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Chapter 5


Feeling as if he were smothering her with his beefy body, Adrienne gasped for breath and jerked from beneath the covers, tearing herself from their confines in a matter of minutes. Stumbling to her feet, she clapped her hands to her mouth to prevent herself from screaming shrilly. She had just fallen asleep for a continuous hour when another nightmare rekindled. Searching the room for any signs of an intruder, she was dismayed to find the guest bed empty. Josette and the dogs had abandoned her awhile ago. Looking to the clock, she forced her breathing to stabilize, realizing it was only nine in the morning. The last time she remembered falling asleep was an hour ago and Josette had been curled against her soundly. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him. How she hated the dark… Shaking her head, Adrienne stuffed her hands underneath the t-shirt to hold her aching abdomen, slowly moving to the door in hopes to locate her sister.

Nervously wetting her lips as she eased the door open, she paused to listen for the familiar sound of her sister's footsteps, or her comforting voice. Hearing neither, she took a deep breath before stepping into the hallway. The house seemed eerily silent, but as she moved towards the stairs she heard the murmur of voices downstairs. Recognizing Josette's voice, she gulped nervously before slowly going down the stairs.

During the initial days of capture, Adrienne had tried to seek her sister out in the dingy home that the assailant had termed the “Love-shack.” She had hoped to be sneaky enough to locate her without him hearing, like she had done when their mother had done her routine bed-checks and she had no desire to sleep alone. But, she had been caught before she could even locate which direction of the hallway to walk. He had ripped her off her feet by the roots of her hair, dragging her down into a leaky basement. After several blows to her body from his various appendages, she had been thrown into a wet closet and locked away in the darkness till she was needed. That’s when Josette had been raped. She was sure of it--

"Adrienne?" AJ questioned softly from the bottom of the stairs. Holding the tray of her breakfast while Josette used the downstairs bathroom, he had simply been waiting for her so he could carry the tray up for her. He had been thinking about taking a shower before he took Josette shopping… But, seeing the faraway, frightened look on Adrienne's face had drawn him from his thoughts.

Stumbling from her slow creep down the stairs, she fell backward onto the carpeted step from AJ’s interruption into her thoughts. She paled significantly when she was spotted, immediately turning to hurry back up the stairs. She wouldn’t be thrown into another closet. She would behave this time. “Sorry--”

"Hey, hey, it's okay," AJ interrupted gently, setting the tray down when she stumbled on the stairs. Moving slowly, he caught her arm before she could fall. "Ette's using the john, and then we were going to bring up your breakfast… You want to come down and eat in the kitchen? You can see the beach from the windows…"

Adrienne released a pitiful whimper when AJ’s hand circled her upper arm and like a good love-slave, she wilted to the floor in submission. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come out. I’ll go back upstairs. Just, don’t take me downstairs--”

"Hey, Adrienne, it's me," he murmured, releasing her arm when he was certain she wouldn't fall. Stooping so he could look at her face, he held up both hands so she could see them. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise… I'm here to help you, okay? Ette's right in the next room, do you want me to get her for you?"

“I just hate the dark,” she whispered shakily, tangling her trembling fingers deep into her messy ginger locks.

"It's not dark, Adrienne… Do you want to go where you'll be surrounded by sunshine?"

“I’m sorry…” Adrienne murmured weakly, gently rocking herself in a soothing manner till she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Startled, she looked to see Josette standing beside AJ. Immediately, pained tears began to flood her soft cinnamon eyes. “I’m sorry, Ette… I just don’t feel good and--”

"You need to eat," Josette interrupted softly, reaching to brush the tears away. She should have known better than to let Adrienne take her painkillers the night before without making sure she at least had a sandwich. The nurse had told them to take the pills with food. "Come on, let's get you back in the bedroom so you can eat and take your medicine. You just had surgery two days ago, you shouldn't be walking around…"

AJ smiled with relief when he felt Josette beside him, which calmed Adrienne considerably. Reaching for her arms once more, he was thankful that she let him help her stand. “She could have breakfast in the kitchen with us if she wants. I was just telling her how she could see the whole beach from the kitchen nook and it’s in an alcove with a glass ceiling so there’s tons of lights--”

"Do you want to eat in the kitchen?" Josette asked Adrienne softly. "The dogs are all playing out in the yard, and you should see Allie trying to keep up with the others. Big as the side of a barn, but she's running around like a puppy."

Adrienne shrugged timidly, not really knowing what she wanted to do. She had such terrible pain from the injuries she suffered, but she didn’t want Josette to leave her sight just yet. Waking up alone had frightened her considerably. And the warmth of AJ’s hands and arms supporting her felt comforting. Josette obviously trusted the man, so she carefully nodded with agreement. She didn’t want to make him mad nor upset her sister.

"Can you handle the stairs or do you want the use of the house elevator?" AJ questioned with a timid smile.

“I’ll--” Adrienne wrinkled her nose in distaste when she caught her sister’s chiding glare. “Take the elevator, please.”

