Amber's Advocate

Chapter Eighteen

Safe

     Amber did not feel safe. 

    Safe was a word she didn't use lightly, she felt safe when she was in London.  (Even though London was as unfamiliar to her as the British sense of humour).   She felt safe when she was behind Fort-Knox; the town house she shared with Millie and Liam.   She was safe when she was with Cade, he had somehow implemented himself into her life without her even realising.  She did not feel safe- not right now.  She should have stayed at the hotel, why didn't she? It had been a stupid argument, pointless.  Her anxiety and nerves had been riding on her, hence her snapping at him.  He was only trying to help her cope... she knew now, she had to have a little bit of faith.   Now she was roaming around the block of a concrete jungle she used to know,  her feet having taken her away from 'safe'...

Stupid feet.  

      What the hell was wrong with her?  She made the decision to head back, it was dark and it was late and she was tired.  She could feel the jet lag creeping up on her.  She had been walking for an hour, an hour of feeling destitute... even though that hour had felt like the longest hour of her life.   She hailed a yellow taxi and got in.  Sinking back into the leather, she closed her eyes and exhaled.  When she opened her eyes to look outside, she noticed The Waldorf blur passed and immediately she felt the unease... where the hell were they going?

     "You just passed the hotel... excuse me?" Amber said, leaning forward, her arm resting on the driver's seat, "Did you hear me? Hello?"

     She tapped him on the shoulder but he didn't even acknowledge her.  She looked at the profile of the man sitting in the driver's seat, he was bald, had a pasty complexion and looked like he'd had scoffed too many burgers and fries that no matter how much exercise he did, it wouldn't be shift the extra tyres he was carrying  He also didn't look like the ID displayed on the dashboard.  Shit! Amber reached for the door to open it but they were locked, she tried the window but the glass wouldn't go down.  She yelled and screamed, she might as well not have a voice.  He ignored her. 

     Amber felt a pin prick in her arm and she looked down to see she'd been stabbed with something- her vision became cloudy immediately, "Wh...wha...what di...did... y..y...you give me?" She slumped forward, hitting her head on the seat in front of her.  She heard the sound of laughing as she blacked out.

***

    Amber screamed awake, hoping to God that she wasn't living and breathing through what she considered to be one of the worst nightmares ever.  She'd been stabbed repeatedly and whenever she came back to life, the faceless attacker would continue to hack at her before she died.  Amber closed her eyes, forcing at will the bile rising in her throat, back down. She felt disorientated, dizzy and hungover.  Her mind was scattered like jigsaw puzzles, she was trying to piece things together. She tried to move, but she found out all too soon that she couldn't.  And that was when a light switched on- flooding the space she was in with light.  She blinked, adjusting her sight to the overpowering brightness.  Her feet were braced together with cable ties, as were her arms to the arm rests of her chair, she couldn't move, even if she tried... God, she was scared... she wasn't prepared for this... but she wasn't prepared for that voice either...

    "Amber... Amber... Amber... "

    "R... Ri...Rick," she stammered, "Is that you?"

    He came towards her from out of the darkness and planted a kiss square on her lips.   She tried to squirm, tried to move her face away from his.   He was having none of it, his dry callused fingers dug into her face and yanked it towards him.  He pried her lips open with his tongue- but she bit into his.  He yelled, letting go of her as he tasted his blood in his mouth and the throbbing pain with it.  He back handed her and her face flipped to the side like a switch.

    "You deserved that, you fucking cunt!" she said through clenched teeth, her face unmoved.  

    "Still got your bite, I see," Rick spat the blood, "Watch your mouth."

     "You lost all power over me a long time ago... so piss off!" Amber shouted.

     "Don't test me..." Rick began.

     "Or what? You'll slap me, kick me, punch me... go on then... take your best shot, you pathetic little man!" Amber laughed sarcastically.

    Rick didn't notice the change in Amber until she used her mouth... there was so much venom and hate in her tone, it was almost as if witnessing her for the second time, the first time being when he first met her in the bar and she was a feisty little thing.  She was even feistier now.  When they'd started going out, she'd become less feisty and more subdued, more soft and she'd somehow changed. 

