Roman's eyes locked with Zara, knowing that he'd have to be careful answering that question. She did know everything about him.  They were as close as two people could be. Yet, he kept parts of his life off-limits. These matters dealt with national security. Few people outside of those that worked for his company knew that. Zara, why did you get yourself in this situation? I never wanted you to have to worry about me. He ran his hand up her arm and she pulled away, stabbing a spot in his heart.  Roman grabbed his hair and sighed.

"What do I do for a living, Zara?"

"Computer technology."

"You're correct.  That's all that I've wanted you to know about what I do.  I would like to get you out of this situation with Ethan without having to tell you much more than needed about what I do.  I don't want you to press me on this."

Zara jumped up, disgruntled at his response. She was about to expose personal information.  He wasn't going to get a pass on telling her about his issues.  One long finger wagged in his face.  "Not good enough, Roman. Not damn good enough."

"You're going to tell me what's not good enough. You have yet to tell me one shred of information about Ethan," he said, trying to stem the rising tone in his voice.

"I'm not married to Ethan!"

"Oh, but you were pretty damn close and may not be far enough away for that not to become, quote – a reality."

Zara froze.  Her mouth snapped shut. Hands fell to her hips because she couldn't figure out what to do next.  Those words tumbled her thoughts.  The pounding in her head and heart escalated by the second. Her throat tightened. "I-never-told Ava-that," she choked out.

"There's a lot that I know that Ava didn't tell me. But she gave me enough information to do what I am damn good at doing for my wife, not Ethan's wife. My wife - Zara Gray."

Zara crumpled down on the blanket, staring blankly at Roman.  The tight grip in her stomach left her feeling nauseous.  Floods of thoughts rushed through her mind. Images of the good times that she had with Ethan, crashed against the moments of their dark side.  She stuffed her face in her hands.  

Roman slipped next to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.  "I know that this conversation is uncomfortable, Zara.  I don't want your beautiful world clouded with my sometimes not so beautiful line of work."

Images of the tight spots he'd been in flooded his head.  The sounds of bomb blasts from their recent mission in Kentucky rang in his mind.  Bullets whizzing by in a sting operation while he dived for cover from another mission roared through his head. Life was always on the line with Roman. Now he wondered if it were selfish that he'd kept that part of his life from her.  "You're my only happiness."  He walked towards her, pulling Zara close and kissed her cheek.  "I don't want you worried about me."

There was never a time in her life that she'd worried about his work.  This was way too much information.  The palpitations escalated.  She dropped her hands and fell into the embrace looking at the agony on his face. This is bad.

"You're the brightest star in my sky.  You are the one spot in my life that is not complicated. Please don't mess up my heaven by asking too many questions.  I promise I will tell you whatever you need to know about my line of work as the time arises."

She glanced up with dazed eyes, feeling her entire body quake. This conversation should not be happening.  No, none of this should be happening.  "I'm not safe - because of Ethan, Roe?"

"That's what I'm trying to determine. But right now, it looks that way.  I'm your shield, Zara."

"You really are like James Bond?"

"That's close enough, treasure."

***

After seeing how disturbed Zara was, Roman called the office and said that he wouldn't be returning today. Or perhaps even the rest of the week.  He held her and listened to a terrible story, rooted in the old Zara. His mind reeled with each detail that unfolded.  Every word that spilled out of her mouth, he blamed her mother and people that had bullied her as a child. It was overwhelming.

"This all started because you wanted a baby?"

"Yes," she whispered. Zara starred out the penthouse window, in deep thought.  The feeling of childlessness ached.   She wrapped her arms around her chest and rocked.  The words that her doctor said crashed back into her head. It was hard seeing herself back in his office; the smell of sterility, Dr. Weinstein's white coat, his straight face, and unaffected eyes.  He'd told hundreds of women the same thing over the years and no longer had the sensitivity that she needed. Zara shook her head as words like scar tissue; fibroids, low egg count, and a 15% chance of fertility ate away at hope.

"When Thomas and I broke up, you know that it devastated me."

At that moment he learned more about Thomas than he'd ever known. She told him all about the man that she'd hope would replace the void that Roman left in her life. It was surreal listening Zara leaned her head on his shoulder. They talked for hours.

"I never got over losing you, Roe.  Never got over wanting to be in a relationship with you and couldn't because I was choked with fear of rejection."

"It's not your fault. Abuse has long-range effects." Roman kissed her cheek.  "You've beat yourself up long enough. With the hell that your mother put you through it's a miracle that you're still in one piece. We're going to deal with her once this is over, too."

Roman pulled Zara onto his lap. The racing in his heart soon calmed as his mind accepted what she had to say.  It wouldn't do any good for both of them to get upset.  He needed to take the facts as she laid them out and deal with it. The thing that broke his heart the most was hearing about the break up between her and Thomas.  In her mind, Thomas was her last hope for starting a family.  She couldn't imagine starting another relationship after being with him for five years. With the hopes of having a child cast away, it opened the door to Ethan's proposition. Roman's heart chipped away with each word that she spoke.

"My biological clock ticked. I felt trapped, thinking that it was too late to start all over building a relationship when I knew that I wanted a baby."