"Such an excellent choice," AJ agreed with a genuine grin as he gently scooped her into his arms. Making sure Josette made it down the stairs before carrying Adrienne down, he cleared his throat, hoping to help her feel at ease with him. "First floor has all your entertainment needs, madam. Movie theater, swimming pool outside, easy access to a private beach, game room. And your destination, the kitchen, is just around the bend. We boast a lovely view of the Pacific Ocean, and if you look out the western windows you will see our floor show, Five Crazy Mutts, is already in progress. We thank you for your patronage and do hope you enjoy your stay. Should you need anything, simply give a yell for your friendly resident bellboy, Alex."

At first, Adrienne was troubled to realize that his arms were the elevator she would be taking. But, looking down to Josette’s confident smile gave her reassurance that all would be okay. But when he started chattering into her ear, a soulful rasp of a voice, she turned to look at him. Furrowing her dark brows in confusion at first, she found him to be a complete baboon, but she had to hide her smile. “Josette, quel taré... Mais, mignon.”

Josette nodded in agreement, not noticing AJ's confused look. "Oui, très mignon…"

C’est votre chéri…”

"Non! …Je le souhaiter, Adrienne…"

Ensuite, sera votre chéri assez tôt…”

“Okay, that’s enough of that nonsense,” AJ suddenly groaned, his head spinning from the second language following him as he settled Adrienne into the breakfast nook. “The only word I knew out of that whole mess is chéri, and if you’re referring to me then…” AJ offered the sisters a wicked grin. “I’m delighted!”

Josette sat opposite her sister, a playful gleam in her eye when she saw Adrienne was suddenly smiling with amusement. Shaking her head towards AJ, she gave her sister a wink. "Alex est très désagréable, oui?"

Oui,” Adrienne promised with a small nod, looking to AJ for a small moment before murmuring, “She just said you are horrible.”

"Adie called you an idiot before I called you horrible," Josette stated defensively through her giggles.

“Oh, it’s on!” AJ hooted, reaching to gently muss Adrienne’s curls, though he instantly regretted the decision when she jerked away. Resisting the urge to mutter a curse, he decided not to make a big deal of the mishap, instead turning to gather the breakfast items that he had been so diligently preparing and were merely warming in the pans. “And here I was going to shower you both with all these beautiful clothes today… But no, I’m horrible and apparently an idiot…”

"A cute idiot," Josette informed him, getting to her feet to fix Adrienne a glass of orange juice. Remembering AJ's earlier offer of taking her shopping, she chewed on her bottom lip, not sure if Adrienne would want her to leave her alone. "Adie, do you mind if I go shopping with Ajie for a couple of hours?"

Turning her gaze back from the large bay window, where she was watching the dogs run amuck, she tilted her head at the nickname Josette had bestowed upon AJ. Rudolph didn’t even have a nickname, well, that is to say that Rudolph had declined to have a nickname. But, the way AJ looked to Josette when she mentioned he was a cute idiot and the way Josette looked to him as she fixed the drinks, Adrienne knew that she’d be a third wheel. She wasn’t sure she could withstand walking furiously about the malls with her lower half throbbing in raw agony. “Enjoy yourself…”

"I'll leave you the cordless upstairs and give you my cell number in case you need us-your sister," AJ quickly corrected as he set a plate before her. "And you'll have the dogs here with you, and we all know how much they love to be with you." Setting a clean fork and pulling the napkin holder within her reach, he stepped back once he was sure she had everything.

“Thank you…” Adrienne politely responded, reaching for the fork that he had put at the side of her plate. She looked to the delicious array of breakfast items that AJ had obviously spent the morning making – fluffy, salt and peppered, scrambled eggs, sausage patties, and home-fries. He had even made sure to get her a bowl of syrup in order to dip her sausage bites into. She immediately looked to her sister, knowing she had been the culprit to squeal about her favorite breakfast. Knowing she had to eat, she tentatively cut into the eggs to take a small bite, though she wasn’t hungry.

"And I'm going to run up and take a shower while you eat," AJ decided as Josette sat across from Adrienne once more. Hearing a scratch and whine at the side door, he stepped over to let the dogs in, knowing they would immediately circle around Adrienne to beg for morsels. "Don't let my crazy mutts steal all your food…"

Submissively, Adrienne accepted his demand with another small nod of her head. Usually, she would be quick to offer a playful quip in return, especially with people she considered to be friendly and easygoing. But, she hadn’t the heart to do so, simply cutting into the fluffy eggs once more for another bite, hearing the dogs’ claws scrape against the floor as they scrambled for her.

Once AJ had disappeared up the stairs, Josette leaned over, snatching a sausage patty from Adrienne's plate. Leaning to the side, she softly called Allie over to her, pinching off pieces to feed to the pregnant dog. "He just doesn't understand that you're going to give birth to him's grandbabies, does he, Sweetums?"

