“You don’t know him or what he’s capable of... But I do. Nathaniel is very intelligent and he’s a computer genius... He always managed to find me even when I thought he wouldn’t. Even when I was positive that I had covered my tracks. And after listening to what Isabelle had to say about those messages, after seeing those damned photos, after visiting Shawn in the hospital, I KNOW that this is his dirty work. I’m so afraid that he might do something bad to you... I would die if this happens...”
“Sweetie, I know how to handle someone like Stevens. I don’t want to see you worrying about me… ever. I know that this bastard put you through hell. He tried everything to break your spirit, to bring you down, but you managed to survive, to rise up, to go on, to believe in people again.”
He squeezed her tightly in his arms.
“You entered my life so
Three days had passed since Billy had gone to New York and Stephanie still felt his kiss on her lips. He was texting her quite often, but that wasn’t helping much. Even after reading his texts, Stephanie was feeling empty without Billy’s presence. She had chosen to go back to work to feel closer to him, but seeing his office so empty didn’t help her much. But at least she kept busy helping Shawn's new PA, a girl sent by a work agency. She had taken over from Amber Young. They had discovered too late that she was Nathaniel’s accomplice placed by him at the company and had since that day she disappeared from the face of the Earth. Stephanie heard the phone ring and a voice message from Billy made her smile. As usual, his voice was so sensual, giving her a pleasant, warm, loving feeling
The pounding headache was unbearable, and the sense of nausea was draining the energy left in her, but Stephanie knew she had to pass over it and open her eyes. She kept repeating that all this wasn’t real… that what she was feeling was part of a nightmare. Stephanie blinked several times trying to focus on the room where she was. Her vision was still blurry, but she understood that she was in a bed that wasn’t hers. The sheets were made of silk, she felt the softness of the fabric under her fingers. A scent of jasmine, her favorite from an early age, could be sensed in the room. When she finally managed to look around, Stephanie had the impression that she was living in a cloud. All around her was white and ivory, like her bedroom, in Austin: the bedspread, the pillows, the curtains&hell
Stephanie knew that at this point there was nothing else to do but play the game. Nathaniel was so furious that he could’ve hurt her. Slowly, she undressed from her shirt and when she dropped it on the floor, Nathaniel started to tremble and groan, as if he was having an orgasm. She felt like throwing up but came quickly to her senses. This wasn’t the time to let herself go. She had to run from that room and that house... Unfortunately, what she had hoped for and dreaded at the same time was already happening. Nathaniel was taking some faltering steps towards her.“Now take off your bra! Come on, hurry up!” With one hand, Nathaniel was trying to lower the zip of his trousers to show her what seeing her like this was doing to him and with the other he was trying to touch her, to throw her on the bed, to
The cellphone was buzzing. The noise woke up Shawn. Still asleep, he looked at Isabelle who for the first time in the last few days, was sleeping peacefully next to him. It was already morning, but he didn’t want to wake her up just yet. Carefully, Shawn got out of bed and went into the living room to answer the phone call. The number on the display was Billy's. What was going on? The next day he had to come back from New York, so if he was calling at that time, something serious must’ve happened. The call ended before he could reply. After a few seconds, a voice message came from Billy. ‘Bro, I’m already in San Francisco and I’m trying to get in touch with Stephie, but she’s not answering her phone. Is she with you, by chance? Did something happened with that bastard
She was there… Billy could feel Stephie’s heartbeat… His woman was there, waiting to be saved from that freak hands.“I’m here, my love… I’m right here… Just breathe and think of me. Don’t let that bastard get under your skin. Hang on, baby! I’m coming to save you,” Billy whispered while looking for the house. The rain was pouring, but he couldn’t care less. After what he saw on that video, after seeing her tied up, blindfolded, and gagged, Billy just snapped. That son of a dick won’t live another second after he's going to put his hands on him.“Prick! I’m going to tear you to pieces!” Billy cussed and hit the wheel.  
What?! Isabelle was Nathaniel Stevens' half-sister? How could such a graceful, kind, and amazing woman like Isabelle be related to an unscrupulous and evil individual like Stevens? He remembered everything Isabelle had told him: the texts she received that were mentioning the 100.000 $, the inheritance from her father, the phone calls, filled with personal details that no one else, except her and her lawyer, knew. Now he understood why Stevens had started working at his mother's foundation... This way he would have been closer to her so he could keep an eye on her. What a son of a bitch! But Stevens didn’t take him into consideration. He didn’t consider him coming back sooner from his trip to New York. He won’t allow Stevens to harm any of the Grayson women.
His eyes moved over Stephanie’s face, her chest, her exposed waist, but he saw no trace of blood. A few bruises, a few small cuts, but apparently, nothing serious.“She's probably cut her hands and knees on the glass… when she broke the lamp...” the detective said.“No, that's not it... Please, take me to the hospital... now...” Stephanie repeated in a determined her anxiety increasing. “Hurry up...” she begged Billy and with his help she got up from the floor.“Love, I know you are very scared. You just went through hell, but...”“You must take me to the hospital now,” she added, looking down at the floor where small drops of blood could be seen. Then Stephanie's tearful eyes met his bemused gaze. Stephanie was nervously pulling her lower lip through her teeth.
It was still raining. Billy looked beyond his own reflection in the window out into the dark, forlorn night. Stephanie had a very rough night, waking up several times. She couldn’t stop crying, so the nurses had to give her a sedative to calm her down and allow her body to start recovering from the shock she went through. Billy didn’t sleep or move from her bedside. He couldn’t let go of her hand or take his eyes off her. Just the thought of leaving her for one second was too much. What Stephanie had experienced was extremely painful and Billy was afraid she might never recover from it. But the doctor said that in time love, care, attention will cure her spirit and her mind. And the baby… The news that she was pregnant, that the baby was alright, should’ve been a reason enough