Abby stood between the kitchen and the living room entry, her heart hammering in her chest as she watched Adam stalk to the elevators. Part of her wanted to make a run for it, which was ridiculous, because in all seriousness...where the hell would she go? Taking a deep breath, she tried to tramp down the anxiety which was slowly clawing its way up her throat.

She'd been suffering from the morning-after jitters since the moment she woke up and started struggling through all the firsts she was experiencing. The first time she'd actually intentionally spent the night with him. The first time she'd woke up beside him. The first time she'd faced the light of day with him and for the first time, she was contemplating letting go of her barriers for him.

Top that off with what had happened with Vivian and her nerves were absolutely shot. The waffling between her mind and her heart was driving her crazy. Her thoughts were telling her to do what she had been doing for years...run. But, this time, her heart didn't agree. Her eyes roamed over to Adam who was pulling a Tony Stark in front of the control panel. There was so much more at stake than any of those other times, people she didn't want to leave and Adam Steele was one of them. Falling for him had to be one of the stupidest things she had ever done, but it didn't change the truth she had indeed fallen. Hard.

Running would mean she would have to let go. Of him...of everyone she had grown to care about and a dark rage burned deep in her belly replacing the fear. Abby was sick and tired of running. Of letting her stepfather ruin her life and forcing her to keep everyone at bay. Seeing Vivian in the hospital clinging to life scared her to death, but it also pissed her off. Not seeing what happened to Roger fed her fear, but seeing what Dean had done to Vivian...stroked her wrath. He was not going to get away with this. Not anymore.

It had been so long since she trusted anyone other than Jo Jo. She sighed. But, to be honest, if she was going to fight to get her life back, she was going to need a lot more power in her corner than a bunch of snarky drag queens. Though they meant well, they didn't stand a chance against Dean. There was, however, one man who could. She only had to trust him.

Reaching up, she gently touched the cut on her forehead. It was almost identical to the one Adam was sporting on his cheek. The both of them were battered and bruised from last night, but he didn't have to be. He could have stayed behind, but instead...he charged through their apartment door and saved Vivian. And to be honest, rescued her as well. Not only did he risk his life, but then he offered his home to her and Jo Jo. He had proved himself beyond trustworthy and for the first time in ages...she felt a glimmer of hope breaking through the darkness. Hope that with him at her side, she could get her life back and put an end to Dean's torment.

Adam's cursing at the monitor had her attention jerking back to him. He was scowling furiously at whoever it was flashing in the screen. Backing up slowly, she nabbed the cutting board off the counter she had used this morning to slice bread for toast. It was nice and hefty with a handle, a perfect weapon. The chances it was her stepfather were slim to none, but it never hurt to be prepared and judging by his reaction, whoever it was, was not welcomed. Gripping it tightly, she eased her way back to the midway zone between the two rooms.

The doors eased open and before she could blink, Adam was sprawled out on the floor with Jonathan hovering over him like a demented maniac, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him as if he was a maraca.

"You stupid son of a bitch! What the fuck where you thinking?" Jonathan spat. "You goddamn self-centered, arrogant, senseless motherfucker!"

Abby didn't even think about it, she simply reacted. Running forward, she raised the cutting board and swung just in time to knock Jonathan's next punch away from Adam's now fat and bleeding lip. The crunching of his knuckles slamming into the wood splintered throughout the foyer.

"Holy fucking hell!" Jonathan bellowed, grabbing his hand and cradling it next to his chest as his wide, shocked blue eyes zeroed in on her. "I think you broke my goddamn hand!" he yelled.

Abby didn't flinch. Bracing herself, she stood protectively over Adam, who had sat up and was tenderly rubbing his jaw.

"That's what you get for sucker punching someone," she snapped at him as he continued to howl.

Jonathan's mouth popped open, his eyes darting from her, to his brother and back to the cutting board and he wisely stepped back out of swinging range. "This is between me and my brother." He nodded towards Adam, scowling.

