Sun poured in through the windows. The beams illuminated the walls. The sky was cloudless. It was a gorgeous blue that looked as if someone had thrown ink to the wind and it had set in the heat. I knew that viewing the beach from this bed would be mesmerising. And it was. But being wrapped in Aiden's arms, that was what made the morning glorious.

We laid chest to chest, his arms engulfed me and he held my face, his thumb moving graciously across my cheek as he stared at me with soft adoration. Our legs were intertwined, the sheets tangled around us as the morning rays heated our exposed skin. I couldn't stop smiling. He was perfect. The night that we spent together was perfect. I didn't want to leave this bubble of perfection. 

"I haven't slept that well in such a long time," he murmured. His hair was disheveled and adorable but he did look well rested. "You're so beautiful Ari."

I blushed and snuggled in closer. Despite the fact that it was impossible because our naked chests were pressed together. I'd never felt more content, more safe, more appreciated. The way that he watched me, his gaze awestruck as though he were admiring art. It was like nothing that I had ever known before.

"How do you feel?" He questioned. "Are you okay?"

I smiled and felt my lip quiver as I realised just how happy I was. Last night was dark. I'd succumb to defeated thoughts. But the world was more colourful this morning. My chest felt lighter. My cheeks hurt. But it was a good kind of pain. The pain that came because I was smiling so hard. "I've never been better," I confessed with a quiet voice.

"Me either," he grinned. "But uh— what now?"

I was scared about the next step. There was no doubt about that. But I had a new sense of strength. I had the will to fight for myself. I knew that I had to go and report Desmond. I would do that and then I would pack my bags and leave. I knew that it wouldn't be as simple as never seeing him again. I didn't believe that he would let it go. But I would get through it. I had to.

"I'm going to leave Desmond," I said with a small voice. "I suppose I'll just um— well—"

"Come here?" Aiden questioned with a raised brow and hopeful expression. "I mean, we just slept together but I care about you Arian. I feel— well I don't want to scare you but if what I feel isn't love, I'm not far off."

I bit down on my lip and suppressed the urge to kick out with excitement. "I feel the same," I said with a breathless voice because I was attempting not to lose it.

"I have a spare room," he added. "It's yours. Ya know, I don't want to suggest that you move in after our first night together. But you'll need somewhere to go and I want to help. Like I said last night. Whatever you want."

I giggled. "Well we know how that ended up."

"I'm not complaining," he smiled, his hand on my back made small circles and I felt goosebumps raise as I shivered.

I still wasn't sure where the sudden bout of confidence came from last night. It might have been a mixture of seeing him half naked, being intoxicated by his scent and knowing that he was one of the sweetest but most dangerous men that I had ever met. It was a thrilling combination. Especially because I knew that he would protect me.

"Do you need me to come?" He said with concern. "He won't be an asshole will he?"

I winced but shook my head. "No. I'll be alright."

I accepted that Aiden did what he did for the greater good. But after much thought, I just knew that I couldn't be the reason that he killed him. I also didn't think that he would if I asked him not to.

After I had reported him and come here, I would tell him the whole truth. If he knew now, he wouldn't leave me alone and if he was there when I packed up and bumped into Desmond then it would escalate. Plus, I just wanted to revel in this exquisite moment without spoiling it.

"I should go," I said, knowing that Desmond would be home today. I wanted to pack up and leave before he came back. "But um— I'll be back. If that's alright?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he leaned up on an elbow and kissed my forehead before he flicked the comforter back.

He stood up, naked and beautiful while the sun shone on his bare skin. I sat up, clutching the sheet to my chest as I watched him stretch. Each movement flexed his muscles, his skin was supple and smooth. He was breathtaking.

I glanced around the room and noticed my clothes scattered near the door. If I was going to go to the police station before I left, I didn't want to go with sex between my legs. "Do you mind if I have a shower before I leave," I asked, scooting over to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Of course," he pointed to the door at the far corner. "The ensuite is in there. There's towels. The pressure in the main bathroom is better. You can use whichever one."

"I think that I'll stick to the ensuite," I said, not wanting to walk through the apartment wrapped in a sheet. His sister thought that I was a tramp as it was.

He smiled and nodded. Still standing there in the nude. Confident as hell. It was. . . alright, it was turning me on. For sure. "Would you— do you wanna save showe— water. Do you wanna join me and save water."

I felt like a fumbling idiot. I couldn't even get the damn words out. What happened to the girl that I was last night when I was screaming his name and letting the moonlight illuminate my naked body without a care in the world.

She must be in hiding, satisfied with her orgasm. Thirsty girl.

