I don't get how people can be so nice, never hurting anyone, ever.

That's the easiest way to get things done. Hurt them or threaten to hurt them, it works almost all of the times, but it gets tricky when you don't want to hurt the person, and your threats don't work.

Like with Alex.

Then, you have to find their weakness. In this case, something as cliché as her friends.

Hurt them or threaten to, and you got yourself an angry but controllable Alex at your service.

I didn't want to make everything as bad as it is, but she left me with no choice.

Yes, I like Alex.

Yes, I know she hates me.

Yes, I know I messed everything up even more by hurting her friends.

No, I'm not sorry for doing it.

She needs to be taught a lesson or two but right now, she has to eat.

We're in the kitchen and she sits on one of the chairs by the island but she hasn't touched or even glanced at the plate with fried fries and chicken that's in front of her.

I bet it's cold by now too.

I sigh and look at her, pulling my hand restlessly through my hair.

Her raven hair falls down her shoulders in a mess but it still frames her face and brings out the icing blue in her eyes.

Even though she isn't even trying, she looks gorgeous.

I do feel lucky for having her, but I wish it was under different circumstances.

Truth to be told, I'm not a good guy. I never was and never will.

I want Alex more than I want anything else.

No, I'm not obsessed, even though that's the term she would use, but I enjoy her company at the same time as it's driving me nuts.

I admire her courage at the same time as I curse it.

I like her stubbornness at the same time as it annoys me.

I love her smile at the same time as I'm the one who washes it away.

I crave for her at the same time as I keep feeding her reasons to hate me.

And all of that am I doing because I want to keep her.

"You have to eat", I tell her but she doesn't respond. She's giving me the silent treatment and trust me when I say that I hate it.

She's acting like if I don't even exist. I sigh and decide to prove her that I sure as hell do.

I walk up to her and place myself close, very close, to her. Even though she's trying to hide it, I can feel her body tense up as my breathing hits her neck.

"Eat up", I command and as I still get no response, I wrap my arms securely around her waist, being able to do so thanks to the bar stool she's sitting on.

I wait for her reaction, but none come and I groan in frustration and start to slowly move my hands down to her thigh.

I'm almost starting to think that she, against all odds, won't say anything now either, but then I suddenly hear her bright voice, barely above a whisper.

"Please stop", she says and I obey. All I wanted from her was a reaction, which I got.

I move my hands back to her waist and then leave one there and trail up to her face with my other, stroking back a piece of hair behind her ear.

"If you don't pick up that fork right now, I gonna feed you, because you won't leave this room before the plate is empty", I say, trying to not sound too harsh.

I don't think she trusts me by my words because she keeps ignoring me and I pick up the fork with one hand and stab some fries on it, aiming at her mouth.

Halfway there, she grabs the fork from me, our fingers connection for a second before I let go, and she starts to slowly eat the food - reluctantly.

I stay by her side for a few minutes before sitting down beside her, and when she's finally done, after what feels like an eternity, I put her plate in the sink and take her hand in mine.

She tries to grab it from me, but I hold it in a firm grip and drags her towards the living room.

I sit down in one of the sofas, pulling her down with me, and holds her there as she attempts to get up. She attempts to get away, probably hating the fact that her body is laying on top of mine.

"What did you do to her?" she asks as she stops fighting and relaxes slightly in my arms, without any doubts talking about Lindsey.

"She's alive", I say vaguely, not wanting to give her any details.

"That's not the answer."

I look down at her. She's biting herself on her bottom lip, not on purpose, and it feels like she's missing something, a spark in her eyes.

I guess that I should be glad that she's not fighting against my anymore, not as much at least, but somehow I miss it.

I like when she's being feisty, that's a part of who she is.

"That's the answer you'll get", I tell her and rest my chin on the top of her head.

"I hate you", she says, but still she's staying in my arms.

Alex's POV:

He's touching me. He placed me in his lap for freaking sake. I hate it, and I hate him. Simple as that. The only reason to why I don't move, or even try to, is because I know that I will fail so what's the point?

Besides, I really want to know what they did to Lindsey, or not really want to, more like have to. The worry is slowly eating me up and all the strong feelings I feel are overwhelming.

