Alex looked through his closet, making sure everything was there. Anything can happen at any time and any day. He needed to be ready for it. Just before he could look through for the last time, the phone in his jacket rang. He took it out, and when he saw who was calling, his eyes couldn't help but roll in irritation. This was the last thing he needed right now.
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He slid the answer button to the side and placed the phone in his ear.
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"Thank goodness. I thought you wouldn’t pick up my call," said Walters on the other end.
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"I always pick up your calls," said Alex, not impressed by Walters' opening for a conversation.
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"You know what I mean," said Walters, sounding irritated. "I feel ever since I introduced you to Red Lion, you've been quite distant from me."
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"You know, I'm only following what you told me. And that's to listen to whatever Red Lion tells me to do."
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Walters scoffed. "Well, if I could take things back, I would. So, what's up with you lately? Has Red Lion got you on any assignments?"
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Alex knew where the conversation was going. "No. I only had to monitor Carly whenever André was around. He's back in Mexico, so I'm on a little break for now."
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“So I hear. I know Red Lion didn’t make the mistake of choosing Carly to be close to André, but I feel using her is a bad idea.”
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“Well, you’ve been against that from the start, so it’s nothing new to me.” Alex said this plainly, his eyes studying whatever was in the closet.
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One thing Walters never liked about Alex was his tone. He could be so cold and distant sometimes. Alex always displayed this trait to keep annoying people at a distance. Sadly, Walters was one of them.
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“He could have used one of my girls, at least,” said Walters, trying to brush off the cold statement Alex had made. “Eventually, Carly might rain down havoc on all of us.”
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“That’s if things go wrong, you mean,” said Alex. His eyes grew fixed on a certain item in the closet. “Right now, everything seems foolproof.”
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“Oh, yeah? For how long? What if André gets to find out that Carly has another life somewhere?”
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“I bet there’s a backup plan in case something like that were to happen.”
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“Really?” Walters asked, sounding curious. “How do you know?”
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“Red Lion seems to be the man who thinks that way.”
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“Ah, for a moment, I thought he let you in on some inside plan.”
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“We all have our roles to play, and we only receive orders on what has to be done.”
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“Spoken like a soldier. Sometimes, I think you were one once, and you wouldn’t like to tell me about it. Maybe one day we should have a little chat about our past lives.”
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“Maybe we should,” said Alex, knowing fully well that was far from happening.
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“If you aren’t too busy right now, there’s a job I have for you. Meet me at the club tonight. The usual time.”
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“Sure, I’ll be there.”
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“See you, then.”
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Walters cut the call, and Alex looked down at his phone. It’s been a while since Walters sent him to do anything. He wondered what job he might have for him. Alex felt he knew what it might be about after their conversation. He had a feeling that nothing good would come out of it.
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He looked back into the closet. He told himself to lie off his toys for a while, now that he wasn’t watching over Carly. However, he pulled out a small handgun hanging on the wall of the closet. Afterwards, he drew out a chest of drawers with different bullet ammunition neatly packed according to size. He took a reasonable amount of ammunition meant for the gun and loaded it. He tucked the gun behind him under his belt.
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Alex told himself that he might be overthinking things, but one couldn’t be too careful, especially with Walters. He might be at the bottom of the food chain in the organization, but there was no ruling out just how dangerous he could be.
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Alex did one more round of looking through his closet of weapons; he closed the doors and locked them. He made his way out of the partially dark room, trying to figure out what to do for the rest of the afternoon before his meeting with Walters.
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***
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Angel’s eyes flew straight to the small glass chandelier as soon as she stepped into Leo’s apartment. He had just switched on the lights and stepped aside for Angel to walk in. Angel looked at the small living room and the arrangement of the chairs in front of her. Up ahead was the dining area, and there was only the dining table with a few chairs. She continued to look around, slowly walking on ahead. Leo closed the door behind him and watched Angel.
