When the front door opens and slams shut loudly, I look up from talking to Declan. I see an obviously frustrated Kella, storm in, Greg is hot on her heels. She’s gotta have some kind of rage to slam the heavy main door of Keegan’s.

“What has your panties in a bunch?” Jake taunts her.

Kella just walks right past him, ignoring his jab, making her way toward the kitchen and I am assuming her room. Greg pauses at the counter tapping it lightly, wordlessly asking for a drink. Declan fills a glass with Greg’s favorite, sliding it down the counter toward him. Greg snatches it up from the counter taking a sip.

“How’d it go?” I ask him. Greg simply laughs.

“It was a fucking train wreck.” He shakes his head with a chuckle taking another drink of his liquor.

“Oh?” I raise an eyebrow, almost afraid to hear the rest.

“She seemed to be doing okay with the basic workout portion,” he begins. “Treadmill, sit-ups, pushups, stretches, and that shit. But then he took her into the ring. Then all hell broke loose.” He recounts to me the events of the match between Kella and Ze, how Ze attempted to begin a conversation which hit a raw nerve with Kella. Culminating with Kella storming out of the gym. “Ze let her go, but it’s going to take a bit of coaxing to get her back.” He sighs. “Ze admitted that he pressed a little too early, but he underestimated her stubbornness.” He pauses, finishing his drink, setting the glass down on the bar. Declan immediately comes up, filling it again.

I raise a hand at him and Declan pours me a scotch too.

“Well.” I sigh, taking a sip. “Kella is not like normal women. She’s been through too much shit in her life and has all the nightmares that come with them.”

“So has Bree,” Greg replies. “And Ze got through to her.”

“After time and effort.” I look at him. “Not the very first time he met her. Besides, Kella is not like Bree. Bree had a shell, yes, but she was also trying to pick up the pieces. Bree wanted to find her way out. Kella doesn’t yet. She confuses keeping herself protected with getting help from someone. You can’t help someone that doesn’t want to help themselves. Ze has his work cut out this time. Cracking that fucking shell will not be easy.” I say the last part bitterly. Ze isn’t the only one who wants to get inside Kella’s head.

“I’m sure.” Jake snorts approaching us taking a water from Declan. “She’s locked up tighter than Fort Knox.”

“She has a right to be,” Greg replies somberly. “After everything she’s been through …”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Jake says sarcastically. “But she’s a survivor. And survivors do whatever it takes.”

“That she is,” I say. “That she is.”

“That she is what?” I hear Kella ask. Turning to look at her, I see her hands on the hips of her small frame. She must have changed into a new set of clothes at the gym and her hair is damp. She is trying her best to be intimidating, but I only see a poor imitation of a petulant child. She’s no longer a child, I think to myself.

“Just calling you unpredictable, kid,” Jake says to her.

“Better than being an intolerable jackass,” she replies, casting him a glare.

He enjoys pushing her buttons, a little too much. The amount of times I’ve told him to leave her alone clearly hasn’t mattered. Agitating Kella isn’t helping the situation, although I have noticed it distracts her from time to time. I’ll let it slide for now, as long as the two don’t come to actual blows again. I know Jake means well, but those two are like oil and water, they will coexist, but won’t mix.

“Enough you two.” I sigh looking at them. “I swear, maybe one day I’ll send you both to Ze’s to work out your differences in the ring.”

“Bring it,” Kella challenges, looking intently at Jake.

“Oh, it is so on,” Jake replies. Boy never could back down from any kind of challenge.

“Not in here.” Greg stands and steps between them, arms out keeping the two from jumping at each other then and there. “You know better than to stir up shit, Jake.” He gives his boyfriend a look, one that I know Jake understands. “And you,” he looks at Kella, “just had your ass handed to you, do you really want to have it happen again so soon?”

“I did not have my ass handed to me,” she says through gritted teeth. “I walked out of there on my own.”

“With a killer headache and probably a minor concussion,” he replies.

“Not with that thick head of hers,” Jake snips. Greg turns and gives him a sharp look, stopping Jake despite his mouth already being open for the next insult.