“Did you get hold of Father and Mother?” Adrienne questioned softly, abandoning her food when she watched Allie generously lick at Josette’s fingers in thanks for the pieces of meat. Carefully, Adrienne reached to welcome the rest of the dogs that had come to her side, hoping to snuggle up to her. She made sure to stroke Bernie first, because he was impatient, and then Tank, because he would whine if he wasn’t second, and then helped Dallas and JD to the booth seat so they wouldn’t be crushed.

"I caught Father in his office this morning," Josette answered, grunting when Allie climbed up to sit in her lap. Groaning under the weight of the dog, she shifted her slightly so the brunt of the weigh was on the seat. "He's going to wire some money this afternoon when he gets out of court… At least, that's what Diana told me. He was in a 'meeting' with Rudolph."

“You are so defiant with our parents at every turn, but yet you agree to a loveless marriage… I just don’t understand, Ette,” Adrienne murmured suddenly, setting her plate of food on the ground when Bernie and Tank began to whine incessantly.

Josette sighed, wishing suddenly for a cigarette. She knew she couldn't tell Adrienne the true reason she was marrying Rudolph. She could never bear to see the pain in her sister's eyes when she learned what their mother had threatened to send the youngest Moreau to the finishing school in France that Josette had attended. After which she would be quickly married off to the first eligible bachelor that came along. She couldn't bear the thought of her darling Adie being set on the same course as she. Standing to move towards the door, she fumbled for a cigarette, lighting it once the door was open and the ocean breeze swept the smoke outside. "If I marry him, he's agreed to give me my dowry, as well as finance my college education. Pretty much he will leave me to do what I want…"

“But, you’re attending night school now, so you don’t need him to--” Adrienne quickly closed her mouth at Josette’s censuring glare. Though Josette would be damned to admit it, she did possess many of their mother’s strongest qualities. She was a strong woman with a defiant heart and Adrienne loved that about her. But, not when she was crushed beneath the weight of the strength. Quickly dropping her gaze to feed JD and Dallas some sausage, she searched for another topic of conversation. “Did you talk to Mother?”

"I was informed by our lovely Bianca that she was out for the day. Thursday, her charity day," Josette snorted, turning her gaze to the sparkling ocean waters.

“…You’ll enjoy your day with AJ…”

"I suppose… Do you want me to get you anything special? Your favorite flannel Tinkerbell pajamas and slippers?" Josette suggested, taking a final drag from her cigarette before tossing it to the stone floor of the portico.

“I don’t need anything--”

"Yes you do, Doll Face," Josette disagreed. "I'll get you some comfortable clothes, some books to read…"

“You’re going to buy skirts and dress shirts and nice slacks, aren’t you?”

"For you? God no! I know you like lounge pants, jeans, sweatpants, t-shirts, and above all else, pajamas!"

“I meant for you…”

"Probably…" Josette trailed with a shrug as AJ reentered the kitchen. Quirking an eyebrow at the sight of his bare chest as he pulled on a clean t-shirt, she quickly wet her lips, looking away.

“Breezy dresses may be appropriate at this stage,” Adrienne murmured, reaching to take the clean plate away from the dogs to set before her.

"Stage of what?" Josette questioned in confusion, her gaze inconspicuously following AJ as he moved into the living room to retrieve something. "What are you talking about, Adrienne?"

“Those steamy hot flashes you keep having over him--”

"I don't know what you're talking about," Josette interrupted with the hint of a blush. "Is it alright if he helps you upstairs while I get dressed?"

“That’s fine,” Adrienne agreed, watching AJ return once more, completely dressed as he pushed a wallet into the back pocket of his worn jeans. Subtly, she watched her older sister’s face alight with pleasure at seeing AJ ready. When he leaned to murmur something in Josette’s ear, Adrienne noted that her sister’s arms actually pricked with goosebumps. Despite the tragedy they faced, it was easy for Adrienne to see that Josette was extremely interested in AJ for far more than a friendship. And, she had every right to be attracted to him. She had been beaten and raped by the assailant, but not as fiercely as Adrienne had. In fact, Josette’s torture had come in being forced to watch her younger sister’s agony. That type of psychological torture could scar someone far worse than a few cuts to the skin. Besides, Josette deserved the chance to be happy for once. Maybe he would keep her from marrying Rudolph…

"Going up," AJ quipped as he scooped Adrienne gently into his arms.

“Help me didn’t imply that you had to pick me up--”

"Too late. Can't stop the elevator once it's in motion," AJ sighed as he headed towards the stairs.

“Okay,” Adrienne agreed, wrapping her arms around his neck to prevent herself from falling when she felt him walking up the steps. At her small gasp, he easily hefted her into a tighter, more protective embrace. Tangling her fingers into his t-shirt for protection, she concentrated her gaze on the skulls inked to his jugular. “…You smell nice…”

"Considering the fact you've been snuggled with my dogs for two days now, I'll take that as a compliment," AJ murmured with a cheesy grin, chuckling softly when she rolled her eyes. Her smile was almost as charming as her sister's, at least from what he had seen of it. "Thanks, Adrienne."

