Five's Pov

A few hours ago, I was in New York, where I lived. But because of my task, I had to come here. I was on my way from the airport when some batshit crazy girl ran in front of my speeding car, and I managed to stop at the last minute.

Fucking great. I rolled my eyes and got out of the vehicle to see... her. I recognized her the moment I saw her. My family and I been preparing for this take for a while now. Yet, it was so random that the first person I met after landing in LA was none other than Y/n Hargreeves. My target.

You lucky bastard.

"Are you okay?" I asked, making sure my car hadn't hit her.

"What a sudden change of heart!" she said sarcastically. "Just a second ago, you called me fucking crazy, and yet it was you who was driving like a fucking madman!"

I smiled at her sassy comment. She was fierce, and I liked it.

"Now what? Cat got your t?" she snapped at me. "Didn't you see a speed limit of thirty miles per hour here? You had at least sixty on the clock!"

"My bad." I smirked. "Let me make it up to you." I indicated she should get in the car.

"Do you expect me to get in the car with my potential murderer?!" she exclaimed, irritated, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Like I said. Let me make it up to you." I went to the other side of my car and opened the passenger door gazing at her expectantly.

She looked like a mess. Well, like a fucking hot mess. Her big E/C eyes that, I bet, usually would glimmer like diamonds were now red and puffy. Her mascara was all over her face indicating she'd just cried. She was standing barefoot, holding her heels in her shaky hands. But despite it, she still looked like a fucking goddess. Her shiny, H/C waist-length hair was twisting in the wind. Only some shorter strands fell on her face covering her beauty.

"Come on. I see you don't know what to do with yourself. Let me drop you somewhere." I got no response. "Unless you want to march barefoot for God knows how long and risk getting hit by some fucking madman," I said, alluding to her previous phrase, and she smiled.

"Alright. Just because you owe me for nearly killing me," she said and got in the car.

I smiled, satisfied, and closed the door after her. This was going to be a long night.

We'd been driving for about half an hour, and the roaring of the accelerating car engine was the only thing muffling the dead silence. I pretended to be focused on the road but still could feel her gaze on me.

"Like what you see?" Knowing she'd been gawking at me all this time, I could help but tease.

"Don't flatter yourself!" She said, unfazed, and I chuckled.

"Well, stop bitty put lip while staring at me, so maybe I'll stop flattering myself," I said, with my eyes still focused on the road, and she gave me a kinda of "How the hell did he notice that?" Look.

"I was just wondering what's your name." She cleared her throat to sound convincing. "Nothing more."

I briefly glanced at her before setting my eyes on the highway again. She looked pretty adorable with her blushing cheeks.

"It's Five," I said.

"Five? Like the Number Five?" She said with confusion.

"Yeah, like the number." I replied and she nodded, acknowledging.

She turned, leading her head on the backrest, and focused on the sweeping landscape of building LA. We'd been driving along US Route 101, a.k.a the Hollywood Freeway. I could see her reflection in the mirror. She seemed down, and I wondered what had happened before we met, which led to her running desperately ahead like she was trying to escape the brutal reality.

"Where are we going?" she asked shrewdly as if something awakened inside her, and I smiled.

}—————————————————-{

We entered the gleaming lobby of the Beverly Wiltshire, a Four Seasons hotel, and I noticed Y/n got tense. She bent down her head as if wishing she could've been invisible.

"What's wrong?" I asked, slightly concerned.

"Nothing," she hesitated. "I just... don't want anyone to recognize me," she whispered. Her gaze went to me from under her lengthy, black eyelashes, and my lips curled in a soft smirk. I found it cute that she was so... innocent.

"Why does it matter?" I asked.

"Oh, stop acting like you don't know." She seemed embarrassed. "I saw my reflection in the car's window on our way here. I looks like complete chaos."

"That's not true. You look... cute." I caught myself smiling at her like a fool. "Besides, you're here with me. I'll punch anyone who dares to say something that would offend you."

That was so damn lame. What am I now? Her knight in shining armor.

But she smiled, and for some reason, it felt nice.

"You don't understand. They know me here. And I no doubt remind them of some kind of a pickup street girl now. Just go to check-in and I'll wait here. Please." She gave me puppy eyes, and I gave in.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

I went to the reception, but all I could focus on was her. I glanced in her direction and saw a tiny, petite woman anxiously hiding from the world, wondering how I was supposed to see someone this fragile as my enemy?

I watched Y/n lean against the wall, reading in embarrassment, when the desk clerk's voice snapped me out of my thought, "Here you go, Mr. Hargreeves." A beautiful brunette said as she handed me the key to my suite, smiling politely. "Enjoy your stay."

"Thank you," I grabbed the key and headed toward Y/n, my gaze focused on her the entire time.

"We can go." I took hold of her hand and led her toward the elevators and pressed the top floor button.

"So?" She paused, hesitant. "You're staying at a hotel?"

"Yeah, I'm not a local."

