KAYA

"You don't seem the type, so I'm guessing it was Eve."

"Funny way to greet me in the morning."

Erex smiled sharply, "Pardon me, I had to spend half an hour this morning trying to pull out chewing gum from my door's looking glass."

I couldn't help the twitch of my lips and masked it as I slid into his car.

It was funny how despite our disagreements, neither of us backed out of this crazy bet of carpooling. Sure, there were exceptional times, like yesterday. But he dutifully waited for me to join him every morning, always ready before me. And same went for after work.

I suppose one could say it was a respectable and virtuous display of his characteristics, but I knew better. This was pure male ego speaking, nothing to do with chivalry.

"I didn't know you could be so childish." He shook his head, raven hair still wet froma  fresh shower, as he pulled out of the apartment's parking lot.

I watched as he turned the steering wheel, captivated for a split second, before I replied with a sting in my words, "You don't know me at all. Period."

"You sure know how to hold a grudge." He spoke under his breath, and I smirked as I looked out of the window.

"It's a necessary skill when dealing with men like you."

"Are you, by chance...." He glanced at me, "A misandrist?"

I rolled my eyes sarcastically, "What made you think that?" 

He shrugged and his Caribbean blue eyes met mine.

"No, I'm not a man-hater." I looked away.

"I'd say that's a lie because you broke eye contact but...." He sucked in a sharp breath, "Not sure if I want to hear you say yes."

"Why? Because you wouldn't stand a chance then?" I sniped. 

Playful banter like this with underlying bitterness and flirtations was the way we'd been interacting, and I'd decided to use this to my advantage. Reel him in, make him talk, make him walk like I wanted him to.

"I didn't think I was ever in the running anyway." Then his lips tipped upwards in an infuriatingly cocky manner before he looked at me sideways, his fingers distractingly tapping away at the steering wheel. "Or was I?"

After having spent almost three months watching Erex Di'Castillo driving day and night, I had to accept that he look criminally good with his shirt sleeves rolled up and flexing his muscles inadvertently as he drove. 

I'd read about it. 

How women went a little crazy for men who could rock the 'rolled-up sleeves' or the 'driving with a smoothness, turning that steering wheel with one hand, putting an arm behind your headrest when reversing'.

And gods be damned, they were right.

I swallowed, breaking out of the distracting line of thoughts, answering him with another calculated response. "Yes. You were in the running."

He rose an attractive brow and tilted his face towards me and all the surrounding sounds seemed muted, the visions blurred. But before he could say anything, I added, "For about five seconds. Right before you banged the door in my face."

I was just recalling our first meeting.

Erex chuckled darkly as he pulled into the office parking lot and the journey came to an end.

I scowled.

"You like to give reminders, hm?" He turned off the ignition and unbuckled his seatbelt. I narrowed my eyes and went to unbuckle my own seatbelt, and when I looked up, he was right in my face.

Erex leaned over and I automatically leaned back.

That's how these things went, no?

He still had one hand clutching the steering wheel, and his other was suddenly wrapped loosely around my throat. 

That, however, I don't think is how things should've gone.

I stilled, feeling my back pressing against the locked door and then my eyelids fluttered all of their own accord when Erex lightly rubbed his thumb over my pulse. Slowly.

Sensually.

Is this...how it's supposed to feel? Like you're a little short of breath because of the proximity? No, right? I've done this enough times. I couldn't feel anything, but my body was reacting in ways I hadn't experienced before.

His eyes didn't stray from mine and my throat suddenly felt dry. Startling blue eyes darkened and yet there was a slight smirk on his face. "This remind you of something?"

And then his nail dug into my neck lightly, as if the heat of his palm around my throat wasn't distracting enough. He was making a point.

"Go ahead. Draw blood then."

He slowly shook his head, loose raven hair falling over his forehead in a naturally attractive way, his jaw moving slightly. "I'd rather draw you." 

 Then he sighed and pulled back. "Alas, I'm no good at it. I can just appreciate good art."

And suddenly my body went....cold.

He paused in his retreat, not touching me but still invading my space. His eyes bounced between mine, "What did you just think of?"

"What?"

"Something changed." He clicked his finger. "Not a good change. Mm, I prefer it when you're breathing fire."

I blinked, repeating stupidly, "What?"

"It was something I said, wasn't it?"

My eyes searched his face but he was serious.

He.....had been reading me.

That meant he was observing me. That was good. But it also meant I hadn't been a good enough actress if he could pick apart when I slid the mask on. When my shutters fell. When I withdrew. It made me think of moments that were out of my control.

It was...like free-falling out of the sky.

Like skydiving without any gear.

Like standing in front of a car moving at top speed.

And I'd done all of those things so I truly knew what I was saying.

Before I could put a name to whatever emotion I was probably thinking of, before I could catalog it, Erex's deep drawl made me refocus on him.

"I thought being called art was a compliment for anyone. Especially because I love it so much." He narrowed his eyes.

And I don't know what made me open my mouth without thinking it through but by the time I realized it, the words were already out of my mouth: "Not everyone likes being objectified."

Art.

I hated it.

The reminder of a feeling I'd buried deep, deep, deeper than the deepest ocean....

It couldn't surface now. I exhaled a deep breath and unlocked the door behind me. 

Pack it up, the treasure chest full of emotions and the ability to understand and recognize them, Artemis. Pack it up. Lock it up. And throw it where no one can reach again. 

