First time

I'm in my bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in my thoughts. Could that be really a gun? Maybe it's just professional deformation. My mind goes back to this morning, Nathan has blocked my moves so quick and he was so precise, it never happened to me before. He surely knows how to fight. I toss and turn for a while before slowly drifting into sleep. 

Screams fill up the house and I jump right out of bed, thanks to my light sleep. 

"WAKE UP EVERYONE! " my dad is running through all the corridors, banging on each and every door.

I quickly put on a large shirt and grab my gun, running out my room. I slam the door open only to bump into Marcus and his puffy face. He must have been sound asleep.

"Marcus! What the hell is going on?!" He shakes his head and the yelling from downstairs makes us run for dear life down below. We enter the living room and it's almost like jumping in a joke: everyone is confused, with their pjs on and their gun. It's almost hilarious. My dad slams the door on the other side open, followed by Gavin. They look so worried and angry and silence falls among us.

"Dad, what the f**k is going on here?!" I speak for everyone, rubbing the sleep from my face.

"Everyone listen! Put on something really fast. Torres' men are at our dock! We have to go now. MOVE! " My jaw drops. I grab Marcus' arm and drag him upstairs and in a matter of seconds we are already in the car with my dad and his, driving like crazy to our destination. When we arrive everything seems quiet, the calm before the storm. We silently spread between the containers, hiding in the shadows. Marcus is always behind be, having back, coordinated as always. I spot a figure. Thank God I remembered to put on the silencer on my gun. I peak from behind a wall and I shot. Right in the head. Out one. I signal green light to Marcus, and keep going on like this for what seems too long, me shooting forward and Marcus backward. 

"Marcus, we have to split." we're panting, kneeled behind a container. The sound of footsteps is all around us, we are surrounded.

"Be careful Katie." Marcus gives me a quick kiss on the forehead and runs to the right. I take a deep breath and turn left. From the shadows emerges a male and I rise my gun, but he sees me. He aims at me and I throw myself behind a container just in time to dodge the bullet. s**t, that was close. I can feel a panic attack growing inside my chest, I can't delete that night from my head. Calm down Katherine, deep breaths. I slowly lean over to see and I shot but the bullet hits the corner of the column where he's hiding. He shots right back at me and a wildfire spreads from my upper arm. f**k f**k f**k. I hide again, bending down and squeezing my arm. I look down only to see the blood dripping to the floor. Ok, now I'm really angry. I peek from my hideout and I see him reloading the gun so I aim right at that. Shot. His weapon flies away from his hands and he jumps back behind the column. Yes! I hide again, and push on my wound. My arm is pulsing and getting weaker. One last shot Katherine. I look out again ready to finish that bastard but he's gone. What?! Are you kidding me?! Coward! I hear footsteps behind me, I turn around raising the gun with the healthy arm. It's only Marcus. Thank God.

"Katherine? Are you ok? They all run away like rats ahaha! Wait.. why are you so pale?" I slide down against the container and let go of my gun.

"It's nothing Marcus, really, just a scratch." I take my hand away from my arm and the blood flow starts again.

"Oh my.. let's get you to the hospital." On my dead body I'll go in the hospital again. Marcus rushes to me and tears a piece of fabric from his shirt, tying it above the injury. As he tights it up I let go a sound that seems more like a growl and his hazel eyes dart to mine. He's panicking.

"No need to go to the hospital Marcus, just call Doc Reyes, she can come home." I accept his help to get up and lean on his shoulder, lightly squeezing it.

"You sure? " Marcus picks up my gun from the floor and put it in my pants waist.

"Yeah yeah. Dad and the others?" I can't stop thinking at that bastard that fled. He freaking shot me and ran away, how coward.

"Two of us got shot. Everyone else is waiting in the vans. Let's go." 

*Home. *

"That damn Torres!!" dad slams his hands on his desk, raging.

"After all we did to him he's still ruling something?! Ouch! Doc, that burns!" Doc Reyes is medicating me, the smell of the disinfectant is giving me headache. 