Nick chuckle coldly as I tell him what I feel about him.

"You're cute when you're mad", he says, "and especially when you're biting your lip like that but you already knew that so I take it as a good sign that you still continue with it."

Dammit. I immediately stop biting and curse myself for it.

There's another thing that makes me frustrated.

He doesn't get angry.

I tell him that I hate him and he tells me I'm cute instead of telling me that I'm wrong or something. It's like he finds me being angry amusing, which he probably does.

I stretch out my arm to grab the remote to the tv and turn it on, surprisingly enough without getting stopped by Nick.

I flip through the channels until I found what I'm searching for.

The news.

"Alex..." Nick says in almost a pleading voice, "I'm not sure you should-"

"I'm fine", I cut him off and focus on the woman on the screen.

Her voice blast out from the speakers and I realize the newscast just began, and for a second I forget about Nick's hand that caress my hair and focus on the newswoman instead.

"The search for the still missing teenagers from Beckwith High School continues. By now the police have brought one student from the school whose name they won't give out, for questioning and the police are said to have a lead onto the kidnapper. What it is, on the other hand, is still unknown.

The newly reported missing student, Patricia Greendale, have yet not been heard of but it is strongly believed that she's been taken by the same kidnappers as the ones who attacked Beckwith High School.

It seems like the students can't have any more bad luck, but the most unlikely have sadly happened.

A close friend to the now two kidnapped girls, Alexandra Terres and Patricia Greendale, was attacked in her home last night. Lindsey McGordon, the victim for the serious assault that took place in her home only hours ago, is now treated at the hospital for major injuries. "

My breathing pick up a faster pace as I hear my best friends name and my eyes widen in horror at the words the newswoman is saying.

"Despite her bad state, she managed to tell an ambulance officer that the responsible for the assault were the Beckwith kidnappers. How she know is still a mystery for us outside the investigation but luckily the doctors said that she will be recovered. The reason behind the assault is still unknown."

As she finishes the sentence, the tv turns black and I realize Nick's taken the remote and pressed the off button.

"That's enough", Nick says with a stern voice and I jump up from my place before he has time to react and stop me.

I can feel tears filling my eyes, causing my sight to become blurry, and I stumble forward.

"That's enough?" I ask Nick, anger clearly audible in my voice, "but abusing Lindsey isn't?"

He slowly gets up and starts walking towards me, for every step he takes forward, I take one back.

"You brought it upon yourself this time", he says as I back into a wall, "you refused to tell us the secret you had with Patricia."

I slide, leaned against the wall, towards the direction of the kitchen.

"Like if you would have done differently if I told you", I spit.

Nick shrugs. "Maybe, maybe not. I guess it's all Patricia's fault, isn't it? She's the one who couldn't keep her mouth shut in the first place."

"You're the one who couldn't keep your dirty hands away from us in the first place", I counter and slip through the opening to the kitchen.

"You know what?" he says, following me inside, "let's make a new deal because neither you nor I can afford with your bullshit anymore. If you behave from now on, we'll release Patricia and leave Lindsey alone."

I shake my head, my hair dancing around my face.

"No. It's too late. I don't trust you at all. I won't make deals with the devil."

"Good that I'm not the devil then", Nick chuckles and eyes me intensely.

We're circling around the isle and it feels like I'm the victim and Nick the predator.

"Can you two just skip the drama already?" someone suddenly blurts out, causing me to jump out of my skin. Not literally.

Both Nick and I snap our head in the direction of the voice and there, leaned against the doorframe, stands Zeke.

"Oh, I didn't tell you to stop, just to skip all the drama and get to the point", he says, acting innocent.

"And what exactly is the point?" I ask, not even sure if I want to know the answer.

Zeke laughs dryly. "Oh, sweetheart, what do you think the point is?"

"I don't know", I spit, "that's why I asked."

Zeke's eyes turn darker at my words and Nick's warning about how the other guys are getting tired of me rings in my ear.

"Lay back with the attitude", Zeke says, "You're here because Nick wants you to. If you haven't heard it already; You belong to Nick, and you better start acting like it."

I cross my arms in front of my chest and give him a death stare.

"Or what?"

I'll admit that angering Zeke isn't the smartest thing to do but the way he acts makes me want to punch him in the face, hard.