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He hadn’t noticed until now, but Angel wore tight black jeans and a long-sleeved white blouse. Her blouse was almost translucent, and with the light coming in from the windows in the dining area, he noticed she wore a black bra. With her back facing him and the lighting in the room, Leo could clearly see her tiny waist and her slightly broadened hips under the jeans she wore. Leo focused his eyes on the lower half of her body. Her jeans gave out a defined figure of her behind and her legs as she slowly walked into the room. Leo felt caught in some trance with the way she walked. He felt he could look at her all day long. Angel also wore black sandals, and he could still remember how cute her toes were when they last went for dinner.
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Suddenly, Leo had the sudden urge to walk up to her, grab her by the waist, and push her body against him. He quickly shook his head, realizing that bringing Angel here was a bad idea from the start. Why was she making him feel like this? He shouldn’t. But right now, everything about her was arousing something inside him. Leo felt like hitting himself on the head, trying to get himself under control. He never thought being alone with Angel like this in his apartment would bring up such feelings. It made no sense. The two of them have been alone many times before, but this was different. She was slowly turning him on with just her appearance. Angel stopped in between the living room and dining room and turned to look at Leo.
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“This is a nice apartment,” said Angel.
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Leo had to focus his eyes on Angel’s face instead of her chest. Now that she turned to face him, he couldn’t help but notice. Her breasts weren’t huge, but they were just right, and that stirred something in him. He had the sudden urge to touch them. With all these conflicting feelings, Leo felt he was going to lose it.
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“Uh, yeah,” he said. “I’m sorry that the place isn’t so well furnished, though.”
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“Oh, no, it’s okay. It’s not like you really live here. It’s good to have chairs around, though. I bet you come here just to sit and relax sometimes. And the place is clean too.”
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“Someone comes here once in a week to clean,” said Leo. He was finding it hard not to stare at her chest now and then.
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“Carly will love it.” Angel turned around and continued on her way to the dining room, towards the huge glass windows overlooking the city.
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Leo slowly followed her, trying to keep his mind clear of any thought of grabbing Angel and doing God knows what. This was going to be tough. He never thought he could have such feelings for someone that he didn’t really like. He didn’t hate Angel, though at first he found her rather annoying because everyone liked her. Now, all that seemed to have disappeared, and he was feeling different towards her. He shouldn’t be having such feelings because she is the sister of the woman he loved. As he approached the table in the dining room, he stopped after realizing something.
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This wasn’t right. This whole time, he was admiring Angel; the thought of Carly never came into mind until now. What would she think of him if she knew about this? It would be worse if Eric knew. Leo told himself that telling Eric wasn’t an option, for he might get angry. No, he would take this secret to his grave.
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Angel looked out of the window, admiring the view. She looked towards the other side of New York at the harbor.
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“The view here is amazing,” said Angel. “There’s a balcony here, right?”
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“Yeah,” Leo answered. He almost went absent-minded, looking at Angel standing by the window. “There’s a balcony in the small study room and the main bedroom.”
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“Nice. You won’t mind if I look around, do you?” Angel asked as she turned to look at Leo.
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Leo nervously chuckled. “Well, it’s the whole reason I brought you. Feel free to look around.”
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He really shouldn’t have given her so much liberty, but he offered, and there was no way to refuse her now. She looked around her before deciding to go into the kitchen first. Leo followed her, trying his best not to let his eyes wander, at her body all over again.
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Kim finally got out of the elevator. She was on the floor of Leo’s apartment, so careful to press the button to the right floor this time. The last time she ended up in the wrong room. She might as well have gone to the wrong floor. This time around, she wasn’t so mad, just curious to know whether Leo and Angel were really together. This is ridiculous, she told herself. There’s no way the two of them are a couple, right? Then why was she following them?
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To make sure she was wrong and that she was just overreacting. She needed to see it for herself. But was this the right way to do it? If Trina were here, what would she say? She wouldn’t be happy about it. However, if Kim told her she did this only to know whether Angel and Leo were together, Trina would also have been in on it.