    "This is how it is, right Rick?  You love exercising your power over women... you enjoy being the bigger person, the one that rules the roost... you like speaking with your fists rather then your mouth and you like leaving carnage in your wake... I should know." 

    "Shut you're fucking hole!" Rick yelled.

    "Can't take the truth can you... hurts doesn't it? Your father was just the same..."

    Rick lashed out, punching her in her gut,  "You don't know anything about my father!" Rick shouted.

   "You're right, I know nothing about him... but I knew he hit you... and you passed that onto your unborn child... I lost my child because you killed it... you're a murderer... a killer!" Amber spat.

   Rick was about to throw another punch but he stopped midway, "What?!"

  Amber broke down in hysterical sobs, she had never told him he could have been a father... nor that she was pregnant... but she had lost her unborn child to his savage intent.  The tears wouldn't stop pouring down her face.  He yanked her face towards his and the look in his eyes weren't savage, violence or anything, they were blank.

   "What did you just say?" his voice was quiet, she had barely heard him.

   "I was pregnant with your kid but you killed it... and I wished you had killed me too..." Amber said, the bile rising in her throat.

    Rick staggered back, as if she had landed a punch to his gut, "You're making that shit up?"

   "I wish I was... I wish I was," Amber said, her head hanging down. 

    A door opened somewhere and foot steps echoed, "What the fuck did you do? I thought we'd agreed you wouldn't touch her! Fuck!"

   There was no reply. 

    "Rick, what the fuck is wrong with you?! Have you even called her boyfriend yet? Rick, what the fuck?!" The man became impatient, "Do I have to do everything myself?"

**

   "I don't believe in coincidences," the New York police detective said to Cade, "I wondered why it never appeared on our radar that he'd been discharged from prison... usually we're the first to know these things... especially as this story was strewn across the media like it was gossip.  Our officers are looking into that."

    "I want to know..." Cade didn't get to finish his sentence as his mobile rang, "It's Amber's phone," he said to the detective. 

    "Let's put a tracer on it," the detective whispered.

    "Amber baby, is that you?"

    "Bring me two million in paper in two large sacks, the destination will be sent by text.  Don't involve the police and you'll get your darling girl back," the voice was a demand.

    "How do I know this isn't some kind of joke?" Cade said. 

    There was a long pause and then Amber came on the phone, "Cade... Cade... don't give Stan the money, don't give him..." And then he heard her scream and a crash and the phone went dead.

    "If they fucking hurt her, I'm going to kill them!"

    His phone beeped and he looked at the text message, "Where the hell are The Docks?"

   The detective was already throwing commands at his team and there was a sudden urgency and buzz in the room, "Let's go... Cade you'll have to stay here."

   "Hell no, I'm not staying here... I'm coming with you,"  Cade responded.

    "It's advisable you stay here for your safety," the detective said.

    "If it was your woman?" Cade responded.

    "Let's get you a bullet proof vest," the detective said and ushered them all out of the room. 





Amber's Advocate

Chapter Seventeen

When the shit hits the fan, it hits



    Cade strolled to the front desk where they were greeted by the check in clerk.  He peered over his shoulder to see Amber taking in the grandeur of the lobby, of the Waldorf Astoria.  For a native New Yorker, she sure looked at the place as if seeing it for the very first time.  The lobby was opulent, boasting of Italian marble, the overhead expanse of a chandelier and subtle lighting gave the area an intimate feel. 

 

    "It's so dark in here... I wonder what it looks like during the day," Amber whispered, as she nervously played with her charm bracelet.

    "We'll find out in a couple of hours," Cade looked at his watch, "Would you like to go to your room?"

    She nodded and they made their way to the lift, "So what kind of room do we have?"

    "A luxury suite, you have your own bedroom, as do I, and we have joint facilities I think. We're on the forty second floor," Cade said stealing a glance at Amber.

   "What? But that's the penthouse area," Amber said, her mouth wide open.

   "One of them..." Cade replied.