“I don’t need to put up with this shit.” Kella throws her hands in the air. “You aren’t worth my time,” she snarls at Jake before approaching Declan who chooses wisely and backs away from the situation.

Jake looks about ready to pounce before Greg gives him another halting look.

“Needed to go the gym anyway,” he mutters under his breath leaving the bar. I sigh as the tension in the room begins to ease as the two are no longer in the same room.

“Heard you had quite the scuffle,” I say to Kella.

“One that I walked away from.” She takes a sip of the water bottle Declan put on the bar top before walking away. She makes a sour face I can’t help but find cute.

“Not without consequences,” I reply. I hear Kella tsk in agitation. “It’s why I’m sending you there, so you can learn real techniques and prepare you for another bad situation. But most importantly, because this,” I reach out and gently tap a finger against her temple, “needs the biggest workout of all.”

“I’m fine the way I am,” she replies. “I don’t need that awful place, or Ze for that matter. He’s a jackass, and I’m not going back.”

“You will,” I say in frustration at repeating this conversation for the thousandth time.

“Then Ze needs to learn to stay out of my personal life.” She turns to look at me sharply, it’s then that I get a good look at her face. I can see the red-rimmed eyes and the pink tinge to her nose. She’s been crying. Whatever Ze said really did have an effect on her, even if it’s as simple as making her think. It’s a sign that Ze has a chance of breaking through to her after all.

“I’m sure he will,” I bluff. I know damn well Ze won’t stay out of shit.

“He better.” Kella raps her knuckles on the bar in a thoughtful movement.

“It’s about time for your daily dose,” I say gently.

Kella glares at me. Her body is still taking the detox harder than Lexi, who I was also giving shots to. I was thankful that Lexi was almost weaned off it though, she now only needs to come in every other day for a light dose, as opposed to Kella who still needs one every day even after a week. Rising from my stool, I jerk my head toward my office door making my way there with Kella on my heels.

I hate giving Kella the sedative as much as she hates receiving it. Even on these smaller doses, she gets woozy and sleepy. At least this way she is able to walk to her room and sleep it off instead of me having to carry her there. Not that I minded. I enjoyed holding her close to me. I can inhale her scent, feel her warmth, and her body pressed against mine is heaven. Even though I know she is currently unhappy with me about being forced to go to Ze’s, it feels as if we might be drawing closer. She is so strong, she never admits to needing help. Her weakness is giving in to her temper, and letting what others say and do affect her more than it should.

I make quick work of the sedative dose before I look up at Kella, swaying on her feet, trying to shake the cobwebs from her head before stumbling back into one of the leather chairs in my office. Eventually, she gives up and falls into it unceremoniously.

“Easy now.” I approach her, taking her arm gently as she tries to stand up. “Take it slow.”

“Everything’s dancing,” she replies wearily, her eyes fluttering open and closed. “Why does it have to be this way?” She looks up at me with tears in her eyes.

“Because Elizabeth was a cunt,” I reply, stroking her cheek. “And while the drug isn’t as strong in your system, it’s just going to take time.”

“Pfft,” she responds, waving her hand at me.

“You drink quite a lot,” I respond, leaning down to look into her eyes. “I worry about you and the habit you were forced to form.” She blinks up at me with glazed eyes.

“I don’t have a problem,” she replies.

“You might not as much now.” I begin looking at her. “But if you aren’t careful, it will become one.”

“No.” She inches closer to my face, so close I can feel her breath against my lips. “I’m not an asshole like Jake.”

“You can be a little brat,” I reply, leaning in closer, looking down at her lips, seeing the softness of them as they part lightly.

“Kiss me?” she asks in a whisper and I feel a familiar feeling spring up in my pants. I knew I shouldn’t take advantage of her right now, but still, I lean in. Pulling her lips to mine as I give her a gentle kiss. Her arms snake around my neck to keep her lips locked with mine.

