A/n: New Chapter

"...let them have the gutter, take the high road..."

eira's POV

"Lorraine, it's me again. I know I'm probably bugging you but are you okay? It's been a while. You're not texting or calling back. Please let me know you're okay. By the way, Nick left last night. A cop came around looking for him. Jason pressed charges against him. I'm worried about Nick and I'm worried about you." I sat down on a little stool near the window, still looking for any hope of either one if them coming by. "Please call me back. Bye."

After leaving the voicemail, I called Nick.

"Leave a message." His voicemail is pretty simple.

"Nickolas, tell me you're held up somewhere and you're not in jail. I'm worried about you. Take care honey. See you soon? I hope so. Bye."

It's so quiet here. I have never been on my own. Someone is always here. I feel scared of what could be outside in the woods. I prefer a house surrounded by nothing so that I can see everything. With the night edging closer, I'm very nervous. I have already locked all door and windows. If I survive the night, I'm leaving in the morning. I can't stay here alone especially when I dint know if Nick is okay. Then there's Lorraine. She's not responding.

It's been roughly six weeks now. I think it's time to go home and tell my parents why I have been MIA. I just hope it won't affect them negatively. Nick has been so helpful. His impatience is so obvious sometimes but deep down I know he means well. He loves me. I think my heart is starting to beat in the same rhythm but I want to be sure before I tell him how I feel.

I moved away from the window when I saw a shadow. I stayed plastered against the wall close to the window. I brought my trembling fingers to move the sheer curtain. There's a man outside. Where did he come from? I didn't see him. It's getting dark and the porch light is on but he has a dark baseball cap and a backpack. My heart almost jumped into my throat when I saw him reveal a gun. He stepped away from the door, the boards creaking under his weight.

I willed myself to be calm. I can't even breathe. I moved to the corner when he came to the window. Seconds later, he walked away. I can't hear him anymore.

I moved to the window to check but he's gone. Am I imagining things? Where did he go?

I switched off the light and went through the kitchen looking for anything to defend myself. Definitely not a knife. I don't want to kill anyone. I picked the frying pan and sang it a bit to get an idea of how I'm going to do this.

A floorboard creaked.

It's close by!

He's inside the house! How? How is he inside? There is one door! I locked all the windows! The creaking is getting louder, my heartbeat is rising. I willed myself to be brave. I have to be. I'm alone here. Nick isn't here to fight my battles and if this man is here to hurt me then I have to fight back.

I swung the frying pan as soon as he emerged but he raised his arm and it didn't hit his head as I had planned.

"Keira?"

I stopped myself from swinging again. My enlarged eyes stared at him for a moment before I really saw him. "Fangs? Sorry. Bruce?"

He sighed deeply. "Put the frying pan down." He ordered me. I put it down. My eyes dropped to the gun in his hand. "Relax. It was just in case I had to shoot someone. What are you doing here?"

He took off the baseball cap.

"Nick... Uh... I came here with Nick."

"Okay." He shrugged. "Where is he?"

"He left. I don't know when he's coming back. Bruce, you're bleeding. Did I do that?"

"No it's not you. Your swing was soft." He took the back pack off. It fell with a thud on the floor. He struggled to take off his black leather jacket. I decided to help. "The bullet is in my arm. Let me see your fingers." I showed him. "Perfect. You have to help me take it out."

"What? Hospital..."

"They will asked questions. First aid kit, bottom of the bag. Get it." The way he speaks is like a soldier giving orders. "Careful with the brown package."

"What is it?"

"A bomb." I moved away quickly. "It won't blow up but don't be reckless."

"You just walk around with a bomb? Can I switch on the light? It's getting darker."

"No. And move away from the window."

"Why?" I retrieved the first aid kit.

"I won't be able to answer when you're dead. Move away from the window."

I moved away. We sat on the other side of the kitchen near the sink. He walked me through what to do, step by step until I got the little bullet out of his arm and I patched him up.

"Thank you." He whispered. "You should not be here."

"Are you in trouble?" I asked him.

"The occasional trouble. Why did Nick bring you here and not a hotel? A Villa or something?"

"You must not have heard. My husband... he almost killed me. So he brought me here to keep me safe."

I can't see his face but the silence speaks volumes. I washed my hands in the dim light coming in from the porch. It's not a big house. It's just one bedroom, a kitchenette, a bathroom and a living room.

"I'm sorry."

"What is that accent you have? I can't place it. Irish? Scottish? Welsh? It's not English."

"Scottish. It's not distinct but it's there."

"Did you grow up in Scotland?"

"No. But my mother is Scottish. I can't believe I picked up her accent and not an absence of it from my father."

"It's cute. I like it. And are those your teeth? Like the sharp pointy things-"

He burst out laughing. "You are obsessed. Please stop, you're making me blush." Hid laughter died down. "Yes, they're mine. Naturally."

"Nice. Are you hungry?"