Aiden chuckled and held out his hand for me. I took it and he pulled me up. He gathered the extra length of sheet that was bunched around my feet and held it as he gestured for the bathroom door. "There's no way that I'd say no to that. You're adorable."

We showered and it was. . . incredible. Of course, by the time that we were out, dried and dressed, I had spent an hour. Aiden slipped on a pair of sweats but no shirt, letting me know that he was headed down to the gym soon. I dressed in last nights work attire. It was clean enough. I could change when I got home.

We walked through the apartment and into the kitchen where Zoerina was stirring a coffee. She glanced up and then did a double take as she swept me over with an accusatory glare. "Interesting. Tell me again how it's just friends."

"Drop it Zee," Aiden ordered with a firm voice. He gave his sister a harsh glare. "You don't know a thing about the situation so don't fucking start."

The two of them stared at each other for a minute. It was another one of those sibling moments I assumed. But I felt awkward. She gave up after a moment, rolling her eyes as she turned to drop her spoon into the sink. When her hand reached out, she knocked the handle of a jug sitting on the edge of the countertop and it landed on the tiles, shattering with a loud noise that pierced the quiet in the kitchen.

I flinched and felt that familiar panic well up. My heart raced. Despite the fact that I knew it was nothing to be worried about, I still felt that erratic fluttering in my chest. I swallowed and shook it off, reminding myself that there was no danger here. It was involuntary and frustrating, but it happened. When I glanced up from the floor, I saw Zoerina watching me with furrowed brows.

"Leave it," Aiden sighed. It seemed as though he'd taken his sister's reluctance to begin cleaning up, as if she didn't want to do it. "I'll sort it. Knowing you, you'll end up with glass all through your palm."

"It's fine," she said, still watching me with such an intense gaze that was starting to feel uncomfortable. "I'll deal with it."

"I should get going," I told him with a small smile. He nodded and began leading me towards the corridor. "Bye Zoerina. Have a good day," I waved but just caught a glimpse of the curious stare that she was giving me as I left.

Aiden pressed the elevator door button and pulled me into his bare, warm chest. "Let me know if you need me?"

"Of course," I smiled, exuding more confidence than I felt. I was nervous for the rest of the morning to commence. But knowing that he would be here waiting for me, made it worth while.

"Text me when you need a lift. I'll be there. And are you sure that I can't drive you home?"

We'd talked about this in the shower. That I wanted to walk. It was merely to avoid him finding out that I was going to the police station first. I didn't want to be driven home and then have to walk to the cop shop. It was closer to Aiden's building. The elevator doors opened and I tip toed, giving him a soft kiss that he met with eager need, cupping my face with his warm hands.

"Be safe," he kissed me again. "Call me," again. "I'm crazy about you."

I giggled and reluctantly broke free from his hold, stepping on to the elevator before it closed again. He sighed and slipped his hands into his pockets, watching me with a deep and longing stare.

"I'm crazy about you too," I told him and blew a kiss as the doors closed. I finally broke in to the little dance that I had been wanting to do from the moment that we first kissed. I jostled on the spot, wiggling and giggling to the point that I almost squealed.

It was at that moment, that I saw the little camera in the top corner of the lift and abruptly froze with humiliation. I had not a doubt in my mind that Aiden had access to watch that footage. I just had to hope that he didn't unless he had to. How embarrassing.

_____

"So. . . what you're saying is that without evidence, there's nothing that you can do?"

I stared at the officer that was on the other side of the stainless steel table. The window behind him was a mirror, the fluorescent lights were giving me a headache after sitting in the small room for an hour, giving as much statement as I could in as little time as possible. I'd started with the emotional abuse in the first two weeks of our marriage. The first time that he shoved me a month in and the first beating that he gave me to the point that I was unconscious when we had been married for just seven weeks.

I'd given him a recount for whatever I could remember in as much detail. But I had never reported it. I had no photos, I had no bruises on me. He gave me a small smile and capped his pen.

"We can offer help Mrs Moore. We can put you through to woman's refuge and victim support. But we can't take your husband into custody on an accusation," he laced his fingers on the table top and seemed apologetic. "Perhaps we can have a word with him? Bring him in for questioning?"

"No!" I snapped, beginning to shake at the thought of him finding out that I was here. "Don't do that unless he'll be arrested. He will kill me! What aren't you understanding about that?!"

"That's where the suggestion for the refuge centre comes from Ma'm," he said. "They are private houses with undisclosed locations and security detailing at the doors. It would be safe. You would be safe."

