Run & Hide

Chapter 4
Rubies with Fire

Ruby stared outside the window as the car sped through the streets of London, it had started to rain casting a dreariness about the place.  She was used to it, used to the weather and the people and the way of life here, what she wasn't used to, was everything that happened from the point of her abduction, missing for three months and then seeing his face.  His face, she couldn't erase the image of his face from her memory.  He sat next to her, his concentration on the road ahead.  He had finally accepted her proposal, he was going to do the job.  At the moment, she could only trust him.  She didn't know him, but she knew enough about him to know he was one of the good guys.  When she went looking for him, she tracked down the officer who had taken down his statement, Tom.   He had been reluctant to give out his information, as a good friend would but she had persevered and finally he gave her the address of his family's.  And when she had turned up, she really felt like she had interrupted what looked like a quality get together.  She couldn't resist smiling at his parents who were a homely couple, proud of their home, their children and grand children.  She had taken a particular shining to Millie, his niece who was inquisitive as well as curious, big brown eyes and beautiful thick hair.

The car came to a stand still outside an apartment block.  He got out swiftly and was around the passenger door in seconds, opening the door and helping her out.  She could feel his hands around her waist guiding her swiftly to the pavement.  He locked the doors and swept her slowly towards the front door and into the lift for the top floor.  Ruby peered out the lift, which extended out from the building, she could see the skyline and everything from here to Scotland, even though the view was something she could truly learn to appreciate in time, she had to stand back away from the glass.

"Don't like heights?" he was perceptive, she gave him that.

She shook her head, "No, not really.  When I was a little girl, I went on a Ferris Wheel, when I got to the top, the boat I was in came off it's hinges... I was holding on for dear life... it was possibly the most scariest thing for a little girl.  I got rescued after a few hours and my dad sued the company and they never worked again, so ever since... being high up, scares the crap out of me."

"Hopefully your luck will change," he said, as the lift doors open and he strode down the hall.  He unlocked the first door on the right and it opened up to an open plan floor, "I won't be long, make yourself at home," and he disappeared.

Ruby walked towards the wall stacked with books, ranging from crime theories, philosophers, true crime and travel books.  There were so many books, he could definitely open up a specialist library.  She walked towards a recliner and sat down, his scent invading her senses, she had to admit, he did smell good.  So good, she could almost eat him. She pressed the lever on the side of the recliner and her feet rose up, she would just wait for him here, he said he wouldn't be long.

~*~

Javier shoved a bunch of his clothes into a duffle bag and headed back into the living room, only to find Ruby asleep on his recliner, his much loved recliner. God, she was beautiful even when she was asleep, he thought. He didn't have the heart to wake her, he was pretty sure that she hadn't had a proper good night sleep in a while. He dropped his duffel bag on the floor beside him and grabbed a blanket from the couch and dropped it over her, she stirred but she didn't wake up.  For however long she slept, they would be here a while, but that was okay with him, he would get on the case.  He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat at his desk, put on his laptop and tapped into the database.  He would follow up leads, speak to Tom, even get Kat to help him out, she owed him, after having put him through that ridiculous blind date.  He tapped at the keys, building up as much information as possible as well as securing as many leads.  He heard Ruby stir and he glanced at her, her face was contorted as if she was in pain but it was visible, she was still asleep.

Ruby walked down the hall and into the kitchen and paused, she felt as if someone was watching her.  Don't be silly Ruby, it's obvious some of the guests have spilled into the kitchen and are helping themselves to the canapes and the nibbles on offer, it was another one of daddy's social events- to generate interest in his new software, she was used to this but that didn't mean she enjoyed occasions like this either.  She opened the fridge to take out a bottle of water and retreat quietly back to her room, when she felt a jab to the side of her leg, followed by piercing sharp pain.  She dropped the bottle of water and watched it roll from the kitchen counter top and onto the floor, her vision became blurry and she grabbed hold of the counter top for support, her grip somewhat slacking, she turned around to see a man grab hold of her shoulders.  She was surprised that he was wearing a suit like the other diners, his hair was ruffled as if he had gone past a wind turbine.  In one hand, he had a needle and in the other a hand full of her hair, he yanked it back and she felt the jab backwards, she wanted to scream but his hand had made it's way to her mouth.  She could no longer feel the sensation of her feet, as they fell out from under her and he held her, she was trying to fight back, trying to claw her way out but it was useless, it was as if her hands had turned to rubber.  He dragged her out of the kitchen and out of the back door and down the gravel, the stones pelting in their wake.  She was in pain, she could see the night sky and the flickering stars like distant diamonds, she felt even more disorientated then before.  She was calling out for help, or so she thought, but could any one hear her.  Her eyelids were becoming heavy, heavy like lead weights, she wanted to sleep, sleep... sleep...

