Chapter46.

******

I woke but didn't open my eyes. I didn't want to move. It didn't really feel real waking up like this, and I wasn't ready to end the feeling yet.

I moved closer to Sergio and smiled feeling his arms tighten around me as he gave a deep sigh. It was pretty late if it was still morning, I knew that because there was sun in my eyes, but I could avoid it by putting my face closer to Sergio and that's what I did. From what I could tell, he was still asleep. His breathing was steady and he wasn't moving much.

"Aw."

My eyes shot open and I shoved myself into sitting position.

"We didn't do anything, I swear." I said quickly.

Rhonda laughed and I frowned as she snapped a picture. She had a thing about pictures, which was why the hall was so packed with them. My mother always loved it because Rhonda would fill our mansion with family portraits. You could probably see my entire life on the walls of the two houses...

"I know." She grinned, "Are you guys going to lie there all day or join me for a walk?" She asked.

"I want to walk!" I turned to face an enthusiastic Sergio and I knew he was planning something.

Damn it. Now I would have to be on my guard all day because I pushed him into the lake. It was a mistake, I bet that didn't matter to him though. I guess my walking off and not offering to help him out of the water could make it look like I pushed him in on purpose.

I heard a click and I turned to frown at Rhonda again.

"Can I?" Sergio climbed out of the bed.

I watched as Rhonda handed him the camera before she sat down and I hugged her while he snapped a picture.

He grinned at the camera before he looked at me.

"We should get cleaned up." He said quickly.

"Right, I'll be downstairs." Rhonda said.

A few minutes later I was cleaned up and dressed and I was about to make my way downstairs when I spotted Sergio as he walked out of his room.

"Seriously?" He glared at me.

I grinned taking in his attire. He was wearing a pair of black and green shorts that came down to his knees.

"What?" I asked, "You look nice."

"You packed shorts!" He hissed, "Only shorts!" he added.

"You have sexy legs." I smiled, "and it's hard to swim in pants." I added with a smirk.

He glared at me with fiery eyes I knew I was piling up reasons for a harsh revenge for him.

"Seriously, you have nice legs." I gave a nervous smile as he walked by me.

"You better watch out, Sweetheart." he called back.

I couldn't really admire his backside as much as I would have liked as I swallowed nervously while I watched him make his way down the stairs. Maybe the shorts weren't a good idea... But why did he have them if he never wore them?

I walked downstairs and met a frowning Rhonda and a smirking Sergio.

"Seriously, Alexander?" I opened my mouth as Rhonda glared at me but I shut it. "You only packed t-shirts and shorts? What if it gets cold and he gets sick because of you?" she scowled at me.

"But..." I drifted.

"Don't 'but' me. Apologise."

Sergio crossed his arms faking a hurt face as she looked at him before she glared back at me and he smirked from behind her.

"Sorry." I muttered not really caring how childish I sounded.

"Alexander." Rhonda said sternly.

"I'm sorry. You can borrow some of Jordan's clothes." I glared at Sergio. Jordan always forgot some of his clothing here when he visited the house. It would just barely fit Sergio but it was better than my stuff.

"Mmm... not the best apology but I guess I can live with it." Sergio said.

"Alright, let's go." Rhonda smiled at him before she looked at me, "Behave."

We followed her out of the house and fell behind as I locked the door. Why was she taking a walk with her handbag? I shook my head brushing it off as Rhonda's occasional weirdness.

"Very mature, Sergio." I muttered to him.

"I kind of like the way you look when you're being told off." he chuckled.

"I'm not a child." I hissed.

"Really?" I frowned but gave up as his arm fell around my shoulders and he pulled me against him, "You did get one thing right though." he said.

"What?" I asked raising my brows.

"I have sexy legs." I laughed as he stretched his leg out. "I have sexy everything." He added with a proud smile making me laugh more.

"You do." I admitted and he grinned as I kissed his cheek.

We walked for a while, occasionally stopping so I could greet some of the neighbours I knew, leaving Sergio and Rhonda to talk. Sergio made a phone call to David when we reached an area that allowed some signal.

"I'm hungry." I mumbled as we walked.

