 
Soul Mates.

Book 1: The Beginning.

Christine Wood

Copyright © by C Wood 2017

Any resemblance, to people, events, and places,

Written within the pages of this book, is purely coincidental.

As this is a work of total fiction.

There is some sexual content making it unsuitable for under eighteen readers

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it wasn't purchased for your use only, then please return to where you stole it, and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author

Feedback is much appreciated good, or bad, be warned I am a hopeless dyslexic who loves to write, so please bear that in mind when reading...

CHAPTER ONE:

Christopher Holland:

I am sitting alone on the hotels plush sofa, watching as the world goes by, well my father's world anyway. I'm sat waiting patiently for God to return, sat on sofa waiting, and it is where I have been sat for ages too, and I'm pretty sure my backside has moulded perfectly into the comfortable leather section. A sofa which has housed my butt quite comfortably, that it has no complaints, my butt not me, me I have plenty of damned complaints. Mainly that I am all too often left waiting for God to come back and show his face. Why am I surprised though, this is nothing new for me, getting comfy on sectionals? I frown as the ladies in the finery say I look cute and could eat me up and take me home, please do, it has to be better than sitting crowd watching, again. After several hours sat here I wish they would take me home. I have to wonder if he will even remember where he left me this time it wouldn't be the first time he'd forgotten he brought me out?

Right Father, so, where are you? Stop here you said don't move you said, so I did as I was told and waited. I am unmoved, forgotten, bored and way past tired, so where are you Father? As I wait, I ask the lady for another coke as she passes by me again, she's been keeping a watchful eye on me and has seen to it that I have remained topped up and fed all night and is mothering me a little, something I'm actually quite grateful to her for. As I watch the last guests leave, the man who has also been keeping me in his eyesight too, comes towards me and is talking to someone on his walkie talky. Great, I've now attracted the attention of the hotels security, I'm nine years old of course they're wondering why I'm here and alone at this time of night.

God must had felt it was acceptable to leave me here on the couch, at this grown up party whilst he left with his new friend, another lady who lives with us. She's his latest Boudoir Bunny whatever that means, because she and the others aren't cute and cuddly like a rabbit. These bunnies change my father from being the bad tempered arrogant man that he is all the time, into a happy man and they make him laugh a lot, which he never does around me. He disappears to his rooms with them and they make noises in there and it's there where they call him God.

"Hello young man, are you meant to be here?" He's kneeling by my side and smiling.

"Yes Sir I am, I'm on the guest list Christopher Holland, it may be next to Hoyt Holland, my father? He went to discuss business and told me not to move Sir, so I haven't." I was always taught to be polite, even when angry. Glenda said I was to use good manners at all times and especially so if I am angry, because she says that 'manners maketh a man.'

Glenda is Jefferson's wife and he is my father's head of security. She has raised me since I was a baby, she is my loving nanny, Glenda is my mother in all but name, she is all I have known, and like me she didn't like God very much either, in fact I'd say hate was the only thing that vaguely resembled any emotion where Dad and she were concerned. She often said that his soul was as black as a witch's tit. I never asked her how she knew a witch's tit was black, I did however think that she was one for a long time, because she cursed Dad a lot and then he would be sick for days at a time afterwards. The security guy is still here again and my dad still isn't.

"Well, the party's over now and it seems your father may have left without you?"

"Tell me about it Sir. Still he left me the hotel key, so I guess I should go to my room then?"

"No, I'm sorry we can't allow a minor to be left in a hotel room alone." His eyes stared into mine with what looked like pity, that look I have seen all too many times before...

"Well Sir that's fine, I'll just get my dad's driver to take me back home and wait for him there I suppose? Thank you for worrying about me, he does this a lot." Just then Luis Humphries walks by, great could there be any more spectators seeing my humiliation?

"Chris, good you are still here, are you coming up to our rooms? Mum has said you can spend the night, come on, come and watch the football game and chill for a while. They have just brought my baby sister home from hospital. He's with me Rogers, you may want to ask Bedford, but Dad and Mum have approved it. Chris often stops with us, as he's my friend Rogers. You're new, so you will get used to him being here, we hang out here in New York a lot, come on Chris come up and please meet my sister." He grabs my arm before I can change my mind. Why not, it beats spending the weekend on my own at home.

"Thanks Luis, I don't know where Dad went, but he was drunk and with a couple of blondes when I saw him last."

"It's no problem Mum saw you sat there on her way up to our rooms, but she had her hands full with the baby and was worried about you. She had me come over and rescue you from boredom. Had it not been for the baby I would have been here to sit and room watch and flick peanuts with you, but I was at the hospital. I bet it was a damned sight more interesting drunk watching here, than it was watching and waiting for Bella Pooh to come."

"Bella Pooh, you watched who pooh, that's gross?"

"I didn't see anyone literally pooh, my sister Isabella, but I call her Bella Pooh, because that's all she does, that and cry."

"At least you get to spend time with your sister, I get snatched weekend with Smelly Mel."

"I suppose it could be worse, but it's been me, Mum and Dad for so long, I now have to share. Let's get you upstairs, there's a pizza with our name on it."

"There's no need for your mum to do this you know? I can hike myself three blocks up and go home I have staff to cater to my every whim. Why we even needed a suite here is stupid, we only live down the block?"

"I know, I think it's hilarious but my dad said it was because it was free and your dad likes free stuff. Humour my mum please, you know she likes to mother us and as she said, she won't be getting to see you as much soon, not when we leave for boarding school. Mum wants me to go to normal school here, but because they go everywhere all the time I have to board, it has been decided. I think they should have hired me a tutor, until I go to high school, it would have been much better for me."

"Oh, so I won't be seeing you as much then?"

"Nope sorry partner, its boarding school for the next five years for me, but after that Dad says we are stopping put in London when Bella is five, so she can go to normal school, then her and I get to go to school and college in one place. We will be based there then, besides he is missing Rachel too and that's where she lives."

"How is the wicked step sister?"

"Still a bitch, but Dad loves her, what can I say, love is blind? Here we are." We are in their private rooms and I am mother hugged to death by Maria, his mum.

"Good you brought Christopher to stop, how are you Christopher? We saw that your father left you again, really he is..."

"...A drunken waste of an excuse for a parent? I know and Glenda will be mad when she finds out. I can get Gran to come for me but I think she's with my Aunt Luisa in Mexico and they live in the back of beyond. I can call her home and get a message to her. Glenda is away seeing her sick sister with Jefferson, or I would have been home long ago had either of them been here."

"Well until you contact her you are stopping here with us. I will send word to your father's people that you are here. Luis needs some boy company because his sister is driving him potty with her crying and poopy dirty nappies." She goes to the bassinet and takes out the most beautiful baby I have ever seen, she smells so nice, like baby powder and not very poop like at all. I peer at this pink thing in her blanket. Why does Luis not like her, she is cute.

"This is Luis's baby sister, she is called Isabella and she was born four days ago, what do you think?"

"She is so cute and she has my birthday too, she's my sort of twin sister. Oh she grabbed my finger that's so sweet, can I hold her Maria?" I know she is little and fragile, but as I'm made to sit Maria gently passes her over and I smile down at her. I shake in case I drop her, but she is so beautiful I just sit and stare and as she hears a door slam she jerks and her little arms jump from her chest and she cries as she does, so I shush her.

"Shush Bella, shush I'm here shush don't cry, I am Christopher and will look out for you, always." She grabs my finger and cries. Luis comes back and gives me the 'I told you so look'.

"She does that a lot and gives me a headache apparently, she will stop sometime soon." After what seems like a long time, Maria takes her and declares she needs a feed and her bottom changing...

~~*~*~*~~

I am woken from my wonderful dream as the plane hits an air pocket and I bounce in my seat, that was a great dream I was having, and one that made me feel like it all happened yesterday. I then wish it was yesterday when I last saw them, alas it's been ages since I have. I do this reminiscing thing every time I think of them, wishing that I'd done things differently, you know wish I'd been in touch more with my twin sister, well more than I had been at least? Remembering them again makes my drunk ass smile, I day dream about her and her family a lot, but stupidly I have let the relationship I had with them slide as the years rolled by. That was a very nice week to have at their hotel suite. I was part of a family, unfortunately not one of my own. I am really tired and need to sleep, but I don't know if I can? I close my eyes and try again and to be honest I didn't have to try too hard...

I remembered again being part of their happy family, for a while at least. I'd often wished and hoped they'd adopt me, alas they couldn't. I think they tried to, but God was a petty bastard, he didn't want me but he didn't want anyone else having me either, even my grandmother tried many ways to get me too and failed. I remember another great time spent with them and settle back into my reminiscing. Bella was about four I think, or perhaps nearly five? She was due to start school and they were moving, so Dad had allowed me to stop there with them as a favour to Maria, he really did it because it really meant he could go to Monte Carlo and the French Riviera without me for two whole weeks. I was thirteen and an angry teenager and he was still a womanising drunken idiot.

I was taken to their suite in New York, and smiled as Bella grabbed my arms as soon as I landed in their living room, where the rugs had been pulled back and a dance floor had been made, she immediately asked me for a dance, before I could say no she climbed on my feet, as she had been doing with her father, who was teaching her to dance like a Princess, using his socked feet to glide with her around the floor. She did the same with me and he smiled and rubbed his feet, mocking me.

"Pweeze, can you dance with me Prince Cwisstofer?" Her front teeth were missing and as she asked she hid her face, she was still really shy.

"Your wish is my command Princess Isabella." We had a little dance and as I bowed, when the song finished, she said "fanks you" and disappeared to her room, Maria was watching and smiling, she has a beautiful mum smile.

"At least your toes were saved Luis, she can and will bother Chris for a while if you're lucky? Here have a soda Chris and there are cookies on a plate, if Bella hasn't squirreled them away in her room, she may give you a couple if she has." Maria passed Luis and me a coke, her smile was beautiful, her dark hair was exactly like Bella's and so where her eyes, so shiny and the deepest shade of green. She was and is so warm and mothering Luis and Bella were both so lucky to have such nice and caring parents, I was so envious of the two of them.

"Thank you, I like Bella she's quiet and keeps herself to herself, my sister is a pain, and she is joined at my hip when she's here. Ask Luis, she nearly killed him paint balling the other week, he felt her pain."

"I saw the bruises she really is a wild child, though knowing Luis he deserved them. Where is Melissa?" Luis smirks.

"Back home, she starts her fourth new school soon, so her mum had her go back for the uniform fittings."

"Expelled again, what for this time?" Maria laughs, as I tell the tale of my fiery half-sister Melissa.

"She did a roof top protest to free the rabbits in the science labs, after she'd set free the frogs, toads and rats, she is an animal rights activist this week, next week it will be a new cause, but whatever it is it will cost her mum a fortune and will involve another school move."

"She is bat shit crazy Mum, she's like a boy who wears dresses and is a bully and a freak..."

"Now Luis that's Chris's sister you're talking about, be nice."

"Yeah well she is. My arse and my nethers are still bruised she went all manic on my knackers Mum."

"Luis Yannis Theodore Humphries. What have I told you about that potty mouth of yours?" Oops Luis got the full name treatment and I laugh. This is why I like it here, the boring conversations involving everyone, my faux family do normal happy things, they talk and laugh at each other and with each other, but the conversations are just family stuff about normal everyday family things, and I'm included in their talks and their family activities, whilst I am here.

"Sorry Mum, but they did hurt. What do I call them then, because you moaned when I gave it and them, I mean my nethers you know their correct name the other day, you know my penis and scrotum?" He is doing it to make her blush and she does.

"Umm, yes, well, enough of that now, eat your cookies I have dinner to prepare." She was red as a tomato. I look towards the kitchen area again and the little body of Bella is perched on the breakfast bar and is now eating Mac and cheese, she is giving me the stare with those eyes. She is really cute, with her raven black curls and green demon eyes, she is quiet and shy too. I smile and wave, but she only sticks out her tongue and runs to her room. That's the last I will see of her for a while. My stay with the Humphries lasted another fourteen wonderful days, Gran came to collect me and it was with a great sadness that I said goodbye to my faux family. Hugh was stood with his arm over my shoulder.

"We will no doubt see you at the next conference, if you're there?" No doubt you will, I thought.

"I may be, but I don't know for sure? Dad was on about moving to Vegas full time and living in the hotel there it's easier than here in New York for him. He's selling the mausoleum he calls home, so I don't know? He just tells us we're going and I follow." Hugh gives me a manly hug.

"Well our door is always open to you Chris. Kathleen make sure you look after your grandson, this one he's a really good kid."

"I know and one my son-in-law forgets he has, thank you for keeping him safe, I just wish he'd let me have Christopher, he needs his father like a fish needs a bike." They laugh as Bella runs in, smiles, gives my legs a hug and goes back to her room, as I said she's a cute and shy kid.

"Right Christopher, the car and Jefferson are here, let's go see your arse of a Papa and see if he's brought you anything nice back this time, I wonder if he got married again?" I give her the look, Dad doesn't do marriage he does Boudoir Bunnies and that's it. I wave at the family I wished I was part of and headed back home, I don't know why I bother, because it's just a stopping point before I am packed off back to school. There was no sight of my father that time, he never came out of his room, so I had two very nice days with Gran instead, she helped me ready my trunk and get my uniform, he never even bothered asking was I home! Like I cared whether I saw him or not. My father was an ass of a man and had no rights to call himself my father, all we did was share the same DNA, unfortunately.

Bella and Luis were taken to London a few weeks later so that Bella could start her education and me? I carried on with my life at my private boarding school. Our friendship and family time was a little lapsed, what with differing countries and work getting in the way, I grew up and didn't get to see them much again, but that was the last time I was happy with them. I wrote to Luis and called him the odd time, but that was the days before emails and mobiles. Snail mail ruled the waves and phone calls often went unanswered.

I toss and I turn and wake up as I think of them. Fuck me, I feel guilty because I didn't make the effort to see the Humphries as a family unit again for quite a while, schools and my sister got in the way, though I'd see Hugh for coffee and there were a lot of quick hello goodbyes at airports and in hotel lobbies, but that was the last summer I spent being part of being a proper family. I sit up and reminisce these are not only dreams but are the things that have shaped me, things I grabbed inspiration from and things that fired my brain into overdrive. Things my father did to make me hate him and made me vow to be a better man than him, something some areas of my life could do with more improving upon. I loved the Humphries family and hated Hoyt Holland, he gave me no reason to love him, and so I didn't. He was a man and still is a man I do not wish to know. He is my father in name only. If I am ever going to be a father, I will be just like Hugh and be the best. My children will come first and every time too, they will not be abandoned for others to raise as I was.

