. Snow started falling a week ago; the roads are slippery. Barely anyone is outside of their house at ten in the evening. Tamara, wearing her favorite sweater and a simple coat, is walking home from the library in the east part of the town. She can barely feel her fingers or toes as she walks. Her breaths are coming out as shallow as they can be. It's too cold to be outside yet her driver has forgotten to fetch her from the library earlier this evening so she is stuck walking home under the dreadful cold.

She remembers the librarian's grandson offering her a ride home, which she declined. She should have taken the ride but Brian is a nasty teen, the same age as her, who wants to get into her pants. Something her brother has always warned her about.

Not even halfway through their house, Tamara sees a bench not far from where she is standing. Coincidentally, it's under the next streetlight. She approaches the bench fast, quick on her feet, afraid some criminal will pop out of nowhere and kill her. She rests her numb legs up on the bench and releases a sigh. Soon, her older brother will be home and Alec will not be happy to see that his younger sister is still outside. At this rate, Tamara thought, I'd be a frozen statue before I make it to the mansion.

Thirty minutes later, she sees the familiar blue car speed down the road and stops at a screeching halt in front of her bench. The blond hair of her brother comes out of the driver's seat. He ran quickly to her side and gave her a warm and heavy quilt to cover her body.

"Are you okay baby?" Alec asked as he checked Tamara for any injuries. His sister is freezing, shaking in a bench under a streetlight, alone at almost eleven in the evening. His anger increased.

Tamara forces a smile on her face. "Let's go home, Alec. I'm freezing." She said, thankfully she didn't stutter through her words or she would've cut through her tongue.

Alec nodded. He helps Tamara on to the backseat of his car. He makes sure she is completely covered in the quilt before getting inside the driver's seat and driving them home.

Alec rushed to her sister's side as soon as they reached the front door. He doesn't bother to say anything to their maids as he leaves the car, with its keys in it, and takes Tamara away. He enters the living room, with the sleeping Tamara in his arms, and immediately stops at the sight of his Dad and step-mother. The witch dared to sit in their comfortable house while his sister was freezing to death. He tightens his hold on his baby sister.

"Having fun Amelia?" he asked in a low angry voice. He's careful not to wake up his sleeping sister. He knew it was her who did this. Amelia has always made Tamara's life hell. Those years he spent in the university are the years he regrets the most.

"Alec? Is your sister alright?" his dad asked them to walk in a hurry. Although he wants to be happy that their Dad still cares about Tamara, he can't help but furiously move Tamara out of the way as soon as his Dad approaches them. "Let me see her, son."

"No," he growls out. "Just continue sitting and flirting with her! Why don't you? Since you seem to always forget about Mara, huh, dad?" he challenged.

Mara stirs in her sleep at her brother's angry tone. Opening her eyes slowly, she sees her brother's face in anger. "Alec? Are we home?"

Alec quickly diverts his attention to Mara and smiles at her. She looks exactly like their mother. She is beautiful with a good heart and a fiery attitude. "Yes we are, baby. Just rest, I'll take you to bed right away."

"Okay."

"I am warning you, Amelia, if you ever do something like this to Mara ever again, dad won't be here to protect you. Mark my words." He said angrily, fury burning deep in his dark blue eyes.

"Alec! Respect my wife!" his dad yelled as he walked up the stairs.

"Then maybe she should start respecting my sister, Dad. You promised Mom." He reminded him.

Alec couldn't believe what just happened. His sweet baby sister was out in the cold. That witch did this. How dare she harm Mara? Mara is the only reminder he has of their late mother. Mara doesn't know nor does she remember her, but Alec does. And Mara is exactly what his mother said she would be.

as he looks at his best friend. He couldn't believe what he just said. "Excuse me?"

Alec sighs, in complete utter exhaustion. "Marry my sister and I will grant you this partnership." He said again.

Dustyn knows how beautiful Mara was. He was six years older than her. He watched her grow and at some point they were friends. Alec and Dustyn protected Mara as she grew up. And every year, she grew prettier and prettier. It was like watching a beautiful flower bloom to its full potential until he left for college and never saw the Ramirez family ever again. Not until now.

"Alec, that's fucked up! Are you selling Mara for the company?" Dustyn asked in distress. He can't help the demon inside of him as it shows him what Mara must look like now. How the beauty he has always desired to be his, has reached her full-grown state. Ready for males to get her, make her their own. Yet, here he was second-guessing an offer given to him on a silver platter.

Alec sends him a glare. "No, you fucker, I need to get her away from the house. That witch will harm her again and again if I don't do anything to stop it."

Their stepmother, again. Uncle Jack's second wife is Amelia Cruz. She used to be a model, which is until she got called out for harming another model by purposely tripping her resulting in the other model breaking her ankle. It seems like Mr. Ramirez has taken a liking to her for some weird reason. Unfortunately, everyone around knew how much of a scheming bitch Amelia is, except for Mr. Ramirez. It was no secret from the start that the old model hated Mara and Alec.

"And you think by marrying her to me it would make her safe? I'm a playboy, Alec." Dustyn said in a bored voice. "She's going to be in every issue, everything the media can think of!"

Alec looks at his friend seriously. "I know you Dustyn. Better than you think. You... you were or still are, in love with her. I watched you with her." Alec can't help but smile. Dustyn might think he doesn't know the truth, but he does. His friend has loved Mara since they were kids. He knows he'll protect her.

"That is not enough, Alec. Mara is her own person now. She's not a child!" Dustyn said his voice rose with pure anger and disbelief.

Alec raised an eyebrow at his friend. "Then maybe it's time you make your promises true Dustyn Franco. Protect her. Help me protect her."

Dustyn froze. Those words were things they promised to the late Mrs. Ramirez as she took her last breath. He wouldn't and could never forget that. Dustyn knew he hit rock bottom at Alec's statement. Even right now, looking at Alec's smug smile, Dustyn knew his friend had won the argument.

He will be marrying Tamara Ramirez. She is his shortcake, his first love.

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