Damien

"I have to talk to Nate about this. He'd know what to do, but I want to get Hallie on board first. I won't do this behind her back. I don't want to scare her away. I want her to trust me to help her fight whoever is scaring them into a life in hiding," I said. "I want her to tell me her story.  I don't want to force her." I've gone so far as to persuading her to let me help her, I won't betray her trust by going behind her back. I was about to add something when suddenly I was startled speechless as Hallie stepped into view and said, "Where do I start?"

I was shocked, but impressed at the look of determination and strength on her expression. But it didn't stop me from wondering how long she's been standing there and how much of our conversation she heard.

"How about by telling us who you're running away from," I said.

She nodded.

"If you feel more comfortable talking to Damien without us, we understand," Bella offered.

Hallie smiled gratefully. "If he trusts you, then so do I."

I smiled at her encouragingly and nodded for her to sit beside me.

"His name is Marcus," I began. "He's from Yorkshire originally, but we met here. At first he was charming, sweet, and thoughtful. I didn't completely trust him at first, but after awhile, I learned to accept him."

"And Marcus is Ty and Michy's father?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes. He was abusive. I didn't know until later on. Then one night, I just got so scared. I witnessed him murder a man in front of me without batting an eye. After shooting him, he walked away as if what he had just done was nothing. Was just something he does on a regular basis. I tried to..."

"Tried to what? Leave?" I asked.

She nodded. "But I couldn't. Not without Ty and Michy."

"Couldn't you have gone to the police?" Dylan asked.

"And tell them what? Marcus has most of them in his payroll, I didn't know who I could and couldn't trust. I was a foreigner in a place I barely knew anything about. I was scared. Scared for my life and my kids' life. It wasn't until," she paused.

"Until what?" I urged.

"It wasn't until he laid a hand on Ty that I was determined to leave."

"That bastard!" I growled, making Hallie jump.

"How did you escape?" I asked.

"There was a baker who helped me. I worked for him a few hours every other day. He helped get tickets for the ferry. He knew someone who faked documents, so I had him help me get in touch with this man and he made the necessary paper works for us."

"So wait, is your name really Hallie?" I asked.

She bit her lip. "It's my middle name. My full name is Marie Hallie Scott. But I've always gone by Hallie. Marie is my mother."

"I don't understand. I only used the documents to help us cross back to the states. I couldn't risk him finding us by using our real names while traveling back. I'm hoping Marcus hasn't figured it out, but I'm not sure. I'm hoping he thinks we haven't left Yorkshire. I'm certain he would have checked airlines and whatever he can. We wore a disguise while traveling, so I'm hoping even if he come across the ferry we took and asked around, none would recognize us as the people he was looking for."

"When we got here, we stayed in a small town called, Westchester. There I met a middle aged lady who helped us get back on our feet."

"Why did you leave?"

"I was starting to get scared and paranoid. I felt like I stayed longer than was safe for all of us. I didn't want to put her life in danger by helping us."

"Why the city as big as LA?" Bella asked.

Hallie shrugged. "I figured this is the last place Marcus would think I would go. It's too exposed."

Dylan nodded. "That's actually pretty clever."

"What's Marcus full name and what does he do?"

"Marcus Barnes. He's in an auto-dealership business. It's just a front for all the illegal things he does."

"Is there anything else we need to know?"

"He's dangerous. He would kill anyone who gets in his way. Especially those who cross him and with what I did, taking Ty and Michy without his consent? That makes me number one on his list."

"I won't let anything happen to you, Hallie. Now that we have a name, I can help you. Nate, one of my brother in-law can help us. He and his team are the best at what they do."

"I'm not just scared for us, Damien. I'm scared for all of you. If you choose or I let you get involved that makes every single one of you a target as well."

"Do you think we haven't gone through something this dangerous before?"

"That's exactly my point. I know that this is not the first time. I don't want to put you or your family through something like this again."

"I'm not letting you fight him alone. I'm her and my family is behind you. I speak for every single member of my family. We've always won and this time, we will once again. Marcus Barnes doesn't stand a chance against us."

Tears filled her eyes.

"Shh, don't cry," I said as I pulled her into my arms. "Just say the words and I'll have Nate and his team here faster than you can blink."

"Damien..."