The sound of whimpering broke Javier from his laptop to glance over at Ruby, she was whimpering in her sleep.  He got up and as he made his way to her, he heard the words help register on her lips.  She woke up suddenly, her eyes wide with terror as if she had been hypnotised and indeed brought back to the living, she glanced at him, not quite seeing him.

"Ruby," Javier said, his hand kneading her shoulder, "What did you see?"

"My abduction... his hair... he was... wearing a suit... so he must have been at the party... his hair was messy..." Ruby stammered.

"What colour was his hair?" Javier asked.

"Brown, I think... definitely not black... I'm sure... he used something on me that made me go faint... and my body go rubbery," Ruby said touching her thigh, "He was at my father's party... he was a guest..."

"Can you remember anything else at all?" Javier looked at her, she was vulnerable but she was strong.  He could see her racking her brains out.

"I can't remember anything... but he was definitely at my father's party... oh god, what if he works for my father..." panicked, she tried to get up.

"Hey hey, calm down Ruby... if he does work for your father it's imperative that your father not know... if, whoever it is knows we're on to them... then, he could bail... let me do what you hired me to do... and I promise you, I'll take care of it," Javier said calmly, trying to reassure her.

"But what about my father... isn't he in trouble...?" Ruby said, her face ashen.

"I had gotten the impression you and your father didn't get along..." Javier began.

"Since my mother past away, he threw himself into his work... he sent me on trips away, without him, throwing money at me would somehow make up for the lack of a parent but it didn't... we've never seen eye to eye and well... despite all that, I don't want him hurt... and the bastard who did this to me, I want him to perish for what he did..." Ruby's anger hitting the surface.

Javier grimaced, the blood rushing south... get your head out of the gutter you neanderthal, she needs your help he thought, but he couldn't help but feel turned on by how cute she looked when she was angry, "Come on sweetheart, we better get moving... I want to start on this investigation, as quickly as possible."

~*~

The next day, Ruby got up slowly from bed, put on her silk robe and walked down the hall to the kitchen to find Javier talking to a man in black, there were several men working about the house as well, installing devices and censors.  The sun had risen in the sky and she could smell the aroma of a fresh brew of coffee, she shyly walked in, even though this was her house, she felt like a stranger in it.  The men standing by the counter, made her feel small.  They were big in built and showed authority and it was clear to see, they were in deep discussion. The guy standing beside Javier noticed her first, his eyes locked on hers, his eyes penetrative, he looked as if he were angry but more concentrated on the job. His features miraculously dissolved into friendliness and he drew out his hand,

"Miss Lee Carlton, it's nice to finally meet you," the gentleman said.

She shook his hand, "And you're in my house, why?"

Javier intervened, "Ruby, this is my partner Alistair Ryker, he will be solely employed by myself to help me investigate your circumstances, I can assure you everything will be kept confidential.  I've managed to speak to your father's security officers and have obtained a copy of the guest list, the night you went missing, there are over three hundred names, it'll take a few days to see who and what but that'll be done by Alistair. In the mean time, I'm going to have your house security system redone, so it's as tight as a lead safe and after that, we're going down to see a friend."

"A friend?" Ruby asked puzzled.

"Yeah, he'll be able to run some tests on you... to indicate what drugs are still in your system," Javier said.

"But they did that all in the hospital," Ruby replied.

