Cut throat mercilessly and extremely quickly turned around, grabbing Leila aggressively, and holding her arms against her body with one hand, while shutting her eyes with the other. Leila screamed helplessly, trying to loosen his grip on her but he was no match for her. He could feel her body start to shudder "pl....pl...please...I...I...d-don't ha-ve a gun...Pl..please.." Leila started to stammer. "I..wa-wa-was j-ju-just tr-trying t-t-to sc-scare yo-you.."

Cut throat stared at her in amazement; this delicate soft lady in his arms was trying to scare him? The most dangerous C40? The irony in that! She tried to loosen his grip again "pl-pl-eease..you're hu-hurting mee.." she stammered. Cut throat stared at her..in fact He took advantage of the moment to really unashamedly stare at her...things couldn't have gone better...all he wanted to do was really just to see her one time..in person...he couldn't have imagined that he would have been able to see her THIS close.

She had just come out of a shower, he could smell the soft rosy scent of the shower gel on her body. Her hair tied in a messy bun was wet around the edges, also with the same rosy smell. He stared in awe of her...Leila wasn't beautiful...to call someone who looked like Leila merely beautiful ....would be doing a great injustice to her....she was a masterpiece. He bent his nose down to her collar bone, and rubbed it against her neck. Leila froze "wh...what are you d..d..doing?" she said, again trying to release herself from his embrace

Cut throat was used to interrogating people, and during his experience reading body language, and understanding fear was something he got quite accustomed to....he could see quite clearly how afraid Leila was..and no doubt..she should be..Where Xavier Johnston was an arrogant rich bully who acted out... Cut throat was a very dangerous young man...

"You know..you should really make sure who it is you are trying to take on...you never know...they might just be really dangerous.." he said, deliberately...slowly..Leila shivered against his touch, still trapped in his embrace....

"li-listen...I ..really...do-don't...have much..but pl—please you—you can take wha-what-whatever it is you li-li-like.." she whispered

"Whatever I like...?" Cut throat asked dangerously, smelling her neck again, Leila wimpered

"Pl..please ..don't hurt me....I ..I want to live.." she said, he could feel tears dropping onto his gloves.

Letting go of her was a lot harder than he had anticipated, how he would have loved to have been able to hold onto her just a little bit longer...but he knew his ex best friend well, there was no way Zach wouldn't have noticed Cut throat jumping into Leila's room all of a sudden

"Keep your eyes closed real tight.." he whispered "If I see you opening your eyes in the slightest...I'll break you.." he whispered as he grabbed her closer to him, crushing her body onto his. Leila shuddered and then slowly realised that she had been released, she kept her eyes shut tight. Cut throat walked backwards still staring at her, his eyes hungry taking every inch of her in. With a much more content heart, he got onto the balcony, and disappeared.

******

"Leila ! LEILA..! Are you in there ....? Open the door !" Zach yelled infuriated, banging onto Leila's room door

"Leila god dammit....you better open this door before I bust it open myself..!" he yelled again

Suddenly the door opened up and Leila swam into his arms crying.

"I..i..do-don't know..he j-j-ju-just cam-come out of n-n-n-nowheereee.." she blabbered weeping onto Zach.

"Did he hurt you? What was he saying to you?" Zach asked anxiously. He was able to access video footage, but he had no audio, he remembered casually going to check up on her, when he saw the footage of Cut Throat grabbing Leila..

"I...can—cant ev-ev-even r-r-r-r-r-reem-remember..." Leila said shuddering

"Listen to me Leila.." Zach said gently, taking her face into his hands, "There's something I have to do..Okay? I have to find him...you need to be strong okay? I will send Loide to keep you company ....just calm down...everything is going to be alright.." He said, she closed her eyes, tears silently falling down, and she nodded gently. Zach kissed her forehead gently, getting out of her room angrier then he had been in a long time....

