SIX

The door behind us opened and I looked over Link's shoulder to see Lucian walking in, with a flustered looking Lexie stalking in from behind. I glanced down at her hands and saw they were clenched down by her sides, her eyes skidding away from the towering man in front of her.

I frowned at her, unsure what had caused the tension in her suddenly. She came to stand close to me, at the opposite end of Lucian and as far away as she could possible get.

"I see you guys warming up to each other again," Lucian commented, shooting his own glances between Link and I. We didn't look like we were warming up to each other at all, what with me wanting to pry the smirk dancing on his mouth off seconds ago.

I stepped further away from Link, closer to Lexie until it seemed like we were tag teaming against the males in the room.  Crossing my arms across my chest, I levelled my gaze on the man standing in the middle of the room who seemed frightening but not enough to scare away the people after my Father's money.

Lucian Frey. He was a man to be reckoned with and the reason why I fully trusted him with my safety - until moments ago. Now it seemed as though even him couldn't keep my family safe. So as he stood in front of me, I hoped that he had something to say that would ease my worry.

"You don't need to worry Orianna," he said carefully, the tone of his voice taking a different turn from when he spoke earlier. I wondered whether the worry was that clearly etched on my face. And I was guessing it was because Lucian could be everything but a mind reader.

"It's just that-" I started to say but found myself in loss of words. Seeing that fragile woman, who looked close to death, running towards me and repeating those words at me kept relaying in my head.

"I said don't worry Orianna and I mean that." He repeated, this time on a stern note.

I nodded at him. "Okay."

He walked over to his desk but didn't take a seat, his eyes still on me hard. The containment of my jitters was starting to become easier since I was focusing on getting started on keeping myself and Joy safe. If I moved all my energy onto that, I would have no space to freak out. And freaking out was out the agenda from now on.

Clear, level-minded. That's was going to be me right now.

"That woman you saw is as good as dead." Lucian started to say and I physically felt my heart drop.

"The men after you are not going to stop and we won't give them what they want. It's as simple as that. What we're going to do is make sure they know what it means if they come after you again and until that is in full play, you will have a man on you at all times."

I nodded at Lucian again. "Yeah, I know. It's Link."

Lucian's forehead creased as a questioning look shadowed his dark features. "I wasn't going to say Link." He said slowly, giving me a once over before moving his gaze over my side to where Link was standing silently.

"I volunteered for the job personally, Boss." Link explained.

I ignored Link and moved so I was in Lucian's total vision. "So you mean I can have anyone?"

"Yes," he said slowly. "But I don't think that's the case anymore," he drew out as he looked to my side. I snapped my head to my right and saw Link standing right besides me, within punching distance. And that's what I wanted to do exactly.

I flicked my head back to Lucian. He was the boss and if anyone could change things and set out orders, it would be him. "I don't want him." I said quickly.

I felt Link turning to look at me. "You already agreed to it."

I shook my head ferociously. "I change my mind."

There came another knock on the door and we all turned our heads to see Mace walking in. His usual straight face came to mine and told me what I wanted to hear exactly. "Joy is here."

But I was in a middle of a very important conversation that required a quick settlement that benefited me more than anyone. Luckily Lexie stepped in quickly, presumably understanding the need for me to get another man as my security. "I'll go to her and wait for you. Finish up here." She said before she followed Mace out the room.

"I'll be quick!" I said after her back and she shot me a quick wave as if to say to take all the time I needed. Which I wasn't going to do because I wanted nothing but to hold Joy in my arms.

I returned to the topic at hand, wanting to finish it up quickly. "If I could suggest someone personally, I would like to have Mace. Or Quan."

I heard a low growl emitting from the creature standing next to me. A sane person would give him a once over to determine if he was actually human but I didn't do such thing. "You are not getting them." He said on a low growl.

My selective hearing kicked in that moment as I kept my eyes firmly glued on Lucian. "Ignore that growling human next to me and listen to me. I think it's important I'm as comfortable as possible and knowing what Link has done to me in the past, I can only say it's fitting that if he stays the hell away from me."

Lucian turned to look at Link, who I felt was coming closer to me. So close until I could feel his heat engulfing my personal space. "Didn't you say you weren't going to argue about something as irrelevant as who gives you security?"

"Changed my mind." I snapped back at him again.

"You guys figure this out." Lucian said before he moved away from his desk. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here and I knew if he left, I would lose this battle.

I quickly side stepped him, blocking his way from the door. "Lucian, please." I pleaded to the only man who could potentially tell Link to back away from me.

"Sorry Orianna. I feel as though I'm getting in between a married couple."