“…Does that mean I smell like a dog pound?”

"Not at all," AJ promised, nudging the bedroom door open so he could carry her to the bed. Once he had laid her down gently, he reached to pull the covers up over her stomach, reaching for a pillow to place in her lap when Tank and Bernie leaped onto the bed. "You smell like sunshine…"

“I hope you use better lines on my sister,” Adrienne decided before Bernie tackled her on the bed. He seemed to know of her injuries, his four paws resting on the bed, though he straddled her, licking her cheeks affectionately.

"Sunshine smells like a fresh morning, y'know? After it's been storming for what seems like an eternity, and then the sun peeks out and everything is fresh and clean again. And you realize that soon, things will get better," AJ explained softly, sitting down on the foot of the bed so he could help Allie up.

“…Do you know how many puppies Allie’s going to have?” Adrienne asked, ignoring AJ’s play on words as she gently pushed Bernie to his side so he would lie down. Watching AJ grunt as he helped Allie onto the bed, Tank shifted and allowed Allie to choose her resting place first.

"When I took her to the vet a couple weeks ago they did an ultrasound and said there's at least ten or twelve in there," AJ informed her, watching Allie snuggle close to Adrienne's side, baring her tummy.

“That’s typical for an American Bulldog,” Adrienne confided, reaching to gently rub Allie’s tummy before scratching delicately to elicit a pleased pant. “Sometimes they can have sixteen puppies in one litter… Are you going to keep them?”

"Good God, not if it's sixteen," AJ breathed in horror. Watching her lavish affection on his babies, he smiled, seeing firsthand how much she cared for animals. "Would you like one… Or four?"

“I can’t take your puppies,” Adrienne disagreed, hearing an impatient whine at the foot of the bed. “Dallas wants up.”

"Why can't you take my puppies?" AJ groaned, stooping to pick up Dallas and place the dog on the bed.

"Because Mother would ban them to the furthest possible outbuilding on the estate," Josette announced as she came from the bathroom. Plucking nervously at the long-sleeved t-shirt she wore, she glanced to AJ.

“You’re gorgeous,” AJ simply promised with a truthful smile, grabbing JD before the runt could attempt a daring jump onto the bed. Plopping the dog onto the bed, he shifted to stand and pressing a warm kiss to Josette’s knuckles. She may have been wearing his old, long-sleeved t-shirt and a pair of dark jeans, but he couldn’t imagine her looking better in anything else. Her dark, ebony waves were twirled into an elegant French braid, her dark cocoa eyes glittering at his words, her full, pouting lips begging to be kissed. But, he maintained a civil nature, reaching to brush back a stray lock. “You ready to go?”

"Absolutely," she murmured, blushing when Adrienne cleared her throat noisily. Allowing herself to lean against his fingers for a moment, she wet her lips before pulling away. Turning to her sister as AJ moved to scribble his cell phone number just in case, she smiled at the sight of the dogs piled around, all seemingly ready for a morning nap. "We'll be back in a couple of hours, but if you need anything, call-"

“I’ll be fine,” Adrienne interrupted softly, not wanting her sister to worry. She was sure that should something happen, Bernie and Tank might come to her defense. Besides, it was time for Josette to stop sacrificing herself. It was Adrienne’s fault that the horrors had even occurred. She deserved a good day out with a man she truly enjoyed.

"Okay. I love you, Twinkle Toes," Josette murmured, leaning close for a soft kiss before allowing AJ to lead her from the room.

“Love you, too,” Adrienne promised, scratching Dallas behind the ears as she watched Josette and AJ leave. Tending to the dogs piled in the bed, she doted the best of affection upon them till she heard the shutting of the front door and the alarm system activate. Carefully sliding from the bed, she moved toward the veranda to peer outside for a moment. AJ had taken the time to open the door for Josette, helping her into the vehicle before shutting the door for her. He then hurriedly jogged to the opposite side, the grin apparent even from the second story balcony. Pressing her fingers to the cool glass, she watched them disappear away from the home before turning away. Suddenly, she realized it was far too quiet.

Looking around the large bedroom, she felt as though the walls were closing in on her. Pressing a hand to her throat, she made her way to the door, opening it slowly. The house was eerily silent, the only sound coming from the dogs as they grunted to get on the floor. Bernie's head nudged the hand on the knob, and when she glanced down he offered her a soulful look before slowly slipping past to wait in the hall. "You want to go downstairs, Bernie?" she questioned softly, stepping out into the hall and gently grasping his collar for support. The dog seemed to grin with approval, leading her towards the stairs.

