Alexander's POV

*Flashback to the night before*

"Mr. Rush, you have a call from a Mr. Grey, he says it's urgent."

I looked up in annoyance at my secretary. She was the third secretary I've had this month and it looked like she would end up just like the other two, fired and humiliated. I knew she would be like the rest, she would try to sleep with me and I would be all too happy to oblige. Then she would think there was some chance of us having a relationship and I would happily prove her wrong and fire her before she's even dressed. I looked at her cleavage that was practically spilling out of her blouse and then up to her overly made up face. She resembled my niece when she got into her mother's makeup.

"What does he want?"

"He didn't say, just that it was urgent that he spoke to you. I could tell him to call tomorrow if you like."

She was batting her thick false eyelashes in a way that I assumed was supposed to turn me on, it was did the exact opposite in reality.

"No, I'll take it now."

She smiles in what I assume was supposed to be an alluring way and turned and walked in a very unsexy manner. I disregarded thoughts of my pathetic secretary and picked up the phone on my desk.

"What do you want Cameron?"

"Alex, I need your help."

I sat up straighter at the panic in his voice. Cameron was always in a good mood and I had never seen him any other way in the twenty years that I had known him.

"What's going on Cameron?"

"I need protection for a friend of mine."

"Cameron did you get into trouble with those men again, do you know what I had to do to keep them off your ass the last time?"

"No Alex, I don't need it but a friend does."

"Do they owe money to somebody because I'm not risking my neck for someone I don't know?"

"She doesn't owe any money, but someone wants to hurt, maybe kill her."

"What, no, I'm not risking my safety for some woman who pissed the wrong guy off, that's her problem."

"Alex it's not like that, just come over to Marisa's apartment and I'll explain."

"Fine, I'll pass by once I finish up work."

"Alex! It's nine o' clock at night, you're done with work get over here man."

"Fine, I'm on my way."

I knew I was ahead on all of my work so I shut my computer down and slipped my jacket on. I shut the door to my office and saw my secretary, I forgot her name honestly, sitting on her desk in only her lacy undergarments.

"Leaving already boss? I think you have one more thing to work on before you go."

I knew exactly what she was insinuating, but I wasn't in the mood tonight. So I sent her a smirk and walked over to her and trailed my fingers down her arm, smirking as I felt her shiver under my touch.

"I would love to, but I have to help a friend out tonight."

I saw her face drop but instead of bending her over the desk like I normally would, I decided to tease her by walking away and sending her a smirk over my shoulder, I could almost see her swoon.

I stepped into the elevator and sent her one last look as the doors closed. Once the elevator doors open on the first floor I walked through the lobby and to my car that was parked right in front of the building. I climbed in and headed towards Cameron's annoying girlfriend's apartment. Traffic was light so it only took me ten minutes to get to her side of town. I pulled up to the apartment building and made my way up the stairs to the second floor. I knew her apartment was the one with the stupid door decorations over it. I knocked three times and waited. Cameron opened the door after a few seconds and the look on his face was nothing that I had seen before. His face was a mix of anger and sadness and he kept quiet as he gestured me in. I took a look around and the apartment was trashed. Shelves were knocked over, couches were overturned, and tables were smashed.

"What the hell happened in here?"

"That's what I called you here for."

"To help clean?"

I swear if he made all that shit up to trick me into helping them clean I was going to kill him.

"No, I told you why I called you, I have people coming tomorrow to deal with this. But the person who did this is why I called you."

"What were they looking for?"

"Not a what, a who. Ana, come here."

A petite woman came from her hiding spot behind Cameron's girlfriend. She had brown skin, long curly hair, and hazel eyes. She was decent looking, far from the level of beauty of the women I associated myself with.

"Ana, this is my best friend and your new bodyguard, Alexander Rush, Alex this is my best friend, Anastasia Hills."

I stared at her as Cameron introduced us and I could see it was making her uncomfortable.

"Who are you running from?"

It took her a moment to realize that I was talking to her and I cleared my throat impatiently. Her eyes snapped to Cameron's as if she was asking him for confirmation. He gave her a nod and she spoke in a soft voice.

"My husband."

She cringed at the word husband and I followed the motion of her hands and saw that they landed on a swollen belly. It took me a moment to realize she was pregnant and I voiced this aloud.

