When he said he'll return in few weeks, I didn't expect it to turn into a month. And when I asked him, to call me once reached, I didn't knew I'd be still waiting for that call.

"I am sorry Axel but I can't stay here.", I reasoned the millionth time.
"Oh Rosalyn what's wrong in staying here. Look at the protection here. The facilities here. Even I am here to provide you company!"

"You don't get it Axel. When I said I am ready to stay here. It was because of Jaden. The one who didn't bother to even mistakingly inform me of his whereabouts, and that too when he left the very next day, I declared my love for him. I would have thought he probably died on whatever mission he is, if he hadn't been calling you. You think I'll live at his place. I am in love but I am not blind.", I said scurrying over to my room.

The fishes were exposed on the floor because by now I have become used to it. He said they make him feel good when he's alone. And I wouldn't argue now with him on this fact. They definitely kept me sane these days.

One of these days, I had a text from my father telling me he's quite busy.. And he knows I am safe with that 'new guy'. He said he'll finish his work soon and come to meet me and 'My' guy.

I sighed as I packed all my stuff in my bags.
I have been thinking about moving out quite alot, but I didn't want to act like a clingy woman. However, I still couldn't get it in my head that all this while, Jaden was so busy in detective stuff that he couldn't call me.

My bags were done, and so I called a cab. I won't use his car, or his bodyguard.
Picking up my phone, I texted him promising myself that this will be the last time I am doing so.

"Hi Jaden! I know you read them, so I am writing it down. Today completes one month of your disappearance and also one month of my patience. I won't bother you after this. Just wanted to inform you that I am leaving. Take care!"
I ran over a glance of almost a thousand messages I sent him in the past month.
To every click of the door, or footsteps in the hallway, tingle of message on my phone, or an incoming call, I would think it's him. But all in vain. I was disappointed every single time.

I picked up my bags, and kept the phone at the coffee table, as it was his gift.
That Rose pendant too was left on the vanity.

I sighed and glancing at the room once, I dragged my suitcase down the stairs and reached in the dining room where Axel was impatiently striding back and forth.

I cleared my throat and he looked up, "Oh Rosalyn! Jaden will be very disappointed not seeing you here when he gets back."

I hugged him instead, "I think he doesn't even remember he has someone waiting back at his home."

I grabbed my bags again, and strides towards the elevator.
It was downstairs. Probably Andrew was coming or leaving. I stood leaning to the wall, waiting for the elevator with my bags.
Truthfully, I was not happy to leave like this. It was quite difficult to settle in such lavish surrounding but when I did, I started loving it. When Jaden left I was disappointed, but this place comforted me. But now, I can't take it anymore. I should leave. I'll have to..

"Where do you think you are going?", I froze as I heard the sentence.
"....Rose!"

Everything stopped before me as I looked up to see the one I am dying to see since a month back. And just as our eyes met, he flashed me his charming smile.

"J..Jaden!", I uttered and forgot everything around me.
Atleast he was safe and sound.

He came forward and engulfed me in a hug, "I missed you!"

I was still in a state of shock.
I couldn't say anything.
"Rose! Where are you going?", He said pulling back a bit.

I wanted to reply but I didn't. My voice was struck in my throat.
But someone else did it for me, "She's leaving."
Axel.

"Leaving?", He asked Axel who in turn glared at him, "You  can't expect to someone just sit and wait for you, when you pretend like you don't give a shit to them.", and then he left taking away the elevator with him.
"Rose..."

"I am getting late ", I announced and took my bag to the elevator entrance.

"Hey Hey hey! Where? I have just come Rose. Let me explain.", I didn't want to listen to anything he had to say. There was no excuse to why he'll ignore me like plague for a month, while still frequently contacting Axel.
I wasn't being a clingy one. But I was worried Damnit! So worried I couldn't sleep for days!

"Rose! Listen to me! Rose!", I clicked several times for the elevator and this time thank God! It did come.
The metal door opened and I got in, pushing in my luggage.
The next moment, I was pulled up on a shoulder by a strong hand on my waist.

"Jaden!! Jaden drop me! Jaden!", I saw myself moving away from the elevator, further in the corridor, and then finally inside the penthouse.
My protests didn't stop as much as I began hitting him on his back. But to no avail.
His body was as hard as iron.

If I thought, he'll stop in the dining room, he didn't. If I thought he'll stop in my room, he didn't. Instead I was taken to the end of the corridor where his room was.
"Jaden! What are you doing!?", I nothing but yelled.

Finally my journey on his shoulder halted, when I was slowly dropped on his bed.
I glared at him, the moment his ridiculously handsome face came in front of me, "Who do you think you are!? I am not going to live here. Let me go."