I could see our house directly across the lake, so we were pretty close to Mr McCay's house, and be he an animal bone collector or not, I had never felt comfortable around his house. I wasn't really hungry; I just wanted an excuse to go back the way we came without going near the old man's house.

"Rhonda said we would be having lunch at one of her friend's houses." Sergio said.

"Which friend?" I asked, "What's her name?"

"She didn't mention that it was a woman." Sergio pointed out.

"Yeah, but..." I drifted as I looked around. "Rhonda?"

I stopped walking and turned to look at all the trees around us. Where was she? She was right beside us a few minutes ago.

"Rhonda?!"

"Calm down, Alex. She probably got stopped by one of her friends." Sergio said looking around as he spoke.

"She would have said somethi –" I froze hearing a scream. "Oh my God –" I gasped as I looked towards where the scream had come from.

"Is that Mr McCay's house?" Sergio mumbled raising his brows. I attempted to head towards it but he grabbed my arm. "Stay here."

"Why?" I frowned, "You don't have any weapons." I said.

"If it's Mr McCay, I'm sure I can handle a sixty-something year old man." he rolled his eyes.

"What if it isn't him?" I hissed.

"I can handle anyone. Look, I have to get her. Stay here." he commanded.

I nodded and watched as he left through the trees.

I waited for a while, getting more on edge with each second. What if it wasn't Mr McCay? Or what if it was? We had no idea what the man was capable of. Sergio should have been back by now. He would have unless...

I gave a chuckle. There's no way anything could have happened to him. He survives gang wars, shoot outs, what's a run in with a couple of guys out here? Nothing compared to what he usually goes through. Then why wasn't he back yet?!

"Sergio?" I called.

I didn't receive an answer.

I grabbed a thick branch I found on the ground before I began moving in the direction of Mr McCay's house. I slowed down as I spotted the house and felt myself shiver.

Come on, Alexander, you're nineteen. He's not a murderer, you idiot. Grow up.

I rolled my eyes at myself for being so afraid of an old man. Maybe he did collect animal bones; maybe he was a hunter or something. It didn't mean he killed people.

I walked up to the house but froze when I heard a loud clank.

It sounded like someone was hitting an iron pole against something hard. Maybe I should call the police instead of doing this...

Stop being such a fucking wimp. You're better than that.

Am I?

I leaned around the corner of the house and dropped my stick seeing Mr McCay holding a shovel. His eyes moved from the hole in the ground to me as he heard the sound so the stick hitting dry leaves.

"Oh. Alexander. Hello. Wow, look how big you've gotten." He said smiling. His hand moving drew my eyes to the shovel and I narrowed my eyes seeing some red liquid dripping off the end of it. "Oh, this?" he chuckled. "It's just some paint." he grinned, but his eyes said otherwise and it didn't look like paint at all.

"Uh..." I lost my voice spotting Rhonda's white sandal not far from the hole.

Mr McCay's smile fell as he looked at the shoe. I gave a dry laugh trying to calm my heart.

"Ha. Nice one, Sergio."

"Sergio?" Mr McCay asked confused before he nodded, "Him?"

My eyes followed the shovel as Mr McCay nudged it into the hole and I froze as I saw a bloody head move. I tried not to react.

"Very funny. I get it." I said. "Seriously." I added.

Mr McCay grinned at me.

"Yes, Alex... Very, very funny." I stepped back as he stepped forward suddenly completely doubting that this was a prank. His voice was creepy. He was creepy.

I swallowed looking at the hole behind him and feeling my heart hammer against my chest. Come on. It couldn't be... He couldn't possibly have... No...

"Let me show you, Son." He grinned.

"I-I'm fine. I'm –" I tried to run as he lifted the shovel and began running at me but I ended up tripping over my own branch. I let out a shout as he swung at me but the shovel hit the ground right next to me.

I heard a click and immediately felt my temper flare as I heard laughing from Mr McCay and that terrible laugh that always makes my heart skip. My eyes followed the sound to the hole.

"Join me, Baby?" Sergio grinned as he leaned on his elbows at the side of the hole and held his 'bloody' hand out to me. The other held the camera from this morning. His hair was covered in fake blood. I prayed it wouldn't come out when he tried to wash it out.

I shook my head in disbelief as Mr McCay helped me up.