**********************************************************************

Cut throat had already made it out of the manhole, he was closing the lid, about to head to his car when he felt his phone buzz.

"GET THE FUCK BACK HERE !" was the text he received from Zach. Cut throat smiled though, his spirit was so elated, it was almost impossible to break it with any threat that hung over him. It was almost as though she was a drug that was seeping deep into his veins, and Cut throat was fast becoming a junkie to that drug.

Well he definitely didn't think there would be no back lash for sneaking into the Williams residence to see her.. he reopened the manhole lid, closed it after him and walked down the stairs, ready to meet his ex – best friend.

He zig zagged his way through the maze completely distracted with thoughts of her, he was quicker than the first time, getting out and slowly closing the lid. And he didn't even bother to ask Zach where they were going to meet, he knew what kind of a 'meeting' he was going to have with him, he made his way to the basement lift, that hid in the corner of one the garages. He got into the lift pressing the basement button.

Cut throat got out, and sure enough there was Zach waiting livid, Zach lunged at him, he held Cut throat by the collar shoving him into the basement wall "You. –Fucking. –Made. –Her. -Cry !" Zach said, punching Cut throat with each word. Cut throat ducked the face punch, but Zach managed to get him in his torso. Cut throat felt the power in his punches...he wasn't called as K.O. for nothing.

"what the fuck were you doing to her ..?" Zach asked again angry, but this time Cut throat was ready, he counter attacked Zach, throwing him with a quick 1-2 punch, and he acrobatically jumped onto the wall using it as a support and backflipping onto Zach, making him topple so that he were on top of him, then Cut throat started throwing in the punches one at a time, Zach's face was slowly appearing into a bloody mess.

Zach with effort shoved Cut throat off of him, staggering Zach got up a little disorientated, and gave Cut Throat a punch. Cut throat's face also became bloody, he too staggered around..it was obvious even in their anger they were both holding back from really hurting each other.

From somewhere afar the basement lift opened up, and Skinner rushed out, quickly coming in between the two of them, holding his hands apart "What the hell has gotten into you two !" he yelled

**********************************************************************

Marcus got onto the street privy to the stares he was getting from the young thugs hanging around. No doubt wondering if he was an Athlete, or in the entertainment business some even assumed he was an artist ....those were the usual conclusions people got to whenever they met him. It wasn't so much a bother till he's in the corporate world, and with his penchant for braided hairstyles, he didn't exactly 'fit in' in what was considered a traditional corporate image. But on the other hand, that was the power of money, Marcus could afford to not care... Just in time a SUV drove and stopped right in front of him, Marcus got in swiftly.

"We can go home now Jeffrey" Marcus said, slight hint of irritation in his words

Jeffrey drove, staring at Marcus through the rear view mirror

"What is it Jeffrey?" Marcus asked not looking up, aware of Jeffrey's stares.

"I take it your meeting with Ms Judy didn't go so well sir..?"

"what gave it away..?" he asked sarcastically, still not meeting Jeffrey's eyes

Jeffrey chuckled, "May I take you somewhere Sir...its on our way home..?"

Marcus looked up in surprise, this would be a first, curiosity got the better of him "sure" he replied.

To his surprise Jeffrey drove them to a bar, the type of bar that you would never find someone like Marcus Johnston around.

Marcus raised his eyebrows looking at Jeffrey, who chuckled "Bear with me...I know this isn't the kind of places you are used to...but trust me..here no will be interested in who you are.."

"all the better for me.." Marcus said, getting of off the SUV

Marcus looked around, he really needed to keep an open mind, it was rustic bar, pretty much empty, there were some grown folks sitting in one far end smoking on cigars...this is exactly the type of place he would imagine Jeffrey to be hanging out in. He pulled a seat out, turning to look for help but there were no waiters, there was one bar lady to whom Jeffrey walked up to and placed an order, he came back with 2 big jugs of beer

Marcus was about to say something when he stopped himself, he wanted to keep an open mind.

