"We are all searching for someone whose demons play well with ours."

-Heidi R. Kling

The world spun on its axis but we stand fixed in one spot staring into each other's eyes. It felt like days passed us by when in reality it had only been a matter of seconds. Elias was reading me as if I was one of the finest works of literature, dissecting every inch, learning all my secrets that lay beneath my soul. I should have felt violated but instead, I welcomed it. I yearned to share my demons with him but it's unfeasible, my lips were deadbolted shut, Cain made sure of that.

It hit me like a ton of bricks how suspicious this may look. Sneaking out to speak to his competitor during a time when there's a possibility of an informant? Stupid, stupid move. I could just picture the smirk on Thomas's face right now. Was this a trap all along? And I just fell for it willingly? I didn't think this through. Impulsivity got the best of me again, but even I was tired of excusing my behavior. I would just have to pay for the consequences whatever they may be.

"Scarlett, let's go."

I attempted to discern Elias's voice but it was devoid of emotion. The brief moment of vulnerability was long gone and replaced with a rigid expression. An expression bleak enough to make my blood vessels constrict and turn to ice.

What have I done?

"Who are you to tell her what to do? Scar you don't have to listen to him."

Turning my head I menaced at Thomas, repulsed that he had the audacity to speak in the first place. If he knows what's good for him he'll take my hostility as a sign to shut his mouth.

Was he dead set on being my destruction? Masking it behind kind words and empty promises like a cruel deceptive human being. I wanted to spit on his face. How dare he try to ruin this for me? And how did I dare let him?

"Says the boy, who kidnaped her is your head so far up your ass that you don't remember that fact? Or does your daddy need to knock some sense into you?"

Thomas grumbled, rolling his eyes as he pushed up his sleeves. "You're going to regret crossing me. If you think taking what's mine doesn't have consequences you're in for a surprise."

Elias chuckled under his breath with the corners of his mouth sliding upwards. "Try me, I dare you. On my worst day, you still couldn't beat me."

He laced his fingers with mine, as we stormed out, leaving Thomas in an invisible cloud of dust. My legs struggled to keep up with his long steps. Elias hasn't turned once in my way direction. What do I expect? He has every reason to think I'm the informant.

I tugged at his arm in an attempt to slow him down. "I can explain."

He slanted his head towards my direction. "Not now."

His hand lets go of mine. I immediately felt the absence of his touch but ignore it. I assumed the meeting is over when he pressed the down the elevator button, while his other hand dug into the pocket of his slacks for his phone. My careless decision caused me to miss everything. The elevator doors closed shut, with the intent that he will talk to me. I won't take no for an answer.

"Yes, right now. Tell me how you really feel, don't shut me out" My voice taut with determination.

Elias stealthily walked towards me, my back falls on the mirrored elevator wall. His body settled against mine, my breathing quickened with no doubt in my mind that he is the cause. This is what he does to me. He makes me feel alive, so alive that it makes all the pain I've ever felt, feel worth it. I ceased to think around him but not feeling the weight of my thoughts felt liberating.

He rests his hand on my neck as his lips collide against mine. For a brief moment, I hesitated to kiss back confused with his action. But quickly lose track of thought when he tangled his hand in my hair and pulled. I snaked my arms around his neck matching every flick of his tongue. Biting his a lip served as silent ammunition for him to ravish me. And that he did, our kiss is rough and hard, unleashing every emotion we feel out on each other's lips.

His rough hand gripped my thigh lifting it so I feel the swell in his slacks on my groin. Feeling how hard he is, exhilarated me causing the blood in my body to warm. I grind my hips against him needing friction desperately. Holding my thigh in place, he glides his fingers across my heat feeling the wetness that seeped through my lace thong. His fingers move up and down my slit slowly, I bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from moaning. Tantalizing me with every move, my ache for his entrance grows.

He was torturing me. He wanted me to beg for it.

But I was too strong-willed to submit. Instead, I cupped his bulge through his slacks. Trailing my fingers up and down the hard ridge. He groans, against my ear. A mixture of gratification and euphoria courses me as he swung me around slapping my ass, hard. I moaned loudly forgetting my surroundings as he bites and kisses my neck from behind with his hand still on my heat reminding me he's in charge. I felt myself disintegrating into thin air with each kiss and touch. Failing to remember my name and how I landed in this position in the first place.

He pivots me now face to face he pinned my hands to the wall kissing me fiercely. The elevator dinged but still our tongues dance together without a care in the world who sees our display of affection.

He breaks away from my lips with his hands sliding down my thighs as he pulled my dress back down. "That's how I feel about you, but if you're inquiring how I feel about your previous action "He takes a long pause "Disappointed."

The fire in his eyes now extinguished as he walks away. I attempt to recollect myself. His words stung. The coolness of his tone sent prickles against my skin. This hurts more than if he would have been angry and lashed out at me. Maybe that kiss was his way of lashing out. Can't say it was the most effective method. It just left us dazed and more sexually frustrated than ever.

