"What are you doing here?" She whispered.
"I don't like being ignored. When I call, you must answer," he said in a demanding tone.
"I don't remember being obligated to do such! Get out!" She yelled as he looked at her seeing the fear.
"As you please," he said stepping back before making his way to leave the bathroom.

"Why are you here Lee?" She asked as she tightened her robe around her waist making him stop.
"I wanted to see you," he said taking an involuntary step towards her.
"As you can see I'm alive and kicking," she said taking a step back raising her hand for him to not come any closer.
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration as he realized what was happening.

"Are you afraid of me love?" He asked softly as he watched her actions.
"I'm not," she lied as her defensive posture gave all away.
"Listen to me Lexi. I would never hurt you. This I swear on my mothers' grave," he said in a serious tone looking into her eyes.
"Just leave," she said not looking into his eyes.
It was clear he wanted relations with her but she did not want such.

————

"Alexis Romani!" She heard the only two women who were allowed to barge into her office in the manner they had say as Parker stopped writing down what she was saying.

"Thank you Parker," she said dismissing him.
"Mercy and Gena," she acknowledged their presence as they did a group hug as per usual.

Not one for the theatrics she chose to have few friends. Friendship drama was overrated.
"When do you get back into town?"
"You know what, save it. Tonight we are going out. Maestro should do," Gina stated as she headed for the door.

"Pick you up at seven," she heard Mercy yell leaving her with no choice.

—————

Walking into the establishment she sighed knowing it was going to be a long night with both ladies.

Moving through the crowd they moved towards the VIP tables after collecting their drinks. Clenching her hand into a fist to stop the slight tremble she smiled up at her friends hoping they hadn't noticed her reaction to the crowded dance floor. Opting for a glass of wine she chatted with both ladies taking her mind off her problems.
Mercy had a hair salon which was thriving despite the troublesome economy. Gina owned a pharmaceutical company. And helped out Mercy whenever she came up with a new hair product formula.

"So any special someone in your life?" Gina asked.
"If not there is plenty of meat around," Mercy blurted as she held the straw taking a sample of her drink.

Looking in the direction Mercy looked in she saw a group of guys smiling as they looked in their direction.
"It's too early for your games ladies," Alexis complained as Gina giggled at how uncomfortable Alexis looked before she frowned seeing the light perspiration on her forehead.
"So tell us who you have been seeing. You disappeared for one month after that incident in London. Clearly you must have found some lover in Italy. Don't be mad at Parker he just said you where away for business in Italy. But we know that you can do your business here so there must have been someone," Gina stated looking at her.
Mercy gave her questioning look.

"There is someone but it is nothing," she said before sampling more of her wine.
"Finally. She is human after all," Mercy said with a smile.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked.
"You rarely talk about your dating life. We where both getting worried," Mercy said.
"I do have a life ladies. I just don't share everything," she said with a smile. "He was a businessman I met at the party and we hit it off, but he lives there and I live here so it would never work," she said sampling some of the sweet and sour chicken.

"Check out what just entered the building ladies," Gina murmured as the music transitioned to an upbeat song that had the patrons who had been there earlier moving onto the dance floor.

—————

Lee scanned the room his eyes landing on her as their eyes locked. She turned away giving her friends attention having noticed his tall frame so easily. His brother had informed him to return home to sort out some problems he couldn't take care of on his own.
At their own accord his legs moved him towards her as she continued to chat with her friends.

"Oh my gosh, he is coming over here," Alexis heard Gina whisper as she looked in his direction with a smile.
"Now that is a man I can take my time learning some mountain climbing on," Mercy whispered before sipping her drink via a straw. 

Reaching their table she felt his hand on her shoulder making her flinch away from his touch. Her friends frowned looking her worriedly.
"Excuse me ladies," she said quickly getting to her feet stopping when he blocked her path.

"Bella," he whispered his accent thick as he looked into her eyes a small smile gracing his lips, his eyes showing his concern , before he turned his attention to her friends but not moving from his position.
"I came here to see you before I leave," he said bending his knees so he could look into her eyes.
"I need fresh air," she said as he remained rooted to his spot looking as she fought with herself over her next move. Different emotions appeared on her face as she tried to hide her vulnerability in that very moment. "Please," she whispered as he looked at her in surprise not expecting her to sound so broken.
This was not the woman he knew he realized as he held out his palm to her.
Placing a shaking hand in his he held her hand gently leading the way to the roof of the building, making sure no one touched her.

"I leave in a couple of hours," he said as he looked up at the stars his hands folded behind his back.