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There was no turning back now because Kim stared at the white door of Leo’s apartment. She wondered how she got there. It was as if she had walked to the door on autopilot. She stood looking at the door, wondering what was happening behind it. Were the two of them in each other’s arms right now on the couch, or maybe they were in his room? The thought made Kim scream in her heart as she quickly held the doorknob, but she soon stopped herself.
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Wait a minute, she thought. I can’t just barge in. If the two of them were in view of her opening the door suddenly, she’s screwed. What should she do?
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She heard footsteps inside the apartment. Since the apartment was practically empty, sounds were clearly audible from outside. Kim gently leaned against the door, waiting to hear what was going on.
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“The kitchen is nice," said Angel as she and Leo found themselves back in the dining room.
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"You can follow me; I'll show you to the bedrooms and the study," said Leo.
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Kim heard their footsteps as though they were coming towards the door when they were entering the living room area to take the hall on the other side. She felt a little relieved. It sounded like Leo was simply showing Angel around. There was nothing to be worried about, after all.
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Then the thought of the two of them heading towards the bedrooms gave Kim goose bumps. What if Leo is taking Angel there just to be alone with her? She shook her head. No, Leo didn't seem like that type of guy who would want to take advantage of women. Still, the thought didn't leave her head, and Kim bit her lower lip, trying to figure out what to do next.
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Down the hall on the other side of the apartment were four bedrooms and a study room. There was also the laundry room. Leo and Angel first checked out the empty bedrooms. One was supposed to have been the guest room, and the other two were the kids' room--that was if Leo married Kim, that is. He later on took Angel to the laundry room and then to the study room. He opened the balcony door for her, and the two stood there admiring the view of New York in the afternoon sun.
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"This is nice," said Angel as she stood close to the white balcony wall. The car engines and honking were signs of how busy the streets were. "I bet it looks more beautiful at night."
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"It does. It makes up a nice romantic scene at night," said Leo as he stood beside Angel.
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Angel laughed. "I bet you're already thinking about how to surprise Carly about this place one day."
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"Well, starting off with a romantic dinner on the balcony won't be that bad."
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“Just make sure you cover her eyes so that she doesn’t see the place first.” Angel looked behind her at the empty study room. “Better yet, you decorate the whole place with rose petals and candles. Yeah, that’s romantic, if you ask me.”
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Leo laughed. “What’s happening right now?” he asked as he shook his head.
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“I’m giving you some ideas. It’s up to you whether to use it or add a little something.”
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With the study room wide open, Leo’s laugh was audible in the hall, and Kim, who still stood behind the door, heard him loud and clear. A few moments ago, Angel’s laugh echoed in the hall. Kim was itching to know what was going on. The fact that she stood behind the door made her envious. If only there was a way she could find herself inside.
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Suddenly, Kim thought of grabbing and holding the doorknob, and she gently twisted it. It's not locked. She slowly pushed open the door. Luckily enough, it didn’t make any creaking noises. Kim blew out a sigh of relief. While Angel and Leo were still in the room, this was her chance to get in.
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She poked her head in first to see if the place was clear. She slowly entered the apartment, careful not to make a sound. She wished she wore sneakers. It was hard to sneak around in heels. However, she successfully stepped into the foyer without a sound and closed the door behind her. She made a quiet run into the living room, leaning her back against the wall. She poked her head to look down the hall. She couldn’t tell from where she stood, which room Angel and Leo were in. It was better to stay hidden just in case they suddenly appeared in the hall.
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Leo made his way back inside the study. "All of those are pretty good ideas. Though I sometimes feel I'm not that romantic."
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"What do you mean?" Angel asked as she followed him back inside.
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"Well, don't people find me serious sometimes?" Leo asked. He locked the balcony door and drew the curtains. "Seriously, I wonder how women on social media find me attractive, but yet they think I'm serious."
