🥀 15 🥀

~♤~

"Find me everything you can on this man, do you hear me?" Loki orders into his phone to Clint.

He was trying to keep his voice down, for fear of Lyla hearing him. She hadn't revealed the scumbag's name to him, but it wouldn't take long for him to figure it out. Especially with Clint's espionage expertise.

"I hear you Sir, don't worry, I'm on it". Clint affirms before pausing.

"How is she, is she ok?" He adds nervously onto the end.

He'd never seen Loki so preoccupied with a woman before. None of his closest associates had ever seen Odinson treat a girl this way or for this length of time.

They knew she must've been something special, but no one had the guts to comment on it. Clint had sized her up pretty quickly however and had come to the conclusion that Lyla was in fact, a good person. He couldn't help but feel sorry for Lyla after what Loki had shared with him.

Loki frowns, rubbing the creased space between his brows trying to ease the tension. He can't place the tight feeling in his chest at the thought of her in danger. But he'd given a name to it and spoken it out loud now...breathed it into life. Love. Was it love? Was it possession? Was it obsession? He wasn't sure he was capable of such an emotion, despite the fact he'd told Lyla this.

It had felt right in the moment, to break free from his lips and say to her, but now he was doubting everything. Sociopaths like him didn't love people.

Except his mother, he was sure he loved his mother.

Did that mean he could feel love? This was different though.

Loki shakes his head, trying desperately to quieten down the buzz of his mind to no avail.

"She's fine. I'm with her now. I won't let him come near her again. This needs ending. The police won't do shit." Loki says through gritted teeth.

He did have most of NYPD under his employment, but this was something he needed to settle himself, to make Lyla happy. To give her what she truly wanted, freedom from her abuser.

Even thinking about it made him positively feral with violent rage. Lyla was sweet, innocent and generous, to put hands on someone like that...even Loki had his morals.

Whoever this piece of lowlife cretin was that felt he had to assert his dominance by hurting a woman needed to be put into his place. Loki smirks as he pictures his blood coating his hands already. He feels his mind slip so welcomingly back into that dark abyss, the one that tells him he cannot run from who he is...the one who could so easily kill a man with his fingertips and have no remorse. The one who his father and brother expected him to be. The role he was destined to play.

"Okay boss, I'll get back to you soon. I'll call up Officer Hill, she'll be able to get something." Clint responds before Loki puts down the phone, trying to calm the bloodlust within.

He will figure out his feelings once he has dealt with this threat. Just like he always does.

Loki breathes deeply through his nose, trying to steady the anger that's already got it's claws into him. He needs to put on a calm front to see Lyla and reassure her that everything is ok. That is if she still wants to continue their arrangement after she'd heard so much bad.

The arrangement. The confession. Fuck, it was all so messy.

Loki walks back into the apartment, smoothing his shirt down as he does, trying to appear less dishevelled than before. Luckily for him, Lyla was just getting out of the shower and getting dressed, ready for the day.

~♡~

Lyla smiles shyly as she sees Loki stride in, looking confident and decisive as always.

No matter what Loki had told her this morning, it was completely and utterly drowned out by the profession of love. Lyla is still not convinced he said it because he truly means it, or if he felt awkward and felt he had to say it back. She feels foolish for being the first to say it.

"Hey Loki, about earlier, can we-" She begins but Loki puts a hand up to cut her off as he gently walks over to her, looking her up and down in just her towel, before settling by gazing into her eyes.

He pulls a wet strand of hair off her face and behind her ear softly.

"We can figure it out, what it all means. Later." Loki says firmly and Lyla nods, feeling small again.

She's not sure if she made the right decision telling him about her ex-boyfriend. Maybe she'd just confirmed to him that he was right to have chosen her for the arrangement, that she was weak and easily manipulated. She bites her lip and sighs.

Loki notices the look of confusion and hurt on her face and lifts her face up to his, before softly placing a kiss on her lips. His breath was cool but warmed her as he let his tongue dance around the back of her teeth, gripping her face more tightly now as she moaned into it, not wanting it to end, desperately trying to keep the sparks going before he pulled away.

"Is there something more important to do than talking about it right now?" Lyla asks sadly as she looks down again, worried of Loki's reaction.

Loki goes to her drawers, pulling out some tight black high-waisted jeans and a forest-green off the shoulder top. He finally walks to her wardrobe, where he knows her shoes are kept, pulling out a pair of Louboutins that aren't even out the box yet that he bought her recently.

He passes her the pile of clothes before reaching into her bedside table and pulling out a matching black-lace Agent Provocateur set.

"We have things to do Pet. Now be a good girl and get dressed for me, we're going apartment hunting." Loki murmurs as he hovers his lips over Lyla's again.

The dominant tone dripping from his words makes her speechless as she all but gulps at him, feeling weak at the knees. Despite baring her soul to Loki just a couple of hours earlier, she doesn't regret it. At least, she doesn't think she does.

"Apartment hunting?" Lyla asks hoarsely as she licks her lips for moisture again, realising she was open-mouthed as she picks up the underwear and slips it on under the towel quickly.