“What are we going to do downstairs, Bernie?” Adrienne asked, allowing the dog to continue to lead her down the stairs. He was patient with her movements as she used her free hand to brace against her lower abdomen. Dallas, JD, Tank, and Allie even came to the stairs and walked beside her as if to assure she wouldn’t fall. She murmured thanks to all the creatures providing her comfort, but made sure to make a mental photograph of her surroundings in case something horrible was to occur. She just wanted to be prepared.

As she reached the bottom, Bernie turned to lead her into the sunny living room, but as soon as she moved to follow him the front door burst open.

Nick quickly punched in AJ's security code as he kicked the door shut, allowing the spare key to fall on the table by the door. Hearing a startled gasp, he glanced up to see Adrienne standing stock-still at the bottom of the stairs. Offering her his most charming smile, he headed towards her. "Well, hi-"

When Nick took a step toward her, she stumbled back against the stairs with a guttural cry strangled in her throat. He was a significantly tall and broad man and she could only imagine what his intentions were. Scrambling to gain proper footing on the stairs, she ignored the frightened bark of the dogs as she fled backward. Her knees collided with the steps several times in her haste to retreat, but she persisted despite the throbbing pain flowing throughout her body. It wasn’t until she threw herself into the guest room and against the large door that she started to sob.

"Wait! I'm not going to-Get off me you mangy mutt," Nick grumbled, shoving the small yipping dogs from him with his foot. Hearing the muffled sobs coming from upstairs, he raced after Adrienne, groaning when he found the door shut and locked. Knocking softly, he heard her sobs stop suddenly. "Hey… It's okay, Adie, I just came to get some stuff of mine that I left yesterday. I didn't know you'd be here…"

Just go away, please, just go away,’ Adrienne thought, bracing herself against the door as if that would keep him at bay. The last time she had tried such an action, the door had been broken and she had been beaten quite heartily. Her entire body trembled as every muscle clenched in agony. A cool sweat broke against her skin and her breathing was labored into tight wheezes.

Sighing, Nick stepped away from the door, though he could still hear her labored breathing. Knowing that AJ would no doubt castrate him and make him eat his severed manhood for upsetting her, he sank onto the floor just outside the door, racking his brain for a way to calm her down. "So… I hear you like dogs? I used to have dogs, but I was gone so much that I had to give them away… But I'm thinking of getting another one…"

Tangling her fingers in her hair, Adrienne drew her legs up to her chest despite the discomfort. She truly struggled to breathe as the walls seemed to close in on her, compressing her back into the box that the assailant had designated her space when she wasn’t in his bed. She could hear his sinister laughter as she looked to the veranda, realizing the doors were slightly ajar. Cupping her hands over her mouth, she willed herself not to scream, simply sobbing harder than before.

Nick jolted from his sitting position when he heard her heavy sobbing, looking around uselessly for any sort of help. "Come on, Adrienne… You don't have to cry. I swear, I'm not going to hurt you. You want me to leave? I would, but Bernie's standing here growling real low at me, like if I move he's going to rip my leg off… He must be really protective of you, huh? AJ always calls him the laziest, most useless dog he's ever had…"

“He’s not useless,” came Adrienne’s protective opinion of the largest dog, though it was strangled within a painful sob. Bernie seemed to hunker down even lower at the sound of her pain, baring his teeth for display.

"I know he's not useless," Nick promised, gulping nervously when Bernie growled protectively. "But… You mind calling him off? He's eyeing my jugular like he hasn't eaten in weeks."

Unfortunately, it seemed at first that Adrienne would do no such thing. That to hear Bernie growling at Nick gave her solace to know she wouldn’t be harmed. But, slowly, he heard the shifting of the lock and watched the door open slightly. Immediately, Bernie stopped growling and moved for the open door, though he snapped at Nick when he saw his hand was near. Then, Tank took his place.

"Thanks," Nick breathed with relief.

“Welcome,” Adrienne whispered, though she was oblivious to the fact that Tank and Allie had taken Bernie’s defensive position as he nuzzled the side of her face soothingly.

"…You mind calling these other two vicious dogs off too?" Nick questioned hopefully as he settled back down on the floor, scooting till his back was against the wall when Tank and Allie both snarled.

There was another long passing moment between his hopeful inquiry and Adrienne’s answer, especially when the pregnant Allie took a menacing step toward him. But, thankfully, Adrienne opened the door once more, though it was a wider space for Tank and Allie to amble through. Waiting patiently, Adrienne noticed that Allie wasn’t moving from her potential attack against Nick. Leaning out the door for just a moment, Adrienne whispered for Allie to come and the pregnant dog obeyed. Helping her inside, Adrienne hesitated on closing the door when she caught Nick’s glance.

"I really appreciate it," Nick murmured, keeping his back against the opposite wall as he looked into her eyes. The fear and panic within the warm cinnamon eyes caused his heart to flutter with worry. "I'm sorry I scared you," he murmured when she continued to stare at him.

Tentatively, Adrienne carefully moistened her healing bottom lip as if she were preparing to speak. But, no words could be articulated from her broken heart and numbed spirit. Instead, she simply studied the depth of his sapphire irises with a keen interest. Though, her posture indicated a sharp distrust of him, she offered a small nod of acceptance.