Dad paid for the best all male boarding school he chose an all male school to make sure I didn't have any fun too, though he said it was to make sure that I concentrated on my education and not on girls, he did it out of spite and spite alone. Even though we spend weeks apart, he and I still have as little to do with each other as possible. He'd send the jet and a member of his staff to pick me up for school breaks, to spend quality time at a place Dad liked to call home, the top floor of his hotel in Vegas. I hardly saw the man who fathered me but hell what you have never had you never miss, right?

I graduated high school and I graduated from college, giving the valedictorian speech on both occasions. My cheer squad at my graduation were my grandmother, Glenda and Jefferson oh and not forgetting 'Mouthy Mel.' Gran had had no choice but to sort of adopt Mel too, because after her mum died Mel was sent to live with Dad and me, so she was made her an honorary granddaughter, given that we spent a lot of time together and whenever we could, because we were at different boarding schools, schools that I was sure were purposely on differing sides of the country just to stop us being closer, and yes, our father was that petty. Neither she or I were as dependant on my father as he had hoped and unlike the other Holland Bastards, didn't need or want him, my half brothers and sisters, and I had a few, were from Boudoir Bunnies who were cast out when they refused to terminate their baby bunnies which they had in hopes of trapping him into marriage. My father only married the one hotel heiresses, my mother, the rest were women he used and threw away.

He saw his other bastards, his words for his children not mine, when he had too, even then they were left with my Glenda in the hotel suite that was mine and Mel's, they stood around for days when they first arrived, waiting like I had to, for an appointment with God. I gave up needing him in my life and waiting around after the summer he stopped coming out of his room after one of my sisters and her mother died. My life was fine without him but the others needed him and they needed him, if only to suck up to Daddy for his money. Mel and I we were from rich mamas so didn't need him. Much to his disgust. We were not willing to give him more than he ever gave us as he got older and why would we, and he hated us for it. Mel and I we loved winding him up, he knew we didn't need him, but he needed us and that felt good!

He planned on me attending his alma mater, but I didn't like that idea of following any of that fools footsteps and so I travelled my own path. I skipped out on University after two years because I figured I'd learnt as much as I could from books and needed to learn stuff from the real world. I had enough money of my own, as I inherited Mum's trust fund at twenty-one, it was the biggest blessing and gift I ever got, because when I had it, I didn't need then to depend on dear ole Dad, and neither did I need a bog-me-down-job that paid me a crap dollar amount every month, nor did I want to work for my dad, but I still needed excitement and challenges that a challenging career would bring.

I was an adventure sports junkie, I always had been and wanted the same rush in my work life, I wasn't a studious guy, but I did have a high IQ and was just too damned clever for school. I found that excitement within the world of mergers and acquisitions. There I finally found the adrenalin rush I needed. It was a gamble giving up the academic side of my life, but one that for me paid off. I have a great sixth sense when I find a certain business or if I'm approached with a good idea. I'm a modern day gambler, come game hunter all rolled into one. I get a head rush with each new business deal I do. I'm always looking for the next big take over because I love the mundane research, the brain psyching planning, the heart stopping financing, the adrenaline of the chase, the head rush of the capture, and unfortunately as is the case in the majority of deals I do, the killing of a business. That is the worst part for me, that painful feeling of failure, the unpalatable task of stripping down the business that's too messed up to be saved.

Hey, I have to tell myself, I didn't kill it, the previous owners did and I can't bring back a corpse that's been dead for years, no matter how much money I throw at it, so I don't. I strip it down, sell what I can and build on the land, replacing the dead business I'd acquired and I then try replacing it with new workable businesses that the area needs. I was green before green was not just a colour in art. I then research and build, I hope at least, a business capable of being sustainable, profitable and one that is able to bring jobs to the area. I feel I need to give them something back and in doing that I hope I am creating for the areas future, so far this has worked and made me very wealthy, and liked by many people who work for me, I am a great boss and landlord.

I don't go into a venture intending to strip them down, it's just the way this business is, but occasionally I love finding the one business that can be saved, the odd diamond in the rough. The businesses I like saving the best of all are the ones where I know the old owners undervalued the opportunity they had and let it fall through their fingers and into mine. I love actually sticking my finger up to the business world and saying I was right it could be done, and I did it better than you did. I love that first step into the unknown, the risk I take could end up being disastrous, especially going on just my initial gut instinct, but I have been lucky I guess, because every business I approach could have the potential to be a horrific mistake? The next deal could be an epic fail and leave me with massive losses, but as yet that hasn't happened, and touch wood my gut instincts don't ever let me down.

I'm busy running through some figures for the new land I need to expand my little mining operation, one I had purchased in Australia a few weeks ago, when I opened up my emails for confirmation of the purchase of yet more land, and to my surprise I'd received an invite to the Humphries Hotel Benefit Ball. I was shocked, really that had come around so quickly again? Every year I get one, and unfortunately whilst in college and uni it clashed with exams and the last couple of times I was in Australia, chasing the next big deal and unfortunately was too engrossed in making the next buck, greed meant I was too busy for my faux family, that and running around chasing skirt, drinking and having a wild time. It seems I am more like my father than I thought. This one though had a personal note from Hugh, which sparks my interest.

'Please be part of Isabella's sweet sixteenth, we would dearly like to see you, and it's been a while since we last saw you. The parties in the Las Vegas H and you know we'd love for you to come and be there, it is after all your birthday too, Son.'

My lord she was four or five the last time I saw her, shit. Just where has all the time gone? I in-boxed Hugh with my acceptance saying that I'd love to come and be a part of it, after all I was going to be in America, what's the harm in a small detour to see Bella and Maria again? I'm now heading to that baby's sixteenth birthday party. I feel really happy I am going to see them again. I felt yet another pang of regret, regret that I hadn't spent enough time with them all. Luis and I met up for boozy weekends, were we'd spend the weekend doing man stuff, sailing, golfing, rock climbing and all the big adventure stuff and the occasional ride out on my horses, my other passion. My horse farm and my sanctuary from madness.

I'd not seen Bella and Maria in a long time, for my shame I'd only seen Maria a few times more than Bella as I grew up and moved on. Until getting this year's invitation I hadn't given them a lot of thought at all unless I was drunk and maudlin that is, and considering they were all I thought of before I hit my rebellious teen years, I feel like crap in my failure to keep the connection we had going. My mind is a shipwreck at the moment and is crowded and right now thinking about it, it's a lonely place and it needs filling with family, even if it is with my faux family. I'd had a business deal to finalise first, so it meant a stopover in Miami. My life is lived on planes and in the numerous offices I have over the world, so when there is an opportunity to relax and let my hair down, I indulge and last night was no exception, but why in hell's name did I go out afterwards, especially with nothing to eat inside me and all with very little sleep?

I'm now paying for it because I'm above jet lagged. I'm now hung over and in need of coffee. In the last week I'd been busy and made millions and spent far more to acquire more. I'd done the deal for the land to build my new shopping mall on in Miami a couple of nights ago and I am suffering for it now. I also bought into a new chain of Asian hotels, which were heading down the flusher. The ones I really wanted however were the diamonds in the rough I occasionally find, those were the hotels with casinos and a couple even had clubs attached, they are in Hong Kong were they like to gamble and the younger generation love nightclubs clubs. The one I knew would be a winner was called number eight, the date of my birth on the eighth month in the year nineteen eighty, yes, my lucky number is eight, so with my gut telling me it was a winner, I'd bought the struggling hotel chain.

Whilst doing the land deal in Miami, I went to a bar to celebrate with the seller of the land as he was in the chair. Too right he was, because he had just been paid millions of my hard earned money, and yeah, we celebrated around the clock. Two days later and with a drink fuelled memory loss, I am arriving in Vegas and I'm agitated, a little sore and in no mood to talk to anyone. I'd had hardly slept on the flight here and when I did I dreamt of the Humphries family, so I was feeling a tad sorry for myself. Then after being woken at an ungodly hour to take a call of great importance, which it turned out was only my being summoned to a meeting with the great Hoyt Holland, my father and the most sorrowful excuse for a parent anyone could ever wish for. Crap, the cracked record is playing, that's all I ever bleat on about my Daddy Issues. That's why I got shit faced this weekend, because I knew I'd have to see that bastard.

I had hoped he was having heart attack number two, but alas no, he needed something done and now. I wasn't in the mood for the get right here now thing he demanded, I was however hung over and in need of sleep. I hadn't even planned on coming to Vegas, not until I got the invite two days ago, so how the fuck did he know I was even going to be there. Ouch, my head aches with all his shit, how does he know where I am? I'd had an extremely heavy day and night of drinking and I'd partied hard apparently with a woman called Valarie? Had she not texted I wouldn't have known with whom I'd had the pleasure, why did I say pleasure, because it was far from it.

What was it with me picking up women in dive bars and expecting them to be classy? What woman in her right mind and within ten minutes of saying hello handsome what are you called, is allowing me, a stranger to nail her hard and in her own hotel room? What woman in her right mind does that, offers up unprotected sex, just so she could feel me in her? A desperate one that who. What did that make me? I know, like my father. Maybe in hindsight I should stop going in those types of bars, and thus I'd stop meeting those types of women?

I step off the jet and I turned my phone back on, I noted the sheer amount of messages and text's from last night's woman, Valerie. Her name was on my caller ID, she had texted then phoned and left rather a large number of voicemails, like thirty or more and all this between me skipping out on her at her hotel, to me getting onto my jet. Being as I was still damn hung over, I'd turned that phone off to grab some sleep. Now it buzzes like it's going to explode as text message after text message comes in. Wow, not too stalkerish at all, I read the things before I delete, maybe I had met a classy woman, maybe she was just saying thank you?

Val: Baby thnx for evrythin, hope to do it and you again soon X

Oh she was being polite, what a surprise.

Val: Call me X

Gheeze, gimmie a chance to read it before you demand more. Forty seconds between texts, I'm slipping and I've picked up another stalker.

Val: Honey call me Pleazzzze X

Two minutes between the texts, umm she's getting the message.

Val: So I was thinkin, I could fly and meet you X

What the hell did I tell her, I pray to God it's not where I as heading? Shit, just how drunk was I?

Val: Getting hot thinking of last night X

Val: Going to bed, thinking of you X

Val: Rubbing myself, there but you do it better baby x

Val: I'm all wet for you, baby come see X

Val: I'm coming thinking about you as I put my fingers in the place you visited wow damn baby I'm coming X

Val: Baby, baby, baby I need you to fuck me again X

Val: Fuck me hard and spank me master X

Val: Damn, you have the biggest dick I have ever had. You touched the back of me, and I ache and I doubt I will be able to walk straight, and I've had a few good lovers. None like you X

What a surprise I picked up a desperado and there you have it I am like my father, the last dozen texts are the reason there will be no revisit, she wasn't even that good in bed. She was just someone to blow my load in and get home. More texts arrive and they are doing nothing in helping to arouse me, that part is dead, but I suppose one side texting is just a text, not sexting. I read and see what else I'm good at, as I do like a good review. I laugh and read on.

Val: Can't sleep thinking of you X

Val: Why did you leave me when I fell asleep? X

Val: Did you get a call to do brain surgery X

Val: I would have appreciated a note or you waking me X

Val: I feel used. Gary did you use me? X

Well I will give her ten out of ten for realising that I may have used her, a little. Okay yes, I did use her a lot, but in my defence, I did not come on to her. I did not ask her for sex, nor was it me dry humping her at the bar. I did not take her to my hotel room, and I was not the one naked and throwing myself at a stranger when we got there, yes, I was a stranger, because not once did she say oh and I'm Valerie, pleased to have you. I was however very impressed when she said she was a zoologist and she loved her job. Maybe, I thought to myself at the time, maybe this girl was a step up from my usual type. Then I'd asked her in what specific field of zoology was she in? She looked at me in all seriousness and said she didn't work in a field, she worked in the ticket office at Denver Zoo, and there it was, yes, she was dumber than I thought. She worked in a zoo, so she thought she was a zoologist. Sorry, but she had definitely been hit with the stupid stick more than once. So she was just my type, my usual taste in girls was fulfilled, blonde, boobs and yes normally no brains behind the beauty and just looking for a goodtime, also usually drunk and with no ties, I was taught by the best, my father.

That's when I told her I was a world renowned brain surgeon and she fell for it, hook line and sinker. She said I looked kind of hot and that my hat made me look more like a sexy cowboy, than a surgeon. She liked the sexy Stetson I wore, she took it off and ran her hands through my hair, putting it on and smiling so cutely, she looked good in it too. I smiled sexily at the complement saying, "thank you, lady zoologist, perhaps I should have come out in my scrubs?" I took back my hat and then she went all kind of dumb on me.

"Why would you want to come out wearing a bush Gary?" Oh hell, I laugh as I remember the look on her face when she said it too. She was either really drunk or not real smart and I'd go for the later.

"Oh hell are you for real lady, because a shrub is a bush? Unlike scrubs, which are the things I operate in, you know, like the guys wear on the television shows. You know, what we doctor types are seen wearing in all the soaps and documentaries, you know the blue and green things, the coloured overalls I perform surgeries in?" Her reply was priceless, so damn priceless, so why was it that I was so damn shocked?

"You're on television too cool? I've done some television filming too. My friend and I had a part in the 'Girls-Gone-Wild' thing on our spring break here in Miami last year and we won a competition to come back again this week. That was exciting, the producer's friend said I could do movies, and have a really good time and make lots of money, because my unnaturally large and yep natural boobs are awesome. Apparently, my big tits are amazing, do you like them Gary?" She was about to pull her top down to show me them and yes, the rack she had was indeed pretty big, but I didn't need to see them in the flesh to know that, because there was more than enough on show already.

"The boys loved them, and all we had to do was parade on stage and get showered with water wearing white tee shirts and bikini bottoms. For some reason they liked it when Wendy and I did our college cheer. We have to do a new one this year, and we have been practising really hard all year, do you wanna come see me dance?" I smiled as her and Wendy gave the whole bar a show, before coming back to me with dollar bills in her cleavage. I bet they did well, she had a really nice ass, but her tits were huge and the good gents of the bar had had a good ole time with my date for the night, Miss Wet Tee Shirt, oh a classic. Then she made another play for me, I'd had a drink or two and was all for calling it a night, but when she started the whole come on, with the hard sell of her body, telling me she could and would give me a ride like no other, all as she dry-humped me at the bar.