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"No doubt, you're serious," said Angel as she turned to look at Leo. "But it won't hurt to smile once in a while. If you're worried about what the women say about you, you'll be surprised at how many admirers you have back at the office."
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"Yeah, well, I guess they are scared to approach me because they think I'm too mean."
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"You're not mean. Anyone who would get to hang around with you for a day will see that you aren't. Since we started things off on the wrong foot, we were bound to fight. But you're not as bad as you think."
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Kim heard their conversation down the hall. She wondered what had led them to talk about Leo’s character. At first, she heard him say about how unromantic he was. She knew that wasn't true. When they were dating, Leo always planned their romantic getaways, and he would always surprise her. However, as time moved on, he showed other ways of how much he appreciated her. Therefore, he wasn't entirely unromantic.
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"Well, I'm not that convinced," said Leo as he nervously chuckled. "Anyway, enough of that. Let's finish up here and head home."
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Angel agreed, and the two of them walked out of the study room. Kim heard their footsteps and withdrew her head when she saw Angel stepping out first.
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Leo led the way to the last room down the corridor. The main bedroom, or, better yet, his room. When he reached the door, he stopped himself as he held the doorknob. Angel, who stood behind him, noticed that he paused. She wondered if there was anything wrong.
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“Hey, Leo. Are you okay?” she asked.
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Leo found it hard to answer as he felt his throat run dry. Now that they were entering his room, he remembered the dream he had about her. Something stirred inside him. It was the feelings he had when he had that dream. Now they were about to enter the room, where it all happened. Leo gulped. This was bad.
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“Nothing,” he quickly answered as she turned the doorknob and opened the door. He stood aside for Angel to go in, which she did.
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Angel looked around the room. Except for the queen-sized bed and the white curtains, the place looked spacious. It almost felt like that of a hotel suite. She slowly walked in while Leo unconsciously closed the door behind him. Only when he heard the door close did he realize what he had done.
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Why did I close the door? He asked himself. It wasn’t necessary. Anyway, it wasn’t like he was going to do anything behind closed doors, right?
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That last thought almost freaked him out. He had to get himself under control, or else Angel might realize that there was something wrong with him.
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Kim, who stood peeping out into the hall, also couldn’t understand why Leo had closed the door to his bedroom. All the other doors remained open, so they obviously looked around with the doors standing ajar the whole time. If the two of them weren’t doing anything, there was no need for them to close the door, right? Plus, as far as they both knew, it was only the two of them in the apartment. Kim didn’t know what to think. She had to etch a little closer to hear what was going on in there.
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“Your room is spacious,” said Angel as she looked around. She now stood at the edge of the bed.
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“Is that a bad thing?” Leo asked, trying to focus on something else apart from his conflicting feelings.
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“No, I like it.” Angel turned around to face him. “Few rooms can be this spacious. Sometimes, you need a lot of room.”
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“Well, other people might wonder what the whole space is for.” Leo leaned against the door.
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“You can do many things in your own room. Like goofing around, for example.”
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Leo laughed. “I don’t think I’m the kind who would like to goof around.”
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Angel chuckled. “You’re definitely right. But no one knows what the other does when they are alone.”
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Leo blushed at the statement. Right now, he really wishes he was alone in this room, but he wasn’t. Angel stood by his bed, looking straight at him. With the lighting in the room despite the curtains, he could see right through her blouse. He so much as wanted to take it off.
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Angel, who continued to stand there, noticed the way Leo looked at her. There was something different about him, and Angel couldn’t tell what it was. The way he looked felt a little weird to her. She cleared her throat and tried her best to focus on something else in the room. Her eyes fell to one side of the room where there was the closet. She walked over to it, and she couldn’t help but feel Leo’s eyes on her the whole time. It sent a weird chill down her spine. She couldn’t tell what was going on, and not knowing bothered her a little.
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When she reached the closet, she pushed open the white doors. It was like stepping into another room. There were shelves and places to hang shirts and jackets. There was also a place to keep shoes.