"Do you mind if I call you Adrienne? Or would you rather I called you Adie? Or Miss Moreau? …You can call me Nick, if you want to call me anything…"

“…It doesn’t matter,” she murmured, leaning back slightly when Bernie stepped in front of her, allowing her chin to rest on his back as he watched Nick suspiciously.

"I like Adrienne… It's a pretty name," Nick told her softly, pulling his knees up so he could rest his arms over them in a casual manner. "Are you feeling okay?"

“Fine,” Adrienne promised, reaching out her hand to gently scratch Bernie behind the ears to soothe him. Truth be told, she was in indefinite agony. Her knees ached from the potential bruising against the steps, but the healing injuries from her assailant were far worse. Her insides had been shredded till he was sure that she would have a slow, agonizing death. Marks of his fingers could still be seen around her neck. His initials in her inner thigh burned with every movement. But she was fine.

"…You're not telling me the truth, are you?" Nick inquired after a moment of looking into her eyes. He had seen the slight wince when she shifted.

“…No…”

"…Okay… AJ told me last night that you're a veterinarian…"

Adrienne nodded in confirmation.

Offering a gentle smile, Nick shifted so he was more comfortable. Something told him it would be a long afternoon, sitting on the floor talking to a girl who could barely muster a whisper in response. "So, how long did it take you to get through school?"

*~*~*


"Ajie… You cannot honestly expect me to spend two hundred dollars of your money on this pair of jeans," Josette sighed as she stepped out of the dressing room. Turning to look in the three-way mirror in the expensive boutique, she raised an eyebrow at her appearance. The low-slung jeans hung low on her hips, hugging the curves of her backside and thighs. They fit perfectly, but what worried her the most was the frayed hem, the detailed rip that showed the crease of her upper thigh when she leaned slightly to one side. "Just throw a tube top on me and I'll start working the nearest corner…"

“There would be no need for you to work the corner, because I would be Richard Gere to your Pretty Woman and steal you away. But, I guess I just wanted you to try something different, Ettie. We’ve spent the whole day shopping and you’ve bought nothing but sophisticated clothes. Classy skirts, dresses, shirts, and slacks…” AJ immediately disagreed, pushing himself off the leather couch in order to stand behind her amongst the mirrors. Carefully, he let his hands slide over her hips in order to turn her around to face him. Leaning close, he pressed a kiss to her temple and whispered in her ear, “I know you’re a sophisticated woman, but I think you look fantastic in these.”

"You do, huh?" Josette murmured, letting her hands rest gently on his chest. He hadn't batted an eye at any of the totals during their shopping trip, usually adding more clothes to the stack. Part of her felt that it was nice to be spoiled, but she hated spending his money so. Once the money arrived from her father she would pay him back, she decided, tilting her head so she could softly kiss his cheek as he pulled her closer. "Well… If they're going to give you this reaction, I suppose I could do with a pair or two…"

“Or ten?” AJ mused with a soft chuckle, allowing his fingers to gently tickle the small of her back. He relished in the fact that she fit so perfectly in his arms and did nothing to turn him away. Instead, she stepped closer to allow his arms to tighten around her. And the soft kiss to his cheek actually caused his toes to tingle. So, he couldn’t resist moving his lips over hers in a soft, sweet kiss.

"You're too good to me," Josette whispered against his lips, curling her arms around his neck to hold him close. He held her tightly against him, as though afraid of losing her, and suddenly Rudolph's face loomed in her mind. Pushing the thought of him away, she concentrated on the kiss with AJ, knowing that no kiss from any other man would ever cause her body to shiver so delectably. Slowly drawing his tongue into her mouth for a gentle suckle, she allowed her fingers to gently curl in his hair.

“I just want to give you everything your heart desires,” AJ disagreed, a soft moan muffling in his throat when he coaxed her tongue into his mouth for a nibble. He was so thankful that they were given preferential treatment because of their status, otherwise she would be embarrassed to keep such a fond closeness with him. This was everything that his heart had wanted but missed with his last girlfriend… Pushing her from his thoughts, he tangled his fingers deep within her dark ebony locks, pulling her closer to deepen the kiss with soft strokes of his tongue to hers.

"Then don't hold back," she mumbled, slowly curving her injured leg around his, bringing him closer.

“Ettie…” AJ hesitated for a moment, leaning back to catch her smoldering cocoa eyes. “…Are you sure about this?”

"Yes," she promised, trailing her fingers over his neck in soft strokes. Somehow, she knew he wouldn't hurt her. "I want to know how it's supposed to feel, Ajie."

