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Rolling my eyes, I cross my arms over my chest, not daring to say another word. It worked when I first grabbed her from Zander's house. So, it should work now, or so I mostly hoped.

“Oh, so we’re just going to go back to you giving me the silent treatment, acting as though I’m a stupid thorn in your side.”

I don’t speak. It’s easier if I just keep my mouth shut. That way, I don’t say something that I’ll regret. Like asking her to stay.Begging her to not leave me. It’d be foolish, and dangerous.

“You’re such an infuriating giant, giant, prick!” she screams, throwing her hands in the air. Swinging around she begins to walk away but trips over her own foot. Unfortunately, between the momentum and her legs catching around each other, Izel reaches out blindly. She knocks into the wall, causing the lamp by the bedroom door to fall to the ground, glass shattering everywhere as she falls to the ground.

“Oh, fuck,” I hear someone say. Before I can say anything, Gabriel is at her side glaring up at me. And it’s not until now that I realize what this probably looks like. “What the hell did you do!” Gabriel growls getting to his feet. His hands fist at his side, and his stance widens. I have to give him props, even a head shorter and a hundred pounds less he’s ready to fight me. That he’s defending his sister.

I open my mouth to say something, tell him I didn’t do anything. Yet my mouth doesn’t work, and my eyes glance down to Izel who seems just as shellshocked as I am.

Gabriel advances toward me, anger seeping through his body. “I’m going to kill you,” he yells, moments before he takes a swing. Dodging his fist, I smack his second attempt. If he were anyone else, I’d lay him out, put a bullet in his skull. But oddly watching Gabriel, the only thing I want to do now is train him how to properly throw a punch.

“You’re going to break your fist if you keep tucking your thumb in your hand,” I warn, dodging another failed attempt.

Gabriel glances down, barely fixing his thumb before throwing another punch. Only this time I grab his fist, twisting it and shoving him away.

“If you’re going to throw your weight around and try to fight someone twice your size, you’re going to need to learn how to punch or you’re going to end up hurt.”

Something small but hard knocks into my cheek. My head flies to the side, before I snap it back to who hit me. Expecting it to be Gabriel, maybe even someone else. But there stands Izel, fuming as she rolls her shoulder, scowling at me.

“Gabriel, he didn’t do anything. Go upstairs and pack our things.” Izel doesn’t bother looking at Gabriel as she tells him this. Our eyes lock together, neither of us backing down.

“I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

Izel sighs, turning her attention towards her brother. “Gabby, I’ll be okay. I tripped, I’m serious.” She smiles as he raises a brow at her. “Go pack and we’ll leave in a few minutes.”

That isn’t happening. Not if I have anything to do with it.

Gabriel seems to debate for a moment before pointing a finger at me. “I’ll kill you if you do anything to her.”

I nod my head, agreeing with him. I’d let him kill me if I did anything. Fuck, I’d lay down and let him beat me to death. I wouldn’t hurt her.

You’re hurting her by not taking your mask off.

My body freezes as I realize that’s exactly what I’m doing. Sure, I haven’t known Izel or Gabriel for long. Izel a little longer, but that doesn’t mean I can’t trust them. They’re running from someone, and though I don’t know the details, I want to gain her full trust and I have to give her something if I want the same from her.

“One day you’re going to run into someone, someone pretty great. And when that day comes, I hope you realize it’s okay to trust them and that you take your stupid mask off,” Izel calmly says before she gives me her signature smile.

I, on the other hand, stand there unable to say anything, but unable to let her walk away. Reaching forward, I hook my arms around her waist, dragging her body to mine. I don’t give her a choice as I sidestep the glass and walk down the stairs to the living room. She gasps, her arms wrapping around my neck and her legs around my waist.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

Settling down onto the armchair, I keep Izel pressed against me. The need to touch her overpowering any clear thoughts I might have, willing my cock to stay down.

“Zion, what are you doing?” Izel asks again.

Taking a deep breath, I keep one hand against her back while I rip my mask off, showing her my face for the first time.

I keep my eyes down, unsure of what or how she is going to react. I hate that I feel this way. But I desperately need her to like me.

Izel hesitantly reaches towards me, her eyes uncertain of my reaction. My heart thumps against my ribcage as I wait for her reaction. It’s not often others see my face. If they are afraid of me in a mask it only gets worse without.

I just hope she sees me through the scars.

Izel sits on my lap, her eyes laser focused, but flickering between my eyes. Giving her the slightest nod, she suddenly becomes unafraid.

I’m overcome with the want for her touch, for her to finally see who I am. Not The Butcher, not the one who tracks and kills people for hire. I want her to know who Zion is. The guy who loves her weird dance moves, who loves her singing, and who loves that she never stops talking.