The next morning Alexa woke up late for the first time since she had been living in Taehyung’s apartment.  She was alone, turning over in the bed, Taehyung for the first time wasn’t with her.  She twisted around the room, and looked at the clock on the table, which said 11.14am.  It was really late.  She began to panic when he wasn’t there.

‘Taehyung?’ she called out to him, ‘Taehyung?’ Climbing out of bed, she made her way through the doorway into the living room.  ‘Taehyung?’ she repeated as she stopped dead. 

Jungkook was sat on one of the stools at the bar in the kitchen.  He turned around to face her, wearing his full police uniform, just like the guards at the prison did. 

She yelped at the sight of him.  He had the same mean look in his eyes as he stood up.  Not only that, the police uniform was giving her flash backs of guards in the prison.  He walked towards her slowly, not saying anything as she quivered shuffling backwards into the wall. 

‘Taehyung isn’t here.  He got called to a meeting.’  Jungkook said steadily.  He was close to her now, she closed her eyes, preparing herself for the violence he was about to inflict upon her. 

‘He called me as a last resort to come and check on you.  Everyone else was busy.’  Jungkook’s voice was icy as he stopped in front of her.  She didn’t look up at him still quivering, opening her eyes she stared down at his boots, that instantly gave her a sick feeling in her stomach. 

‘I won’t hurt you.’ He said, gently touching her arm.  Twitching back from his touch, she didn’t believe him.  His voice was still hard and cold, and she couldn’t bare it if he touched her.  He wasn’t Taehyung. 

‘But we are going to have a chat.’ He continued.  He took her wrist between his fingers and pulled her towards the sofa.  It wasn’t as rough as other guards, but it wasn’t like the way Taehyung did it. 

He sat her down on the sofa, releasing her, and sat in front of her on the coffee table.  He was huge.  Even bigger than Taehyung must be as his presence and proximity to her frightened her to the core.  He seemed to cast a shadow over her. 

‘Taehyung -,’ Jungkook began speaking.  She kept her head bowed and her eyes closed.  ‘He really loves you.’  Jungkook finished with a sigh. 

His words confused her.  Why was Jungkook telling her this?  It was some kind of trap and he would definitely beat her, she was sure of it. 

‘I love Jimin.  He’s my everything,’ Jungkook continued.  Alexa opened her eyes a fraction keeping her head down.  She could see Jungkooks large hands in front of her, his fingertips pressed together. 

‘But I would bet my life that Taehyung loves you even more than I love my Jimin.’  Jungkook kept speaking. 

Peeking up at him, her eyes met with Jungkook’s.  The hard look on his face wasn’t there like it was before, there was something forgiving in his eyes.  It struck her how similar his eyes were to Taehyung’s and yet, totally different. 

‘He’s been obsessed with you, since we were little kids.’  Jungkook told her, pouting his bottom lip as he heaved a sigh.  ‘I knew it, when they said you got your mark, I knew you’d be matched with him.  It wasn’t a coincidence that he got his mark at the same time.’  Jungkook sighed.  She averted her eyes from him, feeling a little too frightened to continue to look into them. 

‘I – I need to know; do you love him?’  Jungkook seemed to trip over his question as he asked her. 

She was shocked by the question.  It was totally unexpected to have Jungkook questioning her like this. 

‘Alexa, I need to know, do you love my brother?’  He asked again.  Firmer this time after getting no response. 

Slowly, she looked up at him, and nodded her head. 

‘I mean do you really love him.  Do you love him as much as he loves you?’  Jungkook pressed on, leaning forward, closer to her. 

‘I don’t – I don’t know what you mean.’  She shakily admitted to him.  Suddenly, he grabbed her by both arms, leaning into her space.  She was panicking, her heart was beating wildly, sure he was about to murder her. 

‘I mean would you die for him?  Would you go back to prison to keep him safe?’  Jungkook’s voice was rising.  The look in his eyes was dangerous and she was terrified of him.  She could barely think clearly as his hands were pressing into her arms so roughly. 

Jungkook’s eyes darted between hers.  He let her go suddenly.  ‘I’m sorry.’  He said, clearing his throat.  ‘I’m sorry but I need to know, would you go back to prison, to keep him out of prison.’ 

She was flat against the back of the sofa with fear, but her brain was beginning to work.  She didn’t know how much she loved Taehyung, if it was enough, but she knew he was kind and she didn’t want him to go to prison for her. 

Nodding her head, she whispered, ‘Yes, I’d go back to prison for him.’  It was a terrifying thing to say out loud, did this mean he was going to take her back now?  Was her life with Taehyung already over? Shutting her eyes, she prepared for the worst.

Jungkook folded his arms over his chest, looking at her for a long time before exhaling. 

‘Ok then.’  He nodded after an eternity.  ‘I promised him I would help him.  But only if you loved him enough.’ 

She stared back at him, totally confused and completely terrified.  What did all this mean? 

The door behind them suddenly opened, and Taehyung came in. 

‘Jungkook -,’ he began, taking in the sight in front of him.  Alexa didn’t look up at him, it panicked her that he would blame her for Jungkook getting angry. 

‘What the hell are you doing?’  Taehyung yelled stomping over to them.  Jungkook stood up, but Taehyung sat down, wrapping his arm protectively around Alexa. 

‘Are you ok baby?  I could feel it, you were scared.’  He whispered in her ear nuzzling at her neck trying to get her to look at him.  She kept her eyes down, her body was still shaking. 

‘Jungkook, I said watch her, not frighten her.  What the hell?’  Taehyung turned back to his brother. 

‘I didn’t hurt her.’  Jungkook yelled back. 

‘You’ve scared the life out of her.  I told you she was sick.’  Taehyung argued back. 

‘She’s fine.’  Jungkook dismissed making his way back over to the kitchen. 

‘Go and lay back down in bed sweetie.  I’ll come in, in a minute ok?’  Taehyung whispered in her ear, pulling her up with him and leading her into the bedroom.  He closed the door over but not all the way closed.  She trembled getting back into bed and pulled the blankets around her, hiding herself underneath them. 

‘How’d it go?’  she could hear Jungkook asking from behind the door.

‘How do you think it went?’  Taehyung replied sarcastically. 

‘I told you.’  Jungkook answered him.  ‘Has Namjoon got anything yet?’ 

‘No.’  Taehyung seemed to sigh back at him. 

‘You’re running out of time.’  Jungkook warned him, their voices getting further away. 

‘Get me more time.’  Taehyung asked, a sense of pleading in his voice. 

‘Taehyung,’ Jungkook began. 

‘You promised me Jungkook.  I told you, if she gets har