My eyes widen at his words, my mouth dropping open as incoherent words started to sputter out. "I... No... We... That's not... Oh come on!" I turned my head quickly just in time to catch a smirk dancing on Link's face once again.

Lucian didn't give me a second more to gather my ability to string together a sentence and quickly ducked out the room, closing the door behind him. Which left me in the room alone, once again with Link.

"Stop arguing over something that is already settled." Link stated, the playful smirk from before wiped from his face completely. He looked dead seriously right now and I knew, deep down that this wasn't going to be something I could win.

I heaved out heavily. I wouldn't give Link the satisfaction over having this one over me so I cleared my mind once again, took in a deep breath and gave in.

Link knew when it happened instantly and I saw the sardonic smile overpower his lips, a cold shiver wafting over me. This was the Link I knew but somehow, over the years, his capability of sending intense shivers my way multiplied.

"I'll take you to Lunch."

I shook my head. "We'll eat back at the hotel." And by 'we' I meant Lexie, Joy and myself. Link could sit out in the hallway and keep watch that way.

"Afraid to run into someone?" I quickly buried the flinch that came over me. How he could read me so easily was always a wonder.

"No." I stated firmly, hoping he wouldn't catch the lie.

He was quiet for a moment, probably reading into every single detail. He was going to come up with his own conclusion and most of the time, he was right."You planning on seeing anyone whilst you're here?"

"No." This time it came out easier since it was the absolute truth.

"Not even Versa?"

Hearing her name sent another form of pain through my heart. I hadn't thought of her for a very long time, hadn't spoken to her even longer. "No." I said once again, this time forcing the word out since it pained me to do so.

Link was quiet again but his eyes never left my face. I shifted on my feet, wondering why I was still conversing with him when I should be with Joy. I moved slightly when Link spoke again. "You do know that Nolan is always around Lucian's office and Thomas works for Nolan. You'll see them soon enough."

Hearing my other friends names sent the same pang through my heart. I had completely left them all behind when I had left the city. "You know this because?" I said, diverting from what I actually had to reply to.

Link caught my way of manoeuvring around the subject. "Because I'm friends with them," he said slowly which surprised me. Those boys - well now they were men - where hardly friends with Link and they only knew each other because of my problems. In fact, I could remember Link giving Thomas a good beating the first week he had come back. "And I told them you're here." Link added quickly.

My heart dropped. "Link seriously?" I gaped.

He frowned at me, as if he was confused why I didn't want to see them. "Why have you got an issue about seeing them again?"

My issue was my own to deal with and I wasn't going to stand here and explain to Link that I was embarrassed about everything my life was. How I had dragged them through my lies and pretended to be someone I wasn't. With Lexie I told her off the bat who I really was and what had really gone down in my life. I was fortunate she didn't run for the stars but rather got more comfortable and demanded to hear more about my life.

"I don't!" I said quickly. "I just don't have the time to see anyone whilst I'm here. I'm leaving-"

A shadow casted over Link's face the second I started talking about leaving. "Sorry Ori, there is no leaving until this problem is solved or else they will follow you to Brighton and easily get to you. I won't let that happen."

I sighed again. "Right then. Until then I'll stay at the hotel all day. I don't want to put myself out there more for the sake of rekindling old died out friendships."

"Not sure they would say the same thing."

I shrugged at him. "Well, they're going to have to respect that. And it's not like anyone can physically force me to get out my hotel room."

Link stepped forward, for whatever reason. "About that. We are moving you to a more secure place right now. The hotel is too big even though it's under Lucian protection and we can't have every corner monitored by men. It's too big and back up will take seconds to long to come in case of a breach."

I felt my insides flutter and not for a good reason. If they feared the hotel wasn't safe enough where would we go? Link read the question on my face and answered it without having me to say it out loud.

"You'll stay with me."

Oh no. That was a big, freaking no.

"You are really pushing it Link." I said over my gritted teeth. "I rented out this house near Joy's daycentre and if you have to set up cameras everywhere, do it. I don't care what the owners say - we'll just remove them when we are done and we won't even tell them. I don't care if that's illegal but I am not staying at your place."

"That's not realistic-" Link started to say but this time I interjected.

"Well nothing is realistic right now is it? So I don't give a fuck."

And then I decided that I was done having a conversation with Link. Our time spending together from now on would only be talking about any issues surrounding security. Nothing else. Flicking around on my heel, I stalked towards the door and yanked it open harshly.

I didn't dare to turn around to see whether Link followed what with his threat he made earlier concerning Joy looming over me. He couldn't possible be so inconsiderate and force himself into this situation after dropping that whole 'you'll-stay-with-me' bullshit.