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“Goodness, Leo, what do you need all this space for?” Angel asked, bewildered.
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“I’m embarrassed to say this, but it was Kim who suggested that we make the closet a little bigger for her things,” Leo answered, feeling a little embarrassed indeed. “We called in the building contractor to help us out and see if it was possible. Grandma wasn’t too happy about it.”
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Kim, who stood outside Leo’s room, silently huffed in annoyance after listening to Leo’s story. That old hag never liked anything I did, Kim thought to herself.
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“Well, there’s nothing you can do about it now. I guess it will have to do. It is a joint closet, after all,” said Angel.
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“I plan to make it more than just a closet,” said Leo as he came to stand at the entrance of the closet beside Angel. There wasn’t enough light coming in the closet, so he flipped the switch on the wall inside. Angel couldn’t help but look impressed.
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“I shouldn’t be surprised that there’s a switch in here too,” she said.
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“Well, I want to show you what I plan to do with the extra space.”
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“Leo, you don’t need to do anything if it’s a joint closet. What if there are simply more clothes than a girl can handle?”
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Kim’s ears perked up. Was Angel bound to say who was moving in with Leo, or was it herself?
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“There’s plenty of room for that, and there will still be more left,” said Leo as he entered the closet. “Come in, and you’ll see what I mean.”
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Apart from including a safe that he wanted well hidden from view, Leo had talked about installing a few gadgets here and there. Angel watched on as Leo explained what he wanted, and he seemed so enthusiastic about it. She couldn’t blame him. Some men spoke about the latest gadgets with so much excitement, like a little boy would talk about his PS5. In a way, it amused Angel with the way Leo spoke.
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“I’ll be honest, Leo. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk like this before,” Angel spoke after Leo finished what he had to say.
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“Really?” Leo asked, a little surprised to hear Angel say that.
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“Yeah. You should’ve seen yourself.” She chuckled. “You were so enthusiastic, like a little kid.”
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Leo blushed at the comment, and he didn’t know what to say next. Angel smiled at him.
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“Your ideas are great,” said Angel. “But you better get a second opinion if you’re going to move in with Carly and share the same room.”
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Kim struggled at the door to hear what the two were saying. Since they entered the closet, she only heard muffled noises. She could hear who spoke, but what they said wasn’t clear to make out of. It’s sad that she couldn’t hear what they were saying. She wished she could see what was going on, too. What if they were doing something in there? Kim shook her head, trying to get rid of the scenarios in her head.
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"You're probably right," said Leo as he scratched the back of his head. "I better hear her out, too."
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"They're all good ideas, though. I doubt if she would want to change anything," said Angel, smiling at him. "Just know she might want to add a few things around here, too."
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Angel made a final look around the closet. "Now that I think about it, it's not bad that the closet is this big," she said.
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"Thanks, though you'll have to tell Kim that the next time you see her," said Leo.
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"Are you kidding me?" Angel laughed. "What would she think if she knew I came here? No offence, but Kim seems very sensitive. The last thing I would want is for her to think that you and I are in some kind of relationship."
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"None taken. I've known her for years, and you're right. She is sensitive."
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"I didn't get to look at the bathroom. Can I see it real quick? And if you don't mind, I would like to use it too."
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"Yeah, sure, no problem."
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"Thanks." Angel turned around and made her way out of the closet.
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Kim could hear footsteps, and for a moment, she almost panicked. Was someone making their way towards the door? But she heard a door opening and closing. Someone must have gone to use the bathroom. That was a close one.
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Leo had watched Angel go, and from where he stood inside the closet, he saw her enter the bathroom and close the door behind her. He thought he saw her throw something on the bed. For a moment, he fixated on the bathroom, and his mind wandered. Was he expecting something different to come walking out of that door? Maybe Angel is walking out without her blouse? He felt like slapping himself in the face for thinking like that.