"I don't trust hospitals, for all we know they could be botched by whoever wants evidence covered... we'll run our own separate tests and see where we can go from there, get some breakfast... we'll be out as soon as these people are done."

Ruby didn't reply, she smiled briefly, grabbed a muffin and a cup of coffee and headed back to her bedroom.  She closed the door behind her and sat on the bed, this was what her life was going to be like from now on was it? She would be living in fear, expecting the unexpected, this wasn't the way she wanted to live, nor how she was going to conduct herself. Javier had told her last night, that he would be a permanent fixture in her life right now, she would have to work around his schedule. She was impressed that he was getting on with the investigation but she was getting annoyed that he thought, he could tell her how to run her life.  She had taken care of herself a long time ago and she was never dependent on anyone but her.  She sipped her coffee and took a bite out of her muffin, she needed to put the weight back on.  She looked down the hall to her studio and exhaled, she had so much work to do, maybe the best thing to do was admit defeat and pull out of the show? If she worked around the clock, she could possibly achieve it but could she afford to go down hill again.  She was a workaholic like her father, they both just dived into work, the only thing she seemed to have inherited from him.  She had inherited all her other qualities from her mother. Her mother's creativity, her sense of style, her compassion.  She missed her everyday, there were days when she longed for her, days of comfort that only a parent could give.  There was no use in looking back, it only brought pained memories. She put her now empty cup of coffee to the side and headed for the shower.

She chose to wear a dress in pastel colours, if they were going to prod her with needles today, she might as well look the part.  She blow dried her hair and applied some make up, she had been feeling well and truly crap the last couple of days but she had made up her mind in the shower to try and be herself, before all this happened, if that was through clothes and make up. When she was ready, she took her cup and walked back into the kitchen to find Javier speaking warp speed Italian into his phone, she managed to catch the last phrases he was saying but she told herself to ignore it, his business wasn't hers. They weren't a couple, but did she want them to be? She was attracted to him, there was something about him that touched something inside her, this was in contrast to him only a few minutes earlier really annoying her with his demands, his instructions but she had hired him, so maybe she was overreacting.  Her emotions where everywhere.  He hung up and smiled looking towards her, she had expected him to compliment her on how she looked but instead he responded with a blunt, "Ready to go?" 

"Yeah, that's what I'm here for," she responded sarcastically.

Javier stood up from the kitchen table and masked his reaction to her reply, why was she being flippant all of a sudden he asked himself.  He wanted to get the prodding procedure with Kelly over and done with. They made their way out and towards the car. He was a professional and when he was on a mission, he wanted to give it a hundred and one percent, he wasn't about to get involved with his subject and what a beauty she was, when she walked into the kitchen all dressed to go to the lab, the mere sight of her knocked the breathe out of him, he ached to be inside her, to taste her... stop Javier, you're on dangerous ground.  If only his body knew that. If only he could make his mind understand.

When they arrived at the lab, they were greeted by Kelly, his sister's old class mate from high school and fortunately enough a scientist turned doctor.  She run her own private firm and was only too happy to help in another investigation.  Javier wasn't surprised to see Kelly dressed in her usual, white lab coat and black skirt and definitely fit the profile for lab technician, if it weren't for the tattoos that adorned her arms- she would be a walking talking contradiction.  Today, her black ebony hair was tied up in a loose pony tail and she was wearing her black Buddy Holly specs. She showed them in and told Javier to take a seat, whilst she would take care of Ruby.

Ruby looked around the extensive lab, she couldn't make out any of the equipment used... except for perhaps a microscope and a Bunsen burner.

"They must call you Ruby because your hair is so red, right?" Kelly smiled putting on some gloves.

"Yeah, you could say that," Ruby smiled back, "Have you always been a doctor?"

"I graduated a scientist when I was nineteen, well before any of my peers... worked for a bit in a lab but then I was itching to do something else, so I thought, hey I could be a doctor, stuck with it for a few more years and certified both and medicine is always evolving and science too, so I get to learn more things... what do you do?" Kelly asked, placing Ruby onto the consultation bed.

"I make jewellery... although there hasn't been much making of it lately," Ruby said, looking at the ceiling.