   "I don't understand, how does your magazine afford luxury like this?  Don't get me wrong, it's great that you write and all... but it's not like a big publication, it's tiny in comparison to Vogue or GQ or... I mean, I hardly knew of it's existence until I met you," Amber said confused.

   "That's why I'm here in New York to expand the magazines horizon.  Besides, we don't exactly want to be Vogue a fashion magazine... or GQ... of course, I'd be lying, we want the sales side of things just not be known for being a fashion mag or lifestyle... the magazine's demographic is aimed towards the more accomplished, informative man.  The man who wants to know what the hell is going on around the world, not just what's outside his front door or on the street," Cade replied. 

   "That's all good and dandy and I appreciate the education Cade, but your magazine isn't with the big wigs yet... so how the hell did it afford this? The Waldorf Astoria?" Amber said stepping onto the corridor of the forty second floor.

    "It can't..." Cade said, putting his key into the door and the door opened.  Amber stepped in and her mouth dropped open.

    She turned around and looked at him, "So... what? You used your own money to stay here?"

    Cade stood by the landing, he watched Amber as she stood in the middle of their suite's foyer, her hands on her hips, waiting for a reply.

   "You used your own money to stay here... whatever for?" she asked in disbelief.

   "For you, for us," Cade simply said.

    "For me? I don't understand," Amber said, "For us?"

   "I can tell, you miss New York, I can tell by the way you talk about it... I can tell by the spark in your eyes, then by the way they water because it's too painful.  Because the way things ended here... it's not a place you want to go to revisit... but I want to change all that.  I want to show you that it doesn't have to be this way... that sometimes good can come out of the really bad stuff," Cade pleaded.  He remained standing, he wasn't going to pity her.  She wouldn't want that. 

   "So, you're my advocate?" Amber looked straight at him.

   "If you want to label it, yes... but foremost..."

   "You lied to me..." she rushed past him.  He grasped the sides of her arms.

   "I swear to you, I didn't... not intentionally... I just want things to be..."

   Amber shoved him away, "I trusted you... I trusted you and you deceived me! Why couldn't you just tell me you wanted me to come..."

   "Because I knew you wouldn't... it's too hard for you... God Amber, if you only knew what it's like to see someone you deeply care about, upset, hurting... a hurt you can't get to because you don't understand or you don't know where to start."

    "You won't know then, will you," Amber yelled and flew out the door.

    Cade cursed and ran after her.  She was standing at the lift, fuming, "Where are you going?"

   "Anywhere but here," she snapped back.

   "Can we go in and talk about this?" Cade asked softly.

   "What's the point, you assumed what you think I needed when you lied your way to get me here... do you have any idea what it feels like to know in this very city, that the person I used to love, tried to kill me... that he's lying in a cell in this city just waiting, biding his time... to seek his revenge.  I didn't want to come here, ever again!  I didn't want to come here... knowing I'm closer now to him then ever... but I came back here because you wanted me to and because I thought... maybe, however minuscule the possibility was... that there would be one guy out there... one guy, who would be different... but you're all the same... all of you."

    "Amber please, let's talk about this inside," Cade asked.

    "No, I'm going home... back to London... where it's safe," Amber said.

    "You can't run for ever Amber... you can't, it's not the way to live your life," Cade whispered.

    "It's my life Cade, IT'S MY LIFE!" she yelled back. 

    "I'm not telling you to live your life the way I want it... I just wanted to help you..." Cade offered. 

    "I'm tired of people trying to dictate to me how I should live my life... I'm not a child..." Amber said, pressing the button for the lift.

     "Please come inside and we can talk about this.  I'm not telling you, I'm giving you a choice Amber."

     "Then if this is the choice you're giving me... you'll understand... leave me alone," Amber stepped into the lift and the doors closed in his face.

     Cade stood by the lift, the adrenaline coursing through his veins.  He slapped his hand against the wall and stormed back into the suite.  The sound of his phone, brought him back to reality with a thud.  He searched through his hand carry and retrieved the phone, before it stopped ringing.  He looked at his call log, it was a UK number.  He called it back.