"So the fact that he's threatened my life, means nothing," I shrugged with disbelief. "It's his word over mine and—"

"I said that we could bring him in for questioning Mrs Moore. We just can't place him under arrest and keep him detained without evidence. It surprises me that you haven't photographed yourself after these alleged beatings?"

I sat there, disbelieving at what I was hearing. Here I was, taking the legal road. Choosing to do things the right way. The way that would spare Desmond's damn life and I was being shrugged off. Hiding was going to be the only option. I stood up and the metal chair scraped across the linoleum floor.

"Thanks for the help," I gave him a sarcastic smile before I turned around and beelined for the door.

"Mrs Moor—"

His voice was silenced when the door swung shut behind me. I kept my head down and tried not to sob as I power walked down the wide corridor. Aiden was right. The system was trash. That man didn't even know Desmond, I had asked before we began the interview. And still, I was being told to deal with the maniac myself.

Out on the street, I inhaled a deep breath and patted the space beneath my eyes. I didn't want to fall apart. This didn't mean that I had failed. I still had Aiden and Maddison. Even if I didn't want Aiden to shoot Desmond in the head, he would still find a solution to keep me safe. It was all that I had left now.

I had just wanted Desmond to endure consequence. People should know that he was a monster.

When I rounded the brick wall to cut through an alleyway at the back of the station, I came to a stop when I saw a teenage girl sitting on the ground, her head buried in her hands as her shoulders shook with tears.

I glanced around, unsure if she was with someone or not. I knew that she wasn't. But it gave me a minute to dry my eyes before I tiptoed forward and crouched down beside her. "Honey, are you okay?"

She peered up and I felt my heart drop at how distraught she looked. Her blonde hair was a mess, she didn't smell great. The worst part was that she couldn't have been older than fifteen or sixteen. She shook her head and averted her gaze as she blubbered and sniffed.

"Can I help? What's the matter?"

"I'm— I'm s-s-so hungry," she wailed and her cheeks flushed brighter than they already were. "I'm sorry. I j-j-just haven't eaten in—"

"Come on," I helped her up and smiled when she watched me with confusion. "Do you like burgers?"

There was a small diner across the street. There were a few officers going in and out and I assumed that it was a hot lunch spot for them. I sent the girl straight to a booth and then ordered her a large meal. When I wandered over to the booth with the food, she had calmed down. She was still sniffling and rubbing her nose. But the sobbing had seized.

Her gaze widened when I pushed the food in front of her and she murmured a sincere thanks as she dug in. I let her eat for a while before I questioned what her name was.

"Emma," she answered with a small voice.

"I'm Arian," I smiled and leaned forward a little. "Honey, can I ask what's wrong? How come you haven't eaten? Are you living on the streets?"

She nodded. "I have been for two weeks."

"Why?"

"My Mom threw me out when her dumb fat husband got shot."

I froze and then remembered that what I saw Aiden do was less than three days ago. It couldn't have been connected. Well, it could have been I suppose. That man wasn't his first victim.

"Why did she throw you out?" I questioned, watching her quench her thirst with the chilled water.

"Because," she sighed with a little burp. "Because that bastard didn't leave her a dime in his will and now she's surviving off what was left in her bank account. Apparently I was too much to afford. Plus I didn't give a shit that he died."

"Was he— was he mean?"

She met my gaze for a brief moment but quickly looked down again as she nodded. "Mhmm. Mean."

I had an awful feeling that this wasn't all a coincidence. I had to wonder how often this happened. I'm sure it wasn't a regular result of Aiden's actions. But I felt terrible for this girl. It wasn't fair.

"Hang on a moment," I stood up. "I'll be right back."

Withdrawing cash from the account wasn't something that I did often because Desmond questioned what I did with it. And a two grand withdrawal was going to raise his brows for sure. But I figured that if I was making a break for it, it didn't matter. Plus I could replace it with what was in my secret savings.

I dashed back up the road from the cash machine and saw the girl watching the window, waiting for me. If her clothes weren't tatted and awful, she would have a cute outfit on. I slid back into the booth and pushed the cash across the table. Her gaze became impossibly wide as she stared at the stack.

"Wha—"

"There's a little hotel about a block from here. I'll walk you to it and you can stay there for a night or two? This should help until I can sort something more permanent for you. I just have some things that I need to take care of first."

I knew that Aiden would want to help her when I told him what had happened.

"Why are you doing this?" She questioned with a quiver in her tone.

I felt my heart hurting for her. It was clear that she felt alone. I didn't know where her friends were. But I knew that not everyone had someone that they could rely on. "Because," I reached across and took her hand. "I would want someone to help if it was me."