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It surprised him how he lasted this long without losing it. He kept telling himself that thinking about Angel like that wasn't normal. The more he did, the worse his thoughts of her became more vivid and sensual. He wished they were real.
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Leo shook his head and slapped his cheeks. Now wasn’t the time for this. He made his way out of the closet and closed the doors. He then made his way to the bed and sat there. There was movement coming from the bathroom. He couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in there. He shook his head, telling himself that it was none of his business.
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Kim, who remained by the door, had heard someone coming out of the closet and closing it. Judging by the heavy footsteps, she could tell it was Leo. After closing the doors, she heard the ruffled sound of the bed covers. He had sat on the bed. Was he waiting for Angel? Was she simply using the bathroom for other reasons aside from relieving herself?
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The thought of Angel walking out of the bathroom with her blouse off and no bra played in Kim’s mind that she almost let out a shriek. She stopped herself before she blew her cover. Were they about to do something dirty in there? No, they can’t. Who knows what they discussed in that closet? Now they were going to make love. No! Kim, you’re overreacting! Nothing is going to happen.
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Both Kim and Leo heard the toilet flush, and the tap sink ran. Kim was relieved. Angel was using the toilet for her own personal use. Leo felt a little disappointed when the door to the bathroom opened, and Angel came out the same way she walked in, fully dressed. She closed the door behind her.
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“We can leave now,” she said. “Thanks for showing me around the apartment. It’s really lovely.”
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“Oh, you’re welcome,” said Leo as he stood up from the bed.
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Kim silently blew out a sigh of relief. It was nothing more than she expected. Now that they were planning to head out, it was finally her cue to leave. She slowly turned around to tiptoe her way out of the apartment.
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Angel was just about to face the door when she remembered she threw her purse on the bed. Leo didn’t seem to have noticed it. She quickly turned around and made her way to the bed. Leo was just about to make his way to the door. His mind was elsewhere, so he didn’t notice Angel quickly coming towards him. Instead of either of them stepping out of the way, the two bumped into each other. Moreover, Leo, who didn’t stabilize himself enough because Angel came in too fast, lost balance, and the two of them fell onto the bed together.
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Everything happened so fast. Leo found himself with his back on the bed and looking straight up at Angel. Angel was also looking down at Leo, leaning against his shoulder. None of them expected this to happen. They looked at each other in silence and somewhat in shock.
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Leo realized he had his arm wrapped around Angel’s waist. It happened instinctively on his part. Even when Angel wasn’t fully leaning her body onto his, Leo couldn't help but feel how soft and warm it was. He slowly felt ecstatic, and he felt he might just get what he was hoping for all this while. His heart fluttered at the thought, and he felt something stir inside him. What was it, he asked himself.
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Angel’s eyes widened with shock. Her hand lay on his chest, and as much as she wanted to move away, she found herself stuck looking at him. She felt herself flush after realizing how close she was to him. To top it off, there was a way he looked at her that made her heart beat so fast, and she felt butterflies in her stomach. She felt Leo's arm wrapped around her waist, and she could feel his hand on her skin as her blouse was too light. His touch sent a chill down her spine.
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Kim, who had already made her way out, quickly reached the door. She soon realized that it had now become awfully quiet in Leo’s room. What could go on in there? She wondered. But she didn't want to go back to hear what could be going on, for she might finally get caught. She quietly opened the door and slipped out, closing the door behind her.
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Leo and Angel remained as they were, looking at each other. None of them knew what to say or do next. Angel suddenly blinked, realizing that this wasn't supposed to be happening right now.
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"I'm so sorry," she said, her cheeks blushing even more. "I shouldn't have bumped into you like that."
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"Um, no, it's fine," said Leo after clearing his throat. "I wasn't paying attention."
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Angel looked down at Leo’s chest, noticing her hand on his cheat. The feel of his hard chest under his clothes made her blush even more. Leo noticed the look on her face, and he wanted to place his free hand on her cheek and gently stroke her skin. No, this was getting a little out of hand. His hand balled into a fist on the bed.