     The voice of a distressed woman came on the line and he recognised the voice immediately "Is she there?"

     "Millie, what's wrong?" Cade said urgently. 

     "Where is she Cade? Where's Amber?" 

     "She's just popped out," he lied, "Now, tell me what's wrong?"

    "Rick's out of prison... he got out... not even on parole... he got out,"  Cade didn't have to ask twice.  He ran out of the suite and ran into the lift, seeing the lift there waiting... without Amber.  He suddenly felt cold. 

Amber's Advocate

Chapter Sixteen

Progress... Plans...

 

A Week Later...

    The man opposite him pushed the manila envelope towards him.

    "What's this?" Rick responded, picking it up and staring into it.

    "You wanted to know, so I got you something... open it up and you'll find out," the stocky man said, leaning back in his chair.

    Rick opened the envelope and caught sight of the bitch laughing hand in hand with a man he didn't know.  The photos were black and white, reminding him of stake outs he'd seen in an episode of CSI:New York the other night in the communal hall of this dank miserable shit hole of a prison.  Ironic.  He looked at the next photo and they she was kissing him, leaning into him and his hands were in her hair. 

    "Your point? Or did you just give this to me to fucking piss me off?" Rick slated.

    "Attitude... don't forget your place now Rick.  You forget who's on the inside and who's not," the stocky man pointed out.

    "What do you want Stan?" Rick said through clenched teeth, if he wasn't incarcerated in this place, his face would meet his fist. 

     "Your little girlfriend's snapped up a right gold mine.  He's an heir to an obscene amount of money... obscene... more then you and I will ever see in a life time," Stan grinned with malice, "So, I'm cutting you a deal... but that depends on what you're willing to pay me."

    "I want her to pay but I can't do that because I'm stuck in this fucking hell hole... I want to watch her die by my hand and my hand only..." Rick tried to contain his fury.

    "That can be arranged... these cells, this establishment is as corrupt as the lawyers of this city, the government and every police officer. When you wave a little green in their faces, they're like putty in your hands.  You can do what the hell you like with them, because they've sold their soul to the fucking devil himself.  Even the Senator of this state is as corrupt as they come and I know. I know.  I can promise you, I can get you out of this place in a couple of days before she gets to live the American Dream again," Stan said smugly.

    "Hold on a second, is she coming here?" Rick stammered, in shock.

    "Your little witch is travelling to the US... the land of the fucking free with her boyfriend... and then we can truly play our cards right.  Forget about the state lottery... we'll be rich!" Stan said rubbing his fingers together. 

    "So, what do you propose?" Rick said, leaning forward.  Licking his lips in anticipation.

***

    "Are you sure about this? I mean really sure? Sure as sure can be?" Millie said leaning against the door jamb of Amber's room.

    "At the beginning I was a little apprehensive, y'know with the state of affairs... the issues... but I'm tired of being scared... I just want to face it.  What's the least that could happen?  He's in prison, there's no way he's coming out.  I'll be safe, I can protect myself," Amber resigned herself to say, "I'll be fine."

   "Only if you're sure?" Millie smiled.

   "I'm sure, besides I really miss New York... it's home, even if there are things I don't want to think about there... I just want to get on with it," Amber replied.

   "Wow! I never thought I'd actually see the day... but this is pretty awesome," Millie said striding up to Amber and hugging her.

   "What are you talking about?" Amber said, drawing away from her friend.

   "You're in love with him?" Millie stated the obvious.

   "I'm not in lo-"

   "Love does a many great things... I should know... wow..." Millie said jumping up down, "I tried to deny it, but you do... you've got courage, determination... and the fact you're going back to New York, says it all.  You're willing to be with him, despite that.  It's gotta be love."

    "No, it's courage... now get off... I've gotta go give Shadow a bath," Amber walked away.

   "I know you're trying to evade my question, but I know you..." Millie said pointedly.

   "Like I said, I gotta go give Shadow a batch," Amber said, making a quick exit.  If she couldn't figure it out, could other people?