"I've always wanted to do that!" He yelled happily as he laughed.

I looked at the old man before my eyes moved to the back door as Rhonda walked out if it and slid her shoe back on. I narrowed my eyes at her and she giggled.

"Oh, come on, Sweetie, we were was just having some fun. You hungry?" She smiled.

"H-here?" I asked half surprised, half angry. This was the friend we were having lunch with?

"I swear there's no human meat in the food." Mr McCay chuckled and the other two laughed as he patted my shoulder before he followed Rhonda into the house.

Sergio got out of the hole and smiled at me.

"Aw, no tears for your dead boyfriend?" He pouted.

"Asshole." I hissed shoving by him as I made my way into the house.

"Aw, Babe, come on –" I slammed the door once I was inside knowing he was right behind me.

I grit my teeth as I walked through the kitchen and into the hallway. The house looked nothing like I had expected. His house was decorated with warm colours, pictures of his late wife and people I assumed were his children and grandchildren and there were no animal heads anywhere.

I'm such an idiot...

"Hey, Alexander. Want to help me do that to the Spencer kids on Halloween?" Mr McCay smiled at me.

I frowned at him before I gave a smile as I shook my head.

"Sure."

We chuckled as I began helping them with the food while Mr McCay let Sergio use the shower to get the blood off him. We talked about their little prank as we ate and it turned out that, as expected, it was Sergio's idea. Mr McCay and Rhonda were all too willing to join in. Surprisingly, she had been gone for fifteen minutes before I realised it. I knew that handbag was suspicious... no one takes a handbag with just to walk around their town.

I found that Mr McCay was actually a really cool old man. He loved magic and pranks and he was really nice. I felt bad for judging him the way I had my entire life.

I had not spoken to Sergio throughout dinner.

Murder was a far stretch from being shoved into water BY MISTAKE. I couldn't believe he would go this far.

We spent the rest of the day at Mr McCay's house before we had to leave; Rhonda said she needed to pick up a shift at the hospital. She had taken up nursing since she moved out to the house so that left Sergio and I taking an awkwardly silent walk home as he gave up trying to get me to talk to him after trying about ten times.

I heard Sergio sigh as we entered the house but I ignored him and made my way to my room to take a shower before I pulled on a pair of boxers and decided to head to bed. I frowned hearing cluttering downstairs but refused to find out what it was the jerk was doing. I grabbed my book after getting into bed and began reading but I wasn't getting sleepy.

Damn Sergio for making me mad. Now I couldn't sleep with him...

I sighed shutting my book but froze hearing my door open. I shut my eyes pretending to be asleep.

I heard Sergio shuffle around the room before the bed dipped behind me as he sat. I stayed still feeling him kiss my jaw lightly.

"I know you're awake... I'm sorry."

"You're fat." I mumbled.

He chuckled.

"Alex..." I didn't move. "I'm sorry." he repeated. "Come on, you know you want to forgive me." He whispered into my ear as he brushed his lips against it before he began trailing kisses down to my neck.

"Go away." I muttered.

"Fine, I'll just eat this lemon meringue on my own." I could hear the smirk in his voice. I sat up and grabbed the plate.

"Now go away." I said glaring at him before I froze when I realised what he was wearing.

Nothing.

He leaned forward and pushed his lips to mine gently and I felt my heart race in my chest while my face heated.

"I'm really sorry, Alexander. The prank was a little over the top... I love you." he mumbled against my lips.

"You stole some of my cake, didn't you?" I could taste the lemon on his lips.

I smiled as he chuckled.

"Only because I knew you would not be eating it immediately." he smirked.

I snorted. "You can wait."

I laughed as his jaw dropped and I took a piece of meringue and pushed it into his mouth while it was still hanging open.

"Come here." I chuckled putting the plate down and pulling his face to mine.

He responded to my kiss immediately pushing me back as he leaned over me. I felt him tug the blanket off me and my eyes widened.

"Wait – the plate –"

"Shit." He muttered as we heard the plate smash. "Um – I'll make more."

I laughed shaking my head.

"Not now." I leaned and trailed kisses on his neck before I sucked on a spot just above his collar bone. I smirked when I felt him shudder.

"Definitely not now."

*****