." She mouthed, because it was barely a whisper, but that was all she had said.

"Say something, Annabeth, anything." He pleaded when she was responsive no more.

Annabeth shrugged off his hand and got up from the bed, a sigh heaved out from her. He remained on his spot, but his eyes never left her figure. She glanced back at the bed making him do the same. Seeing nothing, he turned back, realized that she was no longer looking in his direction. Confused, he casted his eyes back on her. Then, when his eyes roamed her body, not sure what he was looking for, he saw something red on a white piece of cloth. The air grew tense around them, she seemed to have realized that he had noticed, because her eyes had looked down to that spot too.

"What?" He asked, unable to bear the silence anymore, though he tried to keep his irritation out of the inquiry, it was still heard.

She raised an eyebrow at him, as if accusing him for the question and even for his presence. Then she narrowed her eyes at him, deliberately, she walked out of the room and went into the living room, not before poking her head into the kitchen to make sure that the doors were shut.

Percy followed, of course. Annabeth took a seat on the couch, turned on the TV and then turned up the volume. Patting the empty space next to her, she motioned Percy to sit down next to her. He did and waited for her to start talking, but instead, she reached to her waistband and pulled out a piece of crumbled paper, handing it to him.

It was a picture of him and someone that he couldn't make out just from the blurred image. His face, however, was crystal clear and facing the camera. He scrunched up his eyebrows, trying to recall paparazzi's presence during his day today. Shaking his head, he handed this picture back to her who had returned with a small pot with a small bit of water inside.

Without a word, she took out a cheap pack of cigarets and lit one. After taking a long sip, she placed a corner of the paper to the glowing end. The image quickly caught fire and started to burn in her hand, she held it while staring at it with an emotion that could scare Percy half to death if he hadn't spent years with her. As the page was burning to the tip that she was holding on to, she slowly placed it into the pot of water that she brought back from the kitchen.

"Who took that?" He pressed, not liking the silent treatment anymore, deciding to break it off.

"Me." She took no time to think. Sparing no time for him to react, she reached in to her bra and took out a very small glass filled with what seemed like gin, but he was sure was not.

"Riptide?" He asked, taking a wild guess.

She nodded without saying anything.

"I don't follow." He couldn't put the pieces together. The image she showed him and burnt, then this deadly ultimate weapon that she was in possession of.

"I made this." She said, examining the liquid.

He wasn't sure what to feel anymore, because sitting in a lonesome empty living room with a mob leader who was holding a chemical that had never been known to anyone, but had done enough damage to cause a lifelong mystery murder case.

"W-Why are you telling me this?" He didn't know what was right to ask, it was even too risky for him to ask this question.

"I don't know." She shrugged, but her eyes were telling him something else.

All she had done in the past were to threaten him, both emotionally and physically. She had forced him to choose her because she liked him and wanted him for herself, it was selfish, but it was the only way she could keep him close. She had showed him the other side of her, the more humane side of her just to make sure that his heart belonged to her. She had told him a lot afterwards, because she knew he couldn't betray anyone, it was his fatal flaw, so she took advantage of it. Then when she showed him the picture and the drug, it was a less subtle threat. Everything that she had done to him was subtly taking control over him and making sure that he would be a danger.

As stupid as he was, he fell into all the trap without knowing it. When he asked if she had drugged him, his subconscious told him that the woman in front of him had the potential to do so as a punishment. When the pictures was shown to him, it was a message to him that she was able to blackmail him if he didn't behave. When she showed him the drug, it was to reinforce the point that she could even kill him silently and get away with it. There was only one thing that made him stop believing the worse: the sentimental part of her. The part that told him that she loved him and would allow herself to be seen with him in public as long as she could cover her eyes. That was, what he believed, the only mortal part in her.

He knew what she was doing. All the moves to turn up the TV and not answering his question directly when asked for a second time. But he just couldn't fully grasp it, it was all too new to him.

There he thought the eeriness would be gone after the big revelation, but there were more to come. It was only a matter of time. She wouldn't be Annabeth if there was no eeriness.

"What else are you going to threaten me with?" He wondered out loud, forgetting that she was still there for a second, until he was faced with her amused face. "Shit. I just said that out loud didn't I?"

Annabeth said nothing but nodded, still with that amusing glint in her eyes. He could only be happy that she found him entertaining.

"Do you remember who that guy was? The guy in the picture that I showed you?" She asked him, her expression suddenly darkened. He shook his head. "Think." She commanded before he could suck in a breath. "I took it before you got in to the car to come back." She reminded him.

"Nico?" He took a wild guess.

"No." Annabeth shook her head.

"So you knew?" He asked, shocked by the respond from her, but she remained her previous facial expression and kept staring at him, not giving him anything. "Does he has anything to do with me?"

"You tell me." She said emotionlessly, very well guarded.

"You make a very good detective, Chase." He chuckled nervously, but there was no reaction from her whatsoever. "Luke?"

Annabeth raised an eyebrow at him, not at all entertained by his random guess. "You wish." She scoffed, finally giving him a rest.

"Jason?"

