100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 193: The Agreement

The Intervention when it all started.

Sam leaned back on the chair, still dressed in the long dress she was wearing just an hour ago at dinner with her brother Ivan. Her green eyes rested on the slicked blond on the seat beside her. Marco, Lisa and Elle had just left minutes ago, "Ivan knows." she said, causing the slicked blond to turn to her intrigued.

"It would be safe to assume Anna is aware too", she added, unclipping her hair and letting it fall to her shoulders.

A dejected look passed Levi’s chiselled face, "Yep." he agreed sourly. Why his sister hadn’t made any comment yet, he could only imagine in hopes that she could use it to her advantage in the future. She thinks ahead more than everybody else when it comes to anything she may gain.

Sam expelled a lungful of a sigh. "So...decision." she trailed, wanting to get this bump over with, she was in enough stress already with some family issues--the very reason why she had forsaken the last name and all the shit that came along with it in the first place.

2 hours ago, Restaurant

Ivan held the fork and knife in each hand as he sliced through his steak, "Denise is on the move." he informed, well aware of the things his grandmother had been doing behind their backs. If there was someone more dangerous to their family, it was their grandmother who tended to believe that her way is the best way to ensure the best of the family perhaps for their family in her own opinion, that is in her own screwed up definition of it. Be it arranging political deals or marriages behind their backs.

Sam took a sip of champagne, washing the savoury taste of meat off her palate as she looked at him, "Of course she is. Who is it this time?" she asked, not at the least surprise, it wasn’t the first time after all. She had been avoiding all of her ’evil grandmother’s’ attempts of acting as cupid with a gun pointed at her head. It was matchmaking her with someone she deems fit for her name and status. Her refusal had always been successful for the simple truth that she never really had a weakness that could be used to coerce her into doing whatever the older woman wanted.

"Sir Keswick." Ivan shared, causing Sam to scowl visibly.

Sam shook her head in disbelief, "Highly ambitious of her--A Royal blood. What are her plans? Murdering the Royal Family? So she could be Queen of England?" the redhead scoffed at the thought.

Weren’t they rich enough? Now her grandmother wants her to marry a man, technically worth 3.6Billion pounds. What a greedy old hag and her grandmother Monica just wanted a new pair of gardening scissors for Christmas.

Sam picked on the vegetables, "I don’t understand why she’s picking on me." she said.

"We have cousins, let them be the sacrificial lamb", she suggested light-heartedly. "Actually, that can’t even be considered sacrificial... I’m certain many would volunteer as tribute for this...fucking Fredricksen hunger games." She added, causing Ivan to smile, amused at her reference. "They want you", he said, amused.

Sam shot him a determined look, "They can’t have me." she declared confidently, hell would have to freeze over before she would do anything her grandmother said.

Ivan grinned in response, "And they won’t." he agreed. It was after all his task to make sure she was safe, and to add to that, Happy.

....

Levi looked at her, lost in deep thought, of course, she was considering ending their little set-up, she cared too much about what others felt. Not only that he was well aware that she had been keeping things from him, some family issue involving her so-called ’evil grandmother’ playing Match-maker between her and some rich imbecile from what Anna ’graciously’ informed him weeks before.

Imbecile wasn’t the word Anna used of course, but he preferred to remember it that way. So, that’s why she informed him to spite him in the first place because she knew the changes in their relationship all along. However, he wasn’t exactly innocent when it came to keeping secrets. He, after all, has a few on his list, on top he knows may cause their relationship to end altogether. That being the name Jason Murdoch.

"I think across the board, healthy relationships are about communication, consent and...care", he spoke, earning a raised eyebrow from Sam. What did he know about Healthy relationships? Neither of them really know anything about being romantically involved.

Intimacy and Sex are ultimately two different things.

She may be better at social relations, more capable of faking normalcy and was more patient with dealing with them than he was. But she knows close to nothing about being part of a couple. Real couple. Chances are they won’t survive it.

It would be like letting a blind man help another blind person to cross the busy highway.

It’s bound to end up in disaster.

"We know nothing about dating. Let’s both be clear on that, you and I aren’t built for it." Sam retorted matter-of-a-factly, and his shoulders sagged, he knew she was right of course.

His hazel eyes watched her longingly as she removed her pair or emerald earnings and placed it on the coffee table. She looked marvellous in his eyes.