"Tell me about your jewellery," Kelly asked taking a sample of her blood out, without Ruby even realising.

"It's high end, usually one piece takes one month to build but as I've lost out three months of being away... then I've lost three pieces, I've only two months to come up with five pieces before Fashion Week and I'm absolutely bricking it," Ruby said and without thinking she asked the most impossible question, "How well do you know Javier?"

"Know him, like intimately?" Kelly said seriously and then watched the expression on Ruby's face, laughed, "Then I don't know him at all. I don't even plan on going there to be honest."

"How come?" Ruby asked, because she couldn't help herself.

"How come? Because he's the brother of one of my closest mates and to even go down that path would be suicide, but as a person, I know him pretty darn well, well enough to know you can trust him with your life and that he's really a lovely guy, unattainable perhaps,"

"Unattainable?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Me and my big mouth, just ignore that last bit..." Kelly said sheepishly and changing the subject bluntly, "Have you got any other pangs?" 

"Pangs? Like pain?" Ruby thought, "Yeah, I can't seem to sleep without having nightmares and, actually my memory has been somewhat hazy... I want to get to the bottom of who has done this to me..." 

"The only advice I can give you is to not force it, you force it, it'll stay buried and keep getting buried... if you learn to relax, stay calm, you'll realise the information will come... either that or hypnosis," Kelly said, "If you lie down, I'll need to check you over, make sure everything is in working order."

~*~

A few hours later, both Javier and Ruby arrived back at her house.  He'd accompanied her to the supermarket, where she could stock up on some food and he'd brought the shopping in from the car boot.  He watched as she carefully placed things around the kitchen, admiring the curve of her bottom, she'd been quiet in the car, as if she was mulling things over, he was curious to know what she had been thinking. He'd asked once but was met with silence.  He closed the door behind him and offered to help her but she still didn't say anything. Had Kelly said something to her?  Ruby walked straight into him, as if she hadn't seen him standing there, she looked up and he looked down at her.  Her face was a creamy parlor, her eyes full of steely determination, he wiped a strand of her hair from her face and without thinking touched her lips with his.  Her lips were soft, like rose petals and she opened her mouth ever so slightly to allow him access. She tasted like honey and smelt even sweeter, this was torture of a different kind and he wanted more... she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in and he wasn't about to pull away...

Run & Hide

Chapter 3

Surprises

"So, how did your date go the other night?" Katrina asked, leaning towards her brother who was seated in the lounge chair in the living room.

"Abysmal, you don't really know me at all Kat," Javier responded.

"Hey! I'm trying to help you out here... don't forget mum and dad being on your case to get settled," Kat said as a matter of fact, "I'm just trying to get the ball rolling."

"It wasn't love at first sight, if that's what your intention was... she was more in love with herself... why on earth do women need all that lip gloss anyway?" Javier shrugged.

"Maybe she was trying to communicate something to you... y'know using her lips," Kat winked.

"Yeah, like her lips were dry," he laughed. "Honestly Kat, no more recommendations... I'll just find my own women from now on."

"Fine, have it your way then," Kat laughed.  They had been sitting amongst their nieces, nephews and family enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon, "Speaking of women, I heard you rescued the heiress."

"I didn't rescue her, she was just there... any one with a heart would have done the same," Javier said, watching the TV screen.

"Always so modest bro, so how is she?" Kat asked.

"I'm not sure, I haven't been in to see her, if that's what you mean," Javier replied, paying more attention to what the kids were watching on screen then the actual conversation.  The door bell chimed and everyone in the room looked at each other, he watched as his mother went to the door. Javier turned his attention back to the TV. 

"Javier there is someone to see you," his mother spoke and like a beacon that she is, garnered the attention of everyone in the room, even his nieces and nephews.  He stood up and walked down the hall, to see Ruby standing quietly by the stairs.

"I'm sorry to turn up here unexpected but they gave me this as your address," she said.  Her face was pale and she looked tired.

"They?" Javier asked.

"Tom," she replied. 