Nick doesn't own me. He never had and never will.

Speaking of which, I can see Nick moving closer towards me from the corner of my eyes and I slowly back away again.

Zeke watches us as if we're the actors in a theater play.

"Nick, show her who's in charge."

I turn towards Nick, my eyes showing the confusion I feel and some of the fear I try to hide. Not being the slightest scared of them is plain stupid. They are maniacs and they kidnapped me and hurt my friends. Of course, I feel some fear.

Nick meets my gaze, moving his hand to caress my cheek. I flinch back but he takes a hold onto my hips and drags me back, forcing my body against his.

"Don't", he whispers in my ear, "you're being tested."

He starts nibbling on my earlobe and my confused face wrinkles into a face of disgust. The sound of Zeke chuckling makes my blood boil but I stay on my ground as Nick moves from my earlobe to my neck, leaving wet kisses on the way.

"Oh, cheer up, buttercup!" another voice suddenly speaks up and I only know one person who calls me that.

Kirk.

I groan in frustration but then I realize that they can take it as another sign, and I bite my lip to stop.

Nick's lips grace gently over my skin but as I can feel him finding my weak spot, I try to pull away and succeed with breaking the contact.

Behind me, I can hear comments and booing from Zeke and Kirk.

Nick moves one of his hands from my hip to my lower back and pulls me back, making the booing turn into cheering.

He roughly kisses me on my lips and pushes me up against the wall, forcing me to put my legs around him in order to not fall. I can feel rather than see him smirking into the kiss and as he licks my bottom lip asking for entrance.

I deny him access and a growling sound escapes his throat at my action.

"Kiss back!" Zeke shouts. I ignore him and focus on getting out of Nick's grip.

"Kiss him, or we'll pay Patricia another visit, or maybe even Lindsey?"

No.

Nick asks again.

I let him.

Our tongues fight for dominance, I lose, and almost gag in the progress.

Once again, I imagine kissing my ex, Shane, instead of Nick.

Just to make it bearable

My fingers pull through his hair with one hand and I hold onto the hem of his shirt with my other.

It feels like we go on forever before we get interrupted by a sudden lightning that disappears as fast as it comes, but I recognize it, and no one can miss the snapping sound that followed.

It was a camera flash.

Someone took a picture.

Both of our heads snap up and look in the direction of Zeke and Kirk. Both of them are holding a mobile in their hand with the camera pointed at us.

"Perfect", they say simultaneously and I can feel my cheek blush.

Not only did they see my full make-out session with Nick, but they took a picture of it too.

"Seriously?" I mutter, still stuck in the awkward position with my arms around Nick.

Nick doesn't seem to be bothered at all, more like the opposite.

"You send it to me, guys. Right?" At that, I hit him in the head with my palm and clear my throat to indicate that I want to get out of his grip.

"Ouch, what was that for?" he yells in a dramatic voice as he let my feet back down on the ground.

"For you being a jerk", I mutter.

Now when the make-out session is over, my old emotions flows back and overwhelms me.

"Is this how's it gonna be?" I ask in a strong voice, "me being here like a toy you can play with whenever you feel like it? Without any rights to do what I want?"

Nick and Zeke answer at the same time, but not with the same answer.

"Pretty much", Zeke says.

"Not really", Nick mumbles.

Kirk just stands there, glancing between me, Zeke and Nick.

"What?" I groan at him as he doesn't stop.

He meets my gaze and smiles, scratching the back of his neck in what I think is supposed to be a cute or hot gesture.

"Nothing", he smirks, "it's just that... if you're as good at kissing as it seems, I'll gladly take Nick's place sometime."

At that, Nick punch him playfully in the shoulder, not holding back on the force behind it.

Normally I would've at least rolled my eyes at their actions, but as I've already said; I'm not in the mood.

Patricia is stuck in this house, hurt and shielded from the outside world, thanks to me.

Lindsey, my best friend, is currently in the hospital for major injuries, thanks to me.

My life has gone from plain old normal and fine to a living hell, thanks to Nick.

I start thinking about the past I want to forget, thanks to Nick.

I've changed, thanks to Nick.

All of this is thanks to Nick.

It's all his fault.