!

Aaron walked into his office and sat down. He rubbed his eyes and leaned back in the chair. He had so much to deal right now. Olivia’s murder came as a blow for him, completely took him off guard.

He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

“Hey man. I am sorry. I heard about Olivia.” Jeremy said as soon as he answered the phone.

“Yeah. Thanks man. I need you to come over as soon as possible.”

“I have both the files ready. You want me to bring them in?”

“Don’t bring Olivia’s”

“Alright. Be there as soon as I can”

“Okay” Aaron said and hung up.

He looked at Elaine’s picture on his desk. He dialed her number and waited for her to answer.

“Hey” Her soft voice carried over the line and Aaron closed his eyes.

“Hey yourself”

“How you doing?”

“I have been better.”

“I miss you”

“I miss you too. You have no idea.” Aaron said. He yearned for her touch.

“Got a clearer picture of what is happening?”

“No. Just the general. The investigations are still going on but leave all that. How are you?”

“Been better”

Aaron smiled at her response.

“I promise I will make it all up to you love. I just want all of this behind us. This and the trial as well.”

“I know. I love you”

“I love you too beautiful”

There was a knock on his door.

“I have to go. I will call you later. Take care sweetheart”

“You too. Bye” Elaine said and hung up.

“Come in” Aaron said. “Thank you for coming” Aaron shook hands with Jeremy.

“Don’t mention it dude. Here” Jeremy slid a file across the desk. “Everything on Franco Costello.”

“Thanks.”

“What next?”

“I want you to look into Olivia’s murder.”

“Hey, look you asked me not bring the file but I have to tell you this, she was squeaky clean. Not a trace of any illegal activity or wrong indulgence. There is no way she was murdered because of what she did in her past because there was no such thing.”

“So we don’t look from that point. I trust you. Find it out”

“The police are looking. Is there

something going on?”

“No. Her parents. I am doing this for them. It was a clean hit and you know it. A supermodel shot dead in the middle of the pageant…what do you think? The police are going to the case without looking into it much and probably write it off as some personal vendetta amongst the candidates.”

“Okay. I will look into it.”

“Thank you”

“Well I will get back to you as soon as possible” Jeremy said and left.

The next week passed in a blur. Aaron was neck deep in business dealings and keeping a tab on Olivia’s case proceedings. Her parents had left back for South Carolina.

Elaine and Sam were coming back tomorrow as the trial proceedings were about to start. Aaron couldn’t wait to have her back in his arms.

The next day Aaron waited as his private jet touched down on the runway and taxied to a stop. The doors were pulled open and Elaine stepped out.

Aaron strode across the runway. He gathered Elaine in his arms.

“God I missed you” He whispered as he kissed her forehead. Elaine held onto him tight. Ever since he left she had this foreboding. She became restless.

“I love you” She said and kissed him

“Hello to you to Aaron. How am I doing? Well glad you asked. I am just splendid. Thank you very much” Sam said as she passed them and got into the waiting car.

Elaine and Aaron laughed as they followed her into the car.

They stopped outside Sam’s building and Sam got out.

“I will have your stuff sent over to his place” She said as she took her suitcase and waved them goodbye.

“You are staying with me?” Aaron asked, his smile getting wider by the second.

“Yes”

Aaron pulled her and crashed his lips against hers.

“Thank you”

“I love you” She said as she caressed his face.

They reached his penthouse. Aaron ordered in food. They sat down on the dining table.

“I…you told me about Olivia…”Elaine said as she shifted her salad around in plate.

Aaron looked up.

“Yes…”

“Franco…” Elaine said and gulped. She closed her eyes. Aaron got out of his chair and came next to her.

“We don’t need to talk about that now” He said.

“But I want to tell and you need to know as well.”

Elaine told him about her relationship with, how it started and how it ended.

“I am so sorry sweetheart. That son of a bitch never deserved you” He said as he hugged her.

“I am not hungry anymore” Elaine muttered as she got up.

Aaron cleared away the table and joined Elaine in the living area.

“Don’t think about it.”Aaron said as he sat down next to her.

“I just want us to be happy. Not have this drama surrounding us.”

“It is just us, love.” Aaron said as he pushed her hair to one side and kissed her neck. He pulled her into his lap and claimed her lips, deepening the kiss. He then picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.

“Ciao tesoro” Franco Costello said as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

“Franco…what are you doing here?” Elaine asked shell shocked.

“I came to apologize…I am sorry dolcezza. Ti penso amore” He said as he closed the gap between them and caressed her cheek. She slapped away his hand.

