The silence provided throughout the car ride was like a cool blanket that engulfed my body and diminished the raging flames, bringing me back to a moderate state where I felt like I could finally breathe without my chest aching in the process. I don't know how long we spent in that silence as Xavier drove calmly, but eventually I felt like I had to speak a word and break the stillness.

"Where are we going?" I croaked out, my voice coming out rough. I cleared my throat and turned from the window to face Xavier. He had one elbow resting on the arm-rest between our seats while he steered the wheel with his other hand. His facial expression was relaxed as he gazed down the road.

"Anywhere you'd like."

His response surprised me; I thought we were already headed somewhere, but according to his answer he must have been driving around aimlessly. My heart fluttered, appreciating his way of trying to subdue my anger and hurt, no matter how small the act was.

"I don't know anywhere in this state," I replied.

Xavier glanced over at me, reading my expression. "Do you like flowers?"

I blinked, taken aback by his random question. "Uh.. yeah, I do. Why?"

He turned back to the road, a faint of a smile on his lips as he took a turn. "Would you like to take a stroll through the garden at our estate?"

My face brightened at his words. "You have a garden?"

Xavier nodded in response, not hiding his smile anymore as he noticed my excitement. "It's my favorite place at home."

"I would love to see it." I smiled appreciatively.

"Then we shall go see it," Xavier grinned as he glanced at me once more.

As I finally turned to gaze outside the window, I noticed that we'd strolled far away from town. We were surrounded by great trees that rose so high above the ground they blocked the sun rays from shining down on the road.

"We appreciate our privacy, that's why we live a bit further away from town," Xavier explained.

We... I wondered who he meant by that. "Who do you live with?"

"My family."

I frowned, now confused. "Your siblings? I didn't know you had any."

He shook his head. "Not siblings. We're not blood-related."

"Oh..."

Xavier glanced at me, and he must have caught on to my confused expression because he smiled slightly. "We are three leading families; the Kanuho's, the Tapaha's, and the Secatero's. Our families have been well acquainted since this country's first discovery."

My eyes widened. "I can't tell if you're exaggerating or not."

Xavier chuckled out loud. "I'm not."

My eyes widened further, if that were even possible. "Tell me more," I squeaked a bit too enthusiastically. Xavier's eyes widened in amusement as he glanced at me, and my cheeks instantly reddened. "That just sounds incredible. How is that even possible?"

Instead of replying, Xavier slowed the car down and when I glanced out the window, I was greeted by a wide golden gate that was gradually and gracefully opening automatically. My jaw involuntarily fell, and I gaped at the extravagance of what only appeared to be the front entrance to the estate. The estate. It looked like a place out of a fairy-tale, too breathtaking and extravagant and elegant and everything beautiful.

Xavier drove through the automatically opening gates, and we were once again surrounded by trees on both sides of the narrow road, only this time they were neatly trimmed and in the brightest shade of green, looking so earthy and alive. My voice had gotten stuck in my throat as I gazed at the beauty of the estate while Xavier drove slowly, clearly giving me time to take in every detail - although there were too many to take in at once.

Another turn and we slowly arrived at a large glowing fountain stationed directly at the front of the four-story building, and he circled around the flowing fountain to park directly in front of the house. I gasped as I turned to stare at him wide-eyed, "you live here?"

Xavier smiled and offered a single nod. "Do you like it?"

I nearly scoffed. "Is that a serious question?"

He chuckled in response, unbuckling his seat-belt. "Let me take you on a quick tour of the insides."

I nodded eagerly, unbuckling my own seat-belt and hopping out of the car. The large front doors were already spread wide open, and Xavier appeared on my left side and motioned towards the long marble stairway leading to the door. When we entered, the first thing to hit me was the warm, welcoming aroma that wafted through the air; it smelled like fresh roses. Ahead of the double doors was a grand double stairway leading to the upper floors, and above our head dangled a dazzling crystal chandelier.

"This is beyond beautiful," I whispered, my eyes roaming around the place. "You have such a breath-taking house."

"I'm glad you like it. It's been a part of our family for ages."

Speaking of, I remembered the conversation we were having in the car. "Tell me more about your family?" I asked hopefully. His eyes were shining as he stared down at me, a small smile gracing his lips.

"I'd love to." He motioned towards the stairway, "let me lead you toward the gardens first."

I walked beside Xavier as we passed below the grand stairway to the back of the house, where a large glass door was also spread wide open, welcoming us outside to the huge garden. From our place, it looked like the garden spread out for miles beyond the house. On each side of the narrow walkway were thousands of flowers blossoming in every color. I couldn't help but instantly smile at the sight of them.