“Oh, Ettie,” AJ sighed, leaning to press a trail of kisses from the bridge of her cheek till he met her lips. He hardened his kisses, to express how deeply he cared for her. How she was different than any other woman he had ever met. Three days had passed, yet he knew he had known Josette for all his life. That their hearts were connected on some deeper level, not like he had been with his former girlfriend. Their relationship had merely been a fondness for one another, but he had never been in love with her. That’s why he had declined her demanding to be married and that’s why she had ran off and found herself in the arms of a murderer. So, guilt had driven AJ’s grief harder than anything, but the coaxing from Josette made him feel whole again. “…If I said that I was falling in love with you…”

"…I may have to admit that I was falling in love with you, too," she whispered, her heart flipping over itself with each smoldering kiss he offered.

“I think you just made my entire fucking year,” AJ approved with a ruckus laugh, hardening his kiss and slipping his tongue into her mouth till both were starved for air, but neither bothered to part.

"Ajie… Make love to me?" she requested between the strokes of his tongue, gasping when he leaned her gently against the wall. Eyes widening in surprise, she released a soft giggle. "Not here-"

“Where, then?”

"Come into the dressing room," she whispered after a moment of thought. She had never been so reckless, but she had never wanted something so much. "The door locks…"

AJ’s dark hazel eyes widened in shock at her suggestion, but he followed her path when she pulled him into the large dressing room. Allowing her to lock the door behind him, he rubbed the back of his neck with an air of awkwardness. No one would ever believe him that the prim Josette Moreau had dragged him into a dressing room in order to make love, but he wasn’t exactly the type to kiss and tell about such a momentous occasion. She had asked for him to make love to her and he wanted it to be memorable. So, gently, he lifted her into his arms and met her lips in another sweet kiss. “If you want me to stop, you tell me immediately.”

"I will," she promised, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as his hands trailed down her back. Moaning softly when his fingers met the skin of her lower back, she shifted in his arms, letting her legs wrap around his waist. Sliding her hand down his chest, she hesitated before slipping her fingers beneath the hem of his t-shirt.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he insisted, gently bringing a hand up her back to gather the long-sleeved t-shirt she wore. With his opposite hand, he held tight to her, gently caressing her soft skin as he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra. He shuddered visibly at the idea, leaning forward to nibble at her neck.

"Can you sit down?" she whispered, biting back a hard squeal at the sensation of his teeth against her skin. Fighting hard to focus on him, she dragged her fingers up his sides as he settled on the bench against the wall. Catching his earlobe between her teeth, she smiled at his moaned response, sucking gently on the silver hoop dangling there.

“You are heaven dressed in Dior,” AJ groaned appreciatively, feeling his body immediately respond to her playful nature. Inhaling the soft scent of the perfume she had bought just recently, he actually blushed when she pulled back at the feeling of his budding arousal. Gently, continuing to toy with the hem of her t-shirt, he lifted it further, ducking down to kiss and nibble the skin he revealed.

"You're heaven period," she returned, trembling when his lips brushed over one of her cuts. Impatience won over, and she impulsively reached down, catching the hem of her shirt between her fingers so she could peel it off.

"How are we doing in there?" came the cheerful voice of the salesgirl from just outside the door, along with a soft tapping. "Can I do anything for you?"

“I’m doing just fine, thank you!” Josette hurriedly promised.

“Please send the sales-wench away,” AJ begged with a painful groan against her collar bone. Feeling her arch against him in pleasure, he smiled, allowing his lips to drop to her heaving breasts. With a pleased smile, he nibbled the underside of her breast, hearing her squeal respectively that caused the salesgirl to call out once more. Then, that’s when AJ took her nipple into his mouth, slowly rounding his tongue over the sensitive nipple till it puckered underneath his power.

"Oh, fuck," Josette gasped, tangling her fingers in AJ's messy dark locks. Unconsciously she arched against him again, ignoring the salesgirl's question. When AJ glanced up at her with a wicked grin, pointing towards the door, she groaned, sucking in several deep breaths. "I'm just fine! Just… Trying to decide between the floor-length formal and the knee-length cocktail…"

“Well, why don’t you come out and Mr. McLean and I can help make that decision for you… Oh… I suppose Mr. McLean is indisposed--”

“Damn straight,” AJ finally laughed, unable to resist keeping quiet any longer as he nipped at the valley between her heaving breasts.

"That's fine," Josette called softly, reaching to tug his t-shirt up. "If I need you for anything, I'll come looking for you!"

“I’m sure,” the salesgirl snorted, though she seemed to disappear just the same.

"We have to be quiet," Josette whispered after AJ's t-shirt fell to the floor to join hers.

“And if I don’t want to be quiet?” AJ asked, taking her hands in order to pull her off his lap. When she was standing before him, he leaned forward to undo the buttons of her pants with his lips, then dragged the zipper down with his teeth. Bringing his hands from her hers, he took the pants down her legs, pressing the barest of kisses to the pit of her abdomen. He was oblivious to the cuts and bruises on her delicate skin, more intrigued by the delicious taste of her.