She deepens the kiss, increasing the intensity. The bulge forming in my pants begins to throb in need, I want to be inside of her so badly. But I know that now is not the time. The air leaves me in a hiss as her hand begins to rub me through my pants. I didn’t even feel her move her arm down. I can feel everything through the thin fabric of my dress pants, only making my desire grow that much stronger. I slide my free hand down along her waist and between her thighs. She moans as I stroke her inseam with my thumb knowing I’m close to where we both want me to be. Her legs begin rubbing back and forth unable to contain her pleasure. I find it hard to move my hand with the way she is squeezing, but I continue stroking, adding a bit more pressure as my thumb moves closer and closer to her sex.

“More,” she begs, her other hand reaching for my pants, attempting to undo the button.

I groan as I move to deftly undo her pants, my hand diving under the band of her underwear toward her core. She gasps as my fingers stroke against her opening, I smirk feeling how wet she is.

“A little turned on are we?” I ask with a chuckle.

“You could say the same,” she replies, taking ahold of my cock.

My head rolls back and I emit a growl deep in my chest.

She moans, sliding down in the chair until her ass is hanging off of the end of the seat, giving me perfect access.

I lean over her, gripping the back of the chair for support as I slip a finger into her. She gasps from the sensation building as she arches her back. Her hand grips me and pulls gently, stroking me. I find it hard to concentrate with her hands wrapped around my cock, but I focus on her, moving my finger within her. I add a second finger filling her. I watch her face carefully to make sure I’m not hurting her. She begins to rock her hips in time with my hand slowly penetrating her. Her moans change to small whimpers and whines as she squeezes the arms of the chair unable to release her ecstasy. Her stroking begins to pick up pace, and I groan. My pleasure is interrupted as I hear a small whine. Lost in the pleasure she is giving me, I unintentionally stopped moving and she rubs against me in need. I move my head forward as my hands move once again, picking up speed. Her eyes fly open and the moans return, louder than before

“Yes,” she says, her head falling back, her hips rising and falling against me. “Oh God … RON!”

I smile at her, leaning in I kiss her passionately once again. I am not gentle. No, this kiss claims what is mine. Marking Kella, letting her know that in this moment, all I want is her. My speed inside of her reaches a fever pitch.

Kella shrieks in surprise, her feet beginning to flail on the ground, her eyes filled with excitement and a pleasure I know she hasn’t known before creeps through her. I smile as her hand tries to match my pace, failing miserably. I look down at my cock watching her, only growing harder as she tries to stroke him before gripping him as her body shudders from the intensity of her building orgasm. I feel like I could get off just watching her writhe under me; it’s enough to make my balls pull up. But this is for Kella, she needs to relieve some stress, she needs this more than I do. Giving her pleasure is my pleasure. I can always take care of things later.

“Come for me,” I whisper into her ear, she spasms in response as I give it all I have, pulling my fingers out before pounding them home, hitting that special spot deep inside. Her body jerks in response, I can tell she is close to the edge. I can feel my cock about to unload and I know it is time to push her over.

“You are mine,” I growl at her, giving my hand one last, hard thrust.

She cries out, her entire body rising as her eyes roll into the back of her head in orgasm. Just watching her causes the come to spill out of me, shooting up into my pants. I growl as I come, thrusting into her hand as my balls empty.

I put my forehead against hers, the two of us panting. She looks at me with adoration clear in her eyes; I can see the attachment beginning to grow, and the heartache I know it is causing her. I want to reach out and comfort her, hold her in my arms and never let go. I want to protect her from the world and its evils, wash away the memories haunting her. I stroke her cheek as she looked up at me in sorrow. I want her, so much it hurts.

Standing up, I make my way to my desk grabbing a box of tissue from my drawer to clean myself up. I’m suddenly glad that I keep a spare change of clothes in my private bathroom. I hear a sniffle behind me and the rustling of fabric as Kella tries to right herself.

“I wish,” she begins, speaking so softly I can barely hear her.

I turn to look at her, but she is already shaking her head, stopping herself before she can really start. Buttoning her pants, she makes her way to the door. Giving me one last somber look, she leaves, the door quietly closing behind her.