“You are two years too late Franco and you miss me? Please go sprout that crap to someone else!” She said

“Ah…you still haven’t learnt to control that little pretty mouth of your have you?” He said

“Does Estelle know you are here? Leave this very instant. I am expecting someone.”

“A lover?” Franco growled as he pushed his body in hers. Elaine tried to kick him but he had deliberately trapped her legs between his. She fisted her hands and aimed but in a swift motion he grasped her hands and pinned them above her head, immobilizing her.

“I know your feisty side amore. You wouldn’t get away with it with me.”

“What do you want?” Elaine said as she tried to free herself from his grasp.

“I told you, I miss you, I miss your sweet body Tesoro” He said as he nuzzled her neck.

“GET OFF ME!”

“Don’t you use that tone with me” He growled back at her. “Now let us make this quick so lover boy won’t even know. Just one night amore. I have been thinking about you for a long time now. I miss you in bed.”

Elaine almost gagged. He was sick in the head.

“What the fuck are you saying?! Have you lost your mind!?”

Elaine yelled in pain as Franco bit her lower lip, drawing out blood.

“What did I say about language?”

Fear started to creep into her veins. He had her effectively trapped, he was well aware of her skills for self defence.

Elaine was trembling now.

“Now what do you say we make each other forget these mistakes?”

He let go off one of her hand and pulled at the knot of her robe.

She felt the air hit her body, Franco had opened her robe and was staring at her bare body with greed.

“LET GO OFF ME” Elaine yelled as tears streamed down her cheeks.

She was starting to panic.

“DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!” She struggled in his grasp but couldn’t free herself.

“Stay still you bitch” He slapped her across the face and Elaine tasted blood.

Elaine screamed but he grasped her neck in his necks, choking her. He dragged her across the room from her neck and through her on the couch.

“Don’t you dare make a sound.” He growled as he unzipped his trousers. Elaine aimed a kick but he deflected it and back handed her once again.

“Get away from me!!!” Elaine sobbed and tried to move away but he pushed her down and came on top of her, trapping her underneath her. Elaine tried to grab something to hit him with but he punched her on her ribs, knocking the breath out her.

“You want me to make it rough tosoro?” He growled as he ripped of her robe and Elaine screamed.

Where was Aaron?

“Aaron” She sobbed out. She felt drained.

“Your lover isn’t coming. Let me love you tonight”

Elaine spit on him.

Franco cursed and bit her shoulder.

“Let me go” But her plea was falling on deaf ears. She disconnected from her body when she felt Franco thrust into her, her eyes blankly staring at ceiling.

Aaron shot up in bed as his brain registered Elaine’s blood curling screams.

“Elaine! Wake up love!” Aaron tried to shake her awake but she started hitting him and screaming.

She scrambled out the bed and Aaron tried to reach for her.

“ELAINE!” He called out but the next moment Elaine grabbed a small statue on his bedside table and struck him with it.

Aaron yelled out in pain. Elaine reeled back as reality struck her. She looked around. She was in Aaron’s room, who was doubled over in pain, clutching his forehead. He had blood on his hands.

“Aaron, oh my god” Elaine crawled over to him. Images of him laughing, them drinking, the breakfast they had his hotel, her waking up next to him, the first time they made love flashed across her eyes.

Aaron looked up and winced.

“Are you okay? What happened?” He asked as he tried to keep his vision focused on her.

“I am so sorry. You need stitches. Oh god” Elaine started sobbing. She started shaking. She felt so overwhelmed.

“Elaine…I am okay. It is fine. Just tell me what happened?” Aaron said as he reached out for her.

“No I need to stitch you up” Elaine said as she grabbed his shirt and threw it on top of her naked body. She walked into the bathroom and grabbed a bathrobe for him.

“Where is the first aid kit?”

“Bottom left drawer in the bathroom”

Elaine grabbed the first aid kit and sighed in relief when she saw a suture needle with suture thread.

She made him sit on the edge of the tub and examined his cut in the light.

Her brain blocked out everything except for the current task, her years of medical study taking over.

He would need three or four stitches. She wiped the cut clean and Aaron let out some colorful swear words. She swiftly put in the stitches and placed a band aid on top.

She closed the first aid box and crumpled on the floor.

Aaron grabbed her before she hit the floor.

“Now tell me what the hell happened. I am losing my mind.”

“I remember…I remember it all. The night of the…rape…everything….I remember you…”

❤