It was dark and cold in the home that resembled a castle. Hiding in a back room they rarely used for anything other than guests, Lana could hear Danny marching through the house as he searched for her. His steps were heavy and from the slurring of his words, she knew he had been drinking.
It seemed that more and more frequently he was coming home from his Hollywood parties with an axe to grind. She had barely recovered from his last late night of closed fists and hurtful insults. She didn’t want to be his punching bag tonight, so she hid in silence, listening closely for his every move.
“Where the fuck are you, you stupid bitch?!” Dan yelled so loudly Lana thought the walls shook. She gasped from the shock of his tone, and instantly regretted it.“Oh, I hear you now.” His voice grew closer with every word until the bedroom door swung open.With reddened eyes and a tired look on his“Mr. Ashington, I think, we should at least try to refurbish last year’s designs if we’re not going to use them,” Eros pleaded. He was in charge of the inventory of pet accessories and Xyrus's latest decision to get rid of the older designs sent him in a frenzy. “Eros, I’ll give you forty-eight hours to come up with a profitable alternative, but it just seems to me that we’re carrying over a loss.” Xy doubled down on his point. It was the third meeting of the morning for Xyrus, and he could feel himself getting more uptight as the minutes passed. He couldn’t focus the way he used to, blocking out everything around him. Leaving Lana alone had left him feeling anxious, hoping nothing happened while he was away. Meanwhile, he’d also been trying to work through all Lana had told him about her past relationship with her husband, which was still a strange concept for Xyrus to accept. He just couldn’t wrap his mind around Lana running from one city to the next, trying to escape the c
An ambulance driving by woke Lana after an unexpected slumber. When Xyrus left her alone in the apartment, it suddenly felt cold and lonely. She had run from one room to the next, looking in every closet and under her bed, fearful that Danny had found her.Once she was satisfied that she was alone, she did what she always did when Dan found her—she pulled her suitcase from the closet and began to throw her things in, ready to hit the road and run again. It had never been difficult, but this time was different. When she thought of leaving the friends she had made, and job she was growing to love, Lana decided she wasn’t ready to go.It was an emotional battle, one she lost to her bout of tears and frantic screams. When she finally threw the suitcase from the bed, she collapsed with exhaustion. It wasn’t until she finally woke up that she realized how tired she was.After Dan showed up at the charity event, Lana stayed up through the night—first arguing with him, and then finding a
"Do you see what I mean? You just need to find a way to alter the design for less than your inventory cost,” Xyrus explained, as he pointed to the statistical report in front of him.Glancing at the sheet, Eros nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but Xyrus, these aren’t the same type of costumes as the new designs.”“That’s why I suggested just scrapping them altogether. Donate them to a charity or find a better use for them, but the cost of storing them has made them too expensive to continue to carry over,” Xyrys said.Eros nodded again before telling Xy he would draw up some solutions and send them over to his office. It was another meeting that Xy insisted on scheduling. After his morning reign of terror, he wanted to correct the relationships he might have damaged, or at least altered. Eros was one of his oldest employees, joining the company when they first bought commercial space, so he didn’t want to offend or ostracize such an integral part of his organization. When his mind was f
“Hello, I have reservation for two under Xyrus Ashinton," Xyrus announced.“Mr. Ashington?” The young male host repeated his name, like he couldn’t believe it was him.“That’s me,” Xyrus offered a half a smile.“Yes, sir! Of course. Please, this way,” the young man said, before grabbing two menus and leading Lana and Xyrus through the dining area.As they walked through the restaurant, Lana was wondering what the host’s reaction was all about. She knew Xy was a big deal and respected in his professional world, but from the way the host reacted she would have thought Xy was a movie star.“The best table in the restaurant, sir,” the host began, as they arrived at a table for four.“Is that so?” Xy asked.“Yes, sir. You have the best view of the water, and you get more privacy than anywhere else. Will this be okay for you, sir?” “Of course. Thanks a lot,” Xy smiled, before pulling Lana’s chair out so she could be seated.After placing the menus on the table, the host informed Lana and X
Lana couldn't believe those words had just come out of her mouth. Why had she invited him up? But Xyrus was everything a real man should be. He made her feel safe, which was a welcome feeling after being afraid for so long. And the way he looked at her made her feel like the only woman in the room. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but wonder if Xy was too good to be true. He seemed the exact opposite of Dan in so many ways. Would the fantasy end soon? She hoped it didn’t, but the cold reality of her life was always weighing on her. When he opened the passenger door, she got out, her ribs still sore when she moved. “How are you feeling?” he asked. “What do you mean?” she asked. He glanced her way. “I noticed you winced when you got out of the car.”She looked at him and smiled. “I’m okay. Just a little stiff.”He was shaking his head, muttering something under his breath. “I am so sorry, sweetheart. I will never forgive myself for letting you out of my sigh
Xyrus woke up with a smile on his face. It was a smile of complete satisfaction and contentment. A beautiful woman was curled up next to him, her soft curves pressed against his much harder and hairier body. The bruises on her arms were evident in the bright light of the morning sun streaming through the white curtains. He hated to see the evidence of the attack she had endured. It was like a vice being squeezed around his heart. She mumbled something in her sleep, rolling to her back, and nearly hitting him in the nose with the back of her hand. He turned his head, narrowly missing the accidental attack. She settled back into sleep, her face now resting against his bare chest. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. Her chin tilted up, her eyes opened and looked into his. “Good morning,” he said, with a warm smile. “It’s certainly starting off on the right foot,” she smiled in return. “It definitely is. How are you feeling?”“I’m fine, truly I am.”His fingertips rubbed up
It was a good day.No, it was a great day. Lana felt peppy. She had more energy than usual—a trend she was beginning to appreciate. She caught herself humming as she restocked the small refrigerator in the front area. “You are positively giddy,” Tina said, almost accusingly. “I am, aren’t I?” Lana replied. She shrugged a shoulder as she looked at the screen highlighting the drink orders and set to work.The bakery was always busy, which she liked. It made the time fly by and she loved chatting with the customers. They rarely got any cranky customers and the regulars had welcomed her and made her feel right at home. She listened to Tina laughing and joking with the steady stream of customers. Lana heard a male voice behind her as she stood at the machine, making one of what felt like a hundred specialty drinks. She turned around, hoping it would be Xyrus, but found a stranger at the counter instead.The voices were similar, but the men couldn’t be more different. Xyrus was tall, h
Xyrus leaned back in the chair, his hands folded behind his head as he looked up at the ceiling, stretching his neck after staring at the computer screen for too long. He thought about calling Lana, just to hear her voice. He missed seeing her. They had been keeping up over the phone, but it wasn’t the same. He wanted to see her, to touch her. Hell, he wanted to do a lot more than touch her. He rubbed his eyes and sat forward. He had a meeting in a few minutes and needed to refocus. He strolled out of the office, nodding at Akira who was busy on the phone. He took his seat at the head of the conference table, opening the folder in front of him and quickly reviewing some of the comments and feedback about the latest product launch. The meeting got started and he found his thoughts drifting to Lana. The feedback was positive, and it looked like the company had another great kickoff. As soon as it was over, he practically jumped out of his chair and headed for his office. Akira was on