She had her hands down my jeans and began feeling me up, and shrieking at the size of my cock, her hand was shaking as she pulled on it a few times. I whispered to her that it was only a semi at the moment, she smiled licked her lips, then she said whispered back that she hadn't been laid in a while, and she wanted me back in her hotel room. She had guessed correctly, that I would need a helping hand in getting rid of the hard on she'd given me, and yeah so shoot me. I took her up on the offer, I'm a hot blooded male, and okay, all be it that I was a whiskey fuelled one. One, who'd just had his cock nearly ripped off at the root as she started to jerk me off in the packed bar, and she was right I was so in need of a nameless sex session. I dumped the dude I bought the shopping mall off, in the seat with her friend and I went back with her.

She took me to her hotel room where I did just that, fucked her senseless and allowed her to ride me hard, yeah sure she did it well, and somehow, I was made to feel like I was just a fella she'd chosen to drag back for a booty call. Oh, I could make a joke about how I felt used and abused. Yes, I have a wicked sense of humour, she told me I was the most beautiful man she had ever seen, and asked had we met before? All as she jumped up and down on my dick, whilst screaming for me to twist and play with her boobs and to make it harder, how hard did she want it, it was as ridged as steel already. She screamed for me to fuck her harder and to make her come hard.

She made stupid amounts of small talk as I fucked her. I was both weirded out, and amused by her, because this was definitely the weirdest most talkative ride I'd ever had then after she gave me a hard fuck and long one too, she wanted the kisses and the caressing, and being a bastard I thought of my own needs before hers, because I didn't do those things, I do just the business end of this sex thing, and that's all it is to me meaningless sex. She fell asleep and she tried hugging me. Err no, I pulled away damn fast, no way do I do the post-coital hug fest with anyone either, that's for solely for lovers and not being in love with her, I ain't doing it. I fuck them, throw away the condom, shower their smell from me and leave.

I have no time to feel sad and blue about using them. I can't get emotionally involved like that with any woman, especially a girl that's tantamount to being a hooker, though I didn't have to pay for sex with this woman, I did leave a tip as I hadn't had to pay for her drinks all night as I usually did. I'm a bastard because of the way I use women, and as much as I hated my dad for doing this and I'd always swore I'd never do the things he did. I do though and more. I know I am no better than he is, but she wanted it, they all do. All the women who come on to me, they do the chasing and the asking. They always have done, I'd been having sex since I was sixteen, so there was a lot of women to compare this night to, and yeah, I loved sex and enjoyed being chased.

I learned early the ways of the chase, from the hours studying it from my home. Home that's a laugh too, because I lived in a hotel right there on the strip in Vegas, where girls and women came for the 'what goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas experience' and yeah, I'd experienced it all alright, with plenty of casual sex partners and stopovers. I was a red blooded male who was offered it on a plate all the time, and most came on to me because my dad owned the hotel they were stopping in. I was the Prince of the Empire and sowing my young oats whilst I could, because I went to a private boy's school, so there were no school girlfriends, and I really didn't miss it, in fact I studied hard and fucked hard when I went back to Vegas.

Even when I hit college I didn't find a girl who would become more, like I needed the constant moaning of a girl on my arm, I was offered it, but I had enough of what I needed with the 'hotel fodder', a crude word my father used for the constant fresh supply of women passing through the doors. I'd never gone steady with anyone I've never had a girlfriend, nor taken anyone to the prom or any dances for that matter. I did get to go to fancy balls, benefits and dances with my father, all prettied up and dragged to the cattle market, because Dad had high hopes that I'd snag a hotel owners daughter, yeah right Dad it works for you, not for me.

I had some pretty smart clothes in my wardrobes. My tuxedo collection is the best and in all styles and colours, including the one Luis and I got for our trip to the year 2000 Mardi Gras, in New Orleans. From what I remember of it we had a fantastic time and we collected many girls phone numbers, and over the fantastic final week of carnival my headboard was quickly filled with girl's beads, I won the battle of the beads. My suit for the ball which we were actually there to attend, was pale blue and Luis wore a pink one and whilst drunk we pulled more girls telling them we were gay than we'd had hot dinners, and we'd had, as I said a very busy few days.

They are all hanging in the wardrobe of my penthouse suite in New York they are all still there, from my very first one worn at the grand age of two years old, to the last one I bought a few weeks ago, though that one didn't fare too well after a night in the pig pen. I joked with Gran that I'm keeping them for my son, which makes her cry, that one day I do actually want to settle down and have children and she is glad that the way my father has raised me has not ruined the idea of me one day wanting to have a family. I have to admit that the idea scares the crap out of me. What do I do if I do get it all wrong? What would I do if I married a girl who turned out to be a gold digger? Could I even raise a kid, 'cos he sure as shit didn't? Shit, I have years left yet before I need to settle down. I'm only twenty-four now, and I can plan that when the quarter century hits me, that particular milestone arrives in a couple of days. Besides I have yet to meet the one, if there is in fact a one out there for me.

I look at the phone again, and what a surprise even more texts arrive, is she about to become a problem like Gina? She was my biggest stalker sextexter, the fiery red headed Italian, now she was a weeklong fuck fest and boy I didn't need sex for a couple of weeks after those days, but she's a story for another day. Where was I? Val and sex text reading, that's right.

Val: Gary, you aren't replying. X

Val: So when you get back, in town call me X

Val: Seriously, you are a shit texter. X

Val: Okay one more sex text, I need to get off and so badly. Fuck, your fingers are the ones probing my sex. They pump me hard, your rough thumb strokes my clit over and over, and your fingers plunge into me over and over, you've made me so wet, I need a clean-up on aisle pussy. You're lapping my love juice and thumbing my ass oh baby that's naughty, you say you want to fuck me there too, umm baby do it, I need you there, do it.

As I bend over, and show you my ass. You lube up with the tingly gel, and as you fuck me hard for what seems like an eternity, you tell me you love me as you come hard. I have come so many times, as your fingers play with my clit and the other squeezes my tits, you scream to a shuddering end, and hold me asking for more of the same. Argh but Gary, I didn't get more you ran away, but I will have you again baby you know I'm a really good fuck. You do want the more I can give you. X

Val: Sleep well and wank off to that and honey it will be my pleasure to do it again, 'cos baby, Val is waiting to be fucked hard again and damn I'm all wet again and wow that orgasmic finish has wiped me out, sleep well, I know I will baby. X

Wow, such an imagination, so I guess I should block her number and delete the damn texts. One night and she's already too clingy. The bags are loaded in the car as I delete and block Val from my life, it was what it was, a one-night thing. I must note not to leave phone on the nightstand for unauthorised taking of my number and why the hell did I say I was called Gary? I normally tell them I'm Jude, as in Jude Law, because I look like him, apparently? I leave the plane, and Jameson, my dad's right hand man and the man who was more of a father to me than Hoyt ever was, is calling my name.

"Mr Holland, your father is expecting you."

"Right stop that, it's Chris, you have known me all my life Jameson please call me Chris, why are you being so formal again? Is it my father again? How is the old bastard Jameson?"

"He's much the same, and is alone and he has been for the last six months, since your last visit. I have been told by your father I will lose my job, if I forget my place, he has never liked me calling you Chris or Christopher for that matter, and as Glenda is in need of the fantastic medical care she is getting as part of my salary, I can't afford to piss him off and lose her the care she needs, her cancer is back Chris, and she'd like to see you before you fly off again, you will call in, won't you?" She was as good as a mother to me, when we lived at the mansion, but when we left there she wasn't allowed to come with us to the hotel, and they had to rent a small condo when we moved. Poor Glenda lost her home, me and her garden, and as soon as I came into my money it was the first thing I bought them, a nicer house and one with a garden and pool, Jameson gets good money from dad, but I know a million-dollar house in a nice area, he simply couldn't afford. They happily agreed to live there, as my guests after refusing the deeds, besides arguing with Glenda is pointless she wins every time.

"Hell yeah, try to keep me away. Why did you not tell me before? I could have flown back sooner, and as to paying for treatment, did you forget I have money too, and anything that woman needs she gets. Do you hear me anything, she is like the mother I never had, and I hope you and she know how much I love her right?"

"She does, and the sunflowers and giant daisy's you send her every Friday lets her know you do, as do the phone calls and your daily email updates of what you have eaten and where you have been, they too are keeping us informed that you are safe and well. I didn't tell you she was ill again because she knew you would worry, but Christopher Robin Hoyt Holland, you need to come and see her more, whilst you can." Oh shit, my full name means this shit is serious. As in she's really ill and there's nothing more they can do serious, we knew this would happen but not so soon as this, fuck I thought I had years left with her? I'm about to say something when he nods his head, like he read my thoughts, we quickly change the subject before he and I cry.

"Has Dad given up the Boudoir Bunnies, and is someone monitoring his messages and mail, because he sends me the weirdest requests and just lately damn near on impossible tasks to do." He smiles.

"We do, and yes his problem is getting worse, he is losing his grip on reality, and sees no one, his food is left by the door and he sits in his suite watching old movies and films of your mum. He has taken this anniversary hard, twenty-five years and still he weeps like a baby, but the bunnies stopped calling and living in the hotel when the heart attach scared him witless." Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, not, because I don't do birthdays because for some strange reason celebrating the day your mum died is a bit of a buzz kill.

"He is gonna be fun then, no sex and a bad heart? Well anything else I should know about, before the great Hoyt Holland permits an audience?"

"No, but he is in no state to be seeing you really, he even after all this time blames you for her death so just watch yourself. Oh, and Roger's back with your sister Catherine, both are in and out all the time they are up to something, but his room is very secure and secretive these days, so much so he debugs every day, he doesn't even trust me and he has a throw away phone for calls to those two, so I have no idea what their game is? Your present is here, Happy Birthday Son, I know before you say it, it's just another day, but it's your day and Glenda wanted you to have this it means a lot to her." I open the package and there's a fob watch, an old gold fob watch and chain. I fight the urge to cry.

"It was her Pa's and having no kids she wanted the nearest she had to one have it, sentimental old fool that she is, don't forget to go see her."

"Thanks Jameson I will, she really is ill?" He nods back, no tears, no tears, shit a tear.

"Yes, now back to your father and his mourning your mother be careful I have never seen him so badly affected by it."

"He will never forgive me for killing her, I have gotten used to that, but what do his doctors say about him, is he losing his mind and his heart how is that problem?"

"He saw one three days ago his private physician came at his request, again. That man should just damn well move in, it would save time. He thought he was having another heart attack, but he wasn't it was just bad heartburn, and now has himself hooked up to machines all the time, they bleep away and he's happy they are keeping him alive, the hypochondriac old fool sleeps well to their dulcet bleeps and pings. He really is a sorrowful man, a man whose mind is drifting and his grip on reality is fading fast. The doctor reviews each day's monitoring from his office and calls through with the results, the poor man must have hour upon hour of data to check. He also hates the scar from the open heart surgery Christopher, as it's a constant reminder he is not going to be here forever, the good thing about the scar meant he didn't have the bunnies back, the vain man he thought it made them see him as less of a man, like they would be interested in him, it's only the business end and money they look at." He says and I agree, they see my father as a cash slot machine, he pumps in and money pumps out, crass but true. That was until the heart attach on the dance floor in his club scared him witless.

My father had a collapse at a disco whilst tonsil dancing with the latest bunny, the twenty-year old pole dancer, Tifferniee and yes, that's the correct spelling, anyway Tifferniee called me in a blind panic telling me it wasn't her fault that he was in hospital, he'd asked for a blow job on the dance floor after popping an ecstasy tablet and a Viagra, or so I was told when I asked what the fuck did my old man do and was it life threatening? She lasted two more days before she was paid off and sent packing, poor girl was traumatised, a couple of hundred saw to her trauma, and that's thousand, he wasn't cheap, just heartless! Ha well not quite, apparently, he's got one it's just tired of keeping up with Dad and his dick.

The lifestyle he leads was and probably still is killing the sixty-three-year-old bastard what with the whiskey, fine wine, rich foods, his over use of the blue pills and fucking girls a third of his age for so long, it was just something we were waiting for, it was just a matter of when the grim reaper paid him a visit, and that time was six months ago. I rushed back as he had to have open heart surgery, and according to Tifferniee he needed me because he was dying. I will admit it frightened him into some weird changes and he tried to get me to move back home, but as far as I was concerned it was too late to play the good father. So what, he was dying? I wasn't his concern whilst I was growing up, so as heartless as it sounded I didn't give a rats arse he was dying, he left it too long to be my father and he didn't want me really, he just needed me to do his bidding for him as he was lain up in bed.

"Failed miserably in diagnosing that problem didn't they, but it's not their fault he was always a heartless bastard and don't look at me like that Jameson, you know it's true, because Hoyt Holland does not have a heart, so I guess he needs another doctor?" I snigger and read the texts on my other phone and there are several messages from Mel, wishing me a happy birthday and telling me it's time for me to settle down, I'm old and gonna be past it soon. She wants nieces and nephews. Like I would know where to start? The girls I seem to be drawn towards are sadly, more hooker than wife material, the women I do see in the right circles are hungry for money and power, and I have yet to meet one that does anything for me. Besides, I'm only twenty-five, but I will admit I am twenty-five and damned lonely. I haven't met the right girl, and even if she exists I doubt I will have time for the family life I want.

My sister Mel or rather my half-sister, is the only one of my remaining seven half-siblings I have anything to do with, she was the first Boudoir Bunny Baby. Her mother was called Candice, she was really nice and I liked her, she was the first to try and fill mum's shoes and lasted a whole year, but as soon as she got pregnant with Melissa, she was out of the door, as were all the others. The old bastard should have had his nuts removed if he didn't want women to trick him into marriage.

I will never get caught like that precautions are always taken, because women say, 'sure honey I'm covered' all the time, but I don't take the risk. My dad must have been loopy to think being as rich as Midas didn't attract the gold diggers, and I have learnt from the eight Dad did impregnated, it costs you a whole lot of money to raise a child. All be it he pays, he hardly sees them, hell, he hardly sees me and I'm his legitimate kid and heir apparent. Dad speak, for run around errand boy, and yet despite my moaning like a bitch here I am and still I come running when he calls.

"We are here Sir, I will have your bags will be taken to your rooms, and your appointment is in ten minutes."

"Thanks Jameson, I will see you later I need to buy another suit for the ball. My last one was ruined, I apparently slept in the pig pen and they like the taste of the silk."

"Do you want me to send out for the usual Sir?"

"No thank you, I will pick one up for myself. I fancy shopping, plus I need to run some errands too, but for now wish me luck." He gave me the smile, well something that in Jameson's eyes passes as a smile, it's more of the Elvis lip thing he has going on. Jameson has been with Dad for thirty years and is devoted to the ornery old bastard and he has been there for me since day one.