"So I've figured." Her eyes scanning my face. "What brings you here?"

"Business," I stated.

"What kind of business?" She tired to drag something out of me, but I just smiled. I heard the elevator ring, and we headed to my presidential suite.

"Whiskey?" I asked, holding a scotch bottle.

"Yeah, please." She said quietly. "Why exactly did you bring me here?"

"I told you," I said casually. "I wanted to make it up to you somehow."

"It?" She raise an eyebrow and curled her lips in a soft smile.

"That I nearly hit you with my car."

"It wasn't your fault," she reluctantly admitted.

"You don't have to feel obligated to babysit some batshit crazy chick who ran in front of your car in the middle of the street, you know?"

I smiled, fetching her the drink, and she tilted her head to the side, frowning again with a soft smile.

"What's so funny?"

"That's what I was thinking about you a while ago."  I'd been struggling to hide the amusement.

"Thinking what about me?"

"That you're batshit crazy," I scoffed. "But now—" I paused, contemplating my words.

"But now?" she demanded an answer.

"But now I see you're not some crazy chick, but a fragile human being dealing with some shit." Y/n seemed surprised, and we kept staring into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity. It felt weird. As if we had some kind of an instant connection.

"Yeah, we'll," she was rubbing the back of her neck with her long fingers.

Y/n drank her whiskey I fetched her in one go while I slowly took a few steps toward her. I overlapped her hand in which she was holding her glass with mine, and our eyes locked. I gently took the drink away from her and set it aside on the glass table beside us. I tilted her chin with my fingers, and my gaze dropped down to her slightly parted mouth. I couldn't fight the urge and brushed my thumb over her soft lower lip. Fuck she was so gorgeous. Was it wrong of me that at this moment, all I wanted to do was rip of my vest and her silky dress, and kiss her badly against the wall behind her.

"Y/n... " I whispered, leaning in with every intent to taste her luscious lips.

"Wait!" She stepped back. "How the hell do you know my name?"

Fuck!

She never told me her name. I knew I couldn't afford such rookie mistakes . It could ruin everything. And the last thing I'd want was to ruin anything. Especially at the very fucking beginning of my task. It was just those tempting lips of hers.

"Of course I know your name." I kept my cool.

"How, I never my mention my name," she objected.

"Y/n?" I replied. I noticed her lifting her hand up in the air. I soon noticed my body started raising from the air and I have trouble breathing and catching my breath. Y/n look at me with a confused look once I said her name again.

"Y-Y/n, N-number eight of the sparrow academy," I said trying to catching my breath.

"Oh." She said once she realized I knew her from the her family's academy, she slowly put me down and sat me on the ground as I cough.

"I'm so sorry, I forget about that."

"You forget that your part of a superhero family." I said sarcastically. "How do you forget that, your number eight."

She just stood there silently not moving.

I got up from the floor adjusting my tie, i sneered and turned to sip my whiskey. "Well maybe a cold shower would help. The bathroom on the left."

"Excuse me?" I hadn't been facing her, but her voice gave away that she was nettled.

I turned to look into her eyes. "You're not thinking clearly."

She shifted her eyes to the side, clearly strummed. Apparently, that was what she did when she was anxious—-look away from people. And for some fucked- up reason, it turned me on.

"Anyway, you might want to wash off your..." I paused, examining her smeared makeup, trying to find the right words to name it.

"Yeah, I could use a restroom," she said sheepishly. "It's about time I make myself look civilized again."

I sipped my whiskey, satisfied that I'd managed to disorientate her enough to drop the "name" topic.

"Make yourself at home," I said, gazing straight into her eyes.

She turned with no word, and I watch how effortlessly she swayed her hips as she headed toward the restroom. Damn, her body. Her beautiful beauty was driving me insane. I imagine ripping off her fucking dress and showing her how much she is worth.

I scrolled through dozens of the emails I'd gotten during my flight concerning some business shit when Y/n came back and instantly caught my attention. She washed off her face and obviously didn't use any cometic products or whatever the hell they're called, so she had no makeup. She pulled her hair up in a high bun, revealing her baby-doll-like face.

I should go home," she whispered.

"You can stay here if you want," I instantly second-guessed what I'd just said. Y/n's eyes grew wide as she glanced at me.

"Believe me, I'd love that, but—"

"But your father would be worried," I said cutting her off.

"I don't think my father would care, just my siblings I'm worried about." She said.

"I bet" I scoffed.

Y/n rolled her eyes. "Anyways could you order me and Uber or something? I had to leave my phone somewhere."

"I'll drive you home myself." Words just blurted pit of my mouth.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

She tilted slightly to the side, frowning, scanning my face with her eyes.

"Making sure you get there safe and sound," I added with a teasing tone. "How else will I be sure I don't hear about the girl who jumped in front of a speeding car in tomorrow's news?"

"Oh, screw you!" She sneered, her hand on her hip.

Yeah, screw me