Ariella awoke to find the bed empty. Lucian’s scent still lingered but his body was gone. She inhaled his scent for another second before getting up and heading for the shower. Maybe the hot water would run all her indecisive feelings away. Last night had been great, no, mind blowing, it had been mind blowing. But she was having trouble shaking her uncertainties.

She had a few errands to run today concerning her project for Lucian, so she wasn’t in a big hurry to try to rush to the office. After she got dressed, she headed into the kitchen to make some breakfast. It was there on the kitchen counter that she saw a note.

His words seemed to soothe her soul, and she felt like progress was being made. Since she had known him, he had done nothing to warrant her uncertainty and she vowed to try to do the same for him. Feeling better, she left to get to work.

* * *

Ariella used her shirt to wipe the sweat from her face. For the past two hours she had been crammed in this tiny library with no air moving. The local office for Domestic and International Shipping Trades and Standards, or D.I.S.T.S., was small, with an out-dated interior and an air conditioner that had seen better days.

She had finally found the information that she had been looking for and she couldn’t wait to get outside and back into the fresh air. She copied the last of the files and put everything in her briefcase.

Ariella was soaking up the sunshine the second she stepped out the front doors of the office building. Her eyes were closed and she was simply breathing in the air, glad to be out of that over-crowded office. She startled when she heard a voice behind her.

“Why Miss. Fontago, what a pleasant surprise,” the voice said.

Ariella turned around and was greeted by her former boss, Robert Lewis. Momentarily shocked, Ariella tried to hide her grimace. This was definitely not someone she wanted to spend time around.

Robert ignored her silence and continued on like they were the best of friends. “How have you been?” He asked with way too much false sincerity.

“Fine. I’ve been fine,” Ariella muttered.

“What brings you out on such a fine day as this one? Looking for a job perhaps?”

Ariella glared at Robert. “I bet you would like to know, wouldn’t you? I hate to disappoint you Mr. Lewis, but I have already found a place of employment,” she said smugly. “I guess you couldn’t blacklist me from everyone now could you?”

Before she knew what was happening, Robert had her in a tight choke hold, her feet lifted slightly off the ground. She tried to pry his fingers loose, but it was no use.

“Let me remind you Miss. Fontago, who is in a position of power and who is not. I let you off easy when you started to blab your mouth about the Ponzi scheme. Maybe if I had treated the problem then, we wouldn’t be having this little issue right now,” he sneered.

Ariella was starting to feel lightheaded and spots started to blur her vision. As if he sensed her condition, Robert let her go and she fell to the ground, a slump at his feet.

“Next time I see you, you won’t be so fortunate. Good day, Miss. Fontago,” he said as he walked away.

Ariella was struggling to catch her breath, still slumped on the pavement. She rubbed her neck and knew that she would have deep bruises from Robert’s hateful touch. She gathered her strength and slowly got up.

She was getting ready to call a cab when her phone rang. She looked at the screen and Lucian’s name appeared. Not sure that she wanted to talk just yet, she hesitated before she answered.

“Hello,” she said softly.

“Ariella? Are you okay? You sound a little froggy.”

So much for avoidance, Ariella thought. “Ah, there was just this thing and now it’s okay. Nothing to worry about.”

“Well, it sure doesn’t sound like it. Maybe I should come get you. Where are you?” He asked.

“Really, you don’t have to. Like I said, it’s nothing. I’m fine.”

“You are clearly not fine. Tell me where you are.” Lucian was relentless.

“Alright then. I’m outside the D.I.S.T.S. office.”

“Don’t move, I will be there shortly.”

Ariella held the phone to her ear after he hung up, not sure what she was supposed to say when he arrived. Clearly there would be no getting around the issue, and judging by the burning of her neck, she wouldn’t be able to hide it.

What on earth was she ever thinking to work for such low-lifes as Robert Lewis? She should have seen through his false persona the minute she met him. It would have saved her lots of time and hassle. But then again she would have never met Lucian and the thought saddened her, maybe a little too much.

She sat down on a bench and waited for Lucian to arrive. He pulled up in a black sedan with dark windows. Apparently he had ditched his driver for the day. He got out and instantly stilled when he saw her. His face was set in stone and Ariella could feel the anger seething out of him as he walked to her.

“Nothing you said? It sure as hell doesn’t look like nothing!” He said angrily.

Ariella jumped at his outburst and cast her eyes to the ground. “I’m sorry,” she said softly.

Lucian’s body seemed to lose its steam and he shook his head slightly. “No, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I know that whatever happened wasn’t your fault and I’m sorry. But I can’t not be mad, I mean look at you, Ariella. Your neck is raw looking and I just want to physically hurt whoever it was that did this. This is not acceptable.”

He sat down next to her and held her in his arms, trying to calm and console her.

“But it was my fault,” Ariella stated. “I ran into my former boss, Robert Lewis, and I goaded him about having a job after he blacklisted me.”

“Robert Lewis, the guy from the ponzi scheme that you told me about before?” Lucian asked.

“Yes, that’s him. I should have known better than to antagonize him, but he was so smug and arrogant that I just couldn’t let it go.”

Lucian’s grip on Ariella’s arm tightened and she looked up at him to see what was wrong. His eyes seemed almost white, his fangs were peeking out, and she swore that he was going to bite her.

“Don’t ever blame yourself for someone else’s depravity. Robert Lewis is obviously a vile creature and you cannot be held accountable for his actions. He needs to be dealt with. And soon,” Lucian vowed.

Ariella didn’t say anything, just curled back into his arms and chest. By the time the two left, Lucian’s appearance was back to normal and it was as if it never happened. But Ariella knew, and she could feel her insecurities rising again.