(His First Smile)

After leaving Mariana at Calum's hideout, Calum went to meet Trae. Trae cleaned Calum's wound, having rescued them after Calum had called for help. Calum avoided Trae's gaze, not wanting to have any conversation involving Mariana.

"Tell me what happened," Trae asked, his voice solemn, after putting away the first aid kit. He sat on the other couch, facing Calum, knowing he didn't want to talk about what had transpired, which only made Trae more eager to pry.

"Eagle's men almost ambushed me because of that damn phone. I never realized I left it on, shit!" Calum said, shaking his head.

"So tell me, why are you with that girl? Where are you going to take her?" Trae pressed.

"I tried to take her to the city. Yeah, I know it was stupid. Fuck! I don't know what's going on in my life anymore," Calum said, frustration etched on his handsome, troubled face, while Trae grinned.

"I can't blame you for being into that woman. Damn, buddy, she's hot," Trae said, his grin widening.

Calum met Trae's gaze, his expression a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. He knew Trae would make a comment like that.

"Are you serious? What are you talking about?" Calum asked.

"Are you serious, too? What exactly did you mean when you said you tried to take her back to the city? Are you crazy? Why can't you just kill her?" Trae asked, his voice laced with amusement.

Calum was speechless, unable to defend himself. He couldn't answer that question. He had been asking himself the same thing. Why couldn't he kill her when it was the easiest way to fix everything that had happened because of her?

"I can't kill her. I don't know, but I just can't," Calum admitted, his voice low.

When those words left his lips, Trae froze, speechless with astonishment. Calum's reaction was sincere, laced with worry and regret. By saying those words, he was essentially admitting he had feelings for her. His pessimistic eyes met Trae's gaze.

"Then let me do it. Let me kill her, If you will not do it, some of Crow's men will, specially, Jaguar. " Trae muttered, his voice matter-of-fact. He noticed Calum's jaw clench and the intensity of his stare. Calum's gaze seemed to pierce through Trae's skull. He could tell Calum wasn't in favor of his suggestion, and the disapproval in his eyes was mesmerizing.

"No. You won't hurt her. She's my problem, and you have nothing to do with it. I'll handle it myself," Calum said, his voice firm.

Trae detected a shift in Calum's perspective and principles. He was amazed.

"I don't know when you developed that sense, Calum, that sense of caring for someone. Are you in love with her? Tell me!" Trae asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

"Yes!" they both shouted, their faces filled with a mixture of shock and disbelief. Calum covered his face with his hands, closing his eyes in displeasure.

"I already regret it. I'm so stupid, I didn't kill her before I fell in love with her. I'm a fucking idiot!" he yelled, his anger directed at himself. He lowered his head, avoiding Trae's gaze.

Trae shook his head slowly, then stood up and walked towards Calum. He placed his left hand on Calum's shoulder, squeezing it sympathetically.

"I knew you wouldn't fail me, or yourself, just because of that woman. Have you ever been in love before? How can you say it's love? Remember, the heart is deceitful. Always use your head," Trae said.

Trae was right. Calum had never been in love before, and concluding that he was in love without knowing what it was, was unacceptable. If there was anyone who understood Calum better, it was Trae. He did understand him, but he didn't want to lead him astray. He said, "You're better off without her."

Mariana peeked from behind the wall, observing Calum in the living room. It was night, and the events of that morning were still fresh in her memory. He was sitting half-naked, the bandaged wound on his side clearly visible. He was busy loading bullets into his guns. He sensed someone was watching him. He turned his head and saw her peeking from behind the wall, just three meters away.

Mariana stood, her hands gripping the wall. She lowered her head to avoid making eye contact. She stood there, wearing his large, teal-colored t-shirt and barefoot.

"What are you doing here?" Calum asked, sighing as he continued loading his guns, waiting for her to respond.

She walked over to the couch and sat opposite him. "I just wanted to check on you. I'm sorry if I bothered you," she said, her soft voice reaching him. He couldn't help but stop what he was doing and pay attention to her.

"It's better for you to rest than to disturb me," Calum said.

"If that's what you want, then I'll do it," she said, standing up. She took two steps away from him when he stopped her by taking her hand. He stood behind her, his grip firm on her left hand. She paused before turning to face him. The magic of their eyes meeting almost made her collapse with contentment.

Their feelings were mutual, crystal clear. They were torturing themselves by not admitting it to each other.

"Is there something wrong..." she asked softly.

Calum didn't say anything. He simply pressed his lips against hers. She gasped, surprised by his kiss, and closed her eyes. He pulled her body against his, wrapping his arms around her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes. They moved their lips against each other as fiercely as they could, their eyes closed, fulfilling the desires of their hearts. Their hearts pounded wildly, their emotions raging out of control. Calum's wound bled when her hand accidentally brushed against it, but he didn't feel any pain.

She pulled back and looked down at Calum's abdomen, checking his wound.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice laced with concern. Her other hand remained hooked around his neck, her body still leaning against his. She placed her hand on his chest, her bare skin brushing against his. He bit his lower lip in pleasure. He put his hands on her hips, and without realizing it, he smiled at her. He felt happy, unsure why. He didn't even know he still knew how to smile. He had forgotten what Trae had said about her, and he had no intention of remembering it. She was driving him insane.

Their faces were just four inches apart, and he could smell her fresh breath as she spoke. He could also smell her alluring scent on her. Their eyes were locked, his sweet smile pinching her heart, making her smile back. It was worth witnessing his first smile, and she wanted to see it again and again.

She pressed her lips against his again, both of them smiling in contentment, their hearts crying out in rapture.

***