"You don't have to do this alone, Hallie. Not anymore."

She nodded. "Okay. But maybe we can do it tomorrow?"

I nodded in understanding. "Tomorrow."

Hallie

Ty insisted on sitting on Damien's lap while we ate. I protested, but Damien just silenced me and insisted that it wasn't a big deal and that he would love to hold Ty. I was worried that Ty and Michy were growing attached to Damien. It would break their hearts if things weren't to work out or something goes wrong.

I frowned. Just trust and have faith, I told myself again.

I watched as Michy crammed the Mac and cheese in her mouth, eating with more appetite than she'd had in days. A quick glance back at Ty and I smiled as he seemed to have a good appetite as well. I found my self relaxing and enjoying the food Damien prepared for us. It was the first time in a long time that I'd enjoyed a meal. I've always been on edge ever since I have fled Marcus. I've always been on edge around him, but after leaving him, I was even more on edge. I never know when he's suddenly going to show up or bust the door open. I've learned to sleep with my eyes open and ears on alert ever since escaping him. I've always been alert and observant and I could never turn it off, not until Damien. Somehow, I've managed to remain calmer, even though I'm still scared, Damien has a way of calming me. of making me feel safe and he doesn't even know it.

"You aren't eating," Damien said.

I glanced up to see him regarding me thoughtfully. "I was just thinking," I admitted. It has gotten easier and easier to be honest and open up to him.

"About Marcus?" Damien said and immediately, I noticed Ty stiffen on his lap and his lips wobble. Damien too became alarmed.

Ty burst into tears, fear written all over his face.

"I'm sorry," Damien started to say. I moved to get Ty off of him, but he only wailed louder and turned to Damien and wrapped his tiny arms around his neck as he shook with tears and fear.

"What's happening to him?"

"I don't know. I've never seen him like this," I admitted. Could it be because he heard his father's name? I never mentioned Marcus to Ty and Michy after we left. and after that incident of Marcus hitting Ty, I have never seen Ty react so negatively towards his dad.

"I've got you little one. Don't worry. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"Bad man!" Ty cried.

"Yes. I won't let the bad man hurt you."

Damien looked at me questioningly.

I shook my head.

Damien

"He's finally asleep," Damien said as he walked into the kitchen.

"I don't know what happened. Ty has never reacted to Marcus's name like that. I haven't really mentioned him ever since we left. Ty has never been close to his dad. Marcus never paid him attention. I made sure Ty and Michy stayed out of his way because, I know he's got a temper and I didn't want them to be on the receiving end of that bad temper."

"Ty was down right terrified. You mentioned about Marcus him hitting him, do you think it could have been more than a one time accident."

I shook my head. "I always made sure I was with them. It was the one and only time that I turned my back for a minute that it happened, and trust me, it was a moment that gives me nightmares until now."

"What did Marcus do to him?"

Hallie's eyes filled with tears anew. "Ty knocked over a figurine and Marcus slapped him so hard, I saw Ty's eyes roll to the back of his head. I've never been so scared in my life."

Fury cursed through me. He hit an innocent child over a broken figurine?

"I thought he had killed him. I carried Ty's little body in my arms and he just walked away like nothing happened. I took him to the hospital and had a bunch of tests done to him. I know about shaken baby syndrome and I was scared that it might have happened to him, luckily all the tests checked out and he was fine. Bruised and a little shaken by the whole incident, but safe. That's why I knew I couldn't stay with him a minute longer. Not if it would cause me my children's lives."

"He'll pay for everything he has done, Hallie. I swear it."

She nodded.

"Why don't you get some rest. It's been a long day and it's going to be an even longer one tomorrow."

She nodded and moved to leave.

She paused and turned back around. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Good night."

"Good night, sweetheart. Sleep well."

She started to move again, then stopped.

She turned back around and bit her lip. She shifted uncomfortably.

I walked towards her and pulled her lips from her assault. I tilted her chin up and looked into her eyes. "You'll bruise your lips doing that," I said, huskily. God. This woman makes me burn with need.

She licked her lips.

"What is it, sweetheart?" I forced myself to ask, as I fought my desire to kiss her senseless.

"Will you stay with me?" She asked hesitantly. "I– I just don't want to be alone," she added shyly.

I smiled. "Of course," I said.