"I could eat a cow."

"A whole one?" I laughed.

"Exactly. So your husband, where is he?"

"I don't know. That is why I freaked out when you came in." I have some leftover lasagna from last night. Nick picked it up from a restaurant so that we don't have to cook. "Do you eat leftovers?"

"Is it food?"

"Yes." laughed.

"Then I shall eat it. I'm not fussy. Marc is fussy. Ferrer is petty. Cole is too polite to refuse anything given to him and Nick thinks he is a chef so it's hard to please his taste buds."

"About Nick, I agree. Ferrer brought his own good when he visited. There is lasagna and some chicken. Is that okay?"

"It sounds great. I don't want to pry but how did he try to kill you?"

At first I really didn't want to revisit this memories. But now, I'm getting used to talking about it.

"He punched my face until I passed out. I don't remember anything after that but Nick told me that I wrapped in a carpet when they found me. Jason was going to throw me away... like trash." I blinked away my tears. "I gave that man everything. I played the role of a good wife. I put up with shit and then he wraps me in a carpet to leave me for dead. Nick says I wasn't breathing. If it wasn't for him I would be dead."

"Some people are not worth the trouble." He placed his hand on my lower back. "You put them in the trash and you move on."

"That's what I'm trying to do."

"If possible, stop tali the high road. It only leads to bottled pain. Get your hands dirty sometimes."

The sudden brightness of light a d the sound of a car ended our conversation. Bruce pushed me back. "Hide."

"Is something wrong?"

"I'm in a bit of trouble."

I hid under the sink. I sat still listening carefully. He opened the door after someone knocked.

"What do you want?"

"Brucey! It's just you." It's Nick's wife! "Where is the homewrecker?"

"There are no homewreckers here. It's late, why don't you go away."

"Is she servicing you too? That little whore. Move."

"This is my house." Bruce's voice grew deeper in serious way. "I don't want you here. I'm not Nick. I will put my hands on you do you best her your shallow little head back in your car and scurry off! Go on now!"

I didn't hear Margaux say anything else but I heard the car and finally Bruce closing the door. "You can come out now. It was just Margaux."

I crawled out from under the sink.

"Thanks for handling that."

"Let's eat. I can tell you some embarrassing stories about Nick."

"I would love that."

No scandal. I told him I do not want scandals linked to my name and nothing is a bigger scandal than the CEO of Bale Industries bring dragged out of the company in handcuffs! What else will blow up in my face?

I have been on call with lawyers all morning because of that boy! My grandson is a pain on his bad days. He never runs out of ways to antagonize me. The way he brings my demons out is a method that requires skill and Nickolas is skilled!

"Hello?" Marianna finally answered. There's loud music in the background.

"Was your phone on the moon?" I asked her. "I have called you six times! Where are you?"

"Milan. Fashion show. Is something wrong?"

"Nickolas got arrested."

"What?"

"I'm yet to find out why but this better not be a trunk full of guns! I told you and Gio that I will not be taking care of Mafia nonsense! Wasn't I clear?"

"I don't know about this arrest or anything for that matter. Have you told Nate?"

"I'm not a radio station to announce information. You tell him. And Maria, you need to stop fighting with Nickolas. He will need you."

"Why?"

I hanged up.

Nickolas will need someone to fall back on when I pull the rug from under his feet. He has pushed too many boundaries for me to take anything more. Eloping without a prenup. Unapproved business dealings with the Burkes. An affair with a married woman. Aggravated assault. Kidnapping charges. He is becoming a career criminal! He needs to learn some hard lessons!

Marianna will have to find these things out for herself as I have. I'm not pleased with Nickolas. Not one bit.

"How long until we land?" I asked the steward.

"Half an hour."

I glanced out at the clouds with a scowl on my face. He has to stop this or I cut ties with him. Simple.

Detective Rowland's POV

Fitz sat down beside me. He's eyeing my burrito. I'm finally getting to lunch at 7pm. It's not even lunch at this point. "I'm off duty." I discouraged him from saying anything about the work I left in the building behind me.

"He's walking."

"What? Who is?"

"Nickolas Bale. He lawyered up big time! He and his bodyguard are out."

I almost choked on the burrito. I coughed violently as Fitz patted my back. "W-what do you mean?" I took a gulp of apple juice.

"A team of lawyers arrived here few minutes ago. Nickolas Bale and his bodyguard are being released as we speak." He glanced over his shoulders at the same time I did.

Nickolas Bale waved at me and gave me a thumbs up.

"How did he get out?"

He got into a white Rolls Royce parked on the side. His bodyguard got into another car.

"It has a lot to do with him knowing my all the right people." Fitz answered. "His grandmother got him out. I'm thinking massive favors bring returned and pay offs being handed out. That guy is untouchable."

"For how long?" I dumped the burrito in the trash. "You know something Fitz? I will wear him out. I will make this the rhythm of his life until he and those helping him are worn out."