Cage's POV

"What the hell is going on here?" a voice booms. I almost fall backwards.

Pulling away from Alex, I step in front of her to hide her naked body. One of my co-workers—Sam—watches me for a few seconds before turning and analyzing the situation.

"Cage, get out, I'll deal with you later." His eyes are on Alex.

She tries to hide behind me. "I'm not leaving without her," I tell him.

"I'll report you," he warns.

I roll my eyes, trying to play it calmly. "Doubt they'd care." I'm not leaving her naked and handcuffed with another man. No chance. Turning around to her, I take the keys and unlock the handcuffs. "Put your clothes on."

She nods and follows instructions. I continue trying to block her from his view.

He grimaces, looking at the candles and the pasta. "What is this shit? You made her dinner? Trying to seduce the prisoners. Really?"

This wasn't part of the plan.

"Look," I say, stepping towards Sam once Alex is covered up again. His guard is up, his hand going to his gun in his pocket as a warning. "Things are complicated."

"Complicated meaning you're in major shit." He lifts his radio monitor to his lips. "Calling for backup in—"

I try to grab the monitor from him and in seconds he has his gun under my chin. Alex sucks in a deep breath from behind me. "Don't, please don't," she begs.

"Don't you dare touch me or my belongings." He cocks his gun. I hold my hands up in hope that he'll ease off.

Someone calls from the other end of the monitor asking him for confirmation of location. Still, he watches me. "Sam, you know they won't do anything to me. They're only going to punish her. This isn't her fault."

His gaze follows my gestures, to her.

"Really?" His face scrunches with held back anger. "I know it's your fucking fault. Do you think that fucking a young, traumatised girl placed under your protection is acceptable? Especially considering everything you're doing here is a lie, Cage."

Shit. I turn to Alex to read her expression, but she's nothing more than confused. I widen my eyes at him. "Don't."

"I don't have to call for backup for you to lose everything, do I?" He watches her, slowly placing his gun back in his belt hold. "All I have to tell her is that your name isn't even—"

"I said don't!" I shove him back. He steps closer, nostrils flaring.

"Then don't base your love life off a fucking lie, making her believe you're here to save her when really you're leaving with a story and she's leaving in a fucking casket. Have some decency." He brushes his shirt like I've tainted it. "Take her back to her cell and be done with this."

And with that he leaves. The silence left behind feels like the ringing in an aftermath of a bomb. I turn and Alex is shaking. "What—What is your name?" She squeezes her shaking hands together, her eyes darting around to escape from me.

My lips part but no words come out. This can't be over. This can't be how the truth comes out. No. No. No. My jaw clenches, fear and anger turning my vision darker. "It may have started differently, but this is real, Alex. I care about you."

"What is your name?" She releases her hands only to wrap her arms around herself to try comfort the fear inside her. "It's not true. I remember, in school, that was your name. You didn't lie."

There's a question in her eyes; she wants to know if I'm being honest with her. It would be much easier to let the lies continue, to let her believe what I want for the sake of this not ending.

I don't want to let her go, and if I tell her, she'll never forgive me.

I walk closer to her, reaching out for her. She lets me, her arms sliding up my chest. But there is water in her eyes. "I trust you. If you tell me you're being honest, I'll believe you. Please tell me who you are. What is that guy talking about?"

I take her face and press my lips to hers. My fingers are shaking even pressed against her warm skin. She whimpers, leaning in for more, her eyes becoming hooded. Her hands fist my shirt. "I love you," I whisper, but even that is shaky. "The truth is that. I love you."

We agreed on friends. We are fooling ourselves.

She pulls back then, shaking her head. There's a pause. "What he said. Your name? A story? I don't understand what he was saying."

This night was supposed to be special. Not this. She trusted me blindly. How can I tell her all of this is a betrayal?

"Alex . . ." I can't look at her. She's too vulnerable. I just had her at her most vulnerable state, and now I am about to break her. She's been through enough and I can't.

My fists clench. But I can't lie. I can't run. There's no more avoiding it now.

"You are hiding something." Surprise marks her features. Her expression is almost child-like. Her eyebrows rise. "You can tell me. Did you do something bad?"

Really bad. I take her arms, holding her as if I think she might run if I don't keep her here. "Please just hear me out, okay?"

She nods. "Of course. You listened to me when I was convicted of murder. I'll listen. Don't worry."

I squeeze my eyes shut but all I can see is the trust she placed in me. She was shoved into my grip with wide, trusting eyes. She fell for the care I showed to her and the protection she deserved.

No, she deserved more.

But most of all I see her coming undone, her body unclothed and her head tilted back. Pure vulnerability and trust.

Shattered. "I'm not an officer. My name isn't Cage."

0•0•0•0•0

HELLO!!

I'm back. It's been a minute (okay more than a minute) and my memory is not perfect on the minor details of this book but I have read over some of it and I'm ready to jump back in.

One of my readers of this book made some videos on Instagram using quotes of the book and it just gave me so much motivation to jump back in here. Thank you so much <3

Being here with you guys makes this writing journey so much better.

Qotd: best mystery or horror movie of all time?

T w i t t e r : xPineappleGirlx
I n s t a g r a m : laylaawrites
Y o u t u b e : xThePineappleGirlx

Lots of love and jelly tots - xThePineappleGirlx