She looked at him wearing a frown confused.
"Leaving?" She asked.
"I do have a business to run love," he said.
"I thought you just arrived," she said rubbing her hands up her arms fighting off the cold.
Removing his jacket he stepped closer to her before gently placing the jacket over her shoulders watching her slowly relax as she wrapped herself in the material feeling his heat being transferred to her.

He turned back to look up as he shoved his hands into his pockets.
"I can always stay if you want me to," he said as her eyes ran up his muscle bound arms.
He turned his gaze to her.
"Alexander told me you are not sleeping like you used to at the manor," he said. "If you need more time to heal come back with me," he said hating seeing her in such a state just as they both heard a door open and close as her friends appeared.

"Ladies this is my friend Lee," she said with a polite smile as he turned to the women wearing a serious expression once again as the women looked at him in question.
"Lee this is Gina she is in the pharmaceutical industry and this is Mercy she owns her own hair salon," she said introducing her friends.
"Pleasure to meet you ladies," he said with a slight bow of his head.

"So you must be the Italian lover," Gina said as Alexis turned to her in horror, he couldn't help but smirk at her statement.
Did she not know who he was, he pondered as he turned back to look at Lexi.
"May I?" He said as she looked at him in question as he stepped closer to her.
They watched as he leaned down towards her placing his lips on her forehead in a tender kiss that had the two ladies looking at the man in question. He made the simple act seem more that it was.
She looked at him not realizing the tears running down her face as he cupped her cheeks wiping them away.

Closing his eyes he murmured his goodbye before quickly leaving the roof as her friends looked after him and then back at her.

"What the hell was that about?" Gina stated as Lexi excused herself leaving here friends.

"Make sure they get home safely," she told her driver as he helped her into the car informing the other driver who would remain behind to take her friends home.

————

After a shower she walked towards her bed seeing the jacket he had left by the chair. Lyle came to apply ointment on her back wounds before leaving.
Reaching for the jacket she inhaled his scent mixed with his cologne as she lay in bed drifting off to sleep.

Her screams had Lyle and Alexander barging into the room as she sat up drenched in sweat.

"You need to talk to someone Alexis!" Her brother said in frustration as he looked at her after calming her down.
"Master Alexander," Lyle reprimanded the young man as he sighed leaving the room. "Shall I get you some tea madam?" Lyle said as she looked at him seeing him still in his uniform.
"Why are you not resting Lyle?" She questioned him.
"You need my attention madam," he said looking worried.
"No Lyle. Go get your rest. I will take care of myself," she said taking her robe and tying the rope tightly around her.

Forgetting sleep for the rest of the early morning she put on her jogging outfit going out for a run. Two guards usually followed her on her morning run but this time she chose to go alone needing some space.

Running around her estate she stopped in the rose garden taking in the peaceful scene before her as she recalled her dream.
Maximo stood over her brother pulling the trigger as she saw her brother die before her eyes. Looking at herself she only saw blood everywhere as she cried over her brother before Maximo grabbed her leg dragging her across then room to do as he pleased.
She took a deep breath trying to clear her head before she heard someone calling her.
"Ma'am, you have a phone call," she heard as one of her trusted guards, Sacha Smirnov, held the phone out to her. Walking towards the house she listened as the man on the other end of the line spoke.

"He must have messed you up pretty bad if you are having trouble sleeping," she heard as she stopped walking her hand trembling as she turned in her tracks.
"What do you want Sebastian?"
"I want what you have," he said with a chuckle. "I will be seeing you soon. And maybe, just maybe you will enjoy being with me unlike Maximo. I'm sure what he did to you will look like child's play compared to what I want to do with that little body of yours," he said laughing as he ended the call.
An image of Maximo dragging her across the room flashed before her eyes once more as she bent down sucking in air trying to calm down.
"Ma'am," she heard as a hand touched her shoulder.
"Don't!" She said flinching from his touch running into the house he called Lyle who came out.
"Madam," he said finding her sitting down with her arms wrapped around her legs as she mumbled something to herself.
"Madam," Lyle said again his voice breaking with emotion. He had witnessed her moments of pain but never this.
"He can't touch you," she said rocking back and forth as the two men look at each other in confusion.
"Get me a sedative," Lyle said.
She felt the needle before she could react slowly succumbing to the drug falling asleep without resistance.

-------

Lee

"I shouldn't have left her," Lee said as he walked towards the dock with his brother.
"Brother why do you care so much for a woman who shows little to no interest in you," Lance said.
"She hides her emotions, but her eyes and small actions tell me all I need to know," he said.
Lance looked at his brother seeing the change when he spoke about the woman. Being complete opposites his brother was too serious ever since their parents died. Even their sister complained about his lifestyle saying he wasn't living.

"Mr King," they heard as they reached one of their docked ships as he looked at his watch knowing they had to hurry for lunch with their sister.