The ambiguity of his statement stifled me from responding. What exactly was he disappointed in? All of the above? Most likely. Perhaps, I should stay quiet and wallowed in silence like he was. I slammed the door to the car shut, this would be the longest two-hour drive back to Los Angeles.

Back to reality.

Coming into San Diego, I had every intention to stay as emotionally closed off as possible. Now leaving, San Diego with the brutal actuality that I failed miserably. I wanted to comfort him last night after his nightmare but didn't think I would comfort him with my lips. I also didn't mean to look like a teenage girl who just had her first make out session. We looked ridiculous but alas our only problem wasn't just the trail of love bites on our necks.

We had more complexities than I could have ever imagined. We both had troubled pasts. So many revelations learned that only left more questions in their wake. What haunts Elias in his dreams? What situation could he have possibly been in to get himself stabbed? Not once, multiple times. And thanks to a forensic science course I took in college, one of his scars appeared to be a gunshot wound. If so, why did he hide that from me?

It was absolute that there was more to the animosity between Elias and both Anderson men than just being competitors. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it could be. If I had known about the intricate web of lies and deceit that we both seem to be entangled in I wouldn't have applied here, let alone accepted the position. I was now wrapped up in another sinuous situation that I wasn't sure I could get out of.

Elias wreaked havoc in my mind since the day we met. But the same man also filled me with such tranquility and peace. A source of refuge I've never had. But not knowing his truth would eat me alive. I wondered if he felt the same way about mine. What future could we have if we were chained to our past?

"Can we talk about things, you know like everything that has occurred in a matter of days, hours even minutes ago?" I muttered, not able to handle the dreadful quietness of the car any longer.

His fingers let go of the steering wheel as we idled on the 5 with traffic build up. "Talking about things is not my strong suit. My actions speak louder than any words I could say."

I fiddled with the hem of my dress huffing into the chilled air, what a typical response. Putting my hair up, I stared out the car window. The bright California sun blinds me, annoyed I look away. I couldn't even appreciate the light after the storm. I was more than over this dreadful day even though to my dismay it had just begun. How much drama could I take in one day before I lost my mind? I had no idea how I was going to power through a half day at work.

"Well, could you try, for me? Our actions these past couples of days have done nothing but confuse me. Words are more concrete and help me decipher situations."

The car moved inches ahead only to come to screeching halt again. The sound of cars honking starts to give me a headache. "Of course, I'll try for you. But life isn't some equation or some code you can decipher. Life at times will not make sense. Like what you just did, it doesn't make sense to me." His voice calm and not raised in the slightest bit as he faced me. Even when disappointed at me he still managed to treat me with the utmost respect.

"Elias, you have every right to be upset. But please let me explain. Thomas threatened if I didn't go out there he would cause a scene. After everything that happened moments before, I figured the less explosive option was to oblige and get him to leave. When I confronted him all he did was spiel that he was going to change and be the man I deserved. I wasn't having any of it but right as I was going to leave he pulls me in closer to him. He must have done that to make me look suspicious—or to get you upset because he speculates that our relationship extends beyond a professional one...I really don't know what his intentions were, but I swear mine were good."

Elias features hardened as he leans back in his seat. His Adam apple bobs up and down before his mouth opened. "Scarlett I am grown man, Thomas's immature attempts to upset me won't work on me. I am secure in myself and in what we have. You have given me no reason to distrust you until now. But even then I still want to believe you. What upset me is why you were out there in the first place? Who cares if he would have caused a scene? I wouldn't have let anything happen to you. What if it didn't turn out the way it did? What If it was some ploy to get you alone? After today it was made crystal clear that you know exactly what type of man Cain is. You put more trust into someone who has caused you nothing but turmoil than you did me."

Seeing him upset caused a nauseating feeling to settle in my stomach. I caressed my thumb over his hand that rests over the middle console. Interlocking our fingers I kiss the front of his hand.

"That's not true. I've told you my deepest darkest thoughts, which is unbeknownst to me. Since the day I've met you I just can't shut up. I thought it was the alcohol at first, but clearly, it's not since I keep doing it. It's almost like I have projectile vomit of the mouth when I'm with you. It's hard for me to control myself around you I guess, I'm not sure. I've never been this transparent with someone in my life. My actions had nothing to do with trust, I just wanted to be independent and deal with this on my own. I feel like I've dragged you enough into my mess. Cain and Thomas are harmless, they are all talk." I lie, pausing so that I can mask the edginess in my voice. "I made a rash decision, but I did it to save you the trouble, the last time you almost got into a fight with him."

A smile escaped his lips, seeing him warm up to my gesture puts me at ease."Last time was different, he degraded you in front of me. And if he ever did again he would receive more than just a shove. You didn't have to put yourself in a careless predicament in order to feel independent. You can be independent and still let me know. We could have dealt with it together. And you're not alone Tesoro, in your presence I'm constantly in a battle with myself not to act on the things my mind dares me to do."

"Really?" my voice trails off as I cross my legs. His husky voice and the memory of our kiss in the elevator lingering in my mind are no help to stop the moisture from escaping between my thighs.

