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***Christian's POV***

I let my senses guide me through the amusement park. The crowd is thick, loud and immobile. There are so many bodies to navigate through.

Every shift of the wind sends her scent from another direction, and to another.

"Christian!" Tony's voice catches up to me.

I don't stop. I'm to the point of irritation. If you don't want to be my beloved, fine. But, at least let me see your face. Tell me your name.

"God damn it." Tony pulls me towards him and into a make shift alley between two rides.

"You're going to scare her." Josie searches my eyes and gives me back sadness from his.

"I'm just tired of chasing." I run my hand down my face.

"I probably, maybe could help. I have an idea." Josie smiles at me and lifts his hand to me as an offering.

I grab his hand, pulling him towards me. I wrap my arms around him and breathe deeply. His scent calms me as always.

"Okay. I wasn't insinuating having you hug me. But." Josie wraps his arms around me tighter and rubs my back.

"What's the plan?" I mumble the words into his neck.

"She's here. That's obvious. Apparently, she is everywhere you are. I say we lure her out. If she's a cat, I should be able to do that."

I step back and stare at my best friend. He's sort of a genius.

"Can you tell us the plan, love? Please." Tony gives Josie a sweet smile.

"First stage, we need to get away from the crowd." I follow Josie's steps. He walks a path through the crowd. Amazingly, they part for him with ease.

We stand near the restrooms. I look at Josie questioningly. If he needed to relieve himself, he should have just said something.

"Her hearing is going to be heightened. She's super natural. That's a given." Josie swipes his eyes left and right. He stretches big and cracks his back. I have no idea what he's doing. Honestly.

"We need to give her a reason to come to us." Josie looks at Tony and crooks a finger his way. Tony walks forward, bending to listen to the quiet words.

"I'm going to have to ask you to do me a favor." Josie's words are hushed.

"Anything sweetheart."

"Maybe don't agree until he tells us the plan." I throw a skeptical glare Josie's way.

"She seems to make her presence known when we are paying each other a lot of attention. So." Josie gives me a wink.

This can't be good.

"What exactly do I have to do?" Tony is having second thoughts. It's obvious.

"You have to contain yourself. And hide. When she gets close, we kidnap her." Josie smiles like his ballistic scheme isn't going to blow up in our faces.

"We are not kidnapping my beloved." I try hard not to yell.

"Do you have a better idea. It's been weeks. We are no closer. I know I'm anxious. You must be going crazy." Josie crosses his arms and smirks.

He knows he won.

"And when she hates me?" I counter.

"We can smooth it over. Trust me. You're not gonna have an issue." Josie seems confident.

I'm glad somebody does.

"Fine. Let's just get this charade over with." I groan into my hands. There's no way this is not back firing. None.

"Sire. I love you." Josie hugs him briefly and Tony nods.

"I love you kitten. Don't go crazy." Tony blows Josie a kiss and willingly walks away into the shadows.

Josie takes my hand. He intertwines our fingers and carries us to a secluded bench.

So far, not bad.

I sit beside him and smile at his angelic face.

"Let's just talk. It will work better that way." Josie turns to face me. He pulls my hand closer to his face and places a soft kiss on my palm.

I'm already leary.

"Thank you for bringing me, Christian. I really have enjoyed myself." Josie bats his eyelashes. I have to hold back the eye roll. This kid.

"You're very welcome. I would do anything to put a smile on your face." I give him my best smile. That's not even a lie.

Josie scoots closer. His hand reaches for my hair. He runs his fingertips through it and holds the back of my neck. He leans in and I drop my forehead. They meet and Josie sighs loudly.

"What's wrong?" I question. I think that is the correct dialog for whatever is happening.

"I just. I'm glad to finally be alone with you." Josie peeks up from under his lashes. This kid needs an Oscar.

"Baby." I pause to make sure I am saying the right thing.

Josie does a small nod. So I continue. "I apologize for being away so much. I do miss you when I'm gone."

Josie loops his arm around my neck and scoots into my lap. I wrap my arms around his tiny figure.

"You have other obligations. I understand. It's just me. I'm selfish. I always want you." Josie is really laying the shit thick.

I grip his waist and kiss his cheek. He purrs under my lips.

"What was that?" I whisper quietly.

Josie blushes. He comes closer and grabs my chin. His lips smash on mine without my permission.

I gasp. I can feel Tony's disapproval. Josie slides his tongue into my mouth.

"Josie." I chastise quietly.

"Play along." His words are urgent. I return my lips to his. I grip the back of his head and lay a real kiss on his full, sweet lips.

My tongue delves into his mouth and he mewls as he kisses me back.

I forget for a minute that it's a show. I kiss hungrily, desperately. I pull at his curls and shift his head so I can get deeper.

A rumble in his chest causes me to move my mouth to his neck. I lap his skin and suck gently. He makes a weird noise. It sounds somewhere between a low growl and a moan. He does it repeatedly as I cover his neck in lavish kisses.

A loud, aggressive growl breaks me from my affection. I jump away from Josie, careful to steady him on his feet.