"You look like a deer caught in headlights-"

"Do I?" My voice was so emotionless that even I knew it was the wrong decibel, the wrong emotion to display right now. I was acting like...myself. And there wasn't anything more dangerous than that. I broke away from the intensity of his eyes and stepped out of the car normally.

Just because we were alone in this little nook didn't mean he'd risk something more here, right?

I wasn't about to stay and find out.

In fact, this might work in my favor if he were to think he'd put me off-kilter. That he had some kind of strong influence. That he could make my breath catch and cheeks flush.

He couldn't.

No one could.

And no one ever would.

I'd make sure of that.

~

I wouldn't call it avoiding, but I may or may not have been making an effort to not cross paths with Erex. I also had been installing temporary bugs in a few of the offices as I went around gathering information, so that was the main reason, but I was using this morning's altercation as a good motive for 'avoiding' him, per se.

There were no personal reasons, of course.

I grabbed the papers from the Beta Team Leader's desk as I'd been directed by Callie and then made my way back, pondering over my next steps.

This cat and mouse game of ours hadn't gone unnoticed by our team. Callie had constantly been eyeing me suspiciously, and Finn was snickering at Erex constantly. Must have been an inside joke because Erex would glare back and yet it would be ineffective.

I still wasn't close to the entire team. I might have made progress with Erex (or maybe I was just deluding myself) but I needed to integrate myself more into the team. I needed to spend more one on one time with them, perhaps.

After the lunch break, I'd just been gone from my desk for five minutes to ask Zack for some data reports to include in my catalog of one of their old cases, but I returned to a paper bag with a neon green sticky note on it:

I didn't call you art because you're beautiful. 

I called you art because art can make people feel.

My lips parted slightly, and I had to be careful because Erex was probably watching me like a hawk watching its prey. Now that I knew how closely he observed me, it was only right for me to be cautious. I took off the message and stuffed it into my pocket.

How old-fashioned.

Then I raised the bag and saw some sandwiches. Most definitely handmade.

Carrying it with me, I headed to the table in the cafeteria where Erex, Callie, Zack and Finn were sitting and eating. I'd opted to go back quicker since I didn't intend to share space with Erex for the time being, but now there was a better driving force.

I smiled and showed the paper bag to them. 

"Hi. Anyone up for some handmade sandwiches? I'm not hungry."

I could feel Erex's gaze boring holes into me but when I met his eyes, there wasn't any negative emotion. Just....amusement.

"I'll take that, yes please."  Finn grabbed the bag and took it, flashing me a charming smile. "Thanks, you're amazing."

Callie slapped the back of his head and glared at him. He hissed and shrugged. Erex didn't do anything, his eyes still focused on me and I found myself swallowing as I ignored him. Zach was next to Callie as silently took a sandwich, his eyes jumping between me and his Team Leader.

Our awkward sort of standstill was interrupted when Team Beta's leader, Tom, approached us with a serious gleam in his eyes. 

"Team Alpha, you need to head over to Green Mill. We've had a tip off and it seems there'll be an exchange between the Irish Mob and the Chicago Outfit members around 6 or so. There's a report that illegal weapons will also be traded."

We all shared a look and Erex stood up, his blue eyes piercing. "We'll head over in half an hour. I assume back-up is ready?"

Tom nodded and I catalogued the facts.

I had no time to convey things to Marcello. And he hadn't given me a heads up either. If I wished to gain some trust, it would be better if they were almost caught for once/ Suspicion would fall o me majorly otherwise considering how I'd tipped off Marcello everytime a raid was going to take place. 

Tom left and the chaos of the office could be felt in the newfound buzz.

"Grab your guns and let's go." His disposition had changed from flirty to as serious as one can possibly be. "Callie, I need you to get us updates. Stat." The others quickly wrapped up as well and when his eyes met mine, I didn't like what he said.

"And you." He bent over me, suspicion and a challenge mixed in his sea colored eyes, "You'll stay behind."

I narrowed my eyes, "No. I'm an on-field forensic photographer. I can join you."

"Not this time, no."

"Mr Castillo." I emphasised as he turned his back on me. He paused. "This is my job."

He spun on his heel and came ever so close that I could see the very flecks of separate rings in his irises, "I'm your superior. And I said no."

Zach intervened, "She's right though-"

Erex speared Zach with a look that was chilling and everyone shut up.

Why was he so adamant suddenly on not letting me join? "Is it because I'm a woman?" I voiced it out.

He snickered. "It's because you're not trustworthy. You haven't spent years with this team. And because you're an outsider."

This was a public proclamation. He was doing this delibrately. I just couldn't udnerstand why. I stood there, my chest heaving as I locked eyes with him and he turned away yet again. Callie gave me a small pat on the back and Finn looked apologetic.

None of that mattered though as he reinstated himself, "You're not joining this time and that's final."

He was wrong, of course.

I did end up on the scene.

And I realized quickly that it'd have been better if I hadn't.

~

A/N

Um. Okay, I am VERY sorry for the delay. I'm back at uni so hectic schedule + I hit a major writer's block. Couldn't understad what to use as a filler. I'm so sory, y'all and thank you for being opatient.

Eventually I penned down something and I hope you enjoy it even if it feels a bit choppy. My sincere apologies.

Please don't forget to vote and comment! Thank you so much and I'd appreciate your continued support. See you soon with another update, promise!

~Skyler