Wicked Games

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Hope's POV...

"What the hell happened there?" Sato's face is still in disbelief and confusion.

"I don't know." I close door of one of the giant rooms of Catherine's palace.

"Detectives are still in Catherine's office." He notes.

"Kent? How is he?" I put hands on my hips. My eyes try to look at Sato but I can't hold gaze at his direction.

"I don't know." He shakes his head. He sits on sofa. I walk back and forth while biting my lip. "What bothers you Hope?" He petrifies me with his gaze.

"Me? Nothing, I'm alright." Yeah, I couldn't be more obvious that I'm literally shaking in my boots.

"Come on, you can't fool me like that."

"I— I, umm." I struggle to talk.

He stands up and grabs my shoulders as he says. "Listen, you can tell me whatever you want, whatever bothers you. I'll listen to you and if I can, I'll help you too."

"He could die there Sato." I confess my real worry. "Few inches and he was dead. Just to think about it freaks me out." I let out all together. "And he doesn't even care what happens to him. What if bullet hit his heart?! I have very bad feelings, Sato. And I don't like any minute we spend here." I fall on that elegant couch. Sato sits on armrest next to me. "I— I was just so scared. I thought I lost him..."

He breathes, being in his own thoughts as I plant my head in my hands. Then he asks me a question carefully. "Do you... do you have feelings for him?"

"What? No. I mean, no. We're just friends." I laugh very awkwardly.

"Friends who are so in love with each other." He skims my hair.

"We're not. I mean, I don't know, I don't think... I—" I stutter. I think about today and all the butterflies in my stomach, how I really wanted to hear those three words from him. "Sato he almost confessed today." I can't believe I said it.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. He was about to say it but then Otto showed up. I. Am. Panicked. I don't know how to response. What am I gonna say? Thank you?"

"You're acting like a child." He shakes his head.

"No, I'm not!" I scoff accused. "I'm just... confused."

"You know he loves you—"

"That sounds terrible." I cut him off and stand up to start pacing around again.

"Let's say, he has feelings for you then. Now the question is, do you lo— have feelings for him." Mischievous grin ignites his face.

"First of all, I'm not sure that he's in lo— has feelings for me, it's just statement." I tell him.

"There's 83% chance that he's in love, sorry, has feelings for you. I'm not responsible for other 17%, he's just insane so you can never fully predict him but now, it's all about you." He points at me as if he caught me doing something bad.

"Listen," I lick my lips. "I'm afraid of commitment, alright? I loved my life with sex toys and now this," I say. "Will be a responsibility I'm terrified of."

"I thought I would never meet worse than Kent." He mumbles to himself. "Listen honey, you're getting in situationship, not adopting a baby. What is your middle name? Drama?"

"You're a dickhead." I stick my hands on my hips again.

"Answer one question." He jumps up from his seat and stares into my soul as his face makes few inches distance from me. "Do you love him?"