He extended his hand back on the steering as he glances over his shoulder at me. "Since I saw you this morning, I've been fighting the urge not to wrinkle that pretty red dress of yours. And when I saw how sexy you looked with your nose all crinkled up and that little mad pout of yours in the elevator I couldn't handle myself. That was all I wanted. Now, I'm really tempted to rile you up just so I can see that face again. But, I'm sure that won't be good for either of us. Would it?"

****

Today was one of those days where you wake up and you're just like nope, let's start over. From Matias, Thomas, Cain and skyrocketing across uncharted territory with Elias I had already mentally checked out. How the universe had managed to pack so much melodrama in just the wee hours of the morning was beyond me. But regardless I had managed to power through at work.

I had exactly twenty-five minutes and forty-five seconds before I could go home.

Home Sweet Home.

We had arrived at the office around noon. Elias had an impromptu security meeting due to the events of this morning. Which left me here with Alexander to prep for another potential client. We needed to start the prep work immediately we actually needed to have started it yesterday. This occupied all of our time this afternoon and surely it would occupy us for the next couple of months. This client owned a global corporation, which meant the prep would be more rigorous and lengthy process, to say the least.

Alexander snapped his fingers with his green eyes squinting in my direction. "You and Elias both tend to daydream a lot. Let's go ahead wrap this up. We'll pick up from here tomorrow vampiresa."

"Yeah sure, I get it you're calling me a vampire because of Elias's neck. Very clever, I'll see you tomorrow Alexander." Exhaustion made me bolder and my response sound snarky. I felt a tinge of remorse but had enough of hearing about it. It was overkill. Did everyone have to make a comment about it? Why couldn't they just go about their day? I'm sure no one had pressed Elias so much on it. People seemed to be surprised that women could also be sexual beings.

He shuts his briefcase smiling widely as he gave me kiss on the cheek "Actually, I was referring to yours but I guess now I know who the culprit is. But thank you for that, now I won't let Elias hear the end of it."

I pressed my lips together, irked at myself that I fell for his ploy to get information. He was sly in getting exactly what he wanted. He was good, I had to give him credit for that. We waved goodbye, as he disappears in Elias's office. It felt weird riding the elevator without him. I was already getting too used to things. Falling into a routine. Like after work, us riding the elevator down together and him walking me to my car. Without him here, I couldn't help but feel an emptiness. This is the exact reason why falling into routines were dangerous.

The drive home was nice, thankfully traffic on the 110 was not congested. I would have to thank my lucky stars for that. I had never been this ecstatic to see the circle driveway of my home. The blooming white rose bushes was the highlight of this crappy day. Well, that and Elias's kiss.

Entering the passcode on the door I'm bombarded with the stench of alcohol, smoke, and sex. A disquieting feeling wells inside my chest. This... this can't be good. I kicked the pink panties that laid in front of the door aside taking slow steps. The stench was suffocating, making my nostrils burn.

My dad unconscious and plastered on the floor with vomit and empty tequila bottles surrounding him. A woman fully naked beside him asleep on the couch with her drool spilling to the floor. Gray smoke escaped  dually lit cigarettes on an ashtray. A white powdery substance left on the tip of their noses. Cocaine— lined up on the coffee table and ready to snort.

I ignored the urge to vomit the contents in my stomach, my heart ceased to beat. The atmosphere dense, so thick that it was almost impossible to walk through. My sister...where was she...did she see this. How could I have been this stupid to leave her here?

Opening the door to her room, it was vacant with everything thrown across the floor. Barging in and slamming shut every door in my house with no trace of Isabella. My actions unwarranted, I knew she was not here as soon as I saw her room empty. But still, that couldn't stop me from looking. My mind was unwilling to accept—desperate to not succumb to the grim reality that was my life.

I yanked my father by the collar of his shirt, shaking him. "Where is she? Where is Isabella?" I slapped his face with full force his eyes jolted open. "Tell me where she is! How could you do this, how could you be so irresponsible?"

He groggily sat up, running his hand through his face wiping the leftover vomit on the corner of his lips. "How dare... you slap me. You ungrateful child. Both of you are so fucking ungrateful... I'm always the bad one. How come you don't hate your mother huh?... She never was here either. Your mom...she's the evil one, not me. She is lucky...she is dead. She doesn't have to live through her daughters hating her because if you knew who she really was you would. Just like you hate me. That...that what I was telling your sister before she ran off...depressed again probably over boys I don't know. I care for Isabella as if she was my own flesh and blood...and that's how she treats me...no respect."

I get off my knees and paced the living room with my hands above my head. Desperately trying to figure out where she could be. But my brain doesn't want to cooperate. I can't think. "When did she leave? What way did she go? Did someone pick her up? How could you even say that Isabella is your daughter!"

Grabbing a discarded tequila bottle from the floor, he took a swig of what's left. Swallowing it bit by bit, before tossing it back to the ground.

"No.. shes not...not by blood."

••••

Author's Note
   Sometimes everything hits you all at once.                         
Reality can be a hard pill to swallow.