I glare back at him, not appreciating his hard stare directed towards me.

Struggling against his hold, I try to free my elbow, only for him to tighten his hold to the point that I start to feel a numbness spreading in my arm. But this doesn't stop me from attempting to free myself. He doesn't seem bothered by my struggle, as his cold gaze his fixated on me. 

My attention shifts to the ground when I hear Maddox groan, my leg shoots out in his direction as I kick him in his ribs with all my force which I can manage in my restraint form. 

Alec jaws tick in anger, as he starts dragging me along with him. I put my full weight in the opposite direction, but it doesn't stop him as he easily drags me with him.

"Remove him from here." He nods his head at Maddox, as he orders someone while dragging me.

Glancing at Kris, I find Jake holding her while she is pushing him away and trying to reach to me. Her eyes widen in fear, as she looks at me. I manage to give her a smile, in a reassuring manner. 

Jake whispers something in her ear, then looks at me offering me a small smile although his eyes held apprehension. Maybe they are worried about me.

Of course, Alec, will not hurt me. But I can't promise about myself.

My gaze moves around and then I see a small audience, expressions ranging from stunned to impressed. When I find the same boy whom I have asked to call Jake, he discreetly winks at me with thumbs up, but not discreet enough to go unnoticed by Alec. Whatever, look Alec has given that poor guy, make him swallow hard in fear as he looks like he wants to hide somewhere and never come out.

Alec pulls me into an empty room and locks it. Then he releases my elbow and takes a few steps away from me. Turning around he crosses his arms as he looks down at me as anger flares in his eyes.

"Open this door right, now," I say pointing at the door behind me, as I glare back at him with the same anger.

"Alec, open this door and let me go out. I am not in a mood to joke," I grit my teeth, and ask again when he doesn't show any sign of letting me out.

"Why? So you can go out and prove how fucking badass you are?" His voice raises making me flinch at the sudden harshness of his tone.

"Huh?" Confusion replaces anger, as I look at him.

"Don't you dare try to look like you don't understand what I am saying?" He scoffs.

I haven't seen Alec like this, so to say I am shocked is a complete understatement. 

"Alec, I really don't know what are you talking about," I say slowly trying to make him understand, that I literally don't have any idea what is going on in his mind.

"What were you trying to prove out there?" He uncrosses his arms and let them fall on his side.

"I was not trying to prove anything."

"Really?" He arches an eyebrow, sarcastically.  "Because it seemed like that you were showing how cool and brave you are to face a crazy man with a gun, all by yourself when you could have waited for someone to come and handle the situation a little more maturely. Instead of trying to become a hero and save the day."

"Do you think all this is a joke? He aimed his gun at you and you were asking him to fucking shoot you," he shouts in anger, "Who do you think you are? And what is this? Some freaking action movie, where you will live after getting a bullet in your body?" 

"Stop with this nonsense, Avery. Open your eyes, this is real life people die and get hurt because of being reckless. For once try to use your mind logically." He holds my shoulders and shakes me slightly while his harsh tone taking everything in me not to flinch again, "You could have got yourself killed or your stupidity could have cost Kris her life."

My mind just reeling over the words he has just said, as my gaze falls on the floor. Does he really think I was trying to act brave and play the hero? He is judging me that I didn't understand the seriousness of the situation. He thinks that my concern for my friend was just an act get pat on my back for being brave.

Peering back at him, I remove his hands away from my shoulders and step back from him.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I glare at him but raise my hand to silence him as he clenches his jaws and opens his mouth to speak.

"You are nothing, but just a friend, whom I have hardly known for four to five months," I narrow my eyes at him, "Don't you to forget your place. I haven't given you any right to interfere in my life, so don't you dare to lecture me about the choices I make. I don't need to explain myself to you." 

I know I am being a bitch, but he asked for it.

He looks like I have slapped him, but quickly mask his face with an expression of impassiveness.

"How the hell you can say that I don't understand the severity of the situation back there? That was my friend whom he tried to hurt, and I would do anything to keep her safe."

"Avery, I know but instead of throwing yourself in danger you could have thought rationally and called someone for help," he says calmly while attempting to hide his anger.

"Kris was dragged from in front of this damn place and nobody knew about this and you think I should have waited and called someone for help when I could clearly hear fear and panic in her voice." I laugh dryly, "Fucking great."

"He was holding a gun on her, that reason is more than enough for me to throw all rational logical shit out of the window. I'd rather be reckless and save her, instead of being rational and let her die!" I shout.

"Two days I was with my father..." I swallow to reign my raging emotions, which have been triggered by my memories and his words, "Two days I was with my father's dead body, not even knowing that he wasn't sleeping... but he was dead." Pursing my lips, I ball my hands into fists on my sides, fighting the emotions which are surfacing and painfully twisting my heart.

"Those two days were the happiest days of my life, as the little nine-year-old me thought, my father for the first time stayed with her for so long. He didn't even leave for his work where he spent most of his time. Those same two days haunt me every day thinking I could have saved my father if I was not so blinded by my happiness... if I was not thinking about myself. I didn't even know when he died." Clenching my eyes shut I attempt to remove the image of my father's dead face as I laugh humorlessly.

"I was happy that he hadn't left, that I didn't even realize that he left me for good." My voice quietens, my breathing turns ragged.

"So excuse me for playing the hero, because I don't want to lose the people I love when I can save them." My eyes waters and my nose burn, from not allowing tears to escape my eyes.

Avery will not cry.

 "I failed once by not saving my father when I could, but I refuse to be that girl again." I shake my head, "I will do anything to keep my people save, even if it is mean to risk my own life."

"Pops said to me once and I believe in it," I take a deep breath, "Your loved ones are never your weakness, they are your strength."

"And I will go to any extent to make sure no harm comes to my family." I glance back at him. "I will willingly risk my life a thousand times just to keep my family unharmed."

"You will never understand the pain of losing someone, especially when you could have saved them." I blink forcing back my tears, "And I pray to God, that you never go through that pain."

"Avery," he whispers with a hint of sadness, as his earlier anger his replaced by guilt.

"Don't, Alec, you have said enough." I shake my head at him, concealing all my previous emotions. 

"Just remember one more thing." I walk to him and snatch keys from his hand, "If you value your life, you will not show me your face, let alone talk to me." I look into his eyes, impassively. 

Walking past him, I unlock the door and then throw keys back in his direction which lands near his feet, and walk outside the room into the dark night.

Anger is dominating my emotions and some part of my heart is hurt as his words are still clear in my mind.

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