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"Well, we better be going now, don't you think?" he suggested.
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"Yeah, we should," said Angel.
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Leo slowly let his hand slip away from Angel’s waist, and she quickly stood up from the bed. She straightened her blouse a little, still blushing and feeling really embarrassed. Leo noticed her bra under her blouse, realizing just how close the two of them were just a second ago. He decided to also quickly get up before anything funny happens.
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As they stood, they both looked at each other. There were simply no words to say. Angel continued to blush. To avoid his eyes, she looked down at her feet. Leo couldn't help but look at her blushing face. There was something attractive about the way she looked he couldn't put a finger on.
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"We, um, better go," said Leo.
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"Yeah," said Angel as she looked up at Leo.
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A grim silence fell between them until they both said,
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"No one should know about this."
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They both fell silent again, this time feeling awkward.
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"Yeah, no one should know," said Leo as he scratched the back of his head. "If they did, people can take the wrong picture."
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"Especially Carly and Eric," said Angel. "They wouldn’t understand it was an accident."
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"Okay, I guess that's settled." Leo felt a little relieved. "We better go."
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"Yeah. Thanks for showing me around."
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"Don't mention it." Leo looked at Angel with a smile on his face. "After you." He gestured towards the door.
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"Oh, before I forget," said Angel, turning around to get her purse on the bed. Afterwards, she made her way to the door, with Leo following behind her.
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Leo switched off all the lights before leaving and locked the door. He and Angel were completely unaware that Kim stood at the end of the hall, hiding around the corner and peeking at them.
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As Kim looked at Angel and Leo, making their way towards the elevator, she noticed that there was something different. Before making their way out of the apartment, they took a little time to get out. Did something happen that Kim might have missed as she was stepping out of the place?
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She watched them as they stopped in front of the elevator, and Leo turned to look at Angel to address her as they waited. Kim noticed there was a certain look on his face as he looked at Angel. Angel turned to look at him, blushing. Kim couldn't help it. Something happened between them in that room. Could they have had an intimate moment with each other? Because they both seemed to be blushing.
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As soon as the elevator doors flew open, Angel and Leo stepped into the elevator, chatting. Kim couldn't hear what they were talking about, but there was no hiding the certain energy surrounding the two that made Kim almost envious. She didn’t know what it was, but she could tell that she had never seen Leo smile as he did when he was with her.
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She watched the elevator doors close, and the last thing she could hear was Angel laughing at whatever Leo told her. As she watched what felt like a closing scene to a movie, Kim couldn't help but feel that the two, for just a moment, looked perfect together.
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***
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It was close to evening when Leo and Angel came back home. As soon as they left the apartment, Amanda had called to ask if they could pass through McDonald's and get supper for the whole family. Leo asked what could be the special occasion, but Amanda told him that the chef and his cooks had the weekend off. He and Angel had to wait for a while before they could take their order at the fast-food restaurant. Apparently, many people liked to dine at the place over the weekends.
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When they got home carrying paper bags of food, Diana opened the door for them. She and Carly arrived late in the afternoon. Amanda came into the living room after hearing the front door open and laughter coming from Angel and Leo. When she saw them talking to Diana, she couldn't help but feel there was something different about them.
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"You guys must have had a real good time together to have taken this long to get here," Diana joked.
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"No, it's grandma's fault that we had to pass through McDonald's," said Leo. "Or else we would have been here a long time ago."
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"Are you seriously going to blame me for only looking out for the family's needs?" Amanda asked as she entered the living room.
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Leo nervously turned to look at his grandmother, knowing he was going to get scolded. Diana and Angel laughed at his situation.
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"No, but there were so many people," said Leo, defending himself.
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Well, it was Amanda’s plan from the start. She ordered the cooks to take the weekend off in order to let her grandson spend more time with Angel.
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“It’s not my fault there were many people on the weekend,” said Amanda.