"Your lucky that this is shallow, Miss Moore. A little bit on the right and you would have bled to death. " She gets up from beside me and cleans her hand before wrapping a bandage over the stitched cut.

"Yeah, lucky me!" I sigh and roll down my sleeve, taking a pain pill.

"It should be completely healed in a week or so. Well, my job here is done. Goodnight Boss. Mr Allen, Miss Moore." She nods at us and closes the door of my dad's office behind her. I glance at my dad and I see that he's looking at me like he's going to give my a lecture.

"Don't look at me like that dad. It's not my fault. That bastard was really good with the gun. And extremely quick." I raise my health arm to stop him and get up to take a glass of much needed water.

"More than you?" He crosses his arms and takes a deep breath. I did my best, what could I do more?

"I won't say quicker but surely is at my level." I roll my eyes. This is the thing that disturbs me the most. I'm the best and extremely competitive. I can't stand to loose.

"Go to bed now, you have school tomorrow. Rest a little bit." I nod and go upstairs, dragging my body and still pressing on the wound. I fall on the bed and I still can't get that man out of my mind. He was a few feet and I still missed him, without thinking I trow a punch to the wall, suppressing a scream when a stitch comes off. f**k it! I get under the sheet, exhausted, and I drift into a disturbed sleep.

* The next morning.*

"You've been shot again? For f**k sake Kate! Can't you stay out of trouble?" Maddie's voice reaches a pitch I never heard and I quickly cover her mouth with my hands, shutting her up. Some students outside the school turn to us but it only takes a look sideways to keep them going.

"Jesus, lower your voice Maddie! And it's just a scratch, nothing more." She shakes my hands away and glares at me.

"By the way, that's not the point. What do you think about Nathan?" Maddie takes a deep breath.

"I don't know Kate, maybe he has sneaked out only to see you and that message was his mother telling him 'I caught you!'." Only for me? It's that possible? 

"I'll leave you two love birds alone." Maddie strokes my cheek and enters the school leaving me alone. What? I suddenly feel two strong arms wrapping around my waist and two lips kissing my neck. I instinctively tilt my head to give him more access to my skin. I'm already turned on. Nathan squeezes my hips and I moan.

"If you don't plan to take me right here and now, I suggest you to stop." I raise my arms to run my fingers thru his curls.

"Who says that I can't?" Nathan whispers in my ear before softly kissing down my neck.

"Public decency?" I close my eyes and lean on his chest, while his hands wrap around my body, caressing my stomach.

"Boring." I spin around in his arms, kissing him softly right under his ear. I look at him thru my lashes and he bites my lower lip. As I stroke his cheek I feel some bumps. He's scratched. He quickly removes my hand from his face and kisses my fingers to sweeten the rough gesture.

"What is it?" I scan his eyes but he doesn't flinch. I'm still in his arms and he runs his fingers up and down my back. I could be like this forever.

"I.. I had a little fight with my mother's cat. Nothing serious." Nathan places a soft kiss on my lips and runs his hand from my shoulder down to my arms. I shake when he passes on my wound and the bandage catches his attention. He's about to lift my sleeve but I stop him but I take his hand into mine and I start to walk inside.

"What is it?" He tilt his head and I shake mine, smiling. The last thing I want is to explain to him why I have a gunshot wound.

"Nothing. I tripped in the shower this morning." He looks at me for a couple of seconds but then he smiles. 

"I'm sorry baby, does it hurt?" I shake my head and we enter the classroom and I go sit next to Maddie while he goes next to some of his teammates. I can hardly focus on stupid math, I can feel his staring. Every now and the I glance at him and he smiles but there's something I can't put my finger on. 

At the end of the school day I'm alone at my locker. Nathan and Maddie had to rush home and as always Marcus is late. I just put my last book on the shelf when suddenly my locker is begin shut close and I jump back. I follow the red nailed hand to the face of a smiling Victoria.