"Well… Not being quiet is alright too," Josette conceded with a hard tremble, gasping when his lips traced her abdomen to her hip. She had never thought it possible to feel so many different emotions in so short a space of time. Not twenty minutes before she and AJ had been laughing and kidding around, and now, this… Fumbling slightly to step out of the jeans, she kicked them aside. "Can I touch you?"

“You don’t have to ask,” AJ murmured softly against her skin, pulling away her panties before guiding her back into his lap. Gently catching her hands, he brought them to his chest. Leaning forward, he cupped the back of her neck within his palm, then traced his other fingers over her breast while seeking out a kiss.

Shivering with desire, Josette traced the lines of his chest, her fingers gliding down the warm skin to trace the tattoo around his navel. She paused when she felt his own shiver, but the increased fervency of his kiss pushed her on. Murmuring his name softly as her hand met the buckle of his belt, she leaned back slightly so he could unbuckle it for her.

“I love you, Ettie,” AJ confessed suddenly, gently brushing his fingers up her sides.

Josette's fingers stilled on the waistband of his boxers, lifting her eyes to look at him. No one but Adrienne had ever said those words to her, and hearing them spoken so gently and so heartfelt brought tears to her eyes. The look in his eyes assured her that he was telling the truth, and she offered him a tremulous smile, wishing she could reciprocate. "Ajie…"

“You don’t have to say it back,” AJ promised, leaning to kiss her cheek softly. “Just as long as you know how I feel.”

"Ajie?" she whispered, sliding from his lap. Catching his hands and hers, she pulled him to his feet, blushing as she moved to lay on the carpeted floor. When he grinned and joined her, his lips meeting hers in smoldering kiss, she clung to him, wanting to keep him close. "Show me…"

“Just let me know if I hurt you,” AJ murmured, pulling his jeans and boxers away till he lay naked next to her. Brushing his fingers delicately through her wavy, ebony locks, he easily parted her thighs with his knee. Then, gently, he brought his throbbing erection close to the center of her moist heat. He felt her tense significantly under him, so he brought her hand over his neck so she could have control as they kissed. And when he felt her relax, he carefully entered.

Gasping softly at the intrusion, Josette lightly dug her fingers into his skin, reminding herself that the man with her loved her. He was not there to hurt her. He was her protector. Pulling from his kiss when he grew still over her, she gave him a slight nod. "I'm okay," she promised, tracing the line of his facial hair with her thumb.

“You’re sure?” AJ whispered, refusing to move till he was undoubtedly sure that she was okay. Leaning down, he gently pressed kisses to every portion of her face. He wanted to reassure her that he truly loved her. That he would never hurt her.

"I'm sure," she murmured, slowly sliding her legs around his waist. His leg shifted to support her injured leg on his thigh, and she nearly cried over his gentleness. Her heart filled with emotion suddenly, and before she could think twice about the decision, she brought her lips to his for a gentle kiss. "I love you, too, Ajie…"

“You promise?” AJ inquired, unable to fight the wide grin that pressed against the side of her face. Slowly, he withdrew himself and reentered, causing her to arch against him in delight. The brush of her breasts to his bare chest caused a quake to rush through his entire body. Leaning down over her so their skin melted together, he slowly began to work gentle thrusts into her body.

"I promise," she whispered, certain she couldn't bear the pleasure of being with him this way. Arching to meet his gentle thrusts, she breathed soft gasps of delight with each kiss he pressed to her face. When he paused to give her a soft kiss of appreciation she arched impatiently against him, longing to see where the pleasure would take her.

“Well aren’t you a sex kitten in the making,” AJ suddenly laughed when she nipped hard against his ear, her arms winding about his tapered waist in order to grip his backside. He suddenly growled with surprise when she blew air into his ear before taking an earring into her mouth. Without warning, her impatience worked a streak of erotic playfulness in AJ, increasing the speed of his thrusts. “Damn, Ettie…”

"I'm sorry," she whispered with a light blush, muffling a whimper against his ear. "Am I your minette sexy?”

“You can be my anything at this point,” he murmured, his voice strained beneath the passion into just a mere rasp.

"Just to be yours is all I want," she promised, crying out softly when her body began to tremble.

“You are mine,” AJ assured, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck as he braced himself over her to control the power of his thrusts. His body was threatening to release without his consent, but he knew that Josette was close. He wanted her to have her pleasure first. He would worry about his later. He had to give her a solid memory of the pleasure that making love could be. “And I’m yours.”

"Alex," she cried out suddenly, wrapping her arms around him tightly to hold him close. Every nerve in her body seemed to be alight with a pleasurable fire, consuming her so quickly she was only aware of his presence. Tears of joy escaped her eyes as she pressed her face against his shoulder. "Je t'adore…"

Feeling her quake of a release, he soon followed with a guttural cry that he buried in the crook of her neck. His entire body trembled as he flicked the beads of sweat that had accumulated at the crook of her neck with his tongue. Holding her close to him, he gently shifted to have her rest beside him. “I love you more.”