76 Negotiation

Lyca's lazy self was telling her to just nod and kick him out of her room so she could sleep. It was nudging her to ignore his words, forget this night. But half of her, the evil half of her, the one who wanted to hurt people and see the fear in their eyes, the one who loved adventure and thrill was telling her something else.

Lyca chuckled. "You are more observant that I originally thought." His keen mind caught her off guard and so was his naivety. Her tense shoulders relaxed. Slowly a smile blossomed on her face. True, she let him drank the poison pill. True, she had been giving him the cure everyday. And everything that he said about her mother was true. 

She was never someone that would just trust a pretty face and Shen Qui was not an exception. This time, she was the one who took a step toward him. Surprisingly, he didn't take a step back. He stood still, letting her approach him.

"I might be naive in your eyes. But I am never the type to run away from my emotions." He uttered.

"Are you sure this Is not some adrenaline rush? A fleeting feeling of celebration?" she asked, eyebrow lifted. She saved him and he might have gotten confused the gratefulness to liking. She wanted to make sure.

"You can tell yourself whatever you want."

"So stubborn." She snorted.

He pressed his lips together, his eyelid fluttered— a thing that he usually does when he was nervous. He gulped his nonexistent saliva. "Aren't you the same as well?" his tone turned challenging. Aren't they the same? Just one was more heartless than the other.

"I am damaged, broken in so many ways. And you are a warrior… you need someone like you."

"So?" This time, it was Shen Qui's turn. So what? What does this have to do with his feelings? He watched as Lyca smiled.

"You are right." Nodding, she realized that their faces were already so close, she couldn't focus on his eyes. So she gazed at his lips instead. She saw him part his lips and waited for him to say something.

"It's a yes."

"Excuse?" her eyes sprang back to his.

"You have been asking me to marry you. The answer is yes." Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Shen Qui gave a mocking laugh to himself. He didn't know what had gotten into him. What marriage? He had been with this woman for weeks! F*cking weeks! The small sane part of his brain wanted him to quickly take back his words. But it was too small, he didn't bother listening to the little bit of logic that he had left.

Seeing her turned silent, Shen Qui continued. "I know some of your secrets. Its either you marry me or kill me. I guess you have no plans on killing someone useful to you. So you have one choice left. Marry me." 

His words rung inside her head like a tolling bell. But she said nothing. Marriage. Is a joke.

"I am intelligent. My observations skills are way above normal human beings. I can protect you." 

She wanted to laugh. Was he trying to convince her? But Shen Qui didn't stop.

"Once people know of your talents. Their greedy hearts would want to have you. You are intelligent and deadly. Marrying you would be like an instant access to the wealth and things that you can do. Are you really going to worry about such things in the future? With the personality that you have, you will scheme and try to kill them. But do you think that would be good for your parents? Do you think that will give you the opportunity to continue lazed around and sleep all the time?"

She opened her mouth but closed it again when she realized he was right. Damn, he was right. This man knows her way too much, he knew where to hit her on the right spot. This man can talk and she could only hope that this mouth of his won't disappoint her.

Seeing this, a smirk appeared on Shen Qui's face as he continued. "Marrying me would save you the hassle. True, it might not be enough to stop other people but at least you have a reason to have me stay beside you, all the time."

"You are right." She nodded. She would be too lazy to deal with this things— too lazy to face it. She would rather take her parents and just run away. But running away would make her too tired. She just wanted to live a relaxed life. Was that something so hard?

"Plus… my fighting skills would be perfect to yours." He added. "You are weak when it comes to direct confrontations because you are too lazy to practice. So you needed the darkness to hide you— you needed distractions. Whereas my skills lay in direct confrontation… I can be the distraction." Confidence laced his tone. "And I believe, I am good looking enough for your peculiar tastes." 

Did he really have to add that? She chuckled. "You are very good in convincing people. I bet you can convince someone to kill themselves."

"Then? Are you willing to marry me?" Of course, he didn't change the topic. His stubborn self wouldn't let him do that.

"You are the safest choice." She shrugged. "I hope you won't regret it."

"I already told you. Whatever you are willing to give, I'm taking."

She snorted. She had watched romance series about the rich male lead convincing women to marry them because of their money and convenience. While this man was using her laziness to convince her. Isn't that too funny? "You don't know how to cook."

"You can pay someone to cook for you." He answered almost immediately. "While I learn." His woodsy smell surrounded her. And she could smell something else. Was that cinnamon?

"Fair enough." She nodded and chuckled at the funny negotiation. "If you like someone else… I will kill you."

"You don't like me and yet you are already this possessive. I wonder what would happen if you finally like me as much as I liked you?"

"That's not going to happen." She felt him shift his head closer, his lips just a few inches away from her as his hand rested on her waist, pulling her closer towards him. 

"Too bad." He dipped his head until his mouth brushed against hers. "I am here to convince you otherwise."

Then he kissed her again.

...