"What do you want?" I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I really hoped to be done with f*****g drama.

"Why don't we have a little chat?" She crosses her arms and makes a step closer to me, looking from head to toes. 

"Cause I don't have neither the time or the will, Victoria. If you don't mind.." I take a step to the side to walk away, before I loose my patience but she stops me.

"Now you're gonna listen to me, little slut." Victoria points her finger right in my chest.

"Watch your mouth Victoria. I'm warning you." I look her sideways and she does a fake laugh.

"You? Warning me? You stole my man!" Her voice is shrill and I just would love to tear her vocal cords away. Keep the calm Kathrine.

"I didn't steal absolutely nothing." I roll my eyes and make a little smile for her. Pathetic. Victoria's eyes open even more and the vein on her forehead starts to pump. I have to repress a laugh.

"You put your filthy paws on Nathan. He was so sad when I met him in London. Al least he had me. I can make him happy in ways you can't even imagine. Over and over again." Oh my God I want to puke. Jesus.

"Yeah I know what happened in London. But I really don't want to do this stupid conversation with you. He is a grown man, he can do whatever he likes to do. Are you really this delusional?" Her jaw drops.

"You stupid b***h!" Victoria rises one hand, fresh of manicure, to slap me. I dodge the blow, quickly get up and smile at her. Oh she shouldn't have. I grab her by the throat, slamming her to the wall, her head makes a dull sound.

"I told you to watch your mouth." I keep Victoria in that position for several seconds. I'm not suffocating her but I can see the fear building up in her eyes as she clings on my arm.

"Now listen Victoria. I'm not gonna say it another time. Watch your f*****g mouth, you don't know who you're talking to, so be careful and stay the hell away from me." She gasps for air and gets even more agitated, trying to scratch my hand.

"L-leave m-me." I shake my head and start closing my finger on her throat. All I can see is red, I hate when people make me angry. I control my breathing as I lift her up an inch from the floor. Her face in almost completely red.

"Katherine! For God's sake! What are you doing?!" Marcus' voice come from the end of the hallway as he runs to me. I glare at him.

"Nothing, just teaching a lesson." I look back at Victoria as I slowly let her feet touch the ground again.

"Hey Katie, calm down. You don't wanna do this." Marcus slowly approaches me, his hands raised while mine is still on her throat. I can't stop looking in her eyes, I love the expression that she has now. Fear.

"I'm not a dangerous animal, Marcus. She threatened me. " Marcus takes a deep breath and makes a step closer to me.

"Katie, please. It's not with it" Well, after all he's right. Oh fine. I ease my hand on her, still not letting her go.

"Not a word, with anyone. This isn't an ounce of my strength. You don't wanna see what I can do. Are we clear?" I'm talking an inch from her face, that now is going back to a normal color.  She nods as the tears roll down her face. I roughly let her go and Victoria touches her throat, shocked, sliding down against the wall. I turn away and take a step back, warning Marcus with a deadly gaze. He bends down, patting her on the shoulder.

"Hey doll face, listen to her. I won't be here the next time you piss her off."

*Home.*

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Maddie almost jumps through the phone as I fill her about Victoria.

"I know, I know.." Earlier the lecture from Marcus, now her. Oh Jesus, holy patience!

"I swear, I have to become the best lawyer if I have to defend you for you bullshit." I laugh at her comment. But I now she will be the best.

"See? I have you, no need to worry!" She puffs.

"That's not funny Kate. You have to be careful, seriously. You already have too many enemies, you don't need anyone else on that list." My phone rings in my hand, and I look at the screen: another call.

"I have another call Maddie, can you make me a lecture tomorrow?" She finally laughs at me.

"Oh, you'll see young lady." Maddie does an imitation of my father and I crack into laughter.

"I love you too bestie!" I hung up and take the other call.

"Hey stranger!" I instinctively smile and relax at the sound of Nathan's voice.

"What a honor, Nathan Walker!" I walk to the window, admiring the late afternoon view.