Amber's Advocate

Chapter Fifteen

Untouchable

     Amber woke up abruptly to a ceiling that was unfamiliar to her.  When she turned her head, her eyes clasped on Cade who was reading in an arm chair opposite the couch she was luxiously sprawled out on.  Covering her eyes she groaned and spoke up,
     "Shit! So much for dinner."
     "You're in luck," Cade smiled, putting the book to the side and grinning, "I burnt it.  I didn't have the heart to start over, so we'll order in, instead.  Are you hungry?"
     "Starving.  How long was I out?"
     Cade looked at his wrist watch, "Oh a couple of hours."
     "And what's a couple of hours?" Amber asked, as she stretched.
     "I'd say, about six hours..." Cade smiled.
     "This is just too weird, I haven't slept like that in such a long time, it's so strange.  Even with medication, I never drift off like that," Amber said, shaking her head.
     "Well, what can I say? It must be the cosiness of my place.  What do you fancy to eat? Pizza or Chinese?" Cade said to a stand.
     "You pick... can I use your bathroom please?" Amber asked.
     Cade pointed her in the right direction and she shut the door firmly behind her.


   An hour later, they were sitting on the floor, having spooned various culinary Chinese offerings from the local Chinese takeaway.
    "So... I've got to go to New York for a couple of days in two weeks," Cade began, "And as you're a native, I was hoping you would join me.  What do you say?"
    Amber almost choked on the prawn she was half way through munching, "You can't be serious."
    "I'm deadly serious... you said you were missing the buzz, I'm going over there to meet some clients for work, why don't you come and join me? It'll be fun.  Besides, I'll be staying at The Waldorf and god that sounds amazing."
    "I promised myself I'd never go back there," Amber said, more to herself then to Cade.
    Cade put down his plate and then took the bowl from Amber's hands, "If it's too soon, I'm sorry... I'm crazy about you and the thought of not seeing you for five days is unbearable.  Shit! I'm not coming across right, a complete and utter needy git.  I just thought, as you're from there you'd be my tour guide and you'd show me around your old haunts y'know and we can make new memories.  Crap! That didn't come out right either."
    Amber was shocked to speechless.
   "Say something, anything..." Cade prompted.
   "Can I think about it?" Amber managed to say.
   "Of course," Cade replied and kissed her softly on the lips.

   Cade drove Amber home an hour later, she had left her bowl to the side after he had robbed her of it, after he asked her to go to New York with him. Silence had enveloped the conversation and even when he tried to make conversation with her afterwards, it was like she wasn't even there.  Well, her mind definitely wasn't.  Even if she was sitting right beside him.  When she asked him to take her home, his heart squeezed.  What a dumb ass he was and now standing on the pavement as the door shut, he felt like a sore loser.  He knew there were still things that traumatised her and one of those things was in New York.  He'd been so excited by the trip, knowing she was a native there, he couldn't resist.  And that temptation and the 'ask' had been a major ASK.  He felt like an arse. The look on her face had said everything, she was scared shit less and he wanted to console her but she had closed off.  Untouchable.  
   He eventually got into his car and drove away from the pavement.  He couldn't help himself, he was like a teenager and a crazy hormonal one at that.  He just couldn't seem to shake how hard he was falling for her and how ridiculously fast.  With his past girlfriends, it had taken him a long time to fall in love with them, it had taken him a year but with Amber, with it being only a matter of months... holy crap, he was crazy about her.  They hadn't even made love yet and he felt this about her.  Not that making love, having sex was a major thing for him because being with her and having her beside him was all that mattered.  He pulled up off the road to calm his beating heart, he never got this emotional.  He was a man for god sake- this was stupid. 
    He sat motionless in his car and decided to park up, he took out his mobile phone and dialled his friend Vince.  He needed to talk to someone and Vince had life experience.

Amber's Advocate

Chapter Fourteen

Introductions

     "I can't believe you persuaded me to put this drivel on," Cade grinned as he stole a glance at his girlfriend who was currently singing to N'Sync in the car.

      "Y'know you secretly love them... everyone does, they're my guilty pleasure," Amber smiled.