Javier was about to reply but his mother appeared by his side to scold him, "Dove sono i vostri modi Javier? Una signora viene a vederla e voi incitarla a levarmi in piedi fuori nel corridoio, non lo ho alzato di destra?"

"I'm so sorry Mrs Romano, please do not blame Javier, he has been really kind to me... I have turned up here, completely unexpected so it is not his fault, nor his manners that are to blame," Ruby replied, knocking Javier back.

"You understand Italiano?" his mother asked.

"Yes, I have been to Italy many times," Ruby smiled, in turn making Javier's mum smile even wider.

"Then you must come and eat, you must be..." Javier began, only to see his father approach them.

"Hello my dear," he took Ruby's hand and smiled at her, "I am Antonio, Javier's father... please don't be shy and come and join us, my Rosa can be pushy sometimes but she means well."

Javier watched as his family fussed over his expected visitor.  Ruby walked into the room with them and they seated her in a comfy chair at the dining table, her eyes widened when she saw the amount of food left over.  He saw her wince as she sat down, exhaling and he knew instantly why she felt such discomfort, he was by her side in a flash.

"Are you okay?" he said taking the seat beside her, as his mother fussed over her,  piling food on her plate regardless of the mounting food.  

"I'm fine, why would you ask?" she said, fighting back the pain creeping up her side.

"My family can be blind to your discomfort, but I'm not. I know your injuries and I know you are in a hell of a lot of pain right now."

"Well thanks doc, I appreciate the diagnosis but I'll survive," she smiled charmingly at his mother.

"What did you want?" Javier asked watching her intently.

"I need your help..." she touched her side, "I wouldn't ask, if it wasn't important..." she picked up her fork and delved in, chewing and then pausing with a smile, "Oh my gosh."

"You like that?" Javier said with a grin.

"Do I like that? That would be the understatement of the year, I love it. This is just too good... I haven't had a home cooked meal in a while," she turned to his mother Rosa, "La sigra Romano, il vostro alimento è assolutamente divina fa la mia acqua della bocca."

His mother smiled, "Grazie il mio tesoro."

His mother reluctantly left them and sat next to his father but he knew, they were all curious about the expected visitor, especially as she was now walking and wearing something other then a hospital gown. There will definitely be questions later, he didn't doubt that.

"So, what's important?" Javier looked at her.

"I would like to hire you, whatever your rates are... I want to hire you as a PI.  I don't trust any of my father's men and Tom had recommended you were the best, so here I am." Javier was silent. "I was discharged from the hospital yesterday and as you can tell, I'm not exactly in the best state to conduct my own investigation right this minute but I need some one to do that for me, whilst I work."

"And what exactly do you work as?" Javier asked.

"I'm a jewellery designer, my work is in my studio at home... but I have a collection I have to unveil at London Fashion Week in two months time, but I can't- I can't sleep, I've just about regained my appetite now... there's something niggling at me, but I don't know what and I need you to find stuff out for me."

Javier was quiet, he was deep in thought.  He wasn't exactly busy at work at the moment... he could do with something to keep him occupied.

"Let me think about it," Javier said and in that moment, something beeped, "What's that?"

Ruby stood up too quickly, losing her balance but Javier was on his feet and grabbed a hold of her, just in time to see the pain etched in her eyes, "What's that beeping?" He repeated, impatient.  

"Some one's broken into my house" she said, her head sinking low then looking straight at him, "And this is why, I need your help."

~ * ~

 

"What do you mean there was no breaking and entering? Her remote beeper went off," Javier said into his mobile phone to his friend Tom.

"I'm telling you mate, we checked out the premises and everything was locked tight.  It must have been a false alarm or maybe a cat or something," Tom replied.

"I don't like the sound of this..." Javier said.

"Your girl needs protection... and the best."

"She's not my girl..." Javier said.

"Might you forget you were the one who found her, rescued her and damn well saved her life," Tom remarked, "And if you say she's there, then it's obvious she wants it.  She didn't ask me, so what's stopping you? You afraid she's another Tia?"

