JUSTIN

I wake up and find that Arianna has already woken and left. I roll out of bed and begin my search for my girlfriend. I look around before I stir up courage to ask one of the men where she may be. I already learned that Chase and Tabbetha left with my bodyguard, my bodyguard. I am informed that she is in her office with James discussing business.

I do not care much what they are discussing. I go to find her. I am about to knock on the door when I hear the room’s two occupants yelling back and forth at each other. I hear my name yelled quite a bit, and I hear James blaming Arianna for horrible things. I cannot take anymore when I decide to enter.

“I believe that is enough.” I state firmly upon my entrance.

The two stop and look at me in shock. Arianna eases into a smile while James glares at me. If looks could kill, I would be dead ten times over.

“Who do you think you are to come in here and try to demand anything? You are a nobody.” James is obviously pissed.

“This ‘nobody’ had quite a bit of presence in your conversation. I say I have to be a somebody if I’m worth you talking about me.” I reply smugly.

I look behind him and see Arianna standing there with a smile on her face and almost a sense of trying not to laugh.

“You need to watch yourself. I’d hate to have to kill the boy my partner is choosing to fuck at the moment.” He spits out as he leaves the office.

I turn to Arianna and see her sitting down in her chair. It is obviously to anyone how weak she still is, though she wishes for no one to notice and definitely not mention.

“I’m sorry. I never meant to cause any problems. I just couldn’t take him talking to you that way and definitely not blaming you for such ridiculous things. Are you not allowed to have a life outside this ridiculous career you all have.” I feel myself getting angry.

“It’s ok. I appreciate your thoughts. He does have a reason and a point behind some of the things he did say. We do have a business, no matter how ‘ridiculous’ you find it to be, that is based on secrecy. Your celebrity status takes that secrecy away.” She does not look up at me for a short moment.

I can tell I have upset her with my comment. I feel bad, but I couldn’t help it from coming out.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just not understanding some of the thing that go on. I’m sorry again. I do love you, and I am trying.” I assure her.

“I know and that is why I am trying to work with you. James doesn’t understand this because it has always been him and me. Past boyfriends and such have not been introduced to this. I never let them in on this whole side of me. You on the other hand are here in the middle of it, and you still stick around. He just feels threatened. It will all work out. I’m sure of it.” She tells me looking up at me and smiling at me.

I stand there and just look at her. I am so in love with her and I am excited to see where this will all lead and scared all at the same time. I’m scared that her attachment to her business, her men, and to James will eventually pull her away from me and I will just be left behind out of nowhere.

“What do you say we go back to my house? You don’t seem too comfortable here, and we can figure out what we are going to do. You have some events coming up, but I do know that I am going to limit the events I go to and obviously I won’t walk any red carpets.” She tells me, standing up.

I move to help her, but of course she refuses it. The woman is impossibly stubborn and prideful, and she wonders how she ended up with 6 bullet holes in her. I do take her hand though and hold it. It looks like it is out of love, which it is, but it is also out of a weak way of help. I want to make sure I am there if something goes wrong.

We go upstairs where Arianna changes clothes and we head for the door to leave.

Right before I reach the bedroom door, she grabs me by the arm. I turn around confused by her actions. “What is it? Is something wrong?” I am worried.

“I can’t help it, but I find you extremely sexy right now. I may get used to this whole love thing.” She smirks a little. I am still confused by her actions. “I’m thinking since we are here, I have a soundproof room, everyone thinks we’re doing it anyway, what do you say to an early evening, out of the blue, roll around in the sheets?” She smiles at me.

I laugh a little bit at her statement. “You have a soundproof room?” is all that I say at first.

She laughs and nods as she tells me that it used to be a huge conference room where everything needed to be private and now it works in her advantage, especially since she has a nosy roommate. “What do you say?” she asks again.

“I say let’s test out just how soundproof this room really is.” I laugh as I shut the door and I move to pick her up and toss her the bed.

When she cringes a small bit and moves a little, I realize she is still in great pain and has quite a bit of stitches. “Maybe we should postpone this. You are in pain, and you could bust a stitch or something. I don’t think I want to be responsible for that again.” I tell he as I go to stand up and move away.

“I don’t think so.” She grabs my arm and pulls me, quite strongly if I do say so myself, back over to her. “First off, don’t you worry about me and my pain. I am on some excellent painkillers. Secondly, if I bust a stitch them so be it. I actually only have a few more, and I’m healing quite nicely. They need to come out soon anyway.” She tells me as a matter-of-fact.

“If you insist…” I start with a smile.

“Oh, do I ever.” She tells me, grabbing my by my shirt and pulling me onto the bed.

ARIANNA

I wake up with a huge grin. Last night was fun, lots of fun. I roll out of Justin’s embrace and get my robe that is lying on the floor. I put it on and lean down and kiss him on the head. As I walk out of the room, I can’t help but think about how much I wish James was standing outside the room, so he can see me walking out in just my robe completely happy and satisfied. That bastard will learn to try to give me orders.

I go downstairs and see some of my men already up and training and a few just coming in from a job. They wish me a good morning and go about their tasks. I get something to eat and make something to eat for Justin. On my way upstairs, I see James enter through the front door as I get about halfway up. I turn and smirk at him.

“Good morning, James.” I smile really big. “Just coming in for a job or just coming in from your latest whore.”

“You, my whore, need to go put some clothes on. I need to talk to you about something.” He does not even seem affected. That ruined my fun but not my happy buzz.

I make my way upstairs and place the food on the bedside table and leave a note. I give him another small peck on the cheek. I throw on some pants and a shirt and make my way downstairs. I get into my office and there is James standing there with his arms crossed as he paces the floor.

“What’s got your panties in a wad?” I ask him as I plop down on the chair and then gasp in pain. “Guess I should have taken some pain killers and probably check up on my stitches.”

James rolls his eyes. “You really need to take care of yourself. You’re going to need to be at your best. Apparently, Rich as recruited a lot of men with the sole mission of taking you out. You seem to have royally ticked him off. He’s after both of us but mainly you.”

I roll my eyes. “He is so damn threatened because a girl is a better man than he is. I can’t help it if I’m better at everything than he is.” I laugh.

“This is serious. I realize you’re pissed at me and you had a great lay last night, but you cannot forget that your life now has a price on it, a hefty one at that. I have a few men scoping out his property and watching his men to see if we can figure anything out.” He informs me. “I know you are tired of hearing me say this, but now more than ever you need to stay out of the public eye. You need to rethink this whole ‘I want to go out have my face posted everywhere’ mentality you have right now.” He really is upset about all of this.

“What is your deal? I’ve had serious threats on my life several times before. We’ve handled it and I’m obviously still alive so why are you so antsy about this one?” I question him as I reach into my desk and get some of my medication out and take it.

“Because before you weren’t planning on putting your face out in front of millions of cameras.” He answers me with frustration and irritation. “I don’t think you are truly understanding what the hell you are doing?”

“Yes, I do. It may be a shock to you, but I am a big girl, and I can take care of myself. You need to calm down.” I tell him. “My boyfriend is upstairs and I plan on going up there and waking him up and then we are going to go and spend some time with some friends. If you need me, I’ll have my phone on, but I suggest you don’t need me.” I get up and leave the room.

I slowly make my way back up the stairs. This time, I am slow because of the slight pain I am still feeling. I hope that the meds will kick in soon. I refuse to let James intimidate me out of having a life. For the first time since I was thirteen years old, I have felt free to live, to live a life that is free of guns, death, and repeat.