"We both know neither of us will survive without them. No one will bail us." she joked, but they know it too. Marco and Elle were parts of them, pillars, a strong foundation in their lives that if removed, may cause the structures that are themselves to collapse. And even though the pair don’t share some things with them, like government secrets that may cause businesses and even nations to topple over. Marco and Elle are their most trusted friends, oldest friends.

They trust them with their lives, literally.

They’ll kill for them in a heartbeat.

And one of them already had.

Sam stood to collect her things, causing Levi to scowl.

His hand reached for her wrist as she walked across him to get her coat hanging by the door. Sam looked down at him, the grip around her wrist was firm--that she could sense the desperation present there.

"You know what I feel about you," he said, looking straight to her green eyes. The mascara and makeup around her lids made her eyes pop magnificently more than usual, that he found it mesmerizing.

"All these time, have your feelings towards me remain unchanged?" he asked, brows furrowed together, his jaw clenched subconsciously at the thought. Didn’t he feel just hours ago that something in her had changed for him? Didn’t she kiss him just that morning longer than usual?

Or perhaps did he make a mistake? Did he imagine it?

"Isn’t dating just regular kissing, sex and date nights?" he tried to point out, wasn’t that what they were doing already? Why would it have to change?

"Yes, but." Sam said, "Then answer my question." he insisted, but she pressed her lips together instead, turning away. And so he pulled her down, that she almost fell atop of him. And he looked at her eyes, dilated, like usual. And the hand wrapped around her wrist could still feel her pulse hammering. "You don’t have to answer that if you don’t feel like it. But tell me this at least.." he said, catching her full attention.

"You do like it here?" he inquired, "I mean, you genuinely like being here--with me?" He rephrased. "Of course, I do." She replied, lost at his question. She pulled away, and he let her, but never released her hand. "Then what’s the problem?" He asked suddenly, causing her brows furrowed together as she looked down at him on the chair. "I like you here too. Obviously, I would have sent you away a very long time ago, if I didn’t." he bluntly said.

Sam sighed, "Yeah--I get that. But--" she attempted to retort, but she paused when Levi stood from his seat and hovered over her, so close. Too close that breath got caught in her throat.

He leaned forward, his warm breath fanning against her cheek. "Before you decide, do remind me what we’ll be forsaking." He said, pulling her closer. Silently asking her to kiss him, as his hand rested on her hip, pulling her to him.

"Levi..." She whispered, unsure. Should she tell him? Wouldn’t it hurt more if she did? Instead of waiting for her to finish her mental debate, he leaned in and kissed her, and she melted against him like butter to hot bread.

"I...am never bored when I’m with you." He said, kissing her again, roughly, as if it would be their last. His long fingers were digging against the small of her back, in an attempt to have her closer.

"And the thought of you---not in my life, drives me mad." He confessed, and Sam knew that was more than good enough for her to decide to stay. She kissed him back with as much fervour, and a growl slipped his throat.

His lips trailed down her neck, teeth grazing over her soft skin and he didn’t care if he left a mark. He hoped he did, so, everyone would know she was his. Levi reached for the zipper at the back of her dress and unzipped it.

Next thing led to another. Dress on the floor forgotten, both panting beside it. Sam’s eyes were glued on the ceiling, while Levi nuzzled close to her neck.

"Should we tell them?" He asked her, not that he’s already missing Marco, and he absolutely wasn’t missing Elle.

Sam blinked, "Nah....maybe in a few days. I could use some Elle-free day." She joked, and they both agreed, sadistically agreeing that the three may be stressing about the ultimatum they served them.

Sam turned to Levi, "And did you notice Elle’s ring?" she added, amused. "Ah, yes. The hypocrite." the blond scoffed, of course, he recognized the ring. He’d seen it one too many times before wrapped around none other than their favourite pastel hair enthusiast.

"She had a bigger secret than either of us and her too", Sam added it was Janet’s ring around Elle’s finger. One she had seen her wore before.

"At least they found each other’s froot loop in a world of cheerios." Levi expressed, oddly turning on Sam that she crawled on top of him, straddling him on the floor.

And the rest of the night...

Sam paused, suddenly remembering something. "Oh! by the way. Have you found my knickers?" She asked, mid-grind, causing Levi to laugh loudly under her, loud enough to wake up the neighbours.

...was bliss.