"Are you free tonight?" what is he talking about?

"Why?" I hear him taking a deep breath and my heart starts to beat a little faster.

"I wanna do things right. Now that I have you, I'm not gonna screw things up." I smile and shake my head.

"I'm not going anywhere, you know that." I really can't imagine leaving him, I would rather die.

"Forgive me, but I don't believe you. You're unpredictable." I giggle at his words.

"Admit it, this is why you like me." I lower my voice without thinking and I hear him skipping a breath.

"Yeah. But also your lips, in places that you don't even imagine. You're hands, especially on me. And you're ass.. oh good God, you ass Katie." Whoa. I feel the heat spreading throughout my body and my legs tremble a little bit.

"Nathan.." words die in my mouth as he continues talking, in a husky voice. Oh Lord.

"The way you become shy when I talk to you like that." I open my mouth but no sound escapes and I have to lean on the wall. I feel hot in the face and my thighs are tight together. I lick my lips and close my eyes.

"How you lose your breath before giving me that sexy look." Oh my God, get your s**t together Katherine! I take a deep breath to regain control on myself. How can he do this to me even on the phone?

"As much as I like this thing, you've lost the point of your phone call." I place my head against the cold window to cool me down.

"I want to take you on a date." what?! I immediately straighten up.

"A date? Nathan.. I don't know how these things work.." I'm not that type of girl. No I can't do this.

"Me neither! We'll to learn it together." I can read the hope in his voice, I really don't want to let him down. But this things are not for me, I never did them.

"My dad would never let me out alone. Especially with a guy he doesn't know. " Only the thought on my dad finding out that I'm dating gives me shiver all over my body. He would explode.

"We could involve Marcus and Maddie" that is actually not a bad idea. 

"I'll call you after training ok? Let me sort this thing out." I can almost see him smiling.

"How I would love to have you all sweaty in my hands." He wants to team me again? Game on.

"The fun part is the after training. The shower." I hear him making a sound that seems more like a deep growl. I close my eyes. I can't wait to hear that sound in real life, but unfortunately I can hear Marcus yelling from downstairs, I'm late.

"I'll talk to you later. Bye sexy."

*In the gym.*

"What do you say?" I dodge a punch and hit Marcus in the stomach. He grabs my arms and makes me tripping to the floor. Talking during training is a great way to control the breathing.

"I don't know Kate." I wrap my legs around his arm, forcing him to bend down. I hit him across the face with my elbow and I quickly get up. He steps back and spits a little bit of blood.

"Look at it in a different way ok? You could spend an evening with Maddie."  When I say her name his eyes widen and he softly blush. Oh my God, really Marcus?! I take advantage of this situation and tackle him, slamming him to the wall. I block his hands behind him and start hitting him on the stomach with me knee. Marcus gives me a warhead and I stumble back.

"Nice blow." I massage my cheekbone, I really hope not to get a bruise.

"You got me distracted." He stretches his arms and gets back in position.

"I'm a cheater, I know, blah blah blah. The point is, that I'm right about you two. " Marcus charges me on his shoulder lifting me up to slam me on the ground. But before he can do that, a punch him in the ribs, over and over again. He loses his grip and I pull him to the ground with me. I roll over, pinning him down.

"See, Maddie can't lie. She's to pure. " I smile at him, keeping his arms down and blocking his waist with my legs.

"What did she said?" His jaw drops.

"Nothing, she was afraid for your life. But is written all over her face. And also on yours." he rolls his eyes and look away.

"I don't know what to tell you, Katherine." I take a deep breath and get up, helping him on his feet again. We circle each other.

"Oh I'm not blind Marcus, you will come around and tell me when your ready. But I just wanted to say that I'm fine with that." He stops dead in his track and looks at me, disbelief painted on his face. 

"You're what?" He almost stutters and I see the corner of his mouth trembling, trying to repress a smile.

"I'm fine, if this is really what you two want. " I giggle at his reaction. Is that really unbelievable?