I attempted getting down the bed, only to be pulled back and caged between his arms. His body overpowering mine.
"I am never letting you go!"
As simple as his words were, what he said made me skip several heartbeats.
His eyes were focused on me, pinning me below him, warning me to make no vague attempts to go, and at the same time pleading me to stay.

"J....", My words were killed in my mouth, when his red lips landed on my pink ones.
All my attempts were thrown out of the window. And my whole body reacted to him so spontaneously, that it went limp, at just a simple touch of his lips.
I opened my shock filled eyes to look at him, only to find him looking at me with the same expression.
Shock.
It was a simple peck, yet all my longing for him resurfaced immediately.

"Jade....", My words trailed off again, when he pecked my lips again. As if this time reliving the moment, we just felt.
However, there was no shock this time. Instead it was something I see in my own eyes for him, while looking back at the mirror.
Love!?

No! What am I thinking?
I mentally slapped myself, and tried to recompose my self. This man will be a death of me. If I don't control my emotions, I'll be trapped. Trapped in him.

Getting down the bed, and running away was no option. Because the man before me was quite strong with his grip.
"Let me go Jaden! I am getting late?!??"

His eyes softened, "Rose! Let me atleast explain where I was?"
"I don't care where you were! But as far as you are on this Earth, there's no excuse for why you'll treat me like a disease!", My eyes started stinging, but I won't cry.
He shook his head frantically, "Rose I was in a dangerous work..Calling you or keeping any kind of contact with my loved ones means putting them in the danger too."
"Axel? What about Axel?"
He forwarded his hand and cupped my cheek, "Axel knows the environment I work in. But I couldn't risk your safety. I have many enemies. They would have traced you anyhow! And I can't allow that to happen. Never."

I looked at him trying to take in what he said.
"Rose! You are very precious to me. While I am known as the 'slaughterer' of criminals of course. And they can use you against me, because you are my only weakness!"

My heart swelled at what he said.
I am his only weakness.
Does anyone know what this means!?
I am his only loved one.
He said I am very precious to him.

"Why? Why I am your weakness?", I was amazed at how stable I sounded.
He was looking in my eyes, without any words uttered. As if he was preparing his answer by reading in my eyes.

Seconds passed, I think minutes too..
I thought he won't answer.
And so mustering the little force I had, I pushed him off me, "Don't say things you don't mean. They may be simple words for you, but may mean alot for others."

I composed myself and stood up to leave, when I was pulled back, and the words I heard next simply caught my breath.

"Because You are MINE!"

****

I poured milk in the bowl, as the water started boiling.
Leaning against the counter, I waited for the final solution to boil so I could put in coffee and chocolate in it.

"Rose Your closet is rearranged and I have kept things in a way, I believe you'll like.", Jaden said while entering the kitchen and standing beside me.

I gave a little nod, and diverted my gaze from him.
I heared him sigh, "Rose are you still upset? Tell me what should I do to compensate? Now I have all the time in the world to fulfill anything you say!? You just blurt it out."

I looked at him, only to find sincerity laced in his features. Probably that is enough for me.
I went in and engulfed him in a hug. He was taken aback for a moment but soon relaxed and wrapped his arms around me.
"You know why I was freaking out so much. Because I always feel this creepy feeling in me. You were not contacting me at all. I don't know where is Dad. All I have got from him, from the day you talked to him, is a simple text. I still haven't forgot that incident outside my apartments with those black men. Everything is new. Home, friends, people, job. And when I think about it, I feel scared. As if something wrong will happen."

I closed my eyes now feeling as light as feather.
Talking to him has always been a blessing for me..
"Rose I can search for your father's whereabouts you know. I am a detective after all."
I shook my head, "I just want to hear his voice and him to tell me that he's alright."
"Don't worry! You'll get that soon.", I felt him kiss my head, and I tightened my hold on him.
Finally atleast he was here!

After having our coffees we headed back to our respective bedroom, "You'll leave for work?"
It was night time after all.
"No not now! I'll stay."
Bidding him a good night, I came back to my room and sat next to the drawers on my bed.
As I sat there, my eyes fell on the 'J', the same J, I found the first night when those men came.
Something in me assured me that chapter is closed, while something always warned me of the impending danger.

Keeping all the thoughts aside, wrapped myself in the duvet, my eyes drifting over again and again to that J.
At some mid hour of night, I felt my door knob click.
I stiffened immediately and my eyes opened somewhere afraid the man in black is back.

From the darkness of the room, I could see the moonlit silhouette of the man on my door!
And a gasp escaped my lips when I found it vaguely similar!
It was the man in black without his long coat.

"J_Jaden!!!!!!!", I yelled for him. Only he can save me from this.
I covered myself with duvet, until Jaden comes.
May be this man carries a gun! Oh god!