I was told by my nanny he was the first person to cuddle the infant son of Hoyt Holland, when all my dad did was look at me in disgust and said I'd killed her, that's all I heard growing up, that her giving me life killed her. It was all due to my hard delivery, but she wanted to be a mother and she knew having me was a risk, but took that risk and it was one she never recovered from. Her mother, my gran, she looked after me for a while and with the help of Jameson, a nanny and Glenda I was raised by others not him. As I got older I was paraded out and shown to the world in my smart suits, each and every time it was like a choreographed dance, where he would schmooze the clients and pretend to be the doting father, then back at home, I was left in my wing of the house, and left in the care of those others.

That had been my life until I got my mother's trust fund, and I gained financial independence from him, and I thank God for that small mercy and unlike the others, Mel and I come from mega rich families, so I'm unlike the other kids he fathered, we are the only two are not dependant on Hoyt Holland. Though like a good son I do come a running when asks and this is the same with this trip, though I'd already planned to be here for Bella, I told Daddy Dearest that I'd had to put many meetings on hold, putting my plans aside flying here to do his bidding and that he was costing me millions. Hell, I would much rather be in Texas on my ranch with my horses and cattle. I would rather be back in the damned pig pens, rather than be knocking on his door, but knock on it I did.

"Come in Christopher, the door has been opened." I have been summoned by the great man himself!

"Dad, hello and why the need for me here so urgently, that it warranted a phone call from the great man himself?" He gave me the do as you're told and shut up now, and before I bust a gut, look.

"I want you to attend Hugh Humphries ball for me. I can't go as I'm on doctors' orders to rest. I need you to remind people I am still on the top of the hotel chain game and besides I want his hotels, all of them. Those and those of the Eller Hotel group, he's there too and desperate to sell, Damien is mortgaged to the hilt and because his third divorce is costing him a packet. Why he needs to marry these women he falls for is a fucking mystery? Most bitches give it up without a ring, that's one dumb arsed motherfucker."

"Well you'd know all about that Dad. No new woman on the go then? Tell you what, why don't you get washed up and changed and go yourself all this is for show, you do know they fixed your heart right?"

"Why have a dog and bark yourself? I have been told to cut down on the strenuous exercise, so the fucking had to go and besides I ain't getting any younger." I laugh, his looks have gone and the gray hair is thinning and he is a mess, he has let himself go and he's in a bad way, if I gave a damn I'd be getting the bastard looked at, but hell what's it Gran says? 'You sow what you reap.' This is payback and then some.

"I ain't no dog, so go do your own fucking barking, as to Hugh's hotels, put a decent offer in and he may accept this time?"

"Fuck you, why should I pay your daddy, he was the one who screwed your mama you even look like him..."

"Oh that old chestnut, you really wanna rehash this same old shit, that I'm his son time and time again? Why you'd even think that was the truth is a mystery. I bet you had me checked as soon as I was out of her, in fact I know you did and for the record I had myself checked out too, and what a surprise I am your fucking kid, mores the fucking pity. I have your damn blood running through my body, so fucking quit with the Hugh's my dad crap, because old man I wish he fucking was, why you hate him is a mystery too? Why Dad because he happened to be nice to me growing up, when you paraded me out as your show piece? Could it be about the many times they stepped in to look after me, when you'd forgotten you'd taken me to a ball or a gala, after you got hammered and were between some hooker's legs? Once and for all, the tests don't lie. I am your fucking son and if that's all you want, to rehash old crap? Then I have a business to run and as to Mum being his lover, I'm told she loved you, but I'm fucked as to know why? Oh and Gran sends her love by the way, and wishes you'd hurry up and die. Such an understanding bond you and she have."

"How is the old bitch? Looking after your critters on the farm, like the good old hired hand she is, Mexicans are good cheap labour Son. How are the sheep and pigs?"

"Life on the ranch is just great, and Gran likes it there looking after me, she's not Mexican, she just married one, you remember him my Papa, Joe Herrera, owner of some of the best hotels down Mexico way, of course you do, and as you damn well know, Gran comes from Sweden, that's where my looks come from, her side, not yours. As to her being cheap, she's far from it, she's priceless to me, priceless. You're the cheap bastard. It was the best thing I did buying my own place and getting her to live with me. You damn well know too that I raise prize cattle and breed thoroughbred race horses, and my other businesses are doing just fine Daddy Dearest."

"I hear your attitude boy, and I do not like the tone you're taking with me. How is the world of mergers and acquisitions? Is it so bad you have to raise cattle and horses to make ends meet?"

"My attitude is fine it's you who's the ass. My businesses are all good and extremely profitable and the ranch is a hobby, a hobby that just happens to be profitable too. So if that's all, and you're done insulting my family and me then I'll be off. I look forward to seeing you again real soon... Not. Oh and I ain't going to the ball, good day yawl." I tipped my hat at him and put it back on my head, and headed out the damn door angry and damned tired.

"Go to the damn ball, Isabella and her brother Luis will be there." Oh? I knew they would be there, but he'd grabbed my attention by him knowing they would be.

"Really, and this is how you hoped to get me to do your bidding? Do you really think I could be swayed into schmoozing them, to sell to you, by playing up to Hugh and his children, really you don't know me at all?"

"Maybe I did, so shoot me, but if you play nice with the girl, you may get them at a good price, or even better still get them as a wedding present."

"Fuck you, old man, Bella is a child and just sixteen and they are good people and unlike you that's something I wouldn't do, con my way into rich heiress's bed just to get their wealth and hotels. What is it with you Dad, when is enough, enough? You're on top of the list of hotel magnates, how many is enough. Gran says that's all you married Mum for, her hotels, that's how you landed my mum isn't it? Pity you didn't research well enough and that merger backfired, as they weren't hers her father left them to his wife, and wad-ya-know, she's leaving them to me. Then you tried with Candy, Catlin and Francesca, whose fathers all hated you and cut their daughters off rather than give you a red cent. Well tough, I ain't your lackey, you man whore, go yourself." I grab the door handle as he floors me with the next name from his lips...

"Cameron Bayfield has been seeing dating her, and it seems they are the hot hotel couple to be watching?" I shoot him a look, of all the names to mention he mentions him. I hated that man as a boy and I doubt he has changed much over the years to make him more likeable? He was a spiteful boy and an ass as a teenager and a nightmare young man in college. I hardly think he's with Bella for anything, but to be getting his hands on her daddies' empire, but if I know Hugh, he's still highly protective of his girl. That won't stop Cameron though, he could be my father's son, and he too is ruthless mean bastard. He attacked a girl in college, but it was hushed up and she was paid off. Anyway he's too old and too nasty for sweet little Bella.

"Right, I'm going home, being here with you has cost me millions and all you've done is rehash the same ole shit, I'm thinking of branching into hotels and casinos Daddy Dearest, I get my grandmothers later this year, so I'm adding to them, have you got any going cheap?"

"Good luck, it isn't in your blood, stick with sheep and pigs."

"Well I may just do that. Oh and your wires have come loose, the doctor may have sent the paramedics your flat lining, still can't figure out how that man found your heart, perhaps he should start looking for lost relics? He found something none us thought you had. Oh and Mel sends her warmest regards and says do you need a photograph as she's changed in the last two years? Why did you have us Dad, if you can't stand us being around? Don't bother answering because I don't really care. I won't be stopping here either, I think I will check in at Hugh Humphries hotel and see my real father." I didn't wait around for the fallout from my snide comment, because he was already ornerier than I have ever seen him and my bad mood hadn't helped him one tiny bit. I pass Roger on my way out of the door.

"Brother, how are you?" What's the smarmy little shit want now? More money I bet, he hasn't done a day's work in his damned life? Dad will be giving him his pocket money, the suck arse little weasel, he's so like our dad, he too is delusional, only he thinks Dad cares and he doesn't! Eventually he will learn that our father only cares about Hoyt Holland and nobody else matters, I'll tell you when Roger will realise this, when he is in trouble for doing something illegal for ole Daddy Hoyt and be left carrying the can?

"I'm fine Roger. I see you're here to do his bidding for him again? You do know he's using you, and he has no real feelings for you because he's incapable of them, you do, don't you? You may have his name, but you're still a bastard, those were his words not mine, just watch your back Roger. Please be careful he's losing it big time." His eyes stare me down. He knows this, surely to god he does?

"Well perhaps if you were around more you too could get to know him better?" Around him more, what the fuck? I am bloody twenty-five, and I have spent a collective time of about six months with him I did a rough count a few months ago. And that was time I will never get back, so why would I waste more time?

"Don't fool yourself, I know him well enough, he is just using you because he can't use me. He will never change and breathing the same air as him chokes me, he's poison, so don't say I didn't warn you. You will do all this for nothing, because he won't leave you a bean, please tell me you do know that, don't you? He's made it very clear that only a legitimate heir inherits and I'm that, not you. Before you take that the wrong way too, I don't want a bean of his money or one brick of his empire, I have my own empire that I worked for, so please bear that in mind, I have what I need in my life, and I don't need him or his crap in my life."

"Things change big brother, all the time power shifts, his mind set on legitimate has changed too, I have his name, he gave me his name, remember that brother." I snigger at my younger half-brother and wonder what he has him doing now, something nasty and illegal, if I know our father?

"Well Roger, you were warned, when you need help with whatever he has you messed up in my doors open, you choose whether you want to step through it or not, bye Brother and please be careful." He will ignore me, he always does and he always comes of the worst for ignoring me. The number of times he walked into Dad's wing on his visits and was literally picked up and thrown into my wing beggars belief, and yet every time he would still try to see his father and every time it ended the same way, with rejection.

I hit the strip with my bags, after saying my goodbyes to Jameson, I head to the hotel and book into a small suite, grabbing a drink I finally open the laptop. I search out tomorrow's ball itinerary and take note that it's a black tie formal ball, great dress up. All my suits are at home and damn it I need more clothes too. I need to hit the shops. I read a few more emails and reply then take a nap, and decide to kill the world for a while because I need sleep. My phone rings with Mel's call ringtone... 'They call me mellow yellow.'

"Hi Sis, what's the matter?"

"Why nothing my big wonderful brother, I can ring you can't I?" Argh my sister is after something.

"What do you want darling little sister?"

"I wouldn't ask normally, but as you're there for a couple of days, and your jet is sitting all lonely and doing nothing, can I use it to fly down to Mexico, I'm working on a case and I have to be there an hour ago?"

"As if I would ever say no to you, how long will you need it?"

"Two days' tops, why?"

"I will get Jim to stop over and fly you back, keep safe and I will see you soon, we need a holiday Sis."

"Your beach hut in St Bart's?"

"Yeah sounds good to me and it's not a beach hut either. Oh, Dad's being weirder than normal and Rogers running his errands for him like a good little lap dog, what do you know?"

"Nope I have less to do with him than you. So, what was it the old man wanted, what was it that was so important you had to be there so quickly?"

"He wants me to schmooze my other dad and Damien Eller into selling him their hotels and cheap too, I told him to go screw himself, we rehashed a few heated debates, then told him to screw himself again." She snorted with laughter down the phone.

"So you're not going then? I'm pushing for time Chris can you phone it through to the plane to say it's okay?"

"Yes, I'm going to and you are already at the airport, I hear the planes, tell Jim I said hi and it's fine, see you in a couple of days." I'm texting Jim on my other phone as I talk to Mel on the other.

"Well are you going to do his bidding or what?"

"No, I'm actually here to go to a sweet sixteenth, for Hugh Humphries little girl Bella, do you remember her?"

"I do, the shy girl in the bedroom with Lego bricks and a goofy smile. How is the son and heir, Luis? He never forgave me for shooting his tiny dick with my paint ball gun, the little perv wanted to make out and I wasn't even thirteen, just cos he 'da man,' sure showed him he 'not da man' that day, oh hell hey ho happy days of my misspent youth." Oh really, that was the reason for the bruises he never said why, I thought it was the other group of girls he titty shot and they were getting their revenge, obviously, Mel was a better shot.

"He's fine I think? It's been a while, he is busy working and I have Australia so we don't meet up much, didn't you and him have a thing, you and that misspent youth was with him in the main was it not?"

"No, we bloody well did not. He was a spotty faced idiot, who thought he was God's gift to girls and I wasn't the only girl who paint balled his balls that day either, the lad had all the charm of a snake and was just as slippery too and he still was years later, and he still is, or so I hear." I laughed he's still the player, poor ole Luis.

"See you later, I have to go buy a suit, I may have ruined the last one, your Tequila slammers made me pass out in Sheila's pen and what do you know your lil piglet likes silk. You owe me a tux Lil Sis."

"Take it out of my inheritance, unless you have your own kids, who else are you gonna leave your billions to, but me your fav' Lil Sis?" I laugh.

"I guess I will have to get working on it. Where do you meet a better class of girl Sis?"

"Wal-Mart on Friday night, it's when all the freaks and singles do their grocery shop, you'd fit in well brother of mine, wear the hat and take your whip, it will bring them girls to the fuck me aisle." I roar with laughter. "I guess you just look in the wrong places big brother, besides your need to be looking, yer kinda getting old bro." I agree I may be getting old.

"See you later in the month, I have a suit and things to buy, oh what do you get a sixteen-year-old for a gift?"

"Lord knows, you bought me a pony? Get her one." I thank her for her totally useless help and hang up. I need to shop seeing as sleep is availing me, so I head for the mall at Caesars palace, they have a Yurman's store there and I need a girly gift. I stop at Joe's for a steak and a slice of key lime pie first, I need feeding. I find a seat and watch the world fly by and wonder why the hell my dad wanted me here so desperately?

I ate my dinner and then hit the mall, the present for Bella first. I hit David Yurman's and wonder what the hell do you get a teenager? I could stop to ask one I suppose, nope, I didn't fancy being arrested for being a paedophile! I don't think that's the greatest of my ideas so I head towards the blonde assistant, who seems to be eyeing me up and then I notice the three young girls by a glass cabinet pointing and chattering loudly, so I guess that's what girls like, whatever is in that case? They go on their merry way, with their bags in hand laughing and joking, it's sweet, but so annoying. They were looking at bracelets, great I can choose one of these, wow that was easily enough, the blonde comes to show me the case.

"Sir, may I be of assistance?" Yeah, first off close the top two buttons you undid on your way over, I'm shopping for a gift not for sex.

"I would like to see that one there, the Renaissance Bracelet, the one with emeralds?" She passes me the rope bracelet and touches my hand as she does. I actually recoil and look at it.