"This has nothing to do with Tia," Javier responded,  looking at Ruby who was talking to Millie, his niece.  The little girl was talking to her, watching her every reaction, at one point, she was jumping up and down and something inside of him tingled, he couldn't explain it but it was raw and unexpected.  A complete surprise.  Ruby was smiling, she stroked the hair of his niece and said something to her that elicited another jumping episode.  In that moment, she turned to him and she smiled and he couldn't help himself, but smiled back.

*** ***

*Dove sono i vostri modi Javier? Una signora viene a vederla e voi incitarla a levarmi in piedi fuori nel corridoio, non lo ho alzato di destra - Translation: A woman has come to see you Javier and you leave her in the corridor, have I not raised you right.

**La sigra Romano, il vostro alimento è assolutamente divina fa la mia acqua della bocca - Translation: Mrs Romano, your food is so divine

***Grazie il mio tesoro - Translation: Thank you my darling

Run & Hide

Chapter 2
Begging

His body shook with repressed anger, clutching his hands to keep from punching the wall after he discovered, she had escaped. He had been strict with her, strict with his rules; no one disobeyed him, no one. Not even a billionaire's whore of a daughter.  Soon enough, he would see to her again. 

He had received a call from work, which he needed to take and when he had returned she had gone. Vanished.   He had searched everywhere, he was thorough, but obviously not thorough enough to have read the headlines splashed all over the papers the next day; "Heiress found" ,"Missing Heiress found but still lost", "Questions arise about missing heiress"- the headlines spinning around and around, as if they had free reign in his head.   He never believed the papers, with their vile truths and homegrown stories but this, this?

How much did they know?

Did she remember anything?

How long did he have left to finish her off?

So many questions... but they would be answered soon enough.

He was confident in knowing he had covered himself up, his den had been cleared of anything that would relate back to him, he was a minimalist with a head of ideas. He believed in finishing off what he began, just like the others. The others, he sighed, smiling happily at what he had done to them, they all had begged to be saved, begged to be given another chance. They had all begged, except for Ruby, she had been the first out of all his guests to have not begged at all.  She had cursed him, cursed his ways and threatened.  He had been surprised at his reaction, his reaction of blood rushing south, at knowing she could elicit a sexual hunger from him, but he had been blunt with her, injured her, to dull out that longing.  He shouldn't feel things like that for a whore. Why should these rich kids be allowed to get away with it? Just because they had the money, the wealth, the title... they could get away with murder... murder was his job. It was about time, someone put them all back in their place and he would, once he planned to get Ruby Lee Carlton back in his grasp.

Run & Hide

Chapter 1

Dead Wood

The smell of rubber was intoxicating, too intoxicating. Ruby just wanted to stay asleep but something just wasn't right, with great effort she opened her eyes, her eyelids shaky and she wondered why? She was shocked by the scene before her; it was dark, wet and cold and she lay in a mount of rubbish. Rubbish! How on earth did she get here? She tried to get up, but as she sat up she scowled in pain, her eyes shot downwards and she noticed her jumper was soaked with blood, it had to be blood, otherwise how could she explain the pain shooting up her side. She managed to get up somehow and staggered towards the road, the questions buzzing through her head- even walking was draining her of what little energy she had left. She reached the street, searching for a pay phone but it was derelict, empty of life. She grimaced. This was not good at all, she stepped into the street, gasping for breathe but her legs collapsed underneath her and she hit the road with a thud, screaming in agony, clutched her side, feeling the tears forming. A flash of light illuminated the buildings, getting brighter and as she turned her head she noticed the car speeding towards her.

Javier hated being set up on blind dates but his sister had a way of insisting on it. So what, if he had been out of the dating loop for a while now, he loved his job, he was dedicated to his job. Don't get him wrong, he loved women, women of all shapes and sizes but he hadn't met a woman who had that thing, that X Factor. The woman that his sister Katrina had set him up with; was nice to look at but she had an annoying whiny voice and not enough brain cells to complete a conversation topic. He had also never met a woman, who was so consumed with her vanity, that she had stared at her reflection in the spoon, the glass as they sat by the window and re-did her lip gloss at least a dozen times. Did Katrina even know him at all? He didn't like cheap women either. She had literally offered herself to him before and after dessert, each time declining the offer. he was a man who liked the chase, not a cheap woman.

