Tangled Fates

Chapter Sixღ

"Back to the cryptic answers, I see." I sighed under my breath.

"It was taken when I graduated to St. Starks; that was my best friend, Mateo." He explained reluctantly, "Come on," Christian said suddenly, motioning to the doorway, "let's get some food. You must be starving."

It was true; I hadn't eaten since yesterday evening. Everything that had happened today had emotionally and physically drained me. Christian's remainder made me notice how light-headed and sick I felt; it seemed basic human needs like feeding yourself escaped your mind when you are faced with killer gangs and a grouchy bodyguard.

I followed Christian into the small kitchen and watched as he pulled out various pots and pans. It was obvious that Christian was familiar with his friends flat as he knew where everything lived. He reached up for a pack of pasta; a sliver of his abdomen showing as his white t-shirt lifted. 

His skin was tanned; my parents had told me that Christian was originally from Spain but had left for the academy in Russia at the age of eleven. It seemed that despite his years in Russia, his looks had not lost their ethnic origins; his accent also remained.

"Pasta." I noticed with a smile.

"It's your favourite food." Christian shrugged nonchalantly.

I tilted my head in confusion; surprised that he knew that information about me.

"Nadia, my job was to watch you for a year." Christian explained bluntly, "The number of times I was forced to follow you into the kitchen after midnight and watch you make pasta and cheese, it's impossible for me not to know that this is your favourite meal."

"I always do have a craving for carbs at night."

"And every other time of day."

Christian froze slightly; looking up from under his damp hair, the pan of boiling water momentarily forgotten. He opened his mouth as he searched for something to say but stopped abruptly when I burst into laughter.

"I think-" I broke off as I struggled to talk through my laughter, "I think that's the first joke I've ever heard from you."

Christian rolled his eyes as he poured the pasta into the pan, "It wasn't that funny."

"It is when it's coming from you." I retorted.

"Believe it or not Nadia; I actually do have a sense of humour." Christian smiled slightly, "Just not when I'm on duty."

"Hmm," I drawled out, "I think I'll be the judge of that."

I lifted myself onto the kitchen counter and watched as Christian turned the heat up so that the pasta boiled quickly. It was strange to see him like this; so relaxed and doing such mundane things. It was crazy to see how he could flit between being a killing machine to humming and performing domestic duties. I had never seen Christian relaxed in all the time I had known him; he was usually a statue against a wall, or his eyes were constantly assessing his surroundings. At home, Christian had never taken a day off; he protected me like his own life depended on it.

"Why are you staring at me?" Christian drawled without looking up from his task.

"I'm not staring." I denied quickly; looking down at my suspended feet instead of his face. "I've just never seen you like this."

"Like what?"

"Well...relaxed." I shrugged.

He snorted in amusement, "I wasn't trained to be relaxed. I've made sure that all exits are barricaded and I've made sure that I can see my motorbike from where it's parked; that way if we need to escape through the window it's easily accessible."