"Yeah, well...now it's between me and you."

Adam stood up, snatching Abby's arm and dragging her away from his brother.

"That's enough!" he barked, pulling her to his side. "What the fuck is your problem?" he asked Jonathan, wiping the blood off his bottom lip.

"My problem?" Jonathan took a step forward, his hand still clutched to his chest. "You are my problem." Reaching with his good hand, he pulled out a rolled up newspaper out of his jacket pocket. Snapping it open he shoved it into Adam's face. "You risk your fucking life and I have to learn about it from the newspaper, that's my fucking problem."

Adam grabbed the paper and unfolded it. Peeking up, Abby gasped at the front page showing a picture of Adam with her wrapped in his arms as the apartment building blazed behind them. The bold headline reading...Billionaire Playboy Real Man of Steele.

"You almost kill yourself and do you call your brother? No!" Jonathan marched past them both. "Why the hell would the all-powerful, all-knowing Adam Steele bother to tell his own fucking brother anything," he grumbled, making his way towards the bar.

"Fuck," Adam grumbled, running his hand through his hair. "Goddamn paparazzi."

But, Abby didn't hear any of it. Tucking the cutting board under her arm, her eyes locked on the image. Snatching the paper out of Adam's hands she looked closer at it. Disheveled as she was in the picture, there was no doubt it was her. Which meant, Dean would recognize her too. Oh God! The paper rustled and crinkled in her trembling hands as she fought the urge to vomit.

The sound of the doors easing open a second time, had her whirling around. Dropping the newspaper, she held up the cutting board ready to beat the man who was haunting her head. Erich halted, his eyes growing wide and the bags in his hands dropping to the floor.

"Miss Lane?" he arched a questioning eyebrow at her, his hand raising slightly.

"Careful Erich, she's packing," Jonathan snapped, filling two towels with ice. "And she don't hit like any damn girl I've ever known."

"Take Miss Lane's things to my bedroom."

Erich picked up the bags and with a slight confused nod towards her, hurried off.

"Abigail?" Adam's soft, deep voice reached through the buzzing in her ears.

Her shoulders sagged and the board clattered to the floor next to the paper. The image of the two of them mocking up at her. She was front page news. She blinked. No...she wasn't front page news...Adam was. Realization punched her in the gut making her gasp for air.

"Do you have a television?" she asked in a rush, turning to him when he walked up beside her.

"Yes." He gave her a quizzical look. "Why?"

"Where?"

Taking her hand, he walked her into the living room. Letting go of her, he picked up the electronic tablet on the table. Within seconds a large wide screen TV appeared as if by magic out of what she assumed was just a buffet.

"What? No I'm sorry Jonathan for being a jackass? No...Hey, sorry my girlfriend broke your hand, bro? We're just going to sit here and watch Netflix like nothing ever happened?" Jonathan muttered as he flopped on the couch with his hand wrapped in ice.

"Shut up," Adam growled. "What did you want to see?"

"Any news station." Her throat tightened, fear choking her. She waited too long. She should have told him before he had gotten involved with her.

"Billionaire CEO of Steele Industries, Adam Steele is being heralded a hero this morning, after his daring rescue of the tenants of a burning apartment building in downtown Brooklyn last night. Eye witnesses report the technology mogul risked his own life running into the engulfed building and saved multiple people, including an unknown female."

The screen changed to images of Abby's ravaged apartment building. Black stains from the smoke marred the once lovely brick of the structure, police tape draped and sagged everywhere, and broken windows made it look desolate and foreboding...Abby swallowed hard. It looked horrible.

"He came running into the building like Superman," an elderly woman holding a poodle told the camera. "He helped me and Pebbles out of the building and gave me his phone to call 911 before he took off running back inside."

The camera jumped to another man with slicked back, black hair in a white t-shirt with a huge gold cross dangling from his neck.