"This is so gorgeous!" I exclaimed, inhaling sharply and feeling my chest flutter as the wonderful floral scent hit my senses. I glanced at Xavier to see him staring at me, a small smile on his lips. Although I had caught him staring, he still didn't look away. His striking gaze shimmered with an indescribable emotion as he continued to stare at me. My heart began to race, and I felt the wings of a thousand butterflies flutter in my stomach.

I forced my eyes to move away, the blood running to my cheeks and warming up my face. Xavier straightened his shoulders and cleared his throat, walking slowly beside me and leading me further into the garden.

"Our families are native to this state, and have been well acquainted since the early discovery of this country." My eyes fell back on him as he began to speak, repeating the words of earlier. "Even as things began growing out of control, our families remained close in touch and made an oath that no matter whose hands this state falls into, we will remain as its protectors, that we will be its shield, forever defend it and fight against whatever dangers threaten to disrupt its peace. And because of that oath, our family never broke apart. Generation after the other grew up learning about the history of our family and the oaths of our great-great-grandfathers, and the importance of holding onto the promises we made for the safety of our home."

I stared at Xavier in complete awe of what he had just narrated. He glanced at me to check for my reaction, and I saw a glint of amusement in his eyes. "But how do you protect it, exactly? I mean, isn't that job already taken care of by the forces?"

He shifted his gaze to where his footsteps were falling as he thought over my question, then he inhaled deeply. "The harsh truth it that those forces don't possess the power to aid to everything at every time. That's why we interfere." Xavier glanced down at my reaction, and I tried to maintain a normal, blank expression as a way to encourage him to go on; I was far too interested in his story that I couldn't bear the thought of him stopping the narration just as it was getting more interesting. "We take care of all the businesses that the higher officials are unaware of. In simpler words, we work from the streets."

My heart fell to my stomach as I pondered over the vagueness of his answer. And although I wasn't entirely sure I was ready to know the answer, I couldn't help but ask, "what kind of businesses?"

A faint of a smile graced his lips, and he gazed into the distance. "All sorts."

My mouth was getting drier by the minute. "Xavier," I slowed down in my tracks, and when he noticed my movement he reciprocated my action, turning around to study me with a worried expression. "I can't do this without knowing the whole truth."

Xavier hesitated in his response, his jaw ticking as he got lost in his thoughts. "And I don't want to hide anything from you, Nora," he started. "I want you to know the whole truth. Everything about who, and what I am."

I bit the inside of my cheek, staring into his unwavering gaze filled with promises I wasn't entirely sure he could keep.

"Those men that are causing us all this trouble," Xavier began to explain, "their rivalry is the result of our interference with their so-called business of shipping illegal substances into the state."

My eyes widened as his words registered in my brain, an indescribable fear nestling into my chest and wrapping itself around my heart. My blood ran cold as I began piecing everything together. "You're involved with the mafia?" I managed to whisper, my eyes searching his frantically, begging for him to deny it and tell me I am not once again exactly where I used to be.

But all that Xavier could offer was a long silence; a type of silence that tore through my chest and ached to the core.

"If by involved, you mean dealing with them - then no, I am not." I took a sharp intake of breath, relieved but not entirely, because I was sure there was more to it. "But my family and I have never, and will never, allow the disruption of peace within our home. No matter what the dangers, we will always interfere to halt their shipments of whatever illegal and destructive substances and weaponry they try to sneak into our state." Xavier paused for a minute, then slowly took a step forward, inching closer to me and stopping a mere foot away. My heart began to race as I craned my neck to see him better, his eyes shining down on me with such determination, I was in complete awe. "It's important that you know, Nora, that no matter what - I can't, and will not ever stop fighting for my home."

My throat restricted, but I managed to croak out, "of course you have the right to fight for whatever you believe in."

He nodded slowly. "But I need you to know that if you choose to stay, this is how it will always be. My family will always come first, and together we will always fight for our home."

My throat had gone dry, and I couldn't think of a response. Partially because his words were too powerful and true that I had no further comment to offer, and partially because he was standing at such a close proximity, his warm breaths as he confidently spoke those words were mixing with my own ragged ones.

"And I also need you to know," Xavier inched closer, his nose now almost touching mine. "that if you do choose to stay," his striking silver gaze found mine, and he stared me down with such an intensity that my breath hitched in my throat. "You will also become my family. You will always come first, and for that, I will need you to lead beside me in the protection of our home."