"The lucky lady would love that, it's not emeralds Sir, but Peridot, with pink Tourmaline and set in Gold." Bitch, like I buy stuff like this all the damn time.

"The lucky lady will, as the Peridot matches her eye colour perfectly." Young girl's eyes don't change colour, or do they? "Yes, I will take that, and could you please wrap it for me?" Then put the boobs away, they are highly distracting. I pay for my purchase, nine thousand is that too much, or not enough? What the hell do I know about this crap, all I know about is horse trading, and how to buy and sell companies, not all this girl stuff? Damn it I need sleep. I tip my hat and bid her farewell.

Then I head over to Gucci because I need a tux, and as I need it in a hurry, I'll have to purchase something from their ready to wear collection. I also need some more jeans and tee shirts. I'm bypassing the flowered array they have on display, because why in the holy name of Moses, are those jeans covered in flowers? Men do not have flowered jeans, nor do they do matching tee shirts and shirts, have I stepped into ladies' wear? No, I look around and there's certainly men's stuff in here. Damn this is weird arsed shopping, gimmie 'Big Jim's Emporium' back home, the one stop for cattle food, horse crap and for my jeans, plaid shirts and boots, I can even order parts for the tractors and the plane from Jim.

I plummet for both plain jeans and polo's and plain v necked cotton tee shirts and of course the suit, which fits nicely and ain't too bad for an off the peg number. A nice poplin evening shirt, now then do I go for bow or silk tie? I get both. With my purchases made I head back to my room. I fill in the card and slip it in the pretty ribbon of the box, with love from Chris Holland x. I catch up on my work and Glenda and then hit the shower. I need sleep it's been sorely missed these past couple of days.

CHAPTER TWO:

Isabella Humphries:

"Dad, Dad, Dad why can't I go with Luis, he can take me shopping, please Dad?"

"No, you go with security or you don't go at all, Luis isn't in until tomorrow and Mum isn't well enough to take you. Go with Carmen and Dora, your cousin's need dresses too, isn't that what you girls do shop?"

"No, Daddy we don't all dress shop, some of us study." I know I'm on a losing battle. It should be fun losing them for a while, I go and grab my fruit loop cousins, after my patented pout doesn't work, and we head out to the mall, the one at Caesars Palace is about the best and they have The Cheesecake Factory, for pizza and of course cheesecake. That should please Tanner, my protector and nursemaid. She notes what I eat, tells my Dad if I have skipped a meal, or take too long in the toilets. They are just making sure I don't slip back down the slippery pole besides I do like their cheesecake.

"Izzy what are you getting off Uncle Hugh?" Carmen asks.

"I'm getting a pony or rather I got a pony. She's a Mexican Azteca, that dear Dora is a breed of horse, she's a mix of an Andalusian, American Quarter Horse and Mexican Criollo, she's a beautiful solid dark brown mare who I have called Chocolate, oh she's so pretty, she's here at the stables for now, but is going to be being shipped back home to Spain." Carmen does the fake yawn action with her hand over the mouth. She doesn't share mine and Dora's love of horses.

"You and your horses, how many is this now?" Dora is as excited as I am and hangs of every word.

"I have four she makes five, and she's so, so pretty, she's from a rodeo horse dealer and boy the mare is pretty too, I am going to breed them in Spain and introduce the breed over there, so I need a couple more and I will be set."

"So, you aren't going into hotels then?" Carmen asks in a shocked tone of voice.

"God no, I want to be an architect and breed horses in the spare time I have, Dad has finally admitted to himself none of us want to follow in his footsteps. Luis and I help out when we can but, I'm happier waiting tables and changing beds, Luis likes front of house."

"Nahah, Luis likes seeing the pretty ladies he can date." We all know what Luis likes. We head for food first and grab a pizza, umm extra cheese, extra peppers, peppered ground steak and pineapple, so shoot me I know what I like, sweet and hot, and all on top of a barbeque sauce thin crust base. Tanner takes note and orders for me along with hers, she is the best protection officer I've had in a long time, and doesn't crowd me, so perhaps I will give her an easy ride today and just do a runner the once?

I wait for the pizza and people watch as they rush by. Funny how people rush push and fly around the place, like they are two seconds away from missing out on the next big thing, or have just a small amount of time to live, and need to grab as much as they can in the time they have allotted.

"Bella, you are dreaming again, the pizza's here, oh look a cowboy, he's kinda hot?" Dora looks into the crowded walk way.

"Yeah, and so is the waiter look Izzy your type blond and good looking."

"Stop it Carmen, she doesn't date. Uncle Hugh and Luis don't let her, isn't that so Tanner?"

"Yes Ma'am, besides Miss Humphries has better things to do with her time, like her horses and her studies." She winks and I return the smile. She knows me well.

"Cameron was hanging around you again I note?" Carmen gives me the look. "He's a letch Izzy, keep away from him." Dora looks concerned.

"I know what he is Carmen, I know what he's after and I'm not that dumb, believe it or not I have two perfectly good eyes of my own. Besides Tanner will drop him in a heartbeat if he comes as close as he did last night, isn't that right Tanner?"

"That's right Ma'am, besides Bedford warned him to not come near you after I pulled him away. I think he knows you're off limits."

"Erg, he's way too old for you he's Luis age, isn't he?" Dora eats the last of her pizza as the desserts are brought to the table,

"Umm, I think so, and as you said he is way too old and a slimy sleaze ball, even if I did like older men? He is so not my type, and yeah the cowboy is kinda cute for an older guy, besides he looked really familiar, I guess he is cute Izzy." I look at the guy walking by and I'm not so sure? I decide on reflection that all cowboys do look the same.

"Eat up, we have dresses to buy and nails to be done. Did you get the horse crap from under your nails Izzy?"

"I don't have horse crap under my nails Carmen." I however do inspect them, and she's right and I sigh, they do look rough.

"Do so, so does Dora." I laugh as Dora and I compare our nails, then we finish the meal with strawberry shortcake cheesecake and vanilla ice cream.

"Umm I'm too full to move, have my dress brought to me Tanner?"

"No Ma'am, they have it ready for you and don't think of running there's a code two. Someone is following you, so please stay calm, you know Miss Dora will only scream and panic. Thomson and Mayer are on their way, please Bella stay here and drink your drink and stay calm." I stay calm, code two means he's been watching me for a while, looks suspicious and has got too close to me, damn it will this never end?

Tanner says the other two are on their way, and to keep calm I laugh, joke and help them finish their desserts. The other security arrives and keep their distance. Tanner speaks into her sleeve, and they grab the man following me with the greatest of ease, all this because a mad woman took me from my pram when I was a baby? I came to no harm the poor woman had just lost her baby she saw me in the sun outside a shop that Mum was inside of shopping for fruit. The woman simply took me to the shade, as she didn't want me burning, apparently. She handed me straight over to mum, crying that she was sorry but I was in danger from the sun, and after that it was lock down and it got worse as the years rolled by, as I was and still am, referred to as the daughter of Hugh Humphries and heiress to the multi-million-dollar hotel empire in the papers. Dad gets a lot of kidnapping threats after each article has appeared in print or on line. So as a consequence I didn't like my photograph taken, or to appear in papers, so to get a shot of me is apparently worth money to the papers!

"Thank you, do we have to go home now?"

"No, Bedford is taking him to one side and the others are coming back, your dad is happy for you to continue, if you keep by me?" I agree.

"Come on then let's get the dresses first." I am sticking close to Tanner, which surprises her too. We try on our dresses in BCBG Max Azria, an unusual sounding name for a shop, which was what drew me in, I'd chosen a handful of dresses on-line and they were holding the for me and once I get them I head to the changing rooms. Tanner has given her nod of approval for all six but the one I will wear is a little shall I say a little older than I should be wearing, but the girls say I look cool, yeah that damn word again, but even I am pleasantly surprised how grown up the gown I have chosen makes me look. It's a strapless peplum dress in red, with my dark skin and hair, it looks lovely and though my eyes denote perhaps I should go for green, I opt for the red? This dress I love, and get giddy knowing it's in the bag, literally.

"God, that's so unfair, how come you get the looks, the hair and the body, whilst Dora and I have to share the Mareo genes, and you get the lot, why can't we look like Aunty Maria, instead of our dads?" Both of my mum's brothers, Uncle Enzo and Uncle Luis look like a fatter Tony Soprano, but Spanish and not Italian, and Uncle Enzo even does the bad impression of him too, poor girls, their dads are so funny and love to embarrass them.

"Some girls have all the luck I guess? I'm sorry."

"It's wasted on you, what do horses care if you look like a supermodel or not, as long as you brush them and feed them?" Carmen moans again.

"Sorry, I guess it could be worse I could be like Rachel and be all blonde and boobs?"

"Nahah, she's all blonde, boob and bitchiness, she has all the B's covered." My cousins like me, are not a lover of my half-sister Rachel. Sharing our father is all we have in common, because she looks like a mini replica of her mum, whilst I look like Mum and Gran. I am very peasant looking, according to her and her mum. I once shouted back, 'better a peasant than hooker', though at the time I didn't know what a hooker was, but ouch, she slapped me so hard that day and my head throbbed. I got my revenge though, as my ant farm got loose in her bed that night, oops, thousands of poor ants died for the cause that night and for my misdemeanour, I was grounded for a week, with no horses. It was worth not seeing them because she went home, and I got Dad to myself for the rest of the holiday.

Tanner received a call about the man who was stalking me, everything was okay he was just a paparazzi out for the birthday girls photograph. We had our nails done, grabbed some shoes, and some racy underwear, which Daddy will kill me for buying, if Tanner tells him what I bought it. I live in hope that I'm allowed to grow up this year. I grab some jeans from Banana Rep, Guess and Gap, as we pass Yurman's I'm dragged in to see the wish list, I agree that the bracelets they love, yes, they are nice, but yes way too expensive for little ole me.

"What's Luis getting you?" I shrug my shoulders.

"I don't know? Rachel sent me a spa day voucher, and a silver cross thing, it's in lieu of her not coming, I think, but that was present enough, her not coming." We all laugh and head towards Mak for makeup, because we have everything else in the multitude of bags and Daddy's card has been battered today. My last stop is for a new pair of flats, as I have to do a stint in the dining room, and my other Mary Jane's are on their last legs. I pick up a pair of plain black one's and as the other two turn their noses up I laugh, the pair of them haven't worked a day in their lives.

"Dining room duty for breakfast Tanner, sorry you're on minder duty." She smiles and pays for the shoes for me. "Right let's back home, we are just in time for dinner, then a bath and bed for me I'm up at stupid o'clock."

"Why do you have to work Izzy?"

"Dad says I have to, and that's good enough for me, besides I like it, it's a fun thing to do, but I don't think I'd like to do it all day every day. They work so hard, and besides Dad says it gives me an appreciation into how hard others have to work and makes me appreciate what I do get." They laugh and get in the car, as we head home exhausted from the miles we have covered in the mall. We join Luis, Mum and Dad for dinner, and I am tired and need my bed.

"Did you get everything Bella Pooh?"

"Yes Lu-Lu-Bell, you're here early. I did and I spent my allowance and way more too, I am so sorry Daddy."

"No you didn't Bella, but you tried, and several dresses I see, as well as jeans and tee shirts."

"Umm I spend my life in jeans and I have the dresses in case I go somewhere nice. Dad did Bedford sort the man out following me?" A hushed silence fell around the table.

"What, what happened Hugh, was my baby in any danger?" I should have stayed quite.

"Mum, I was fine Tanner was right by me the whole trip, she wasn't too keen on having to link my arm. The others came for him as soon as she saw him he was only armed with a camera." I had sealed my own fate to not being allowed out again. Damn me and my mouth.

"She is never a foot away from her protection dear, and I would never allow her to be in any type of danger." I sighed, as the eating seemed to end.

"Oh, I'll tell you who is here, this will cheer you up, Chris."

"Christopher is here? Really, why did he not join us for dinner?" She asks and I listen in.

"He had a meeting with his father, and from what I gather it didn't go down too well." I too remember Chris because he ruined my last party. Him, and Luis together and I wouldn't have another after that, paff and I bet he's here to ruin this one too?

"Luis, have you seen much of him?"

"Yes Mum, we meet for the odd weekend break, when our schedules allow, he's mega rich business mogul and I'm a poor law intern."

"Now, now Luis he was never like that you know he wasn't."

"He is fine from what I hear, he landed a big deal in Australia, he bought a mass of land which was full of iron ore and his newest one hit a rich seam of Copper, Zinc and Gold, it has made him one of Americas youngest billionaires." I yawn all this money talk does my head in.

"Eat up young lady, you have a big day tomorrow and the party planner wants your input in the morning, when they clear the dining room." I yawn again.

"Excuse me, I have to get to sleep, I'm up with the birds and need my sleep, excuse me, Mum, Dad, Luis?" I look again at the pretty dress and wonder if Daddy will approve? It's too late now it's bought. I get a bath and soak in the tub for three albums full of songs and I'm wrinkly and pink when I climb into my bed for the best night's sleep ever.

CHAPTER THREE:

Estella, ma Bella:

Waking up good and early, I change for work and help set up the dining room for breakfast and as I did, I sang a little and danced a lot. The room was ready well in time for the influx of diners eating, drinking and reading their morning papers, talking on their phones and living in a different world to me, their need to talk business seemed more urgent than feeding their bodies? I clear tables and take the empties through to be washed, working like one of the others. I think I'm helping, but two of the others say the new girl is crap, but I smile as they carry on bitching as I take out breakfast order after order, all without complaint.

"Estella, can you please ask that gentleman over there if he wouldn't mind taking his coffee in the reading room? We need to be getting the room ready, and he's been nursing that cold coffee for a half an hour now and he's in your section now." I nod. The poor man should be allowed to go at his own pace they pay enough for the privilege. I clear the tables around him hoping he will get the hint, but he looks sad, why is he sad, I wonder has he been dumped? He's kinda cute and as he stares into the coffee cup I accidently knock his arm I think I woke him. Shit, its Chris, I see him now and yeah, my friend is here and oh, he doesn't recognise me, why?

"Excuse me Sir, have you finished, my boss has asked could I please ask you to take your coffee and sit, if you will, in the reading room, so we can prep the room for tonight's party? I will bring you the papers and a fresh coffee through, please say you'll agree, please, please, please agree? Miss Brown there, is a little under pressure to make this party a success, it's the first one her bosses daughter has agreed to have, and everyone wants it to be the best night of her life." He looks at me, but does he recognising me?