Roman grimaced, holding her tighter.  Every part of her story gave him more insight into the complexity of verbal abuse.  For years he'd tried to understand Zara, tried to be there for her.  But it was only at this moment that things began to click. He saw how one dysfunction leads to another. Though it was painful, he was so glad that she shared this. It would help him to be a better husband. "Shortly after that, you found Ethan Gaines on a dating website, right?"

"Not just any dating website, Roman.  One that targeted women whose biological clock ticked. It matched them with wealthy men that were older and regretted not having kids.  These men would make arrangements for a child to be born with no strings."

"Zara, there are strings.  But I understand how you thought they were legitimate.  It frustrated you and you looked for a solution to fit the bill."

"Yes, the terms were simple and fit my current situation."

"What were the terms, Zara?  But I can tell you that whatever they said - they lied."

***

Roman's anger burned beneath his skin as Zara explained the terms of the arrangement.  She was so exhausted from talking about it that he convinced her to rest.  She'd been sleeping for about forty-five minutes. He texted Judge Harrison. 

Roman: I am in a situation and need some help

Harrison: I'm available now, come down

He eased out of the penthouse not wanting to wake Zara. He took the elevator down to the 80th floor.  Judge Harrison's wife, Nelda, answered the door.  "So good to see you, Roman.  We live in the same building and rarely cross paths."

"It's always something demanding on our time, isn't it?"

"Yes.  Sure glad we had some snow days.  Martin's always gone.  It was nice having him home for a few days.  Congratulations on your news."

"Thank you, Nelda."

Judge Harrison motioned to Roman to come in.  He walked through the elegant country sheik furnished room.  Soft pastel colors and whitewashed accented pieces scattered through the large space.  He sat in one of the large overstuffed chairs, across from the judge.

"I don't want to take up too much of your time."

"Take as much time as you need.  You've been a great value to law enforcement for years. We owe you."

"Thank you.  Zara is one of the most precious people in my life.  We grew up together. Her family had lots of issues leaving her vulnerable in life.  Because of a series of unfortunate events she's gotten tied in what appears to be a ring.  From my current research, it's pretty extensive."

"What type of ring, like trafficking?"

"Scale wise, yes. We're still checking.  But this is some type of white-collar, wealthy, ring. They match older wealthy men with no children with affluent businesswomen who have no kids. But pressured because of their biological clock."

As Roman told the story Judge Harrison frowned in disgust. According to Zara, there were certain acceptance procedures required. Then an orientation and finally you got introduced to the potential father. The women got to know the man, for a period of a year, on a platonic basis. 

If chemistry developed they agree to an arranged marriage. If the chemistry didn't develop but both parties still wanted a child, they agreed to a paper only marriage. The child inherits from the wealthy father and joint custody of the child if they divorce. It was the woman's choice to have the child by natural means or In Vitro."

Judge Harrison raised his brow.  "How slick, this way the child is legitimate for the inheritance and social structure. The woman gives him the appearance of a family, which is good for his career and reputation."

"And she can live off of his money if she chooses to do so, and named in his will. She can continue to raise the child by his standard," Roman added. "If he dies first, the child is set for life."

Judge Harrison rubbed the tension from his temples.  He'd been on the bench for over 20 years.  Nothing had ever come across his chambers of this magnitude.  His flesh crawled thinking of the apparent corruption behind this operation. He glanced at Roman, shaking his head. "Wow, I've never heard of anything like that. It's some long money behind an operation like that."

"Tell me about it.  I've got a boatload of data and still rising."

Nelda came into the room.  "Can I get you both something to drink or anything else?"

"Do you have tea?"

"Yes, I do.  Martin would you like tea as well?"

He nodded.

"So here is the problem," Roman said, feeling the clutch of anger against the pit of his stomach. The diabolical organization infuriated him.  It still didn't feel real for Zara to be in the middle of it.  "The women have a year to decide what they want for their future relationship to stay in the program or leave."

It took all the strength that he had to continue to explain the program to the judge. If the women didn't leave the program within the year there was a binding oral contract in place.  Zara wanted to leave but was indecisive. So she hesitated in giving a response.

"Did she ever tell him no?" said Judge Harrison.

"She did, but he said that she gave her answer after a year. That made her in breach of contract."

"So now he wants to sue or force her to go through with the arranged marriage."

"Yes, your honor."

Judge Harrison scratched his head. The situation stumped him. This was an unusual circumstance.  "Oral contracts are binding, but not in every situation. I need to do a little more digging.  I'll get back with you on the details."

"Thank you."

He turned to Roman giving a stern look. "You know that we need to shut this down."

"I do.  I will need to send Zara in to infiltrate the organization."

"This has got to be killing you. My god. " He glanced over at Roman feeling the abject grief on his face.  Law enforcement was a crazy world, filled with danger.  He wouldn't want to be in Roman's situation.  Yet, he understood what he must do. "I will do anything that I can to help."

"Judge Harrison, for what we already know the women that do have babies for these men, don't get to keep the children that they gave birth to. They get taken within the first year."

"What?"

"It's diabolical, your honor.  They ruin the woman's reputation. The children get removed by the courts for unfit parenting, giving them full custody."