"Stop guessing and just think. It wasn't that long ago." She would've called him something along the lines of 'asshole', but stifled it to maintain her seriousness.

"Okay. Sorry Boss." He saluted, but cringed when he saw the glare she shot him. Annabeth was surprised to find him daring to say such thing. "Um…" He tried to think back to who he talked to before coming back. He darted his eyes to the pot that now contained litter of black shreds of burnt paper soaked in water, wanting to see the picture again to remind himself.

"Congratulations Percy Jackson." She said after a while of silence. "You've just failed your first training." Getting up, she moved the pot back to the kitchen and cleaned it up. Returning, she saw him taking the small glass bottle in his hand and taking a quick examination at it. "Drink it." She said, sitting down to her original spot.

He looked up, all color drained from his face. She would laugh at his pale-white face, but it was Percy, so she didn't have the heart to do so.

"What?" He whispered, his eyes pleading her, tears were almost spilling out.

"I said drink it." She had to make her sentences short in order to not burst out laughing.

"This?" He held up the glass in his hand. Annabeth nodded, trying her best to maintain her serious face. "What? Why?"

"Just do what I said." She could barely hold it any longer.

Unscrewing the cap cautiously and slowly, he placed the glass to his mouth, but before he could tip it into his mouth under her intense death glare, her hand went up to it and snatched it away from him without spilling any of the fluid out.

While downing it herself, she was shaking with fits of hysterical laughters. He was staring at her with a shocked face.

"You- But- Isn't this?" He stuttered, couldn't even form words.

"It's gin you idiot." She said between her fits of laughters. He couldn't even register this small piece of information as he felt adrenaline flowing away from his body. "Congratulations, you've just failed your second test." Holding out the now empty bottle, she clinked it with the glass table. "Cheers."

"What. The. Fuck!" He shouted, feeling like a fool.

"Now, calm down." She finished laughing, throwing herself at him as he was still in the state of shock. Pulling his face close to her, she kissed him passionately on the lips. "Taste it? It's alcohol, just gin." She whispered to him reassuringly, realizing that she may have scared him to death tonight. She might've crossed the line and she'd have to make it up to him some way.

"Fuck." He panted. "Shit, you scared me to death, Annabeth." He pulled her closer to him, letting his hand fall to her waist and another lost in her hair. "Gods, I hate this."

"This is me, welcome to my world, Percy Jackson." She announced slowly and seductively.

"Tell me what the fuck happened?" He whispered to her, staring into her eyes, searching for any uncertainty and unfaithfulness, but he saw none.

"I didn't lie, it was Riptide." His eyes widened, gaping, he was about to say something, but she placed a finger on his lips lightly, shushing him effectively. "But," she added quickly, to spare him further pain, "it's mixed with the antidote." He visibly relaxed, his shoulders no longer tensed and his breath seemed to be slower. "I found the antidote today, making Riptide no longer the incurable poison. The neutral mixture has a gin taste aftertaste, so I added a coloring to make it look like gin. I asked you to drink it to test you for your qualification to join my mob community, but after today, I think it's better to let you live your life in peace."

"No more mob?"

"Not for you."

"What does that mean?"

"You just live your life and stop worrying about me. I will be deflecting every other thing for you."

"What kind of thing?"

"Things that I brought to your life."

"What? Are you saying that there will be mobs going after me to take my life because of you?"

"No, but because of the case of your brother."

"I don't get it, wasn't this over."

"Someone dug it up apparently."

"Who?"

"You don't need to know."

"Why?"

"Because you just have to be a celebrity and a Hollywood heartthrob, you'll have no associations to the mob whatsoever, it's all me."

"Perks of having a mafia girlfriend?"

"Yes, perks of having a mafia girlfriend."

She got off him and head off to the bedroom.

"Wait," he called, getting up to follow her. "Who was it in the photo that you took?"

"Nico."

Before he could react, she shoved him into the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

¢.¢

Plopping herself up on to the counter, she stared back at him as if he was the one that had forced into this locked room.

"What now?" He asked, suddenly forgetting the reaction to the answer she'd given to him just a few seconds ago.

"I reckon you should take a shower now, to wash off all the stress from today's work."

Until that moment, he didm't notice how tired he really was, a hot shower sounded like just the thing he wanted and needed.

Without a second thought, he stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the hot shower, closing the curtain.

Annabeth sat on the counter, swinging her legs lost in her own train of thoughts. She reflected on everything that had happened, and there was only one thing that had went out of control. She didn't expect his reaction to the drink to be that severe, she thought it was nothing, but she had miscalculated and consequently, it showed of her inhumane and monstrous side. The part of her that enjoyed torturing other people.

"Ever wondered where I was all this times that you weren't at home, Percy?" She broke the silence in the bathroom in a gentle voice that was very unlike that cold-hearted woman that liked to see others in pain.

"Mm hm." The reply made her believe that she had interrupted his own thoughts, suddenly, guilt rushed through her. A feeling that she was foreign, yet slowly getting used to.

Always cautious, she decided to stay alerted this time too. Thinking of that as an excuse, she took off her clothes and opened the curtain, grinning at his shocked face and stepped into the hot water.

