For the next week and a half Joseph didn't say one word to me. After that night I had thought that he was a serious douche bag that didn't ever deserve to talk to me again, but now that I'd calmed down I was just sad he wouldn't look at me anymore. I mean I don't understand how he could be mad at me. I was the one that got hurt, and yet he was the one acting like a little girl that didn't get her way.

Ruben had been really supportive throughout this whole ordeal and kept me busy helping him with all of his chores/duties. I guess it was a win win situation. I didn't have to think about Joseph and he didn't have to do as much work.

The only real time that I couldn't think of anything else was at breakfast and dinner. It was then that my mind wandered and it definitely didn't help that he was in the same room.

Now I was sat in my room. Ruben had been called to a meeting an hour ago so I didn't have anyone to keep me company while I sat. I tried to think about my father. How much I missed him. When that didn't work I tried to think about Tiffany and her cute little laugh and the pout she did whenever she didn't get her way. But in the end all I could think about was Joseph. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that he didn't do or say what he did to hurt me. But that thought was thrown out when I remembered the actual events.

The longer I sat the angrier I got until I had just about convinced myself that I needed to go and put him in his place. That is until there were three swift taps on my door. I didn't move. Then the three taps came again but harder. I frowned and got up to open the door.

When I opened the door the person on the other side immediately pushed their way in before I could even see who it was. They pushed the door shut and held me against the door with their body.

Whoever it was, was breathing hard in my ear. "Who are you?" I asked my eyes wide with fear. "What do you want?"

The person sighed and rested their head on my shoulder. I could tell that it was a man by now. I stayed silent for awhile the person still breathing hard behind me. His hands resting on the wall next to my face.

"Damnit!" He yelled. And shoved himself away from me. I froze in shock. I definitely knew that voice.

I whipped around when I heard furniture crashing around. I groaned internally, that was all brand new. My pity party didn't last long though when I saw the state Joseph was in. His face was bright red with anger, the veins in his arms and neck were promptly showing as he strained to throw all my furniture around. He swore and yelled as sweat started shining on his head.

"Joseph." I whispered out loud. He obviously didn't hear me over his own yelling. "Joseph." I said stepping a little closer. He still didn't hear me and I was getting a but frustrated. "Joseph!" I yelled and stood behind him.

He stilled, his breathing erratic and his fists clenching and unclenching. "Joseph." I put my hand on his shoulder. He jerked around as soon as my hand made contact with his shirt. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled my body against his tightly. I sucked in a breath of surprise. After I had a moment to realize that he was hugging me I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and neck. Holding him tight because I had read somewhere that hugging actually did calm people down.

He rested his head on my shoulder again and slowly his breathing started to become normal again. I played with the hair on the back of his neck, while my other hand drew patterns on his back softly.

Once I felt like he was calm enough I asked him. "Joseph what's going on?" My voice was soft so that I didn't startle him after being silent for so long.

He sighed and dropped to his knees his arms were still wrapped around me so had no choice but to fall to the floor with him. I was rested on his lap when we were both on the floor. I went to move feeling extremely awkward with the current position but he didn't let me out of his arms. The veins I had seen earlier appeared on his arms again as he tightened his hold. The little voice in my head was telling me to relax and enjoy the moment but then on the other hand I couldn't let myself be comfortable with him again.

"Cameron left." He said softly. I frowned and looked up at him. His green eyes seemed brighter and his hair was in every direction. He was a mess. "He joined them." He continued. "He was the only blood I had left."

I shook my head. "What about Matthias? He's your uncle."

"No he's not. He and my parents were friends. He practically raised Cameron so he calls him dad. But we aren't really family." His eyes were trained on the floor. I fidgeted in his arms hoping he would get the hint that I wasn't comfortable but he didn't. He just sat there.

I sucked in a big breath and forced myself to relax a little. My shoulders slumped a little and the tension left my body. After a minute I laid my head on his chest, to try and relieve the pain of having it kinked upwards to look at him.

"Why'd he leave, and where did he go?" I asked. His breath caught and he didn't say anything for awhile. I lifted my head when he didn't answer. His jaw was clenched and his eyes narrowed at the wall. "What?"

"He left for them." He said simply.

I frowned in confusion."Who's them?"

"The Red Edge. He left and joined them. As for why. I couldn't tell you. All I know is what that damned spy told us." His voice was completely monotonous.

"What?!" I gasped. "I-i don't." I stuttered. "We were friends."

"We were cousins. I guess none of that matters." His voice kind of scared me.

