Be Mine?

'Not my boyfriend'

'Not my boyfriend'

'Not my boyfriend'

Somehow, those words just kept on echoing in Kai's mind.

He couldn't quite process it yet and the first thing that came to his mind was … if Zero wasn't her boyfriend, then who was he? She emigrated from Country M, thus, she had no relatives here. She had two brothers: Joseph and Daniel, her half-brother when her father remarried.

There was no 'Zero' in her family.

Yet, Zero has a special place in her heart.

Then … husband?!

Kai suddenly felt utterly betrayed and angry. How could they have played him this way? If she was already married, then why not just say so?

Lianne watched as the myriad of expressions flashed through Kai's face.

She expected shock, and surprise … but what was with the anger? Then, she sighed.

Of course.

What guy wouldn't be angry when finding out that he had been played? To have thought she was with someone else just to get rid of him? To have allowed him to go on this emotional dilemma of trying to 'steal' a girl from her boyfriend.

Figuring that Kai would not forgive her for this farce, Lianne thought that it was for the best. After all, she had always kept guys at bay, and it was only fitting that her own actions had pushed away the one guy that she might have been interested to be with.

Despite the sadness that she felt, she truly felt that it was better this way.

Her life wouldn't be disrupted after all.

It was then that she realised that they were still holding hands.

She looked at their intertwined hands and started to pull her hand away with a slight regret. However, Kai gripped her hand tighter.

She looked up at him with a frown.

If he was angry with her, and was dissatisfied with her, why should he hold on?

"Was it fun?" Kai hissed, unable to stop himself from asking.

Lianne's first reaction was to retaliate back but she held back.

The depth of pain in his eyes stopped her.

She sighed, and using her other hand, tried to push his hand away from hers. He didn't let go.

"I never wanted to have a relationship in the first place," Lianne said, staring at his fingers. They really were very nice fingers.

She looked up at him, straight in the eye, "You were the one that kept on chasing. Never before did anyone not give up even after I used Zero as a shield."

"Why not just be upfront from the beginning? That would have deterred anyone from the start," Kai retorted.

Lianne frowned.

Kai couldn't be that dense, could he?

If saying Zero was her boyfriend wouldn't have deterred him, why would telling the truth stop him?

Unless …

Lianne stared at him.

The only way to stop someone from really pushing forward, was that he thought she was married.

"For someone so intelligent, I can't believe you think that," Lianne said to him slowly, looking at him in the eye with some slight annoyance.

She resisted the urge to use her fingernail to slice at his fingertips, which happens to be the most sensitive part of the hand. Her nails were thin, and even when it's short, it can be sharp.

Lianne had to be careful and always buffed her nails so that it was blunt, but the nails on her two pinky fingers were deliberately left as it was. It was the best way to defend herself: use it and slice at the fingertips and the injury would be akin to getting a papercut.

The sharp pain would have the person jerk back reactively, like a knee-jerk reaction. That would be enough for her to escape.

Kai's throat constricted.

Seeing her clear gaze that was full of contempt, he gulped.

His mind was reeling and he quickly thought back of everything that had happened, from the time he met her until now.

Then he paled a bit.

He had been so emotional that he had neglected a few things. The main one being … that Kyle had also seen him about Lianne. To gauge his seriousness about Lianne.

Kyle, who cherished family and the sanctity of marriage … would not have encouraged him to break up a marriage then drop hints to help him find Lianne.

"He's not your husband?" Kai asked softly, not daring to dream.

Lianne just gave him 'the look' - one full of disdain and 'duh' written all over it.

Kai didn't care.

Yes, he had been stupid to think that.

He didn't care he had been wrong.

He was just happy he was wrong!

So, what did it mean for her to tell him?

His face just lit up and he pulled her closer to him as he leaned forward eagerly, "Does this mean … you'll be my girlfriend?!"

"Whoa there," Lianne protested, but didn't resist being pulled closer. He was just holding her hands, after all and not doing anything more, "Zero not being my boyfriend and you being it is not the same."

"Yes it is," Kai said with a goofy grin, happy beyond belief, "You could have just said 'no' after this date and let it be. You could have let me go on with the thought that you would never leave Zero and I have no chance. Since you clarified, it means …"

"No," Lianne insisted, though her 'no' was rather weak. Damn, having his face close to hers was making her weak, "We don't know each other well enough yet."

"We can get to know each other better as we go steady," Kai answered, "You can't deny you like me, right?"

"I can," Lianne huffed, biting her lower lip.

Kai smiled, and stroked her cheek, "Then you'd be lying."

"Yes, but I can still deny it, right?" Lianne replied with a pout.

Kai wanted to whoop out in joy but resisted the urge. She was actually admitting it! She wasn't resisting so much!

He had a chance!

He was so happy that his eyes were almost non-existent as he was grinning so much. Lianne couldn't handle seeing that and she looked down at their hands which were still intertwined.

Kai stroked her cheek and putting a hand under her chin, made her look at him, "Be mine, please? Let me be by your side, loving you always and taking care of you."

"I …" Lianne began, then looked away a bit, unable to focus with those intense grey eyes of his looking at her, "I don't deny I'm attracted to you but …"

"But?" Kai prodded, waiting.

"I have a lot of issues," Lianne confessed, "I don't know if I should take this step. I just like my life as it is."

"No one can predict the future," Kai said earnestly, "Isn't Life about adventure? I will take care of you. I will love you. I will be faithful. Trust me."

Lianne sighed. Life is unpredictable but unlike most people who yearned for love and sought for it, she didn't.

They say it was better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all.

She didn't agree with that.

She'd rather not love at all and live comfortably. So what if she missed out on something great? That was far better than being let down later on.

But …

Looking at Kai, she couldn't deny the stirrings in her heart and that her resolve was weakening.

"There are things about me you should know first," Lianne finally said, "Before you decide whether you want to continue this, and there are conditions I have before I commit."

"There is nothing about you that would change my mind and I would do anything to have you agree," Kai replied earnestly, already ready to say 'yes' no matter what it was. Or even now, before she even told him what it was.

Lianne shook her head and put her fingers on his lips, saying, "Shush. Let me finish. You're a businessman. Don't readily agree before listening to the terms and conditions."

Kai nodded, then taking that hand that was on his lips, he kissed the palm, saying, "I am listening."

Lianne gulped, feeling those soft lips on her palm - which only made her breath quicken and her heart beat faster.

Damn, this Kai was dangerous.