After I had delivered her to the hotel and she had a room booked, she thanked me with a grateful hug and I said that I would be back as soon as I was able. I felt better to know that she would have food and a bed. I also wanted to find her mother and ask what on earth she had been thinking.

I took a cab home when I saw that it was twelve in the afternoon. Time was slipping and I didn't want to waste what hours I had left. When I got home, I pushed the door open and wandered into the living room, pausing when I saw Desmond sitting on the couch with his cell to his ear.

Panic was the initial reaction. But then I decided to relax. Well, as much as I could. I could still pack up what I needed and slip out. I'd do it while he showered or after he fell asleep. He didn't know what I had planned or where I had been. Apart from the fact that I was in my work uniform and it was lunch time.

Shit.

Before he could glance up, I snatched a coat off the foyer rack and slipped it on. My heart was thumping. I just couldn't get it together as he laughed with whoever he was talking to. When I crossed the living room, his gaze met mine and I plastered on a convincing smile as I disappeared inside our bedroom and ran straight for the closet, pulling the uniform off as fast as I could.

A dress was the fastest thing to slip on, so I snatched a thin summer one from the hanger and pulled it over my head just as Desmond came around the corner and leaned on the frame.

He folded his arms and watched me with a small smile.

"How was work?" I sounded wound up. I couldn't help it. But I needed to. I busied myself with hangers and subtly pushed my uniform under the drawers before he could see it.

"Fine," he nodded with a strained tone. "I uh— I just had the most interesting call from a friend down at the station."

I froze. The blood drained from me as I felt my heart start hammering ten times faster than it's normal frantic pace. I swallowed, afraid to move. Afraid to breathe. All I wanted was for the ground to open up and swallow me. I wanted the building to collapse. I wanted something to happen that would get me out of this situation.

Before I even had time to contemplate a reaction, his hand wrapped around my throat and he shoved me against the wall. "Want to tell me what the fûck that's about?"

I spluttered as I gasped for breath, clawing at his hand as I could feel him lifting me from the ground. "Didn't I warn you. I told you what would happen? Didn't I?"

He'd learned from last time not to leave his crotch open. He'd angled himself from me. Kicking was useless. Fighting was getting me nowhere. His wild and cold glare flickered to my neck for a moment and he leaned in closer, inspecting the space between my shoulder and throat.

"Is that a fucking hickey?!" He shouted, his saliva showering me, the veins in his head bulging as he choked me harder. "You fucking little whore. Is that why you're telling the cops bullshit. You're fucking around?"

He let my throat go and I gasped for air but before I could savour it or clear the dots that were dancing in my vision, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and shoved my head into the wall, over and over again until the room was spinning. "Please stop," I cried, attempting to fight him off as he slammed my body back into the wall again.

"Fucking trash whore," he spat. He held my hair and pushed my head down as he lifted his knee and smashed me in the face with it.

I could taste the blood immediately. It was gushing down my face as I stumbled and sobbed. "No, Desmond please. I'll take it back. I'll tell them it wasn't true."

(Warning. There is an extremely graphic rape scene ahead. I would seriously suggest skipping the rest of the chapter if this could be a trigger to you. No for real. I was a mess writing this. Please don't read it if you are sensitive to this kind of content.)

"You think that you can fuck around on me," he screamed as he threw me on the floor. "Bitch you fucking belong to me."

He straddled me and began lifting my dress up. "No!" I screamed, kicking and hitting without being able to see straight. His fist came down with another blow to my face.

"You'll see whore," he hit me again and I could feel him ripping at my underwear. "No one wants used trash. This is mine. You don't fuck around on me."

He hit me again. The more that I struggled, the more that he hit me. My entire face was throbbing. I couldn't see straight. All I could taste and smell was blood. But I couldn't give up. I didn't want him inside of me. I didn't want him near me. He grabbed both of my wrists and held them so tight that I whimpered as he freed himself from his pants.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I tried to shout but it wasn't loud. It wasn't powerful. I was gargling blood and whenever I coughed, it filled my nose and stung. My vision was blurred and the world was beginning to fade out.

He hit me again. His closed fist, it connected with my face and my head snapped to the side, showering the carpet with blood.

Oblivion didn't come soon enough, I was begging the darkness to pull me under so that I didn't have to endure the truth but he pushed himself inside of me, even though there was resistance, he pushed and it burned, causing me to whimper when it felt like my flesh and insides were on fire. He laughed as he thrust, in and out, rough enough that the carpet beneath me was shredding my skin and my cervix felt bruised. His fingers dug into my skin and even though I was too weak to push or fight, he hit me again.

"You get it slut? You're mine."