"You're welcome." Josie jumps up and pecks me on the cheek. He giggles and turns away.

I follow his eyes and Tony stands with the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. His hand covers her mouth. I rush over and try to break her from his hold.

"It's okay. Sorry. I just wanted to talk to you." My words are rushed. They come out panicked.

"I can't be here." Her eyes dart back and forth. She looks scared.

"Can we go back to our place? I promise you can leave. We won't hold you hostage." Josie smiles innocently at my beloved.

"I can't. Not right now. I promise to meet you. Soon." The girl gives me pleading eyes that break my heart.

"When?" Tony asks.

"Midnight. Your place. I swear. I have to go." The girl thanks us quietly while walking calmly off.

"Hey." I call out for her.

She turns and shakes her head at me.

"I just wanted your name." I whisper.

"Leah." She saunters off without another word.

I watch as she disappears into the crowd. My heart follows her. Maybe I wouldn't be okay if she rejected me. It doesn't feel like it.

"Let's go home." Josie grabs my hand and Tony's. He starts moving us toward the exit.

"No. We came for you to have a good day." I turn back to the spot where she was standing. Moments ago she was within arms reach.

"I did have a good day. I just want a better night. I'm tired anyways." Josie fakes a yawn.

"Okay, Denzel Washington. Let's get you home." I laugh and ruffle his curls with my fingers.

The walk to the vehicle is quick but, there is a silence I don't enjoy.

Once inside the truck, the silence disappears.

"Josie." Tony looks at his beloved with disapproving eyes.

"Yes, Sire." Josie stares at Tony with wondering eyes.

"I don't like what was done. At all." Tony shakes his head.

Josie's lips tremble. His tiny nose becomes red and his eyes fill to the brim with water.

"Tony. That was not his fault." I try to interject on Josie's behalf.

"I'm sorry." Josie pushes his fists into his eyes and starts crying severely. Seconds pass while his body trembles and wails become the prominent sound in the truck.

"Don't cry." I grab Josie and hold him tightly. Tony looks at me like he is pissed with me.

"Be mad at me. Not Josie." I grab Josie's sweet face and frantically push the tears away from his cheeks.

"I'm not mad. I don't want your tongue in my beloved's mouth." Tony's words are curt and it pisses me off.

"I just tried to help." Josie buries his face in my shirt. I reach over and buckle him up and ignore our Sire. He is acting like a big, overgrown, old asshole.

The drive home is filled with tension. Josie cries himself to sleep. I turn my attention only to him and Tony doesn't say another word.

As we step away from the vehicle, Tony goes to grab Josie. I put my hand up to halt him. He has caused enough damage for one night.

Fuck my beloved. His is torn to pieces. I can't allow it.

"I will take him." Tony whispers.

"No. You will go to your room and think about your actions. He wasn't trying to fuck me, Tony. He's desperately in love with you. He asked permission, which you gave. Get that dominance in check. Then, apologize. Maybe he will forgive you. I wouldn't." I walk away with Josie tucked into my hold.

No one is hurting this boy. Fucking no one. He's been through hell. He doesn't need anymore from someone who said they loved him. Hell of a way to prove it.

I get more angry as I make my way to my room. I close the door and lock it. Josie stirs in my arms and I set him down in my bed. I take his shoes off and help him out of my hoodie.

"I wouldn't have done that. I didn't know he would get mad. I just wanted you to be happy." Josie watches me as I move around the room.

"You aren't at fault. That's called a mixed signal Josie. You gave him ample opportunity to stop you. He didn't. You're not wrong. He is." I bend down and rub Josie's hands inside of my own.

"It hurts when he is upset with me. It aches right here." Josie lifts his hand over his heart and rubs it slowly. He begins silent tears that make me even more upset.

"I know babe. I know. It's going to be okay. He's going to realize he fucked up." I pull his head to my shoulder and massage his neck with my thumb.

"Okay." Josie pulls back and offers me a weak grin.

"What is it babe?" I stare at him knowingly.

"Leah is a beautiful name." Josie smiles wider.

"She was something else. I swear I could look at her all day. She's gorgeous." I remember those stunning blue eyes and how I want to get lost in them.

"Can we watch Netflix?" Josie strips and climbs in my bed.

I nod my head and turn on the television. I hand him the remote and get ready for whatever he will put on the tv.

"He's really mad. I hope he comes soon. I miss him." Josie snuggles up once I am under the covers. I sigh. Tony really pulled a stunt today. It is beyond me how he thinks any of that was real. It was a fucking act.

"He will. Don't worry."

Josie puts on Something Borrowed. I love that movie.

We watch as Kate Hudson acts like an attention whore. She is one piece of work. This movie always makes me want to open her eyes by force.

"That's not how best friends should act." Josie shakes his head. We have this same conversation every time we watch this movie.

"No it's not." I whisper.

"Besties should always sacrifice for one another. They should love you so much that they can't possibly hurt you. Best friends should be like us Christian." Josie hugs me tightly.

He's right. We have been exactly that way this entire time.

Honestly, though, I suddenly wish his sacrifice this evening didn't cost him so much.