      "Next thing you'll be telling me is you're Miley Cyrus' number one fan!" Cade quipped, then saw the seriousness written all over Amber's face, "You gotta be kidding me?  Miley?!"

Amber held the serious face for as long as she could and then laughed, "You're so gullible Cade... eeurgh, I have standards you know!"

      "I would never have guessed," Cade said, edging the car forward slowly. He was rewarded with a smack on his arm.  And as if reading her mind, he leaned forward and kissed her.  She kissed him back and then there was a barrage of honking behind them,

      "Give a guy a break-" he whispered and sped down the motor way. 

They got to London a few hours later, Cade pulled up near the pavement and helped her with her hand carry as they both got out of the car.  The weather was warm and sunny. Cade set her bag by the stairs of the town house and peered down at her.  God, she was beautiful he thought. 

       "Thank you for such an amazing time Braiden," Amber smiled cheekily

       He touched her nose with the tip of his finger, "You really ought to stop calling me that, but I'll let you off on this occasion if you do me one thing?"

        "And what's the thing?" Amber asked amused.

        "That you give me a kiss and have dinner with me tonight," Cade said as he leaned forward.

        "That's two things Cade, my, you're getting very greedy now," Amber giggled.

        "I only feel greedy, when it comes to you," Cade replied, giving her a quick peck on the lips, "Let me know how you feel about dinner tonight, I know it's been a pretty crazy couple of days. I've gotta get to work right now to do something but I'll call you later."

         And with that, he disappeared into his car.

Amber walked through the door and immediately froze, she squinted at the sound of barking and as if someone flicked a switch, the dog stopped barking.  

       "So you found Shadow then?" Millie smiled from the lounge.

       "Shadow?" Amber asked as she sat beside Millie, the dog now sitting at their feet, "He's a bit too white to be called Shadow, no?"

       "Yeah, that's what I liked about him.  He looks all soft and cuddly, but he's apparently got a fierce bite," Millie put her laptop to the side, "Listen Amber, don't be alarmed okay, the last thing I want to do is worry you..."

       "Millie, I'm a big girl... I can handle it, just tell me what's going on."

       "There have been a few attempted break-in's, nothing too serious but y'know with Liam being away, he didn't want to take any precautions with us, so that's why Shadow will be a permanent fixture here.  He's a trained specialist."

      "Oh, so this dog knows how to wield a gun and protect us then?" Amber said, feeling vulnerable.

      "No, he can't do that but he has been trained to the highest level. He knows who our friends are, from our foes.  He's a trained security guard dog. I'll have to teach you the commands, they're very straight forward... I think there is a sheet lying around somewhere.  So enough about me, dish..." 

      Amber smiled to herself.

      "Stop being so coy, tell me!" Millie said, pinching her.
      "Oww!" Amber yelped as she caressed her pinched arm, "Okay, okay, I'll tell you!"
      "Don't leave anything out... I want the details!" Millie said clapping her hands in excitement. 


      Cade was hunched over his computer in the office, he was still technically on holiday but what was meant to be a twenty minute job had turned out to be a four hour stint.   Maybe the job actually was a twenty minute thing but his mind kept wondering elsewhere.  Elsewhere, was images of Amber in a wet suit, of her curled up on his couch in Cornwall, a blanket they shared on the beach under the stellar sky by camp fire.  She was taking up residence in his head.  No wonder, he felt distracted, not that he was wishing it any other way.  Hell no! He really liked her, which reminded him to give her a call.  He picked up his mobile and called, she picked up on the second ring and he heard the excitement in her voice, which only added to how he was already feeling about her.
        "You calling about dinner, I presume," she asked.
        "Yes and to say hello," he smiled into the receiver, "Have you thought much about joining me for dinner?"
        "As a matter of fact, I have," Amber replied.
        "So, what's the verdict?" Cade asked, "Hey, what's that noise in the background, you got a dog or something?"
        "Yes, that's Shadow... he's been brought in because there have been some attempted break ins here."
        "Break ins... do the police know?" Cade asked, gathering his stuff together.
        "Yes, they do but it's being taken care of... Liam's beefed up security and Shadow has been brought in," Amber's tone had turned down a notch.
        "Are you worried, about the break ins?" Cade tentatively asked.
        "To some degree yes," Amber replied, "So, what time are you picking me up for dinner?"
        "How about seven thirty, that okay with you?"
        "Sounds perfect, see you then Cade," Amber said and hung up. 
       