"You mind?" She whispered. The voice was small but she felt like it was just them in a bubble that had blocked out all the noises, even the running water. They were lost in each other's eyes as they moved closer to one another.

"No." He whispered back, not breaking the eye contact once.

His hand went to her waist and pulled her closer, her hands travelled up from his abdominal to the back of his neck and linking them together eventually. Letting her desire take control, she pulled his head down for his lips to meet hers. He let her do that willingly as he cupped her cheek with one hand and the other went to her lower back to support her as he bent her over.

"You okay?" She asked, breaking the kiss reluctantly but necessarily. He nodded, trying to return to the kiss.

"Percy." She knew they had to talk before they continue, but both of them were desperate.

"Yes?" He didn't stop his trail down her neck to her shoulder.

"Don't you want to know everything?" She bit back a moan that was escaping when she asked the question.

She felt him nodding. "I want you." He mumbled against her skin huskily, pushing her back and pressing her against the wall, sending a shiver down her spine as her back made contact with the cold-stone wall that reminded her of the temperature of her heart.

Letting her eyes fall shut, she presented herself to him, granting him total control and telling herself this was the compensation that he deserved.

Sex with him was nothing like fucking the prison guards, while she was only pleasuring them, she enjoyed the feeling of him being inside her. She loved every kiss he planted on her skin, every place he had touched and every second his body was connected to hers. It was completely different than all the sex she had had. It was warm and she just wanted to savor and enjoy the moment each time they did it.

This was an effect that no male had ever had on her, she was surprised herself that she could actually be attracted to someone, more over, someone like him would be in to her, would want her for her, despite everything she was telling him. She knew she was presenting a very different kind of relationship to him on the surface, but showing another kind. On the surface, they were forced to work together because she chose to safe this innocent man, but beneath every facade, she had fell for him. Her non-existent heart had been given to him the first time she lose herself in him and with him.

¢.¢

"What are you doing to me?" She muttered, not sure to whom in particular.

They had gone out of the long stress-relieving shower and was now cuddling in bed.

"Answer me honestly, Annabeth." Percy ignored her sigh and addressed to the serious problems. "I don't understand anything, so please be patient with me." He felt her nod against his chest, so he continued. "Before I ask a string of questions, I really want you to know that you've really scared me today. I've never been that scared in my whole life before." Upon hearing this confession, she pulled away a little to look up at him. Staring at his vulnerable face, the guilty feeling that she was slowly becoming to be familiar with made its way to her gut. It was a feeling that she would only experience when she was with Percy. She felt bad, really bad for letting her monstrous side to surface in front of her boyfriend, whom she actually committed to a lot. She wanted to apologize, but that wouldn't make up for what had already happened, so she just stared helplessly, trying to convey her feelings through her eyes. One look at her, he sighed. Burying his face in her hair, he said defeatedly. "I know, sorry won't change anything. I'm so lost now." He felt her head nod, deciding it was time to list out his questions.

"First and for most, I don't care about everything else, I want to know what happened to your arm?"

"That's a minor issue. Injuries always find their way to me, don't worry about it unless you find me in a hospital bed unconscious with my body ripped open." His eyes narrowed, thinking she was joking. "I'm serious, unless what you saw matched my description above, you're not to worry. It's an order." The bossy side of her returned, this was her, never wanted to be the priority on other's list, because she was not used to all the public attention, in this case, Percy's.

"Why did you take that picture? What's happening?" He didn't even give her time to rest or to take a breath as if he got that question loaded, which he did actually.

"I got the picture from the surveillance camera around the corner, duh, quite easy for me to do. As to what's happening? It's nothing. You're clearly not for dangerous mob life, so you're going to be involved to mobs the least possible."

"What are you trying to do to me today? Why are you hiding all this from me as if I'm a stupid ass idiot who doesn't have an IQ?"

"I'm contemplating to tell you everything about me and my life and maybe, you'd help me, but apparently you're quite opposed to all this. You're not stupid, but you just don't believe in evilness and deviances and I get it. The tests just helped me to get to know you better and to know your tolerance of me."

"How?"

"Long story." She answered, brushing it off and dismissing the question, daring him to ask a second time. Thankfully he stopped. Perhaps he really was scared of her now.

"Who dug up the case? What will happen?"

"Again, you don't have to worry, because honestly, from today, I don't want to frighten you more. I think you've know enough and I've told you enough."

"For now?" He added, determined to get to know everything that she refused to tell him today.

"Lastly, yes, I do want to know what you do when I was out every day."

"That's top secret. Highly classified. Though, I got this today."

She flip to face away from him so that her left side was facing the ceiling.

"Kiss my shoulder." She whispered, seconds later, she felt his warm lips hesitantly hovering above her.

"A sword." He kissed the tattoo that he had recognized on her shoulder blade.

"Riptide." She answered him.

"Yes, trident on a sword." He got on his elbow without taking his other hand off her. "That was my symbol when I first made my debut performance."

She nodded, turning to face him, accepting a kiss from him.

"Why?"

She said nothing, but answered him with a mysterious smile that he was yet to figure out the meaning.

Say something?