"Well, how can I refuse such an offer? I hope the daughter of your boss appreciates your planning, and Miss Brown doesn't die of a heart attack trying to please her boss?" She is hyperventilating in the doorway with a paper bag as we speak, poor woman. Mum really has run her ragged.

"Oh she is, she is very appreciative, and she's looking forward to it, this is the first party she has allowed them to throw in a while, and her mum wants to make it extra special. Poor Isabella just wants a quite family dinner, but as always, her mum has other ideas, and figured her sixteen is a milestone birthday event, and unfortunately for Isabella, she watched three or four My Super Sweet Sixteenth on MTV for reference, so it's all out of control, hence the planner reigning it all in. I hope she manages it or Isabella will do a runner otherwise?"

Why am I speaking as though I am a third person, and more importantly, why did I not give him a hug and say hello Chris, come to ruin another party? Perhaps it's because the girls I am working with don't know I am the owner's daughter and what the hell, they are ogling him. Please, you could have taken my table, but my section was the largest? I ignore them and carry on my third person play. Perhaps subconsciously I'm waiting for him to see me as his little Princess Isabella? No, what I am doing is waiting to see if Chris even recognises me at all.

"Is this Isabella a spoilt madam then, she sounds like it?" Oh, I must have made myself sound unappreciative, I'm not, but hell I could do without it all. I would be happy with a MacDonald's happy meal and a rug set out in the park and eat them there, play football and toss a Frisbee with Luis and Dad, and eat ice-cream afterwards, but Mum seemed to need to show me off?

"No, far from it, she's her mum's only daughter and Isabella loves her mum, so is only doing it for her, she's a nice girl. Like I said, she's shy and a book worm, horsey type kind of girl and she's not into this at all. So, can I move your things Sir?"

"Yes, sorry, and I will take another coffee in the reading room, and thank you." His phone rang, he took the call away from the table, and he turned as he left and cancelled the coffee. He then asked me to join him for breakfast tomorrow morning, if I wasn't doing anything. I smiled and agreed. He'd have forgotten he'd asked me in the morning.

Chris.

I am still tired, but have to get to a meeting across town and then get ready for the party. Damn this hotel has the prettiest waitresses. I stare at the one seeing to the table at the side of me, she is really nice looking, perhaps a little too young for me, but I can look and not touch. I listen as she speaks to the people, she's so full of charm and not that false 'Can-I-help-you-sir' charm, which is so sickly sweet here. She smiles and dances almost, as she gathers orders and fetches and carries the plates, however I am served by a boy, who if he sniffs on more time, I will wipe his nose for him. As I said, I'm grumpy in the morning and I am until I have at least my third coffee.

"I will have pancakes and syrup, bacon. Two soft boiled eggs, with toast and can I have the toast cut into strips for dunking? Can I have some fresh coffee too? Thank you." He notes my order and disappears forgetting my coffee, so the pleasant girl fills my cup and goes on about seeing to her table.

I nod my head in thanks, and see her up close, wow she is something else, fresh and innocent. No, leave her alone, she's still too young Christopher. I agree with myself and await my breakfast. It comes and as I sit and give my usual prayer for thanking Humpty for my egg, I bash off his head, and say sorry but I can't put him together again. It was something that a nice person once did for me, when I was being a bratty child, and I was given a boiled egg and toast instead of the pancake and syrup that I wanted.

I eat my baby breakfast, and thoroughly enjoy it too, but as I stare into the cold coffee I remember the times when I felt so loved, and part of a family. A brief few weeks in twenty-five years, and the only happy things I remember are the times sat at their table for breakfast, which is something I have to thank Maria and Hugh Humphries for, for all the times they were being nice and kind to a bratty kid. Damn I need to get a life because this one's fucking depressing. The girl nudges my arm and apologises, but then asks me if I could possibly move to the reading room.

We talk small talk, about the seemingly bratty Isabella, as she clears away the remnants of breakfast, smiling and speaking that sing song talk as she does. I take a call from Mel and have to leave. As I do, I thank her and ask her to join me for breakfast tomorrow. I know she won't be able to, as she will be working, but I will ask about and find out who she is, and take her for coffee. I nearly fall over a stack of chairs waiting to come in as I continue to look at her and that jet black plait, which is right down her back, she has something stirring in me, and nope the trouser section is all calm, it's my heart that's beating, what the hell is wrong with me?

"Mel, what can I do for you? Have you broken my jet?"

"No, I'm calling to ask you how are the Humphries?"

"Fine I think? I'm having lunch with Luis at the Hooters bar here."

"There's a surprise, did you get your present, as I had it sent to the hotel? Watch, the girls in those owl tee shirts, tip well and don't take one home."

"Umm, okay tip them over and take one home, just one not two?"

"Christopher, I'm gonna tell Grandma, you're being a naughty boy." I'm down here, remember that brother dear." Shit, those two will gang up on me again.

"Right I got it, no partying with the Hooter Babes and tip well. What do you recommend I have to eat?"

"I have their beef sliders and a chopped Cobb salad I have to be going, ask behind the front desk, your present was signed for this morning Bro, love you big brother."

"How much longer do you need the jet for?"

"Two days?" I sigh.

"Open up with the request next time alright? But three days is all I can spare, as I need it here, or I'm on the commercial flight to Australia." She says goodbye and I head to reception.

"You have a package for Christopher Holland?" She smiles and passes me the Jiffy Bag, and I head to my room to catch up on work, on the way to the lift, I see Miss Brown.

"Argh just the lady I need to see. The girl waiting on the next table to me, she was very kind to me what was she called as she didn't have a name badge on?"

"Umm, what, no, err yes Estella, a temporary worker, sorry, can't stop I have a million things to do."

"Estella, does she have a second name?"

"No, well, yes, but I don't know it, she's still in the dining room go ask her yourself, she will be there all day too." I smile and say thanks. As I get in the lift, Hugh is coming out.

"Christopher my boy, you're here, well of course you're here, why are you not in the family suite?"

"I am busy working all the hours on this deal, the time differences mean I'm shouting on the phone a lot to Australia, in the middle of the night. I'm fine in the suite I have and this way I'm not disturbing you all. I'm going out for lunch with Luis, are you coming too?"

"No, no, God no, my Hooter days have passed me long ago." I laugh he's so not like my father. "How is the old man then, did he get over his heart attack okay?"

"Yeah, shocked the hell outta me can tell you."

"Why was it bad?"

"No, that they actually found he had a heart I thought it was just a cash register and an inflow valve for whiskey." He laughed.

"Now then, be kind. I know you love your father Christopher, or you wouldn't be here."

"I'm here for you and Bella, he had his five minutes' yesterday. I'm to talk you into selling your hotels and get him the Eller Group."

"Mine aren't for sale and he knows it, the Eller groups in a mess so he needs to sell. Damien was turned down yesterday for another loan, that much I can tell you. He's in a personal mess too, and the hotels need a lot of work, as he's been lapsed in their up keep." I sigh, because 'Dad the Destroyer' is not buying them to keep them running.

"He doesn't want to keep them open, he wants to knock them down, and ten are next to his hotels, ripe for the extending his already massive Empire Hotels."

"Argh well, then you make an offer and he will bite your hand off, but mine are never being knocked down, they turn a nice profit and I'm still fit enough to run the company. It's just a pity the kids aren't following in my footsteps, but I still have hopes of making Bella change her mind, she has a gift for it, but her hearts into design and architecture, and her damn horses."

"She likes horses? She's a girl after my own heart. I was just thinking she was five when I saw her the last time."

"Time flies alright. I remember her coming home from hospital you seemed very taken with her way back then, what was it you called her, yes that's right your nearly twin sister, because she was born on your birthday? You and she did get on or rather she didn't run and hide as much when you were around playing with Luis? Argh, but what's not to like, she was and still is as cute as a button, and now wow I'm standing watch with a gun, or rather her security do. Well, there's work to be done, and apparently, Miss Brown's looking for me?"

"She's by reception having a heart attack."

"I knew we should have had the picnic Bella wanted in the paddock at home. She's only doing this for Maria, this is her grandiose affair, and my poor Bella would make do with the Cheesecake Factory delivering to her room." Man hugs given and I sigh, yes, it has been too long.

"See you later Hugh."

"You bet, get those glad rags on this may be the only party she lets us throw for a while." I smile and head in the lift.

I spend three hours arguing the toss with Australia about mining rights and land rights of the Aboriginals, which this fella wants to ride slipshod over and it is something that is never happening on my watch. Luis lets himself in, and I point to the sofa, as I rip the team leader a new one. These petty nit picking problems will slow down the opening of another seam, and as I rattle of my instructions for the elders to have all their requests met, as it's their damn land, because they know their stuff, and in return for their knowledge, I have gifted back the land that is of importance to them, as a sign of my good faith. This bastard is undermining my good name and work in my absence, and I let him have it. Luis laughs as I finally finish and slam down the laptop lid.

"Damn, that was epic. Rant like that much, do you?"

"That chat has saved me a million in wasted trips into the back of beyond, and fees that don't need to be paying, Iron ore I know about, but hitting Gold at the new place was a bit of a bonus."

"Lookout, Mr Meg-lo-maniac is in town. Anyway, are you still in the mood for Hooters Ville then?"

"Yeah count me in, I need food and beer." I grab my wallet.

"You don't need to get laid then?" Luis gives me the wink as he asks.

"I don't always need it, no, but if the opportunity presents itself, I don't often refuse, unlike you, who never refuses." I counter.

"I know it was a stupid question Chris really stupid, come on there's a girl with an owl on her titty, just waiting for me to call her name." I laugh as he slaps my back.

"Mature Luis, real mature."

"I am younger than you, old man, oh here, a gift."

"Why thank you what is it?" I open it and smile. Wow, he really is an ass.

"Well what to buy the guy who has everything, but, now wait for it, it's the must have, gold condom box, filled with extra small condoms, none the less." Of course it is. "Did you get anything else as useful as those?"

"I got this from Jameson and Glenda." I show him the watch and chain and which now has got pride of place in my pocket. "This is, well I don't know what from Mel."

I open the Jiffy Bag and a wrapped present falls out, as I unwrap it I see a beautiful pair of jet cufflinks, the black stones shine and there's a cute note, 'What to get for the man who has everything? It's becoming harder and harder, but a little piggy tells me you lost the last lot of cufflinks, when a certain Miss Sheila Piglet ate them. Happy birthday Bro love you loads x' Sweet, I did lose them or rather her piglet ate them and I ain't searching through ten ton of mud for a gift my father once bought me.

"Nice, how is Mel?" He smiled as he asked me about her, no hook up with my sister in a while Luis? I keep their secret.

"Fine and cheers for hitting on my little sister, she explained the bruises you got back in the day, fancy hitting on her whilst paint balling."

"Old news, she was, I thought into women and I may have hit her titty one too many times." No, I know my sister is into men, because she is a little like me, in fact Jameson says she is the female equivalent of me, a love 'em and leave 'em woman. "Enough talk of sisters, we need beers and boobs."

"Talking about sisters, I can't believe yours is sixteen, she was five the last time I saw her. What's she like and has she changed a lot?"

"She's brilliant, but she's a shy girl, she prefers her horses to people, she is really smart and studious, she could be anything she wants and do anything she wants with her life. She's damned older than me in her head and she's sassy, she hates having the spooks watch us and err yeah Dad sleeps with a shot gun by his bed, she's a bit of a looker alright, she's so beautiful inside and out, I mean really stunning. I still think of her as my annoying Bella Pooh, my stinky baby sister, but hell she could be a model, she is that beautiful, and yes even without makeup. She was approached to do modelling in London and told them no, so yeah, we look out for her, not that she's into men or boys, but hell when she is Dad's ready with that there shot gun."

I should have gone over more to London, but I'd spent a lot of time with Mel, and had my family time with her, on skiing holidays and diving holidays, even spending time in Mexico with my grandmother. We both were shipped off to separate boarding schools and were the only two of the eight of Dad's kids that actually got on. When we did get together, we made up for it, by having a ball.

"Talking of lookers, who was the girl doing breakfast this morning, Estella I think the woman said she was called?"

"I don't know. I don't go down for food, either Mum makes it or I call down for room service. This place is wall to wall titty." He headed for the door. "We're missing drinking time."

"What are you doing now Luis?"

"I am interning at a place in New York, for a couple of years, it deals with all Dad's legal stuff. I figured I can't be as good at him at running them, but I can help with the legal stuff. Rachel does the interiors for them, so we sort of try to help in our own way, I think Dad was sort of hoping one of us would take over, he's still hoping Bella will. She's damn good at the ordering around and even working wherever they put her, she has her heart set on studying architecture at a university in Germany.

She has been told she has a natural eye for the design and this new concept thing she does. She is so good at the art thing and her head is like, light years ahead. She loves the whole damn thing and yeah is really good. The stables she designed for home and Spain, were, and are state of the art, all for her horses too, shit they live like kings, enough about me and Bella, what about you Mr Mega Billionaire?"

"Over exaggerated, I'm not there yet, but when this next seam is opened, probably. I've opened a massive foundry and processing plant too, but hell there's still loads in the pipe work, as you know I have fingers in all sorts of pies, and with Gran gifting her hotels to me, I will have added hotel magnate to the list too. I swear I need my head examining, when is enough, just that enough?"

"I guess when the enough doesn't bring you joy anymore, or getting the enough becomes a chore? Don't ask me I'm happy as I am I'm a 'horses for courses' kind of guy, dear chap."

"Horses, what horses does Bella have?"

"What, I don't know they are? They are tall, have great big teeth and poop a lot, two are brown, one is white and one looks like a patchwork thing, but her new one is a Mexican Azteca? Damned if I know, but she's going to breed them in Spain, the new one is a dark brown foal? But I guess you'd know that crap, anyhow she stinks of horses ninety-nine percent of the time."

"I have an Aztec for ranch work and rodeos damn she has good taste in horses."

"I bought her a new saddle for the new demon, with her initials on the thing, she is damn sweet, have I told you how sweet she is?"

I laugh as he starts to fall asleep at the bar after drinking a large liquid lunch, from where we nearly got thrown out, because Luis wanted to hoot on all the girls' owls. Those sliders cost me a fortune, as the girls were tipped well and smiled as I carried him to the car. Next, we headed to the strip and hit a few more bars. Then as he finally insulted one man too people, I decided we'd had enough.

"Wow, let's get you back and sober you up. The party is in four hours." I get him back to the hotel and drop him at his door, the maid lets him in and I tell her to pump him with strong coffee, I didn't know he'd only flown in that night from London and was still jet lagged. I would have stopped here with him had I realised.