I didn't realize when I started shivering.
And the voices went distant because I started panicking in my own self.
Oh god save me!!

"Rose! Rose!", I heard someone yell but my brain was too hazed to register.
"Rose!"
"Rose! It's me Jaden!", That snapped me out to reality.
And I didn't realize how fast I was in throwing away the duvet, and hugging the man sitting on my bed. Because I was sure he's not the man I loathe, instead the one I love with my life.

"Jaden!!", I cried in his neck, "I thought it was him."
"You looked like him in darkness!"

I felt him freeze.
Anyone would.
I was saying that the one I love looks same as the one I hate. Absurd no!?

After a lot of rubbing and soothing me, I calmed down, and then questioned him, "Why did you come here Jaden!?"

He smiled faintly, "I wanted to have something warm in my arms while I sleep which I clearly can't. All the blankets look so less in such cold."
I look through the glass walls to find its snowing.
A comforting smile was gifted to me.

"Well?", He brought me out of my reverie.
"You want more blankets Jaden!? Wait let me check in the cupboard...", I attempted getting down the bed, when he stopped me, "Wait! I didn't mean that."

"Huh!? Then what?"
He hesitated a bit and I could sense his discomfort in his eyes, "Uh....I don't generally sleep at night and thus, I can't sleep. I thought if you would allow me to stay here..."

"It's your house Jaden! You can of course stay!", But a question rose in my mind, "But how can I help you?"

He smiled briefly, "You can talk with me. Or if you don't want to talk, I will watch you while you sleep."

I laughed at his innocence. God! How can someone be as sweet as him!

"Ok! Let's talk then."

I shifted on one side of the bed, and he occupied the other, "So Rose tell me what all you did while I was away."

I nodded and started telling him, on how me and Axel went to an amusement park, because he was craving for it. And a lot many things I seemed to remember.

"Don't you think you both had a lot of fun, and I missed a lot of it?"
"Yes! You did. But we are not to blame for that."

He frowned, "I envy you both."

I chuckled and held his hand, "Why don't you spend some time with us. You'll feel good."

"Yeah! We'll make some plans."

While talking to him, my eyes landed on my phone and I picked it up to check if there is something from dad, and like always there was none.
My face fell then and there!

"Rose why you look so sad suddenly?"
I turned to him, "Jaden I want your help. My dad hasn't called me from the last time he talked to you. I have been calling everyday. And I have a strong feeling something is wrong. I have just got one voice message from me, that didn't calm me at all. And I feel like something is seriously wrong."

He furrowed his brows, "He didn't call you at all?"
"No!", I was worried would be an understatement.
I saw Jaden extracting his phone from his pocket and typing a text to someone.
"Don't worry! I will look at the matter.", I should have been convinced but I am not.

I feel something is wrong. And that something isn't small.

I didn't realize when I was pulled in his arms.
He touched my forehead with his finger like settling something, "You don't look adorable with all those creases."
I smiled at him and leaned in his touch.
He is so soft and comfortable for me.

I looked up the sky, cherishing his warmth radiating off me. I was thankful that this glass wall enabled me to see the sky people craved to in the city.
When I was a kid, I remember how I used to sneak out of our house and stand in the garden to gaze at those stars. I used to select a certain area and count the stars there. And I felt victorious, when I felt I covered all of them.
One of the many days, when those stars broke off with the sky, and trailed along it, I used to make a wish.
'Hey Star! Sorry for you are dying. But before you die, grant me one wish!'
That was the time when I used to read romantic stories, saw my parents so much in love, my neighbour couple growing old together, my teacher having a little baby with her husband...And so much more.
'I want you to go and meet my Prince Charming. Go to him, and tell him to stand under the same sky and wave at you. I am waving at you. So you pass our waves to each other. Tell him that I am waiting for him.'

My train of thoughts was broken when Jaden's hold tightened on me.
"Look up!", He whispered in my ears, and I looked up to see a beautiful star leaving the realms of the sky."

I smiled instantly wanting to make my wish again. The same one.
I closed my eyes and repeated the wish from my childhood. But my breath stuck in my throat, when I saw Jaden, waving at the star.

"Jaden....", My voice was barely a whisper.

"I am waving at him. I do this everytime I see a shooting star."
My eyes shined, "You do?!"
"I do. Why?", I shook my head smiling at my own self.
My star did grant my wish.

When I looked at him, he was looking at me with another expression.
I shot up my eyebrow wondering what he is thinking. And getting a clue, he spoke up.
"You look more beautiful in the moonlight."

He said that as if it's the most obvious thing.
But he didn't know how ramshackled I felt inside. Had I not known better, I would think I saw a flicker of some strange emotion in him. Something very strange. And my experience says it was regret. But why would Jaden regret when he hasn't done anything wrong.

