Dont Fall For The Enemy - english version

Chapter 9.

I was deeply engrossed in my work, surrounded by stacks of paper and a constant stream of thoughts racing through my mind. Counting data was a monotonous task, but a necessary step to get the information we needed. So there I sat, my pen scratching across the paper as I meticulously added up and recorded the numbers.

Suddenly, I was jolted out of my concentration by the sound of the door swinging open. My heart leaped in shock, and my pen slipped from my hand as I looked up at the sudden intruder.

There stood Landon, leaning against the door frame with a smug grin on his face. My stomach churned at the sight of him, a mixture of frustration and irritation washing over me. How dare he barge in so unexpectedly and startle me?

"You jumped pretty good, Hanna," he remarked, his voice laced with teasing. "Got something to hide, kitten?"

My mouth fell open in disbelief at his audacious remark. "What do you mean, Landon?" I asked, my voice sharp and suspicious as I looked at him.

He grinned broadly, relishing in my discomfort. "Oh, you know, kitten," he teased further. "They say people with guilty consciences tend to startle easily."

My blood began to boil at his words, my irritation growing with each passing second of his continued teasing. "I have nothing to hide, Landon," I snapped at him, my voice trembling with exasperation as I tried to keep my emotions in check.

He casually shrugged his shoulders, his grin widening even further. "If you say so, kitten," he replied, his tone filled with self-satisfied arrogance.

I sat there, still engrossed in my work, as the tension between Landon and me hung in the air of the room like a thick fog. His teasing remarks had derailed my concentration, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of throwing me off balance.

Suddenly, he broke the silence. "Why are you avoiding me, Hanna?" His voice was serious, devoid of his usual teasing.

I sighed irritably and looked him squarely in the eye. "I'm not avoiding you, Landon. I'm simply busy with my work," I replied coolly, my voice calm yet tinged with a hint of irritation.

He didn't seem satisfied with my answer and stepped forward, his gaze intense. "Are you afraid of me, Hanna?" he asked in a direct tone.

I couldn't help but laugh at his question. "Afraid of you? No, why would I be afraid of you?" I responded, my voice full of disbelief as I looked at him. "I've never seen you as a threat, Landon."

He didn't seem convinced by my answer and was about to continue, but I had had enough. With a frustrated sigh, I stood up from my desk, my eyes burning with irritation as I looked at him.

But before I could take a step, he moved closer, his face just inches from mine. My breath caught in my throat at his sudden proximity, and I felt my heartbeat quicken.

"Landon, what are you doing?" I hissed, my voice sharp as I stepped back to create some distance between us.

He looked me straight in the eyes, his gaze determined yet still mysterious. "You can't avoid me, Hanna," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "Whatever there is between us, we'll always cross paths. You can't change that."

Landon's POV

Landon leaned against the door frame, his thoughts muddled as he looked at Hanna. He never intended to startle her, or at least that's what he claimed to himself. He wasn't the type to enjoy scaring women. But there was something about her cool, unaffected demeanor that challenged him, that urged him to break through her wall of indifference.

He had almost decided to leave, to leave her alone, when he noticed something in her eyes - a flash of fear, however fleeting, hidden behind her calm facade. It was just a glimpse, almost imperceptible, but it was enough to catch his attention and make him hesitate.

He couldn't help it. It was as if an invisible force compelled him to tease her, to challenge her, to see how far he could push before she would break. It wasn't to frighten her, no, it was to understand her, to grasp what lay behind that impenetrable facade.

Maybe it was a weakness of his, maybe it was curiosity, but whatever it was, it drove him to continue teasing her, to keep pushing her buttons, even if he knew it annoyed her.

But now, as he looked her directly in the eyes, he couldn't help but doubt his motives. He never intended to scare her, but he certainly wanted to break her, to see what lay behind that cool demeanor.