"Hello..."

"Who is this...?"

"Ah, you could be a little bit chirruper."

"You b***..."

"Before you snarl, you should know that you let me walk away with our plan. I called because I wanted you to be careful with Stacey; she is a worm in the pitcher."

His breathing was labored and concrete, yet it didn't give me a perfect idea of what his mind was going through. A long silence made me lose my cool, yet, I waiting without gritting my teeth. I controlled myself by staring at the picture of an old modeled bike fashionably hanging on the wall.

"Fine... what about the deal?"

"You seriously don't remember any of it?"

"If I would have been sober, you would not have run away."

"You old fool; you made me go away with our plan. Remember?"

A low chuckle again with labored breath met me and finally said, "Tell me about the plan."

"What's with your breath?"

"I have been boxing. Tell me..."

"Not on the phone you sly old man, do you want me to get caught? Remember, I am here on loose ends, the minute they know I am working for you... I am dead."

"NO ONE will kill you."

"Oh, I am not as stupid as that."

"Angelina... is this real? Do you really love me?"

This was clearly unexpected. The voice that met me was not Den's, at least not the cruel Den. This sounded like a man desperately in love trying to meet the ends. This sounded like a broken man. And I was shattered. I was not a lovesick player to play with hearts. I looked up as if the heaven would give me an answer. But, no... this was on me and I had to stay quiet for a while to say something. But if I thought that question shattered me, the next line broke me to atoms.

"I will drop my tough exterior, pay for my mistakes, try to take back all that's been wrong, make it up for you and be the Den I wanted for you to have. All I want is you, Angelina, I don't know what made me fall in love with you and out of all these years, I still wait for you. I have waited for you so long that I am still... Everyone believes I am a man who plays with girls like a sick person with tissues. Can you believe that? Angelina, please... don't play with me." the last line came in broken sounds, in sobs, and the sniffs making me slip down to the floor and weep.

Alex and Fabian felt alarmed at his tone and my reaction.

Yes, they accepted finally with my plan since they were convinced it was for the good. Now, that the phone call was to fix my deal, but I never thought this would happen. I sobbed and I don't know why I cried. That was the funniest part of the whole conversation. I can't understand why I cried. He was a ruthless man and he was obsessed with me, with an elementary crush that he doesn't want to forget.

But, then something clicked in my heart. He was faking it; he was faking to get my heart.

"I knew b*** you were playing with me. You fitly..."

"Yea right... I was like thinking and playing along with the broken version of you sucker, but, know this we won't falter from the original plan for revenge. You may continue with your mind games, but that wont deviate me from the plan. I want what I want. I mean business there."

"Hmm... you are not as I think you are."

"The points go down for you and besides..."

"Angelina... the thing about my life was not a lie. I love you..."

"No Den, you are obsessed with an elementary love story that you are having trouble to let go because somewhere in your ego mind, you fear of failing. Besides, I am not ready to give my heart to anyone. Not even that dumb Alex."

I winked at my life and he narrowed his brow and eyes saying that he will meet me later for that. I rolled my eyes and gestured my tongue like I was saying I will lick it away. This brought a disgusted grunt from my brother and he whacked me as I laughed through my cupped hands.

His sigh resonated too long to keep me anxious yet the more I conversed with him, the more annoyed I was to shut the call out.

"You may be right, but I can't understand why I love you still. Sandra loves me and wants to keep me, but, I am all over you."

"Loverboy...I don't understand your feelings as I have never been in love and also the game now we are plotting are not to fall in love."

"Where are you living? I want to come over."

"I have been kidnapped and you think my people are going to let me go free. I am safe and I will come to see you. Don't approach me, they have me grounded and I'm on watch."

"You think I am a fool to get caught. Hey, I took you for some time, it was not kidnapping. Anyway, I can sneak in, give me your address."

"You idiot, I am with my brother and Alex's brother is staying with him. Along with Alex. I am never going to be alone. And you will never go a breathing corpse."

"Breathing corpse?"

"Yea, well, you are already dead to me with your bad boy ways."

"Go to your apartment and I will come over."

"So will these three plus inspector Jenkins."

"That filth... ok, meet me by the lake tomorrow morning 3 sharp."

"No...no...no... sick boy, you may be in the mafia and play games well, I will not. I am a heavy sleeper so come around to the diner in the corner by 8 sharp; I will be there after my run."

"Oh, you into sports... I love such women."

"You are not my type. Sorry, times up."

I blew out a breath and rubbed my eyes with a frustrated grunt.

"Now, the time's set. You will wear that camera on you and the GPS on, while we will be a safe distance from you."

"Yes, brother... you don't have to worry. That lover boy will not harm me, but he may harm Alex in ways that we can never imagine."

"Yes, as if I am that stupid."

"Alex, it's not because you are stupid. You and I and everyone else will be a fool and innocent when a gun is suddenly fired on short notice."

"I am going to order food, what are you having?"

"Mexican, tacos and spicy chicken"

"Oui, you Alex"

"What are you having?"

"Pepperoni pizza"

"I will have the same."

Alex gestured me to come to his room and I knew it was trouble. So, I giggled and went in with him. At first, he was all serious and sober and I waited for him to start tickling me as my punishment.

"Why did you cry when that prick cried his feelings?"

I was dumbstruck with his question which was fired at me with such intensity that it knocked me out pretty close. I looked at him for a while and then walked to the open terrace and stood there contemplating why I have cried. I didn't understand why and I was thinking about what I should say to him because what if he doesn't believe me?

"If... if you ever had any such feelings to him, just say."

I swiftly turned around, slapped him and kissed him so hard that he fell to the tiled floor but my lips never left him. After a while, I broke and looked at him breathlessly and glared. "Don't you ever say that again?" With that his eyes softened and kissed me back, rolling me to make me come under him and continued rolling his senses into my mouth like his life depended on my breathing. A knock on the door made us fall back, out of breath and laughing like some crazy lovesick couples.

I adjusted my dress and was about to go out when I stopped Alex and said, "Don't you ever think I have had any such feelings to anyone else. You are the best that have happened in my life, and it remains as such for as long as I can remember. There has never been anyone else then you before and I don't think there will be in the future if you plan to let me go. So, don't you ever ask me again?"

"And don't you ever say that I will let you go. Understood?"

I smiled and he kissed me on me on my forehead making my eyes glistened with unshed tears. He kissed both of my eyes and pressed slightly on my lips and embraced me in a tight warm hug and kissed me once more on my forehead before letting me go.

After this moment, I didn't have any doubts in my mind. Everything was perfectly clear and I knew this was life. This was bliss. With someone whom we love

After a long time, I am truly happy. And that took on a grumbling stomach.

____________________________________________ 

I just can't take my hands off this  story.... My first complete novel...