"I tried to get him to stop, but...yeah...he was a man on a mission, know what I mean?" He smiled into the camera. "I always thought guys like him didn't have any respect for us little people, but...yeah...he's a real hero. The kind of guy you could catch a game with a drink a beer, know what I mean?" He gave a thumbs up before schmoozing and winking for the camera.

The screen changed again to a close up photo of Adam and Abby. Cringing, she turned away and sat on the couch. Her mind going into overdrive as she stared at the TV, her eyes blinking repeatedly as she tried to take it all in.

The reporter came back on the screen with a picture of Adam in a little box floating next to his head looking suave and debonair in a dark suit.

"Adam Steele...the new man of Steel has yet to be reached for comment..."

Adam cussed and turned off the TV. "I need to call Marissa." He dragged a hand through his unruly hair. "We need to get PR people on this to deal with the media mongrels immediately."

"I'm on it," Jonathan muttered, digging out his phone. "One handed I might add."

Tears started to trickle down Abby's cheeks as she continued to stare off into the now empty space. The news. It was all over the news, the papers...if by chance Dean wasn't here yet, he sure as hell was on his way now and he would be gunning for Adam. Her eyes roamed over to where he stood in conversation with his brother. Her stepdad would punish her by hurting him because that is what he like to do. As much as he wanted to her back, he liked the sick game he played more.

"Abigail?" Adam whispered, putting his fingers under her chin and tilting her head up. "What's the matter, baby?"

"I need...to talk...to...to you," she stuttered, wiping her face with her hands. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at him. This wasn't the way she wanted to tell him, but now...she had no choice. If she didn't, he would be in grave danger.

"Why don't you go take a shower? Erich brought you some clothes. You can wear those or something of mine. By the time you're done, I'll be finished up here with Jonathan and when you're ready, we'll talk."

Abby looked down at herself and groaned. She was still wearing Adam's underwear and t-shirt. Her eyes skirted over to Jonathan who merely smirked at her.

"I couldn't have fantasized a better way to be assaulted." He gave her a little wink before turning back to his phone. "Although, I could do without knowing those are my brothers boxers."

Abby groaned again and got up from the couch, shirking around it away from Jonathan's chuckling.

"You need to shut the fuck up before I break the other hand," Adam growled.

"But then how would I do his majesties bidding?"

Leaving their bickering behind her, Abby took the stairs two at a time and headed for Adam's bedroom. Stripping off the shirt and underwear, she made her way to the shower while the weight of what she had to say hung heavy on her shoulders. Flicking on the water, she walked over to the mirror. A small pile of her hair pins sat on the counter. Giving a tight smile at his thoughtfulness, she quickly piled her hair on top of her head and pinned it into place. The image of him pulling them out of her hair as he carried her up the stairs seemed so long ago though it was only last night.

The warm water chased away the chill of the shock of seeing the newspaper and the news report. Unfortunately, it also made her remember the shower they had taken together last night...or earlier this morning. Depending on his reaction to what she had to say, it very well could be both their first and final shower together.

Hastily, Abby finished up. Grabbing a towel, she quickly dried off and headed for the bags sitting on Adam's bed. The amount of clothing inside astounded her. Jeans, skirts, dresses, blouses, undergarments, shoes...holy crap on a cracker. He bought her a department store, she thought rolling her eyes. Rifling through it all, she found a pair of soft grey yoga pants and a matching fleecy pullover. Snatching some fancy underwear and coordinating bra, she dressed in record time.

Taking a deep breath and straightening her shoulders, she headed out the door and down the stairs. It was time to lay her demon on the table. When she reached the bottom step, Adam's angry voice greeted her.

"What do you mean it was broken into? I thought you had the whole area corded off for the investigation!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Steele. We are processing it for evidence now." Another man's voice replied drily.

Easing her way into the room, Adam was pacing by the couch, running his hands through his hair in agitation. Jonathan was scowling at his phone and typing furiously. The third voice came from a police officer dressed in full blues standing in the middle looking bored as his partner stood off to the side.

Her heart froze.