Tied by Greed (ItaSaku - modern AU)

Chapter 17: Heated

"Sakura?" Sasuke went upstairs, taking small steps. He looked on each side of the hallway at every closed door. Nothing could be heard behind them. Only dreadful silence.

At the end of the hallway, a white door was cracked open, letting the light of the fireplace warm the darkness.

He pushed it open, revealing Sakura sitting on a pillow in front of it with tears dried on her face. She was so focused on the flames that she didn't notice another person stepping into the room.

Sasuke awkwardly sat on the floor, next to her, watching the flames. He sighed.

"Look, I know Ino shouldn't have said that stuff..." he started.

"No, I don't blame her." Sakura said abesently. "It's not her, it's the situation as a whole." she sighed. "I guess I was too overwhelmed and honestly, a bit shocked that my own friends won't know me better than this." she hugged her knees to her chest.

"They blindly assumed." Sasuke placed a hand on her knee. "How are you holding up?"

"We get used to each other. But he is always gone and I'm always worried."

Sasuke bit his lower lip, watching her sympathetically. "Everything he does... The business, the family, he does it for you. Even though your marriage isn't legit, I know my brother. He always puts everyone else above himself."

Sakura gave him a smile.

"I think I just ruined our game and fun night." she chuckled.

"I'm sure they will be alright."

"Maybe I can make it up to you all tomorrow. How about we go out in the city?" the pinkette asked hopeful, her eyes lit up.

"I'll tell them."

"Sakura?" the door was pushed open and a familiar face called her name. His eyes landed on both familiar figures whose heads snapped in that direction.

"Hello, big brother." Sasuke greeted by nodding his head.

"Sasuke." Itachi aknowledged his presence.

Sakura and Sasuke exchanged a few looks then the younger Uchiha pushed himself off the floor and headed for the door. He stopped next to his older brother, giving him a look that said more than words, then exited the room, closing the door behind him.

Sakura got on her feet. "I didn't hear you coming."

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?" she tried to fake her confusion.

"Cut it, Sakura. I saw them downstairs being uneasy and feeling kind of guilty and then I find you here all alone with Sasuke trying to comfort you. What did they tell you?"

Sakura hugged her own body, avoiding his gaze. There was no point in denying it, he was smart.

"Nothing, I... I just have to grow thicker skin." she bit her lower lip.

Itachi narrowed his eyes at her, not buying it.

"I have to go and show them their rooms. Oh, I totally forgot." she wiped her forehead.

"Karin was taking care of it when I arrived. Don't worry." he placed his hands on her sholders. "Now tell me, why were you upset? You are not leaving this room until you spill it."

She turned her head to the side and started laughing.

It was contagious.

"What is so funny?" Itachi chuckled.

"Wow, you really take your role seriously." she snorted.

"Shouldn't I?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm..." Sakura tapped her chin. "Nope." she used her speed to turn toward the room  and run towards it but Itachi was too fast and caught her by wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

He picked her up like a doll.

She started laughing franatically. "Aaa, put me down." she continued to laugh while her hands were squeezing his forearms and her legs kicked the air.

"I was not joking. You thought you'll escape to your friends, huh?" he chuckled.

Itachi placed her on the soft bed, carefully. "So... Say it, Sakuraaa."

The pinkette stopped her laugh and bit her lower lip. "Uh, it was about us and... Ino just assumed some stuff, based on what she would do but it's not our case and it... It reminded me that it's not that easy. We got no choice. It's easy to talk from the outside but inside, it's not all flowers and rainbows." she bowed her head, letting her pink strands of hair fall on each side of her face, hidding her expression.

Itachi placed two fingers under her chin and lifted her head to look into her eyes. "We will overcome this and you will be free..."

Her eyes were glimering. "That's... What you want?" she asked hesitantly.

"That's what you want." he reminded her.

She avoided those deep, black eyes once again.

Her hand found his and it rested there, feeling the coldness still in his skin.

"I'm not sure about that anymore." she raised her eyes to his, green colliding with black.

Seconds felt like days as she awaited for a reaction. Did she fuck up? Did she scare him? Was he thinking she is a fool? Probably. But she had to take ot off her shoulders. She wasn't good at hiding stuff anyway and sooner or later, he would have figured.

He blinked a few times to erase the shock.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." but before she could finish the sentence, his lips were pressed to hers, shutting her up.

All the past week she thought about their first kiss and with each passing day, and no mention of it from Itachi, she considered it a mistake. She became more and more anxious at the thought that he just wanted to forget about it. And the possibility of it happening again was equal to zero.

But not anymore.

She felt those butterflies dancing in her belly althought she could swore that Gaara was the only guy who could do that.

He cupped her face and pulled her closer.

Sakura grabbed a hold of his white, buttoned shirt while she let her weight fall back on the mattress.

He was now on top of her, with his legs on each side of hers.

He sucked hungrily her bottom lip.

Sakura caressed every inch of his shirt, feeling every mucle underneath. She tried to unbutton it but he caught her wrist.

With the kiss broken and his forehead laying on hers, breathing heavily, he managed to get a hold of the reality.

He opened his eyes and stared into her confused ones. "Not now."

"They can't hear us..."

Itachi got up from the bed and ran a hand through his messy hair. "It's not that. I want to do it the right way. You still have so much to learn about me. I cannot let you do something you will regret afterwards. Only when you'll know, you should decide."

A shiver ran down to her spine. There was more of it? What could be so bad to push her away?

"Then... When?"

"When the time arrives. I am sorry. You should go to sleep." and with that, he left the room, leaving Sakura alone with her thoughts and all the conspiracies he had in her mind.