Loki tries his hardest not to go with his animalistic instincts that are telling him to rip the flimsy fabric to shreds and fuck her mercilessly, but he thinks back to her confession earlier and how he didn't want to seem like he was just with her for that. It was all terribly confusing.

"Yes Sweetheart. You can't stay here. Not only is it not safe, but you have far too many things for such a small space. You deserve somewhere a bit more upmarket." He grimaces as he says the last word, knowing Lyla would fight him all the way on it.

She pulls on the clothes quickly, combing her wet hair out of her face and into a messy bun. Loki would never get accustomed to her natural beauty. He was in awe of her radiancy.

"I like where I live Loki, it's mine. I earnt it, I did this for myself." Lyla says stubbornly and he sees a hint of sadness in her eyes for just a moment.

He cannot understand why anyone would want to live in such squalor, but he supposes the more he thinks about it, the more she has raised a valid point.

"It would mean the world to me if you'd let me buy you somewhere where I'd feel you were safer. I understand this is your home, and you want to earn things yourself, but trust me when I say you deserve this. You've given me so much more than just affection and company Ly." Loki says the last part softly as he averts his eyes, clearing his throat and slipping his mask back on again.

"Come see them at least, you can always think about it. But in the meantime, I don't want you being here with everything going on. You can temporarily move into my place, until this is solved." Loki says more determinedly now.

Lyla's jaw drops in shock at what she'd just heard. She'd been ready to continue putting up a fight. She didn't need such luxuries.

Of course the many gifts Loki had adorned and spoiled her with were well-received and cherished, but it wasn't what mattered most in life to her. She never wanted to think that's all she wanted from Loki. It seems they were on similar pages with that.

"Wait, sorry, you want me to move in with you? Into that insane mansion?!" Lyla chokes out a laugh as she grabs her bag, accepting she cannot fight the apartment viewings now.

She looks up at Loki who looks deadly serious.

"This is all a bit much Loki, don't you think? We only just said we....I mean, we don't know what we....How would this work?" Lyla asks exasperatedly.

Loki's mask slips for a mere moment again as he tries to think of the correct response.

"I know, and I do apologise for being so forward. It does appear we are on our own strangely unique timeline and journey with this. But I promise you, it's not like that, it's for your safety. You have the guestroom and the adjoining bathroom and wardrobes. I don't expect you to actually fully move in with me, it'll just make me feel better." Loki tries to explain casually but he can feel his heart beating in his paper-thin ribcage.

He could never take rejection well, always pushing people away before they had a chance.

Lyla frowns, chewing the inside of her cheek in nervous habit. Loki hated it when she did that and mutilated herself in anxiety. She finally looks at him.

"Ok, just temporarily though." Lyla agrees and Loki feels his pulse skyrocket.

Was this beautiful girl really agreeing to move into his house? After everything he'd told her about himself? He clears his throat, trying to appear collected.

"But when you say solved, Loki what do you mean?" She asks, narrowing her eyes. Loki was hoping she wouldn't think this far ahead.

But she knows him now, and his ways. Would she run a mile?

"We'll solve it together Pet. We'll do it all through proper channels, don't you worry." Loki lies through his teeth.

If he had to say that to keep her safe, he'd do it. A thousand times over. Lyla thinks for a moment before she nods slowly. Loki gestures for her to take his arm as they walk out the apartment and into his car, surprisingly still intact on the street side.

"How have you organised these viewings already?" Lyla asks in wonder as she takes in yet another new vehicle.

She glides her hands over the sleek interior as she feels Loki watching her and blushes. Loki shrugs.

"When you run all of New York Darling, you can pretty much have anything you want at your fingertips. And now you have it at yours too." He says as he picks up her hand nearest to him, kissing it lightly.

He tries to ignore his inner saboteur that was telling him to stop living out this stupid fantasy immediately. Before someone gets killed.

~♤♡~

"Is that the last of them?" Steve asks as he brings another bag up to Loki's front door.

Lyla smiles widely at him, feeling slightly ashamed of what he must be thinking right now.

"Yes, that's it. Thank you so much Steve for your help. It was very generous of you." Lyla says kindly as Steve flashes her a smile, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Anything for Loki, and by extension you." Steve murmurs the last part as he looks at Loki behind Lyla, coming back from taking another set of her belongings upstairs.

Just then, Thor and Nat round the corner in his Porsche. Lyla feels a pang of regret build in her stomach as she remembers how she texted Nat earlier to let her know she was moving into Loki's temporarily.

Nat, immediately sensing something was up, leaps out the car and towards the entrance of Loki's house, Thor following behind, wearing a bemused grin that quickly turns to concern as he sees Lyla's face.

"Ly, what's going on why did you just up and leave and come here?" Nat presses as she gives her friend a hug.

Lyla feels relieved Nat's here. She feels safe with a member of her family, but knows the difficult conversation she needs to have.

"Nat, I can explain, but it's a long story. You're going to kill me." Lyla says as she pulls away from the hug, looking into Nat's green eyes.