Joy was in the conference room, a small biscuit in front her that I had given her earlier. She was nimbling on the biscuit when she caught me rushing towards her. I engulfed her small body into mine, holding on for a long time until I could let go and look into her innocent eyes. "You okay?"

She frowned at me, her small forehead creasing questionably. "Yes?" It came out more as a question, as if she didn't know whether she had to be other wise.

I smiled at her. "Good. "

****

Link

Link followed after a very pissed of Orianna out into the hallway. He didn't quicken his steps, instead opted to take far more slower steps than the rushing woman in front of him.

And that's what she had turned into. A sexy woman who had somehow preoccupied Link's mind since that scene out in the hallway outside her hotel room. He could remember the feel of her soft body under his fingers so vividly as if they were imprinted onto him. The scent of hers, sweet peaches that had blocked his nose since he was so close to her, practically pressed into her soft feminine body.

All night he pictured other ways he could be exploring that body of hers, hearing her soft gasps as he trailed across her skin. He would lean down into her move, closing it with his...

Fuuuck.

Link snapped back to the present but didn't stop his further appreciation of Orianna as she sauntered away from him, her long hair dancing behind her back and her long legs clamped in high heels carrying her away. She was beautiful, more beautiful than he could remember and it caused something to stir in him.

Six years. Six years it took for her to change into this mythical creature that had managed to invade all of Link's senses.

She walked into the conference room and quickly closed the door behind her. She hadn't glanced back to see if she was being followed by Link and he made sure he maintained a good distance behind her so she couldn't catch him in her peripheral vision.

She was in there with her daughter.

That thought alone made him stop dead on his feet when he came to close to the door. He lifted his hand to the knob but that's how far he got. Everything stilled in him. A whole new feeling, something completely strange to him came over him. Was he nervous? For what?

"You won't know for sure until you ask." A voice said from behind him and Link turned his head slightly to see Lucian staring down at him. He held nothing more in his eyes for Link to read and that caused another wave of nerves to wash over him. He sought to know what this man was thinking, hoping to see that he wasn't the only one with the foolish idea that there might be a possibility-

He shook his head quickly, clearing away that thought that had been teasing him since Orianna came back.

"Not a chance." He said in a low voice, so low even his own ears had trouble hearing them. There was no way he was going to ask. And right now, Link decided to cross off that possibility as something completely foolish.

That child couldn't possibility be his? They've had sex before she went through that brutal beating and no child could survive that.

Link grabbed the doorknob as if his life depended on it. He quickly turned it and followed it by a push. The door opened and he was hit by the brightness of the conference room.

He first spotted Orianna's friend Lexie standing to the side, her hand clutching her purse. She shot her eyes towards the direction of the door and looked over Link's shoulder towards Lucian.

Link moved his gaze towards the little family to the other side. Orianna was cradling a little girl close to her chest, her head dipped down close to her face and saying a few soft words. Link couldn't hear what was being said between the two and he couldn't catch the little girl's features expected her small hands that were holding a biscuit.

Until Orianna stepped to the side and the little girl's face was in clear view.

Link felt his breath leave him instantly, his heart coming to a dead stop and his own feet struggling to keep his whole body up. He felt a hand clasp over his arm and that was all he could register as the rest zoomed into the little girl.

She was staring directly at him, as if he could read his every secret. Her eyes, a dark brown that bared resemblance to his own seemed like they belonged to a wise person rather than a six year old. Her small lips were drawn into a wonky line, an innocent flush that covered her slightly chubby cheeks as she lifted the biscuit close to her mouth. Her hair framed her round face, a long dark curtain that curled at the bottom into small waves.

How Link managed to find his voice, let alone something to say would still be beyond comprehension to him hours later. "Hey." He said calmly, the greeting directed to the little girl as she continued to stare at him.

"Hi." She replied back.

Link saw Orianna move to stand in front of the little girl and cover her. But it was too late since the little girl was fully engrossed into Link as much as he was. There was something about her stare, the way she held it so firmly that said a lot about her character.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Joy." Her voice was a soft tingle to Link's ear. He could imagine how soothing it would be to hear her little voice talk about anything and nothing but still possess the power to ease anyone.

He found the ability to breath again. "I'm Link."

At that moment, Orianna decided to step in. She managed to cover Joy from Link's sight completely as she turned her back to Joy and faced him. Her face said everything.

Everything Link needed to know and give an explanation as to why that little girl looked more like Link and than her own mother.

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> oh my, I hope I wrote their first time meeting in a good way ( my heart sure felt some type way towards the end)
> comment, vote, share <3 all that fab things :))