I pop down to the dining room, but the girl has gone, and nobody knows her surname. Damn it, and for some strange reason she has me wondering why finding her matters, as I have never done the chasing before, shit am I doing the chasing now? I return to my room and grab an afternoon power nap, as all my work is done and I can't and don't want to disturb the Humphries as there were all manner of people in their rooms, as they are apparently getting ready for tonight, but that's ages off.

I get a phone call from Daddy Dearest and send it through to voice mail and though I'm really tempted to block his number, I simply mute my phone. I wake to a barrage of texts and voice mails basically, I'm an ungrateful bastard who better get him the hotels. I might just get them to piss him off, but buy them for myself and turn them into a chain of bargain hotels, like the ones they do in Europe. Nah, I'm happy with the few I do have in Mexico and Asia. I bathe, change and have a drink in my room. Luis knocks on the door and looks amazingly refreshed.

"Cheers for getting me back I've been on drip fed coffee and am now back, and in the land of the living. I don't know how I did it, one minute up and next minute out for the count."

"Not quite out for the count you harassed half, if not all the Hooter Girls, got up to pole dance in a very posh wine bar. Threw up in a pot plant in another, and then fell asleep, whilst talking to someone you thought looked like Wayne Newton, told him he needed to stop with the fake tan and Botox, then passed out in his lap, oh and it was Wayne Newton by the way, so I guess you're off his Christmas card list."

"Shit, did we see Elvis too? I am never drinking again, well for a while anyway. Let's get down, there's about to be world war three in the suite, Dad isn't happy with Bella's dress, her makeup or her hair, and let's not go there on the underwear, he wanted to sack Tanner, her poor protection officer for allowing her to buy the stuff, but Bella's threatened not to have the protection if he fired her. Tanner was saved by an almighty tantrum and rant, as Daddy's Girl won the battle, but that war is far from over."

"Baby Sisters do grow up. I have three, and they are a nightmare."

"I thought you had four?" Wow, he remembered?

"I did, Sommer died of a drugs overdose at the end of summer last year, her body was found in a squat she was a mess and that was despite being offered and refusing the best counselling and support I could get her. She was already deeply disturbed and when her mum threw herself from the top of one of dad's hotels at the start of summer to get his attention, after that she spiralled out of control fast, she was always troubled you know that, in fact I'd say she's in a better place, but she isn't and Dad? Well he didn't even go to or pay for their funerals I did, and he is still being an ass with the others too. Anyway enough of that let's get us a drink, and see if this Estella girl is there."

I had tried and there was only so much I could do to help poor Sommer, because if someone is hell bent on hiding away and ruining their lives you have to fess up and admit you can't always help someone who doesn't want help, and she didn't. I had an intervention team all lined up and she hid out when she spotted me and later that week died, her mum was just as bad. I paid for hours of counselling and crap, gave her a nice home and still she jumped, leaving Sommer alone and already troubled. She was ruined by Dad, they both were and when Dad turned his back on them I feel on some level he felt some sadness, because that was the summer he changed, I did wonder if he had a heart and regretted what he did, he had the heart attach soon after and then turned into Howard-Fucking-Hughes. Luis is talking again I think he may have had too much coffee now.

"What is it with this girl, you don't chase after skirt?"

"I know that's what's killing me I never have too."

"Did she give you the come on then, the old green light thing?"

"No, far from it she was just sweet and nice and different, I can't bloody explain the pull she had on me, and it seems she still does."

"Well, lord oh lord, look at you, doing the chasing, perhaps she's the one?" I laugh and slap his back as we head down present in hand.

"What did you get Bella in the end?"

"Jewellery, though I wish I'd gone with the pony now."

"Umm, you may be right, she isn't a jewellery kind of girl, sorry Bro but she is the hardest girl I know to buy for."

"Cheers, she can exchange it, she needn't worry I won't be pissed. She can come and choose a pony from the ranch. You will have to bring her down. I don't know why you never have?"

"Her refusal to leave London is why, she hasn't left there much in ten years, and do you know how long she interviewed stable girls for to get the right ones for her babies? Six bloody months and had security check them all out, as it is she has cameras in their stalls, the stables are wired for sound and she spends all her time barking orders at them from way over here, one quit yesterday. So, she was heading back until we got her another girl, she's bloody hard work her and her damn horses."

I laugh and imagine her in jodhpurs and hacking jacket riding helmet and whip smacking everyone who gets in her way, I see her being a spoilt madam bellowing out orders, wow he has my sympathy, she sounds like a brat. We head down to join the party, which is in full swing when we get there, though there is a distinct lack of girls her age. This is more of a corporate affair, but I'm not looking for anyone other than Estella and she isn't on duty. I will leave it until breakfast tomorrow. Hugh is on his way over.

"There's my two fellas, I hope she likes this I can't see her liking it. It's full of relatives and business colleagues, being as she has few friends other than cousins, so we invited our friends."

"Hugh, it will be fine does she not make friends easily?"

"No, she keeps herself to herself, she studies, she has her pony's and drawing, she's been taking extra architecture lessons for three years, and can if she wants to, skip a couple of years at college, but no, go figure she enrols in a few weeks doing a business degree and a top up on her architecture qualifications. Hopefully, then she will spread her wings a little, though looking like she does I'm amazed there isn't more gun fodder hanging around."

"Gun fodder?"

"Yeah, she's quite the stunner, and apart from Cameron, there has been very little male contact around her. But then again, they do tend to run when she kicks their backside with this mixed martial arts she does, don't ask me, its boxing kicking and wrestling, not at all girly and the bruises she gets, don't get me started, still she can look after herself thanks to Tanner."

"Dad that bloody woman Brown is waving you."

"Oh right, she's coming down now, get the camera Son."

"Dad you have the guy taking a video, two photographers and everyone has a disposable film camera."

"Just in case, just in case, we need this capturing, it may be the last one she lets us have after the last one." I offer to take the shots and laugh, because he looks like he's going to have a heart attack. The music changes to the birthday song as the lights dim and the spotlight then hits Mrs Humphries, as she walks her daughter to the stage. I snap away and as I look through the camera lens, my jaw drops, Estella is Bella, what the fuck? I then realise that I'm in lust with a sixteen-year-old. Fuck no.

"Wow she looks stunning, who'd have thought she'd scrub up so well? What do you think Chris?" Luis is asking me about his kid sister and I am drooling.

"She's, she's well... She has changed a little, wow your right stunning." The way that dress kisses her body, is probably doing to the other men, what it's doing to me, her long legs and slim frame, the jet black hair falls in loose curls way down her back and is sort of fancy at the top, wow I mean, really wow she is beautiful. I click away with the disposable and pocket it. Hugh will have enough the flashes haven't stopped all night.

"Come on come and meet her, she looks like she needs a friend."

"She looks alright this is your time you go up I will be fine here."

"Nope, Mum's orders your to be in the photos too, these may be all she has as you don't visit her enough." I am dragged to the stage, and I climb the step she's laughing and joking with three or four girls, Luis grabs her and spins her around.

"Wow, who'd have thought it, without her dirty horsey smelling clothes and dirty finger nails, hides a pretty nice young lady underneath. Look who I have brought." She ran into my arms and hugged me. I held her tightly and hugged her back.

"Oh gimmie a kiss you lug, it's been too long, you've changed, I didn't know it was you at breakfast, have I changed that much that you didn't recognise me either?" I gave her cheek a chased kiss, anymore would be so inappropriate.

"No, you were only little the last time, I saw you, all four foot of you. Here, I didn't know what to get you the last time I saw you, you were chewing pencils and eating Mac and cheese, then you pulled your tongue out and hid in your room all day."

"I still do that a lot. Thank you, can I open it?"

"Of course it is after all your birthday."

"Oh here." she opened her little red clutch bag and passed me my gift. "Happy birthday to you too it's hard to forget you when we share the same birthday." I take the gift and as we both eagerly open each other's I smile, she bought me a cool silver yoyo. "It replaces the one I smashed when I had the temper because I couldn't do it, sorry."

"It's perfect thank you, do you like yours? It's just Luis said you didn't..." Wow the kiss she gave me said she liked it, pulling back she blushed and said she loved it, she'd only been looking at these the other day in Yurman's I smiled, because she had helped me choose her own gift, she was with the girls here on stage looking in the jewellery cases.

"Daddy look what Chris bought me, isn't it pretty?"

"Yes, and it matches your eyes, Christopher thank you for coming and here is your gift too." He passes me a box, and as I open it, I fight back the tears. It's a collage of photographs, of our snatched days and the weeks we had in the hotel, there are many photos with Luis, but only two with Bella, one playing with the damn yoyo and one I don't remember them taking. In it, she was about eight or nine perhaps and it was taken here in this very ballroom? Why did I not remember that visit? She was looking into my eyes, and I was drunk by the look of the glazed over eyes, but I was dancing with her. She smiles and explains the memory loss photograph to me.

"That's my favourite, but I highly doubt you remember it? It was the last birthday party I had, and you and Luis turned up drunk and with two, sorry for this, but they were hookers and both of you crashed my party. You asked me to dance and said I was pretty and then three minutes into the dance you kissed my cheek and left for Hawaii with Luis and the girls. The true story of why I never had another birthday party. You broke my seven-year-old heart. I bought you a sixteenth birthday gift that I'd spent hours making, you took one look at it and laughed, you by the way left it here, as it was too ugly to take on holiday with the hookers." Oh hell I remember getting the hookers as a gift from Dad, I remember very little else, one remembers your first time and I remembered that alright. Just not coming here and ruining her day too.

"Sorry I was an arse, and I can't say sorry enough, shit you must hate me Bella? Let me make it up to you I guess a dance is out of the question?"

"Umm I don't know? Do you want me to find you a hooker?"

"Quit it Bella, I said I was an ass and I'm sorry, here put your bracelet on."

"It's very pretty, thank you and as to the dance, afterwards, I have to dance with Daddy now, but yes save me a dance please?" I looked at her and wondered when it was she grew up, and why the fuck I ruined her last birthday party?

"Sure I'll be the sober one next to Luis." Hugh patted my back and went to dance with the fair Princess Isabella. The dance was wonderful as Luis and I watched, I am mesmerised by her beauty, fuck her brother was right, she is stunning.

"Scrubs up well, doesn't she? She liked her present go figure."

"Why did we spend my sixteenth at her party and ruin it for her? I don't even remember coming here."

"Epic night, we were drinking your dads finest malt as we celebrated you popping your cherry. You were a man at last, and after a few more drinks and another round of hooking the hooker, we came here. I think Bedford was sent for us, we got here and crashed the party. I fell in the cake, and you made birthday girl cry when we left with the hookers on your dad's jet for a week of surfing and doing manly stuff in Hawaii. Most of which I can't remember, but I do remember my dick hurt it was used so much, you were drunk from leaving your old man's place to getting back, apparently, it was the week you left your old home and moved here to Vegas? You had an epic row with Daddy, and we drank his whiskey?"

"I remember nothing of that week, apart from my sore dick, hurting balls and sunburn?"

"As I said epic week, you fucked hard with the hooker we took with us, but we dumped them at the airport when they wanted to do drugs, but we picked up a few others that week, the one who ruined sex for you, because she was a grabber and a puller and she went all weird on you and wanted you to marry her for sex," I shake my head no, "you have to remember her, the nut job? She was the good looking blonde one you latched on to and you were not thrilled with her insisting on marrying you, in fact and you fell asleep in the pool on your surfboard to escape her, all because she couldn't swim, and you got burnt and she got arrested for calling the firemen to rescue you?" Nope I shake my head again another epic Lois party, forgotten through drink fuelled amnesia. "Look, I have got to go I have to dance with Mum, wait here for me I am going to look a prat, so no photos."

I feel like crap how can I not remember all that? It's a fucking good job I didn't remember it, because I may not have come for this one. I listen as the singer sings, 'Dance with My Father,' and if I didn't feel anything before watching her dance with her father, I certainly did watching her, she was so elegant as she glides over the floor, she looks graceful, charming, and she has everyone enchanted. Including me, and if I say or think anything soppier and I'd be fanning my face. She is beauty personified, but I had to pull back on those thoughts, because she was too young, sixteen and a stunning beauty, shit why was I born too soon?

"Nice isn't she Chris? How long is it since you last saw her, it's been quite a long time, I bet?" I turned to see Cameron Bayfield, with his tongue hanging out and his eyes are searching out every inch of my Bella, in a not too nice way either. "She's promised me a dance."

"Well you're out of luck, because her dance card is full, it seems someone told her of your indiscretions in college Bayfield, and do you see that woman in the stunning black gown looking at you? She's her security and carries a gun, so one step towards her and she takes you out, hi Tanner." She smiles and points at the man by my side and taps her nose. His card is marked.

"Seems I have another party to find, your dad said you were interested, I didn't think you stooped to cradle robbing though, is grown up pussy harder to find when you're as rich as you are? I never had you down as a little girl type of guy, but I guess you never know if they are after you or the money, such a hard life you lead?"

"I get as much as I want and need. Bella is like my kid sister, so fuck off back to whichever rock you crawled under from." He did, laughing as he left. The room erupted into clapping and cheers as the dance finished. They came over looking so happy.

"Right I need a drink Dad. Please can I have some champagne?"

"One glass, one glass, do you hear and no more. I need to schmooze look after her boys I am leaving her in your hands." Luis is already off chasing skirt.

"Looks like I'm on Bella minding, come on dance with me, it seems I owe you a dance then, do you still have my present and what was it by the way?"

"Oh nothing much and no, I smashed it. I may have had a temper tantrum."

"Sorry, dance with me please?" She took my hand and I shivered as she pulled close to me, what the hell was happening? Her silky red dress felt good beneath my hands and as she and I danced, she sang along, wow she has a sweet voice too. 'Against All Odds' was never sung like this with old Phil.

"Take a look at me now... There's just an empty space, and you coming back to me is against the odds..."

"You sing very well Bella."

"Apparently so, why are you looking at me like that? You did it this morning too, all gooey eyed and stupid?"

"I didn't think I was doing, you look different from the last time I saw you, and I'm just stunned you grew up to be so pretty."

"Pretty annoying you used to call me, can I confess something?"

"Yeah as long as it's not you have committed a murder or something equally as bad?" She laughs as we continue to dance.

"I had the biggest crush on you as I was growing up. I have loads of pictures of you in scrap books. I guess that makes me kind of freaky, but when I was little you always seemed to be there. Well until we left for London and then you and Luis forgot about me. So I kept up with you on the web and in magazines and stuff." She blushes, I'd forgotten how shy girls could be, but this was unexpected.