He pressed down on the accelerator, after having dropped his date off at her apartment in a seedy neighbourhood, which he was surprised, she seemed so high maintenance and rich. He turned the corner, onto a road and noticed straight away that all the street lamps were out, definitely a seedy area if the council couldn't be bothered to fix it.

He saw something up ahead before his car lights focused, she looked like a deer caught up in his head lights and he stamped on the brakes. The car skidded to a stop eventually and he climbed out, running towards her and immediately noticed the blood on her sweater. He must have frightened her, as she now lay on the soaking road, the rain making her hair clumpy and she was as white as a sheet. He bent in front of her, looking around and lifted her into his arms and carried her to his car, gently placing her in the back seat and getting into the front.

Javier kicked the emergency doors of the hospital open, holding what felt like dead wood in his hands and was met by a herd of medical staff with a gurney. He gently laid her down and she was ushered away, whoever 'she' was. A nurse stayed behind and asked him if he was in need of medical attention and he shook his head. He sat down in one of the upholstered seats in the waiting area of A & E and waited it out. It had been barely fifteen minutes before someone came looking for him, when he looked up, he saw a pair of familiar blue eyes.

"Jay, never thought I'd see you so soon from work," Javier clasped hands with his colleague Thomas Raker.

"It wasn't in the books, trust me," Javier responded.

"The nurse said you were the one who brought her in," Tom said, getting straight to the point and that's what he liked about his colleague, business as usual, "Where'd you find her?"

"She was smack bang in the road, down Dart Street, bad neighbourhood. Who is she?" Javier asked.

"Jay, I wouldn't recognise her either in the state she was in, but it seems she's the missing heiress," Tom raked a hand through his hair, "Ruby Lee Carlton, of Lee Carlton Technologies, her father is on the way but as this has opened up as an investigation, y'know I have to take a statement."

"That's fine, fire away," Javier said.

"She would like to see you," the nurse crept up beside the two men, she looked pointedly at Javier.

"I'll be back," Javier said to Tom and followed the nurse to the room. Upon arrival, he noticed that the medical staff worked swiftly and quietly, they had managed to clean and wash her hair and she looked like sleeping beauty, except this wasn't a fairy tale, this was the opposite, a nightmare. Her hair, he noticed was the colour of fire, red and ethereal. She leaned against a stacked amount of pillows, the TV on but barely noticed, her hands clasped and as he entered the room, she looked up.

"Hi," she whispered barely.

Javier took a seat beside her bed, "How are you feeling?"

"I could be better," she grimaced, "If you hadn't been there, I could have died, so I wanted to thank you."

"I'm sure any one would have done the same," Javier replied back.

"Not just anyone, my killer left me to die... or he didn't finish off the job, who knows..." she stared at her fingers. "The police man who was here earlier, Thomas I think he said his name was, he said you're a private investigator..."

Before Javier could answer back, a barrel of men ran through the door and he watched as Rose's eyes widened with alarm, she clutched her blanket and he noticed her breathing went up a notch. Her father clutched her in a hug, a hug she didn't return and as she leaned back against the pillows, her eyes darted from the men standing around her.

"How are you feeling my dear?" her father asked, touching her face, Ruby flinched as if her father had somehow hit out at her. Javier watched closely at his reaction, he didn't step back.

"Happy to be alive," she replied back momentarily.

"I have made arrangements for you to be moved back to the house..." her father said.

"No!" Ruby interjected.

"No?" her father said, "Why ever not?"

"No, I don't ever want to go back to that house again," Ruby spoke clearly, "And you can't make me."

Her father stood silent for a few moments and then realised Javier's presence in the seat beside her bed, "And who are you?" he asked arrogantly.

Javier stood to his awestruck six foot two, towering over the elderly man by a whole foot, he struck out his hand, "Javier Romano, some folks call me Jay."

"And who might you be?" the arrogance of the man.

"This man, Don, is the man who saved my life... I would appreciate it if you paid him a lot more respect, if he wasn't there then, I would be dead in the water," Ruby spoke out, speaking of her father as if he were a stranger, "I won't be returning to the house, like I said, I am going back to my apartment without your security specialists."

