He was hoping to suprise her. They hadn’t spoken to each other since early this morning and he was already missing the sound of her voice. He pulled his little red Audi in the back lot behind the bakery and strolled around the front, whistling as he moved down the sidewalk in front of the building. He remembered the first time he saw her. Her back had been to him, but there had been something about her that drew him in. His heart skipped a beat as he pulled open the door and walked inside. Immediately, he felt something was off. There was a woman rushing for the door as if the hounds of hell were chasing her. He looked up and saw no one standing behind the counter nor did he see Lana's back as she made specialty drinks. He heard shouting and a commotion coming from behind the counter. He quickly moved towards the area, finding a woman pointing towards the kitchen doorway. Adrenaline fueled by the fear of something happening to Lana had him rushing through the open door to find Danny

Xyrus was pissed. Beyond pissed. He was furious. He was still stuck inside a holding cell in some bullshit limbo. He wasn’t officially in jail, but he wasn’t free to go. He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he had a feeling Danny was behind it. He’d had to sleep on a hard bench with three other guys that looked like they wanted to eat him for breakfast. He looked down at his knuckles. They were bruised and swollen. He smiled. They hurt, but it was all worth it. He would slam his fist into Dan's face again and again. “What are you smiling about, pretty boy?” one of his cellmates asked. Xy looked up to see a bald man that probably weighed about three-hundred pounds glaring at him. The man had a tattoo of a knife on his neck, making him appear even more menacing. “I’m not smiling at anyone or anything,” Xyrus retorted. The giant stepped forward. Xyrus stood up. He wasn’t going to be intimidated. He’d probably get his ass kicked, but he wasn’t going to back down from anyone.

Xyrus's cell mate looked B hungry and cranky. It wasn’t a good combination. He wasn’t sure he was going to be able to fight them off should they attack.He’d chosen not to eat the slop they tried to serve for dinner or breakfast and was feeling a little shaky. His lack of food combined with no sleep left him vulnerable. He had a feeling he’d end up in the infirmary or the morgue if someone didn’t show up soon.“Ashington," a guard called out his name.Xyrus moved his head, not bothering to get up. “What?”“You’re out of here.”That got him moving. He stood and walked to the cell, trying his best to play it cool, not wanting to look too excited. The guard opened the cell and led him down a corridor where he was given his personal property back. He didn’t bother checking to see if it was all there. He signed the paper and made his escape to freedom.When he stepped into the lobby, he saw Akira immediately. She jumped up and raced towards him, followed by what he assumed was his

Their afternoon delight had left him feeling very content. They were lying in her bed, no sheets to cover their nudity. He was comfortable in his own skin, but found women tended to be a little more modest. Lana had been at first, but the signing of the divorce papers had released her inner wild woman. He noticed the difference in the way she walked, holding her head high, with her shoulders back. He was glad to be a part of the change and hoped to continue to support her as she put Danny behind her. He wasn’t naïve enough to think she would suddenly be over it. There had to be long-term side effects to the abuse she endured. It would take time for her to stop looking over her shoulder all the time and to truly feel as if she could settle down and relax. “Thank you,” she said, her warm breath brushing over his chest. He grinned. “Did you seriously just thank me for sex? Because if you did, you’re welcome, but a thank you isn’t necessary. It is I who should be thanking you.”Her

Akira Montereal strolled to his office, a file folder tucked under one arm with a coffee in her other hand. He watched her, studying her and grinned. “What are you grinning at?” she asked, looking down at her blouse.“You.”“Why? Am I unzipped? Do I have something in my teeth? Why are you looking at me like that?”He shook his head, laughing. “None of the above. You look different—happy.”She blushed and set the coffee down in front of him.“Drink your coffee. You’re delirious.”“No, I’m not, and thank you by the way.”“You’re welcome. How did it go on Friday?” she asked, setting the file on the desk before taking the seat across from his desk.He took a sip of the hot coffee, nodding his head. “It went very well. I was a little worried she would back out, but she did it. She signed and seemed to be very happy about it. We spent the weekend celebrating,” he said with a smile.Akira was grinning. “Good. I’m glad.”“You’re happy,” he repeated.“I’m always happy.”He shook his head.