       
         Cade walked into the town house, he was greeted by Millie and a very large white dog.
        "You've got a great house here," he said.
        "Thanks, I think so too.  Millie's going to be a few minutes," Millie said walking ahead, "Would you like anything to drink? You can come into the kitchen if you want?"
        "Thanks," muttered Cade following her past the lounge and into the kitchen.
        "I'm sure Amber's told you about what happened to her and you know as a friend that I worry about her and the company she keeps..."
        "I won't hurt her if that's what you mean," Cade said.
        "That's what they all say, they won't hurt her... but they do in the end..." Millie said.
         Cade was about to respond when Amber strode in, "This is really uncalled for Millie, I told you already, I'm a big girl I can handle myself."
        "I don't want you to be hurt, banged up and bruised," Millie stated, "I can't help but worry about you."
        "I would never hurt her, never hurt her physically or in any other form... I care too much for her to ever risk something as stupid as losing my temper or using my fists, men who use their fists on women are bastards.  And if I ever get a hold of that bastard who hurt you, not only am I going to give him a taste of his medicine, I'm going to kill him!" Cade said, "You have my word."
         Cade watched as Amber stepped back a look of horror on her face, "No Cade, please don't."
         Millie looked at Amber, "Amber calm down, it's going to be okay."
         "I don't want violence anymore... I won't have it... if this is ever going to work out, I don't want to talk about violence or that it has to be the focus of everything... I just want to move on from that point in my life okay? I don't want it to overrule who I am, so the both of you just please stop talking as if I'm some fragile little thing," Amber spoke abruptly.
         Cade and Millie simultaneously murmured, "I'm sorry."
         "Apology accepted," she smiled, "I'd really like it if you two could get along." She hugged Millie and tugged Cade towards the door.


         Cade opened the door to his flat and ushered Amber in, she paused in the hallway to look at the vinyl records on his wall.
          "Why do you have framed vinyl records on your wall?" Amber said peering at them closely.
          "Because I love good music," he offered as he looked at them.
          "I love good music too," Amber replied.
          "N'Sync and Backstreet Boys? I don't think I have any of those up here," he mimicked, "I put them up here because these are first editions, much like you get first edition books... I like first edition vinyl."
          "Hey! Don't knock BSB and N'Sync okay?" Amber giggled, "Besides is this for show off purposes or what?"
          Cade paused recalling a memory, "When I was growing up in Cornwall, my grand mother introduced me to the fifties, sixties and seventies music... you could say that was a big introduction into the music hall of fame.  I loved just sitting in the living room with her, listening to the golden oldies and her talking to me about her life.  This is mostly reminds me of her, when she died she left me her entire collection.  Some of it is worth thousands of pounds but I don't have the heart to sell it off, they're too precious."
         "Oh, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to come across as assuming..." Amber felt an apology bubble to the surface.
         "Don't worry about it, come on, come and see the rest of the flat," Cade ushered her in.
         Cade's flat was nothing like the town house, it was messy, male and somehow strangely comfortable, all under one roof.  He had a flat screen above the mantel piece with a stack of DVDs just below.  A simple iPod speaker stand.  A black couch with several throws in a multitude of colours flung over it, an antique armchair that looked misplaced but fit perfectly with all the modern amenities. 
        "Would you like anything to drink?" Cade asked and noticed Amber shiver, "Why don't you take a seat and I'll make you a hot chocolate."  He put a cashmere blanket around her and disappeared into the kitchen to make her a hot chocolate. 
          Amber could hear the kettle and the sounds of the spoons against the mug.  She closed her eyes for a moment and leaned back.  God, she was dog tired.  He wouldn't mind it if she slept a little.  Closing her eyes and leaned sideways and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the cushion.