Sweet and Spicy [COMPLETED]

Exhaustion

We have to live quietly, that's all. 

Kaya pressed her hands to her ears in an attempt to drown out her mother's voice. Live quietly? She tried. It hadn't gotten her anywhere. 

As if we don't exist. You and I. 

Even the running water wasn't enough to drown out the desperate plea. A plea Kaya heard for her entire life. Dreams? She didn't have them. Her only dream was to one day live without the fear. 

Only one woman occupied the restroom with Kaya, and she flashed a look on her way out that made Kaya's skin crawl. As if Kaya were crazy. As if she had something wrong with her. 

Whatever other people say, don't listen to them. Believe only what I told you. 

Kaya doubled over, as if that would silence her mother's voice in her own head. She couldn't think about all that. She had moved on from it. Run from it, like everything else. No one knew where she was. She was safe. As long as she lived quietly, she would remain safe. 

Even Kaya barely believed that, anymore. 

"Kaya?" 

Kaya recognized the deep voice calling to her, but she had no strength left to answer. How did she explain everything from the beginning? 

"Kaya!" This time, more frantic. 

Kaya laid her forehead against the cold marble vanity. Perhaps that would snap her back to reality. 

The door opened, creating a soft breeze through the room. Kaya didn't care who it was or what they wanted. She didn't want to move to look up. 

"Kaya?" Ransom laid a hand on her shoulder and shook it gently. "Are you alright?" 

No matter what, Kaya wouldn't let her guard down in front of Ransom Lee again. She nodded her head. She was fine. She would be fine. 

"Lies. You're trembling." Ransom sighed. "Let's get you out of here, hm?"

Kaya wrinkled her nose at him. How did he get off being so cold one minute and so dependable the next? 

"Tobin."

"Yes, sir." 

"Get the car ready." 

"Yes, sir." 

Ransom slid one of Kaya's arms around his neck and one of his arms around Kaya's waist. "Can you stand?" 

As usual, Ransom didn't wait for an answer. He gently guided Kaya back to her feet, a motion that centered her just enough to regain her bearings. 

Kaya tried to pull away from Ransom's hold. "I'm fine." 

"You're not fine." Ransom shot her a look more concerned than angered. "You can accept my help or I can carry you out, it's your choice. Of course..." Ransom leaned down until his breath brushed Kaya's ear. "I'd prefer the latter." 

"You can flirt at a time like this?" Kaya rolled her eyes. The banter helped. It felt familiar. She needed familiar. 

Ransom steered her toward the door, which Kaya could now see was held open by a female member of the staff. 

"I can flirt at any time. Don't you know that?" 

Though he sounded normal, Kaya detected a hint of tension behind his words. She had half a mind to lay her head against his shoulder. She was just so exhausted. Would it hurt to rely on someone else for a while? 

Let's live quietly. 

Kaya shook her head and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. She could make it out of this, no matter what. With or without help from Ransom Lee.