"You're not going to rip me apart or something else?" Marcus tries to get back in the training but he can't concentrate. He's really into Maddie.

"Unless you hurt her, obviously. If you do that, I'll chase you around the world. You will have to sleep with an eye open." His arms relaxes and he places his hands in his hips.

"What exactly I have to do?" I make a big smile and go closer to him, looking around, I don't want anyone to hear.

"Not here. Let's finish training, then we'll talk." He nods and shakes his shoulder.

"Ok. Can you please play by the rules for once?" I make a grin and tilt my head.

"Never." I clutch to his shoulders and before he realizes he's on the ground with my legs around his neck.

*A few hours later. *

I just got out of the shower and I don't know what to wear. I don't think that I even have something appropriate. I only have "one night stand" type of clothes.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK 

"Who's that?" I can't stop staring at my closet. I'll make a poor figure.

"It's me." Marcus. It' already time to go?

"Come in loser!" As he opens the door he jumps back, turning around.

"Can you please put some clothes on? " What the hell came to him? I look at him confused.

"Why? You already seen me naked. What's the difference? You're suddenly shy?" I take a step closer but he won't turn around.

"No Katherine. The differences have two names: Maddie and Nathan." I stop dead in my track. s**t, he's right. I toss something on and sit on my bed.

"Ready!" He slowly peeks over his shoulder and I roll my eyes.

"So, what's the plan?" He gets closer, sitting next to me on my bed.

"You and I are going to Maddie's to watch a movie. I'll tell Nathan to come pick me up there and leave me there at the end of the night. During this time you'll have Maddie all for you." His face lights up, and I can't help it but smile at him.

"Ok I'm in." I laugh at him, it's like he has never been with another girl. We both look back at my closet and I sigh.

"Oh don't even bother to search for something in your wardrobe, you've got nothing. Ask Maddie, she surely has something nice." I smack him on his leg and he laugh at me.

"I don't know if I should take this like an advice or an insult." He has a stupid grin on his face.

"You know the answer." My jaw drops but as I'm about to throw my pillow at him he runs for dear life to the corridor and my throwing crashes on the closed door.

*Maddie's home.*

"You're gorgeous." Maddie takes a step back from me admiring her masterpiece. She has done a light makeup on me and my hair fall in perfect waves on my shoulders. I feel like a freaking doll, It's definitely not like me. 

"You sure? I don't look ridiculous?" I look in the mirror, and I see a clown.

"Just a little bit." Maddie glares at Marcus, sitting on her bed, and he shuts his mouth. I like it.

"Don't listen to him. You're perfect." She comes behind me in the mirror, placing her hands on my shoulders.

"Put on that dress now, I want to see the complete look." I look at the hanger. I beautiful short and flowing dress is waiting for me. It's black and the bust is made out of a semi-transparent lace. I follow the cut with my finger, I never wear dresses, not this short above all.

DING DONG.

"I'm comiiiiiing! " The bell sound makes me jump. Maddie rushes out to go to the front door.

"f**k. I can't do this. No no no. I can't." I can't breath, my stomach closes and my head start to spin. 

"Hey Katie, calm down. You got this. You've been through hell and back. This should be easy." Marcus comes to me, grabbing my shoulders and forcing me to look in his eyes.

"Why I'm so nervous then? " I shake my head. I feel like I'm passing out.

"Because you care. Despite what you think, you have a big and kind heart. And you deserve a love story like in fairy tales." I take a deep breath with him and he gives me a sweet smile before hugging me.

"Thank you. You really are a good friend when you're not a jerk." Marcus helps me in the dress and opens the door for me.

"Now go and slay girl. Use that hot body of yours like only you know." I stop right outside the door and turn back to him.

"Take care of Maddie ok? I trust you, don't make me regret it." I stoke his cheek and he nods, pushing me towards the stairs. I go downstairs, trying not to fall from this f*****g heels. On the last step I look up from my feet and the view of Nathan in a suit is breathtaking. We're both starting at each other with our mouths open.