The redhead studies her, noting the fear on her face and the guilt wash across her features. That familiar haunting look of the past plaguing at the corners of her vision.

She knows.

"He's back, isn't he?" Nat asks lowly and Loki looks past the girls and Steve to Thor, who wears a confused expression on his face.

Loki had already had Clint fill in Steve and Pietro, two of few people he trusted with that information so that they could be on standby to help out when needed.

Loki gestures his head to Thor down the corridor and away from the girls to explain briefly. He can almost feel the questions radiating off his brother at the fact a girl was actually moving into his house, no matter how fleeting. He doesn't want to talk about that emotional side for now. Steve follows with the last of Lyla's bag to take upstairs.

When the girls were alone, Nat shook her head angrily.

"How long?" She asks and Lyla looks down.

"Babe, how long!" Nat asks again firmer this time.

Lyla looks back up at her.

"A few nights ago, when I was at yours. He delivered a letter to the library. I didn't see him, but Peggy gave it to me unknowingly. I'm not sure if he knows where I live, but he knows where I work and that's enough." Lyla breathes as the reality of the situation hits her.

She might have to see his face again. The face she never thought she'd see. The brown eyes piercing into hers as the blood rushes to his face. The moment of deathly silence before the glass shatters against her skin.

"Why didn't you tell me Ly, what the fuck?!" Nat all but shouts before she collects herself.

She looks beyond upset, but Lyla knows it's not really aimed at her.

"Sorry, sorry." Nat says immediately as she remembers that Lyla doesn't cope well with shouting.

"It's okay. I'm not sure, I just wanted to carry on pretending, just for one night that my life was okay and that he wasn't coming back to ruin things." Lyla sniffs as Nat strokes the side of her face now.

"It's alright, I get it. I'm not going to let anything happen to you, and I bet Loki isn't either, no matter what you arrangement is about." Nat sighs as studies Lyla closer.

She sees Lyla's gaze flicker away briefly.

"What aren't you telling me now?" She questions.

Damn, Nat was almost as good as Loki at reading minds.

"I don't know what the fuck is going on with our arrangement Nat. Everything is a mess. I told him I loved him, it's all fucked." Lyla stutters and Nat pulls her in again closer.

"It's okay, it's okay." Nat shushes as she smooths her hair.

Lyla thought her best friend would be more surprised by that bombshell, but clearly Nat must've seen it coming and was keeping quiet for now, with more important things at mind.

"Loki's helped me get a new apartment, still in the city, but a nicer part. I told him he needed to stop the monthly allowance now....it feels wrong. I have enough money already saved from what he's given me, but he told me to put that away for myself. He still insisted that he pay for the apartment." Lyla blurts out through tears, Nat wipes them away quickly.

She can see how lost her friend is, the same feelings she felt those years ago with Tony. It hurt her to see her friend going down a similar path.

The difference was it seemed Loki was going down it too. For now...

"It's gorgeous, I don't deserve it, it's like a studio loft, so much room for my books and things, I can't believe it. What the hell is happening? How have I got here where I'm now moving my stuff in with Loki?" Lyla sighs as Nat just swallows hard, knowing she has to be as supportive as possible.

"You know you can talk to me, you can stay with me, whatever you need Ly. I'm here." Nat says now, taking her hand and squeezing it. "You deserve that apartment. I can't wait to see it, let's think about that later."

"I know, Nat, it's just happened so fast. Today has been crazy. Loki says he can keep me safe, and I believe that. I know they're people who do bad things Nat but I really don't think they're bad people, even Loki, don't you?" Lyla asks hurriedly as she hears the men begin to round the corner again now, looking for the girls.

Nat frowns and nods her head. She still hadn't quite figured Loki out, and she knew her friend could be too trusting sometimes, to her downfall. But she trusted Thor, and she trusted her gut that told her she was safe with him in this house.

"You're right." Nat said quietly as she looked behind Lyla to the brothers and Steve, giving them a friendly smile.

Lyla still faces away from them, trying to blink away the tears that have escaped as she realises she needs to lie down and reflect on everything that's happened so insanely quickly today. She can't deny her heart what it feels though, and right now, despite the pain and fear and confusion, she just wants Loki.

"Come, let's all eat shall we? My treat. We'll order Pizza." Thor says as he moves to wrap an arm around Nat's waist.

She smiles at him gratefully and Lyla sees how they look at each other for the first time properly, they were happy.

Lyla nods as she feels Loki's cool palm on her lower back as he whispers against her ear.

"Are you ok?" He coos, concerned.

Lyla turns to look at him. Trying her best to smile through all the noise in her thoughts and the fear in her heart.

"Fine. I'm starving though, let's get that pizza sorted ASAP!" Lyla says, feigning enthusiasm as Thor looks on happily.

Steve takes out his phone to dial the place, gathering everyone's orders.

It was weird, in that moment doing something as simple as ordering pizza around people who cared about her felt reassuring.

Lyla did not know how long this fleeting feeling would last though.

Nor who would be the one to break it.

——