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“We should’ve ordered from a nice restaurant instead,” said Diana. “I have a craving for Indian food.”
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“That would’ve been nice,” said Leo. “Next time, let Aunt Diana decide what food we are going to eat.”
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“Anyway, how did your day go?” Amanda asked, looking at both Leo and Angel.
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Leo and Angel both turned to look at each other as if waiting for the other to speak first. There was no denying the look on their faces that their day out together wasn’t so bad. Did Amanda notice the two of them blush a little as they looked at each other? She thought so, and she couldn’t help but smile. Diana also noticed the way the two looked at each other.
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“It was okay,” said Leo, turning to look at his grandmother. He was smiling when he answered her.
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“We better put these things in the kitchen,” said Angel, gesturing to the bags they were carrying. “Is everyone home?”
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“We’re still waiting on Eric and Fred, but they’ll be here shortly,” Diana answered. “And Bertha will be here shortly.”
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Angel and Leo made their way to the kitchen. Diana and Amanda watched them go. As soon as they were out of sight, the two women giggled, giving each other a hi-five.
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***
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Alex switched off the car engine, and the loud music coming from the bar in front of him made its way into the car. He looked at his phone to check the time. As usual, he was early. In as much as he didn’t want to be there, he just had to show up. Walters throws tantrums like a little child, and that was the last thing Alex wanted to put up with. He returned his phone in the pocket of his jacket and checked underneath his shirt, below the belt. He had his weapon hidden and was ready to draw it out when the time came for it.
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He opened the door and got out of the car. When he locked it, he heard footsteps behind him. Alex had parked at the back of the bar, in the parking space reserved for Walters’ special friends and colleagues. Aside from Alex’s car, there was Walters’ blue BMW he had parked next to, and a Mercedes Benz parked further down to the right. The night was still too early for the spaces to be full. Alex couldn’t help but feel the people walking into the car park were a little suspicious.
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Trying not to draw too much attention to himself, Alex walked around his car to get a clear view of the people approaching him. He stopped when he realized who they were.
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“Hey, Alex,” said Carlos in a cheery voice. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”
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“What are you doing here?” Alex asked, not wishing to greet them.
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“We came here to see you,” said Hugo. “We have a message from Red Lion.”
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Alex raised an eyebrow. “Is it concerning Walters?”
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Carlos smiled. “You’re smart, aren’t you? Yes, it’s about Walters. He wants you to keep an eye out for him. If we aren’t too careful, he might ruin our plans.”
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“I’m well aware of that, and I can handle Walters. Don’t worry.”
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“For the time being, the boss wants you falling back,” said Hugo. “So you’re not to meet him tonight.”
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“And if I disobey those orders?”
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“Then it will be a little messy. You don’t want to ruin whatever Walters has going on in this club, don’t you? If you’re looking for a way to come up with an excuse, Red Lion is putting you on an assignment tonight.”
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“What kind of assignment?”
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“He’ll text you the details.” Hugo put both his hands in the pocket of his jeans. “You better be on your way now.”
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Alex didn’t want to argue with Red Lion’s trusted colleagues. If he were to refuse to follow orders, many of Red Lion’s men would come flying out of the shadows. There was never a doubt in Alex’s mind that he was dealing with very dangerous people here.
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He looked at both Hugo and Carlos for a moment before walking back the way he came to the driver's seat of his car. When he unlocked the car and got in, Hugo and Carlos stood aside to watch him drive out of the car park. Immediately, Alex started the car; he felt his phone beep, and he pulled it out of his pocket to find a message from Red Lion. Alex looked through the rear-view mirror at Hugo and Carlos. They really are a bunch not to mess around with, Alex thought to himself. He quickly read Red Lion’s message and put the phone back in his pocket.
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Alex put the car in reverse and slowly made his way out of the small car park onto the road. Carlos waved at him goodbye. As he set his car on the road to drive away, he couldn’t help but feel that Red Lion was hiding somewhere, watching in the shadows.
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