"I don't think that's a good idea," her father began.

"I think it's a great idea, considering I was abducted from your house in the first place," Ruby said with pure contempt.

Epilogue

Benito clambered up the stairs in three's, his long legs appreciating the stretch.  As he headed towards his bedroom, he immediately closed the door behind him and headed straight to the safe and putting in the combination, as the door opened with a spring, the green emerald twinkled back at him.  It sat on black velvet in the far end of the safe, the greenest of the green sitting on a thin band of gold, it was his mothers and his mother's mother before that and in his heart, he wanted Lenny to have it.  He loved her, he couldn't think of anyone else who deserved it more.  He pulled the ring out, such a delicate stone as he looked at it, the sun shine making it twinkle and sparkle, he sighed thinking of the words to say... when the door opened and he spun around to see her hand on the door handle and Lenny leaning against the doorjamb.

Benito was on his knees and in his fingers he held a ring.  She could see how beautiful it was, from where she was standing.  The light from outside touched it and it glowed with colour, making the green more pronounced.  His eyes were soft and there was a warmth to them, she had only seen when she had caught him staring at her.  He was on his feet before she could bat an eyelid, closing the distance between them. The ring disappeared and she felt his fingers touch the fringe of her hair, he was looking at her with new emotion, emotion she knew, that he needn't explain.  It was strange, she seemed to know these things with a mere feeling, a sense of touch, either that or she was completely infatuated with this man. He had saved her and he'd been there, even if she didn't know it herself at the beginning.  She had been rescued and how on earth was she going to tell him, she-

"There's something that I have to tell you Lenora and I had hoped to tell you in Siena," he began, his eyes never leaving her face.

"What is it?" she said, with a hint of panic in her voice.

She watched as he went down on one knee and everything she wanted to say, escaped her.  He was proposing to her. She could do nothing but gawp at him, very un-princess like but to hell with her title, she stood here as a woman and he stood there as a man, who wanted to spend his life with her.

"Why Siena?" she rambled.

"Because Siena is beautiful and I know you would like it, but as you have indeed caught me red handed, we shall see it another time, perhaps.  I have asked your grandfather for your hand in marriage and Lenny, it would be the greatest honour if you would be my wife?" His eyes locked on to hers.

"Is that it?" she said, "Is that all you needed to say?" She pulled away and saw his features cloud over and still he didn't get it.  She turned away slowly and left the room.

Benito was on his feet and was after her, she was already on the ground floor and her back was to him, biting her finger nails as she stared outside the window, before he got any closer to her, she spoke out, her voice melancholy, "Marriage is great, but without a key ingredient... it's meaningless... just a piece of paper... I know I should be happy now, smiling from ear to ear but somehow I feel, I don't know... lost."

Benito turned her towards him, cupping her face with his hand, "Lenny look at me," her eyes stole away from his and he shrugged, "I love you, I have loved you probably since the first time I was told to watch out for you... and in my head, I don't know... I just wanted to be with you... we don't have to get married, if you don't want to-" He didn't get to finish what he wanted to say as she lunged into his arms and hugged him.

"Of course I want to marry you, I just wanted to hear you say you love me first because I love you so much, love you, love you, love you," splattering kisses all over his face.

"Wait a minute beautiful," he grinned, "I haven't done the most important thing yet,"

"What's that?" she drew back at inch

"Put a ring on it," he smiled, slipping the precious emerald onto her finger.

***

"Benito and Lenora were wed in the cathedral where all the previous generations of the Italian monarchy had wed, it was a lavish affair, covered by all the press around the world.  Lenora wore a specially made Vera Wang dress, encrusted with Swarovski crystals and  yards upon yards of silk and Benito had dressed in his military uniform and now they were husband and wife.  To them, it was just a fusion of their love and the joining of their lives, but it indeed is much, much more"  Albert said, smiling as he read the caption from the newspaper, as he sat in his Vintage bookshop, "My sweet Lenny, you are a Princess afterall."