"You know just because he left you're not alone." I whispered. He looked down at me. His cold eyes warmed slightly. "There are people here that would die for you without blinking an eye. Your men respect you, they admire you, and they love you." I said sincerely believing every word they said.

"And what about you?" He asked. I raised an eyebrow silently asking him to explain his question. "Do you feel that way too."

I sighed and looked down. "Joseph. You were the one that told me you couldn't feel that way. So I've been trying really hard to not feel that way about you either." I could tell he was staring at me.

"You know when I get up in the morning I'm excited because I get to be around you. Even this past week when we weren't talking, just the thought of seeing you.... But it's also been hell. I keep telling myself that it's the right thing to do. Keep you away and treat you like everyone else. But I can't. I can't look at you like everyone else, I can't look and you and not wish that you were smiling so that I could see your adorable dimples. I can't look at you and not think about kissing you. This week you didn't smile, you didn't laugh, and I hated it. You weren't happy, and because of it I wasn't either. I don't know what this is, but I know that I like you. I know I want you to be happy." He stared me right in the eyes as he talked.

My eyes were blurry. I sniffed and looked down. What was I supposed to say. He hurt me but I was willing to over look that. The question was did I feel the same way. I know I thought about him all the time. I know I cared whether he was happy or not. If he was hurt I would help him no hesitation. "Thank you. No ones ever cared that much before." I blushed and looked back at the ground.

He laughed at my embarrassment and hugged my body to his chest tighter. Suddenly this position didn't seem so uncomfortable. My eye drooped, getting harder to open the longer we sat. Eventually they didn't open again and I fell into a deep sleep in his arms.

****

I opened my eyes when the door banged open against the wall. I groaned the same thing every morning. Ava would barge in very loudly and tell me it was time to wake up. This morning was no exception.

Ava gasped as she entered the room. "Miss Jessica! Again! What happened to your room?" I didn't know whether to smile or frown at the memory of last night. Things had happened pretty fast. He came yelling, and ended up telling me that he wanted me to be more than whatever I was before. Now thinking back everything happened rashly. He might not have even meant everything he said. He was distraught about Cameron. Maybe he just needed someone and I was there so he told be things to make me more likely to be comfortable around him.

I sat up in my mattress that was on the floor instead of on my bed like it should be. "It's nothing Ava I'll have it taken care of." I smiled at the girl in my door. She nodded slowly and hurried off to wake up all the other girls.

I knew that I shouldn't trust him after everything, but somehow even after all that I still felt something for him. It wasn't love, but it's definitely more than a crush.

I got ready for the day quicker than normal after I realized I was running late. I rushed down the halls and made before Joseph. Who was pretty much always here right at 6 from what I had observed. I watched him enter the room. We made eye contact and held it the entire time he walked to his seat. Then the maids brought the food in and I looked down at it. A small smile played across his lips as he watched me look at all the food around me. I had been here for 2 almost 3 months and still the variety, quantity, and quality surprised me every day.

I could feel his intense stare on me as I got all of the food I wanted. It made me feel self conscious about all the food I was piling into my plate.

The room was loud with the laughter and talk of the people around. Joseph slowly started to put food onto his plate. I noticed that everything he put on his plate was something I had on mine as well. I smiled softly. That was cute.

After Joseph was done eating he stood up and dismissed everyone. His people immediately started to file out. I went down the hall that lead to the north wing. Ruben was teaching me how to clean a gun today.

I walked down the empty hall humming to myself. "What are you humming?" A voice asked right behind me.

I yelled and whipped around my hand automatically smacking the person behind me.

"Oh!" He grunted as my hand came in contact with his chest. "I guess I should've seen that coming." Joseph said rubbing his chest.

"Oh c'mon that couldn't have hurt that bad." I put my hands on my hips.

"Hey your strong for your size." He joked.

"My size! What do you mean my size?! I'm 5'8"!" I said proud of my above average height.

He laughed. "I'm just kidding little one. Now where are you headed?" He said a light smile on his lips.

"Ruben is teaching me how to clean a gun." I said. Happy with the fact that I was learning something about guns even if it was just cleaning it. When you lived in this house guns were a pretty handy thing to have around.

"Alright I'll be coming with you." He looked straight ahead and walked forward with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Really?" I asked genuinely surprised that he didn't have anything more important to do.

"Yes. I'm inspecting all of the boys. See if they do their jobs well." He said.

A tiny smile appeared on my lips as we walked together. Right.