I longed to close the distance between us. I was not only attracted to him emotionally, but this physical attraction was getting the best of me. And at this moment, I felt it at its extreme.

"Even you look more beautiful in the moonlight.", I whispered in a voice unknown to myself.

As if my sentence was a trigger to the present situation, the gap between us closed. And it was so fast, I didn't realize who it was to cause it.
When our lips met, I felt as if my insides exploded. As if that's what we have been wanting for centuries. Me and my heart.

We pulled apart, once our lungs decided to betray us. It was not a kiss out of lust, nor physical attraction, nor some temptation. It was love! Pure undefined Love!
"I love you Jaden!", I whispered once again and he stiffened once again like the first time I said it.

He didn't say it back. But I didn't expect he'll ever say so. He just kissed my forehead, and that to me was the best thing he could do.

****

When I woke up the next morning, feeling the light on my eyelids, I found birds chirping.
I smiled and that was because the heaven my bedroom was.
I tried to sit up but groaned when I felt a heavy weight on me.
Pushing my eyes open and looking around, I found Jaden lying diagonally on my bed. His hands spread as if inviting whole LA in his embrace. One hand was almost off the bed, another on my stomach.

His legs were another story.
Due to his diagonal position, his legs were kept on mine, capturing them.
The duvet was no where in my line of sight. And his pillow was doing adventures at the edge if the bed, like a truck stuck at the edge of the cliff.

I chuckled seeing his red lips, curved into a adorable pout. The ones I tasted last night. And his forehead creased with the lines I so desperately wanted to rub off.
Messed up hair was a cherry on top.
Why so adorable man!?

He looked like a baby, had it not been his muscular chest, and a man's physique.
How beautiful it is to wake up next to him, all dangled up with this sleeping mess.

I managed to get myself out of the bed with great efforts taking care not to wake him up. He didn't wake up and so I went to the bathroom for my morning course.

I was preparing breakfast when he decided to finally grace the penthouse with his presence.
"Slept Well!?", I asked him playfully.
He smiled a lazy smile, "More than well."

"C'mon the breakfast is done. I called Axel but he said he has somewhere to go.", He nodded discreetly and settled at one end of the table.
I served both of us, and sat beside him.

"Rose! I have few papers I need you to sign.", He said in a very soft tone.
I remembered how he made me sign some renovation papers on our date and then disappeared for a month.
"I will not sign any papers.", I answered sternly.

I saw the immediate conversion of his eyes from warm to cold. It was as if he was seething in anger. And god forbid! His eyes terrified me.
"Ja...."
"Why? Why will you not sign?", My eyes widened at his tone. I have never seen Jaden like this.

My gaze shifted to the cup of coffee he was holding. And his hold was so tight, I wondered the cup didn't break till now.

I chuckled nervously to ease the tension.
"Relax Man! Why will I not sign? It's just the last time I did, you mysteriously disappeared last time. I don't want to have a repeat of the last time."

His eyes softened immediately, almost as fast as they became cold. I felt myself being detached to him at this strange behaviour.
I looked down at my breakfast, trying to remove my focus from what happened just now.

"R_Rose I am so....", I interrupted him, "What are the papers about?"
"About investigation on your father.", I looked up suddenly.

"You can't locate him?!"
"I can Rose. But I need your approval for that. You know, extracting information about someone would be prying in their privacy unless it's not asked by a person, who's concerned."

"When do I sign the papers!?"
"After breakfast.", Came his reply.

I went silent then. And that was for two reasons. First, Jaden's flicker of behaviour. Second, Dad's absence. I felt a hand on mine, and I didn't need to look up to know whose it was.
"I am sorry Rose! I was....!"

"That's okay Jaden!", I smiled at him and convinced him I am fine, however, I couldn't convince myself.

He brought some papers then, and I signed them in a distressed mood. Who would be happy while filing an investigation paper for her father?

I sighed and settled down on the couch in the dining room.
"You want a head massage!?", I heard him say and smiled briefly.
I didn't realize my head was paining unless he mentioned it.

"I'll get the oil. Stay here.", I nodded in reply and settled waiting for him to come.

My phone dinged, and I saw it was a message from my office, "Miss. Carson please send the invoice project details."

I groaned and picked up myself reluctantly. Walking up to my room, I started searching for my pendrive in my drawer. When I came out of my room, I heard muffled voices. It was coming from Jaden's room.
I think he hasn't found the oil yet.

I walked to his room. He was standing near the window talking on his phone. The bottle of oil was in his hand.
"Yeah! The second clan is mine now. Just take care of him. I will use him in future. She's under my control. Completely!"