"Now let me speak to you not as your driver...but as a grown man Mr Johnston...is that fine with you?"

"go on ahead.." Marcus said,

"Do you remember your....other friends Mr Johnston? The one's before Ms Judy...?"

"No..not really..should I..?"

"how about the one who was some kind of celebrity...what do they call them nowadays? Instascam models...or something like that...? You know the one who would take photos of everything..?"

"oh yeah...you mean Rachel..?"

"Ah yeah Miss Rachel....and how about the other one Mr Johnston...the one who wanted you to buy her an apartment in Dubai..? Do you remember her..?"

"I remember the apartment...her ...er...not so much...but it sure was a nice apartment that I bought for her..." Marcus smiled to himself

"or... or.... how about that other really pretty one Mr Johnston...the one who was a socialite...? Remember her..? Didn't she try to persuade you to buy shares into her father's yacht business..?"

"you are very observant Jeffrey.." Marcus said smiling at his driver

"You'll be surprised what you pick up when you start driving people around twenty four seven Master Johnston.." Jeffrey said chuckling, taking another swig of his drink

"So what's the point..?" Marcus asked politely

"Okay Mr Johnston..do you remember how you met Ms Judy..?"

"Now THAT I remember quite well Jeffrey...it was a complete disaster..." Marcus said laughing out loud

"You were going to look at one of the national Heritage Libraries to buy ...and I think you came out into the hall..on your phone or something..?"

"yep..I was on my phone...and then I see this small statured red head come up to me, stare at me in bewilderment with her HUGE spectacles and then start yelling at me for using my phone in the Library !" Marcus said laughing as he remembered the story

"oh.....I roared in laughter when I saw her take you on...you should have seen you're face...you were in total shock !"

Marcus chuckled back "I was shocked !"

"The thing is Master Johnston, she never knew who you were....she didn't know for a good long time who you were. You know Ms Judy wasn't into fashion, entertainment news..or in fact any other kind of news....she gave you a chance based on the person you were...and women like that are very rare to find Master Johnston.....hell she even let you stay in her apartment when she thought you were 'dead broke' to pay rent...a story you came up with because she wouldn't let you ever sleep over..?"

Marcus chuckled "I remember that time..."

Marcus stopped smiling, he stared back at Jeffrey "I know all that Jeffrey...but to be honest...I really think I've blown my last chance with her...."

"Well...here's the thing about er....pregnant women Master Johnston...they can be ..errm...a little..bit irrational...but she's good people Master Johnston...and you...you've got the Johnston Men's curse...you are totally obsessed with her..." Jeffrey said

**********************************************************************

Skinner was standing military style, with his hands against his back, ready to report to Major, he was feeling a little bit apprehensive, Major had eyes and ears everywhere, there was no way he wouldn't have found out about the Cut throat and K.O.'s fight anyways

"So you're telling me, our two best C40's were fighting against each other for a girl..?" came the ancient voice of Major

"It would appear so Sir....." Skinner said, his head bowed slightly

He heard Major chuckle, he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not

"This is the same girl that's living at the William's Residence?"

"Yes Sir.."

"And you're telling me that its Cut Throat who showed up...not Xavier Johnston...?" he asked, Skinner could hear the surprise in his voice.

"Yes Sir.." Skinner replied, he understood the surprise in Major's voice, it had never been done by Cut throat ever. He had always been very conspicuous ..and Cut throat only ever showed up when there was a mission ...

"Strange....very strange....wonder what is going on with him.." Major said, his voice drifting off...

There was a long pause, Skinner didn't dare to look up, "How would you like us to proceed Sir..? Should we handle her..?" he asked

"Yes...I think its best we handle her....there's no way we are going to lose our time and valuable resources we have spent in molding our top C40s so that they can lose focus over a girl..."

Skinner grinded his teeth, this is exactly what he had feared. It seemed as though her fate had been decided.