"You're pregnant."

She nodded.

I don't know what made me agree to help her, but something in me deep down, felt sick at the thought of some man hurting her.

"I'll help you."

Her eyes widened when I said that, like she was expecting me to refuse. I looked to Cameron and gestured to him, indicating that I wanted to talk to him privately. He nodded and we went downstairs a little ways away from my car.

"Cameron, what the fuck is going on?"

"We told you man her husband wants to find her so he can finish what he started."

"What do you mean?"

"We found her sleeping on the ground outside Marisa's door after not hearing from her for a year. She was bloody and could barely walk on her own. Listen man, he's been hurting her for years and she's like a sister to me and I need her to be safe and I know you can give that to her. She's got a kid on the way and I don't want my niece getting used as a punching bag."

"Why does this guy want to get to her so bad?"

"It's not my story to tell man but she's been through a lot of shit in her life. I just want her to feel safe for once."

"I'll make sure she's safe, I promise you that."

"Thanks man, and one more thing, be nice to her, Marisa says you're fucking rude."

"I won't make any promises."

"Thanks man, I really appreciate this."

I only grunted in response while we watched the two women, who had made their way to my car, saying their goodbyes. I pressed the button to unlock the doors so Anastasia could get in. I turned back to Cameron.

"You should go and say your goodbyes, she won't be able to call you for a while, it's important that she stays off the radar for a while."

Cameron's face dropped at my words to him.

"Marisa is not going to like that, but do me a favor and give me updates on her every now and then. I know she's in good hands but I'd still like to know how she's doing."

"Okay I can do that, but that doesn't mean you can call me all day everyday either."

"I do that already, but okay, whatever you say."

I cracked a small smile at my best friend, I knew he would call me every chance he got. We walked over to where the women were standing. Marisa was getting red and blotchy from all the crying she was doing and hugging the life out of the small woman in front of her.

I waited for Cameron to say his goodbyes before I got into the driver's side and cranked the engine. He closed her door and I pulled away from the curb. I peeked at her from the corner of my eye and saw that she was turned, looking at her friends waving at her, but she turned forward once I turned the corner.

I knew she would be safer outside of the city, so instead of my penthouse I was going to take her to my mansion that was well away from the city. The drive was silent, just the way I liked it.

We pulled up to my house and I got out and grabbed her bag from the backseat. When I walked around to her side, intending to help her out, I almost laughed out loud at what I saw. She was bent, belly up, struggling to get out of the low-sitting sports car. After a few moments of struggling she gave up and flopped back down onto the seat. She looked ready to try again but I spoke before she could.

"That was very amusing, but you should have just asked for help."

She jumped like she wasn't expecting me and she looked up at me with her big doe eyes. I sat her bag on the ground and held my hand out to her and she hesitated before she took it. When our hands touched I felt a shock flow through my arm and my eyes widened at the feeling and I glanced up at her to see if she had felt it too, and judging by the surprised look on her face she did. I quickly put my other hand around her waist and pulled her out of the car and I let go of her as soon as she was steady on her feet. I didn't know what to make of what had just happened so I grabbed her bag from the ground and hauled ass up the stairs. I held the door open for her and let her walk in ahead of me. She took in her surroundings, and a small smile made its way onto my face and a warm feeling flowed through my body. I didn't like the feeling and the smile quickly vanished from my face. I walked ahead of her, heading up the stairs that led to the east wing. I passed several bedrooms and stopped at the set of double doors near the end of the hallway, I don't know why but I wanted her as far away from my room as I could get and simultaneously as close to me as possible.

I opened the doors and sat her bag on the vanity while she took in her surroundings. I was getting that warm feeling from looking at her innocent expression and knew I needed to get out of here.

"This is your room, I'm sure you can figure out where everything is, I have to get back to work. If you need assistance hit the blue button on the intercom."

I left without saying a word and made my way to the west wing where the master suite was. I didn't actually have any work to do, I just needed to get out of there. In the end I chalked it up to the fact that I was just horny and a quick lay with my whore of secretary tomorrow would fix that.

I changed into a pair of sweatpants and crawled into bed and tried to forget about her, this was only temporary.