"I'm glad you got over it and me Bella, I'm way too old for you." I laugh and mean it but she looks desolate, shit what did I do now, ruin her birthday probably? Quick think of something to change the subject.

"Horses, you're into horses?" She sighs and smiles.

"Yeah, I have five and love them all, how did you know that?"

"Luis told me, he bought you a rodeo saddle for the new pony you have. I have a few Aztecs too, they are great on the ranch, and you should get Luis to bring you down when he comes again."

"I'll think about it, I have my own to sort out and being here means I'm not there, right thanks for the dance, but I think I have made enough of a fool of myself for one night Chris."

"Fool, why?"

"Telling you I had a crush on you and being sappy, thanks for the bracelet I will treasure it always. Oh and you don't have to stop to the party, Luis seems to have found you a friend for the evening." I smile, is she jealous?

"Well he will have to enjoy their company, as I'm dancing with you some more and everyone has a crush Bella... Shush, can I tell you something? Mine was your mum, but don't tell her I said that. It's all part of growing up Bella and I'm honoured I was yours."

"Good job I haven't got time for that in my busy schedule anymore and thank you for not laughing at me." I'm stunned. This is so wrong, so wrong and I want to be a few years younger.

"Right there is a drink of champagne with your name on it, and just the one too."

"Yes Sir, you're still bossy then?"

"You, you monster used to boss Luis and I into doing your bidding, and you became Bossy Pants, who came complete with amazing tantrums if we didn't." She laughed and held my hand as we went to sit down.

"Hello young lady, but we have to be going. Chris, you've danced with the birthday girl and now I have a birthday treat for you. Your very own hooker, oops I see the look Pooh, they aren't really, but Chris I have found you an Estella, you know the one you haven't stopped raving about all bloody day?"

"Nope, that's not her and I'm happy here for the night you go and enjoy the night young Luis." I am fuming because Bella heard all that. He laughed and had both girls in his arms and was heading out of the room. So now what do I do?

"Estella? Really, that's who you have been looking for? Did she happen to be in the dining room this morning serving you coffee, and asking you to shift your backside?"

"Look, I didn't know it was you, and I did not know you were only sixteen Bella, but yes you caught my attention, see now you have me blushing and tripping over my tongue."

"Good, so we agree that this is not happening and I am too young and you are too old yes?"

"Yes good, we're in agreement on the matter." She laughed and sipped her champagne, as she did she looked over at me with those eyes and smiled. "Stop it Bella please stop it, we are being watched and nothing will happen between us I can assure you."

"It's fine I know that a no means a no, besides Dad would kill you and Mum would be mortified if her little girl was kissed by a man."

"How much did you drink before you got down?"

"I dunno? We did vodka shots and we had a glass of champagne, why?"

"You're drunk that's why, you need fresh air and coffee lots of coffee."

"Nope, what I need is another drink and to forget I told you I liked you that's what I need Christopher Holland, another drink and you can't say anything you were way more than drunk on your sixteenth."

"I was, you're right but I was also a boy, not a defenceless teenage girl and I was drinking to forget an argument Dad and me were having, about me killing my mother again, so I had his best scotch, helped by Luis. Come on let's get you some water and coffee then we will go for a walk, have you eaten?"

"Nope, I don't want food, I want a drink and I can kick major butt, including yours Mister."

"Here have some of these little dinky sandwiches, and some of these too, if you are going to drink in future do it with food in your belly."

"You're very bossy, see I'm eating, happy now?"

"Very, here drink this too and all of it." She sipped the chilled water, and sat and picked at the food on the plate.

"I love my bracelet Christopher thank you. How long are you here for? I need to get you a gift, do you not think it's funny we have the same birthday?"

"It is funny yes, but I don't do birthdays Bella, the yoyo was a wonderful thoughtful gift. Birthdays before you came, they are a constant reminder of my mother's death, so birthdays were not celebrated in my house. I celebrated here with your family most years and when your Mum had you I was here when they brought you home, a pink blob in a white blanket, that made birthdays more tolerable knowing we shared them. I sent you Lego every year, but I highly doubt you remember getting it though?"

"I did actually, I sent a thank you picture every year and your sixteenth gift was a Lego ranch and stable block, it took me weeks to do and swallowed up my red brick collection and the more I wrote to Lego for, they sent me loads of red bricks and it was on my biggest base board too. Can I admit, that I got a great euphoric feeling smashing it that night and scooping the pieces back in my tubs, I had at last got all my reds back, but the scooping up was done with plenty of tears."

"I'm sorry, I was a bad friend and still it seems am. I never got any thank you pictures, but that's not unusual, Dad had my mail screened, he probably kept them."

"I suppose he could have. Still I want to get you something better than a yoyo. What did you get besides the photo frame?"

"A watch and Luis bought me a... Oh err crap he got me a full gold condom case, for use later, but it seems I won't be taking him up on his offer."

"Good you can never be too careful, safe sex is a must." I know I gave her the look, because she blushed as she said it. "Not that I would know, it's just what the girls tell me at school."

"Good to hear it young lady, let's take a walk in the garden and drink more water. Let's tell your father where we are going."

"Oh, do we have too I have Tanner, and she will tell security?"

"No, we need to tell him, you apparently like to give Tanner the slip, and didn't the other day get a little heated?"

"A bit, but I'm not stupid, I know where it's safe to do a runner and it wasn't in a crowded mall."

"True, your dad only worries about you." We head towards Hugh who is speaking to Damien Eller.

"Hello, young lady you look very nice tonight."

"Thank you, Mr Eller."

"Christopher, nice to meet you again, it's been quite a while."

"It has Sir, I would like to offer you some help in getting your hotels re-financed, as it seems you've hit a sticky patch, or I could buy them from you if you'd prefer to sell?"

"I'm not selling to the Holland Group."

"I would be buying them, I'm the CEO of a new hospitality group, adding to my own hotels, branded under the name Home Hotels, I'm thinking of branching into America and Australia, by adding to the small chains I have already in Mexico and Asia, branching out and diversifying? I am probably going to be angering my father, by just offering my help or asking you to sell them to me he has big plans to extend his Empire Hotels, which as it happens are next to yours." Wow I think on my damned feet fast, it seems I am trying to impress Hugh and perhaps Bella? I was thinking Easy Hotels, but that is like a hookers hook up place, and Home Hotels sounds homey I guess? It seems I am going to war with Daddy then?

"Yes, I'd like to sell, as I'm all but done in with them. Can we speak in the morning?"

"Yes I can do that I hope we can both come out of this as winners?" He shakes my hand and I smile as he walks of like the weight of the world he carries has been lightened. "Hugh, I would love to take Bella to my ranch, if that's at all possible? I can take Luis of course, as she has to choose her new pony. I have a few horses for her to see and I have to take care of some business there, would that be alright? We can take her security, though I do have my own team?"

"Great idea, she's having horse withdrawal symptoms, for how long will you be gone for?"

"Two days, but as my jet is in Mexico, I will hire one."

"Nonsense use mine, it's here for a week, besides Bella is missing her horses. Luis may not want to go, as he has to be back in New York tomorrow. Take Tanner, she dislikes horses though, but I would feel better with her there too. I can have some quality time with Maria, and see a show or two, she's been a little riled since the paparazzi thing, it has her all on edge for Bella's safety, she will relax her being with you, and you can catch up with your twin too, it will do you both good."

I told Hugh I had a headache and needed some air and Bella was joining me, he trusted me with his daughter, and I wasn't about to mess that up, but we were closely followed by Tanner, as we went for a walk in the hotel gardens.

"Thanks for asking me first."

"So, you don't want to see my two new Aztec foals then?" She laughed.

"Oh, how can I resist that, really you don't need to, I can hang around the hotel?"

"No, I want to show you my heart, literally I love the place."

"Right, I guess it will be fine, do I have to pack anything?"

"Riding gear, I mean if you have it with you?" She laughed.

"I ride in jeans and tee shirts, denim jacket. My dressage stuff is too formal for a ranch."

"You are into dressage? You are a dark horse Miss Humphries."

"Not really, I am a girl of simple tastes and give me a horse and I'm a happy girl. It's chilly out here, can we go back in?" I remove my jacket and place it around her shoulders.

"We can't have the birthday girl getting a chill, can we?"

"Nope, but will the birthday boy be warm enough?"

"I will thank you. About tomorrow, I have a meeting with my old nanny and Glenda first thing and then the one with Damien, we could leave by two? It's only two and a half hours' flight time."

"You don't have to take me Chris, but I would like to see the place that makes you go as mushy as you were over Estella."

"I do not do mushy. I'm twenty-five, not a teenager Bella. Please stop making me remember what a horse's ass I am. This is to make up for ruining your last birthday party, this time no hookers, no brother falling in a cake and nothing but a great time enjoying the horses."

"Deal, besides it was a rubbish party, Luis falling in the cake was better than the scary clown Mum hired or the fire eater, who burnt his tongue and ended up in accident and emergency, the antics you both pulled were the talking point for weeks amongst Dad's friends, and it got me my second pony."

"I don't like clowns they frighten the life out of me." I say as she speaks.

"You suffer from coulrophobia it's a fear of clowns and it's a very common phobia, right up there with spiders, flying and heights."

"Really, so I'm not on my own, nice to know there are like minded coul-rop-h-obics out there?" As we entered the building again, she passed me my jacket and kissed the side of my face, I smirked as she did. Wow, I feel like a pervert, she is sweet, innocent and I have these strange feelings for her, strange awkward feelings and I'm putting myself in harm's way with time at the ranch alone, so why did I suggest it? The thought popped into my head and once it did, there was no stopping its escape.

"I need to circulate and see to my guest. Will you be alright?"

"Thanks I will be fine, I'm having a drink, stick to water Bella please?"

"Yes Sir, you are so boring, but you are an old, old man, you need to get to bed, with your pipe and slippers and hot coco in your room."

"Yeah, so old I will beat you in a ride out tomorrow."

"Game on and challenge accepted old man." I didn't see much of Bella again that night, as she flitted between her guests and dancing with her cousins, I grabbed my presents and went to get my coco. I had to sort out the sleeping arrangements at the ranch with Amy, my housekeeper in Austin. A fought discussion with Australia went on into the early hours, so very little sleep was had, good job I can and do thrive on very little sleep, I always have.

I spent a tense couple of hours with Glenda, she was too tired for much more, but from the look of her and from how she spoke, she hadn't much time left and as we said goodbye, she held me so tightly. I didn't want to leave for fear of not seeing her again, I promised to visit again as soon as we got back from the ranch, looking back at the woman lay in her bed, I wondered would she be here when I did call?

My meeting with Damien Eller was interesting he was in a bad way financially and was accepting peanuts for his company, the only thing he asked of me, was that they were never to be sold to my father, a request I gladly agreed to. It seems I'm in the hotel business, good and proper! I then stop and wonder how mad Dad will be, and did I care, apparently no, because not one jot do I give. Packing for our trip to Austin and I wondered what lay ahead? My feelings for the precocious teenager, were like nothing I had ever felt before, those strange emotions were rife! Precocious was the right word for her too, mentally advanced for years, damn advanced and not just in her mental abilities either, that damn body of hers, was driving me to distraction, and a particular part of my body more than most, cold showers were had. I carefully packed my photograph frame and headed to their suite, knocking on their door I entered, why did it feel like I was going on a first date? I was greeted by Maria and given her warmest Mum Hug.

"Christopher, you're here you look wonderful. Thank you for taking Bella to the ranch it's all she and her cousins have spoken about all night." Great I'm taking the cousins too. Damn it, it was at that moment I felt it, the need to be with her, and her alone, am I in trouble?

"I am looking forward to it. I'll phone and get their rooms made up too, just the two of them?"

"No, no they aren't going with you silly, they were talking about the party and your ranch. No, the girls left this morning, no its just Bella and Tanner." Oh and another feeling of elation. It will take great restraint on my part to stay away from her, I just have to think of her as a friend, I can have friends, right? Yes, a girl who's a friend, cute, stunning, beautiful and trouble, hell it's going to be a hard couple of days.

"Bella, Christopher is here, are you packed?"

"Yes Mum, like I need a lot, overnight, it's just two days, right? I have packed the essentials and got my toothbrush, so let's get going then, where are we flying too?"

"We land on the ranch I have a runway on the property. You look very nice, is Hugh about, I need a quick word?"

"He's in the study working. Go through." I knock and go in.

"Hugh, I need some advice. I bought the hotels from Damien this morning, and I am closing them down one by one for a total refurbishment, I'm going to go with the cheap and cheerful European chain look, all the same, the Premier Inn type what do you think?"

"Excellent, though your father may not be happy, several of Damien's hotels are next to his very expensive hotels?"

"I stopped caring what that man did when Sommer died, she was a sweet kid and he ruined them both her, and her mum. That's why I was surprised they found he had a heart Hugh, damn surprised."

"It was a shock, but well just be careful he can be a vengeful bastard and he employs thugs to do his dirty work Christopher."

"I will be mindful. I know my father, and know there is nothing he won't do to get his own way, and yes it turns out he is ruthless to get what he wants. My team found it was Dad blocking his attempts to get more money from the banks, poor Damien was so desperate that he went to money sharks, and all because Dad was forcing his hand, even selling me the hotels and land only brought him a few million in clear funds. Hugh, what does Dad get out of ruining lives? He is way above obsessive in getting what he wants these days and I don't know why." Hugh can offer no reasoning to my father's destructive streak, only that perhaps he is disturbed? I agree. "I'll tell him I bought them, and to keep his men away from ruining what's mine or I will take him on and win. Damien is stopping on too he is just running them for me. I don't yet know enough about hotels to run them and he does and he's good at that part, just not the finances and that side is being covered by my accountants, so less worry for him too."

"Well it seems you have it covered, they are in good locations Chris and will bring you a nice profit in, congratulations and welcome to the hotel world. Now the trip to the ranch, are there many young men there?" I laugh, as I know where he is going with this.

"Sir, Hugh I have fourteen fellas and the youngest is in his twenties, she will be quite safe from my employees advances, if they value their jobs and their lives, should they step outta line. Kenny, my head of ranch, runs a tight operation."

"Good, good and she is going to be safe?"

"I have my head of security Henry and his team on it, along with Bedford of course and nobody knows we are going there. It's pretty secure for a ranch, the only thing out there are the wild critters and her falling so in love with my ranch she never wants to leave. I know the Aztecs are going to be a great pull, and she may fall in love with the little white foal, my prized mare just had, so make room for another pony in her stable, if she asks you know I won't be able to say no, I never could."

"She has a way with her eyes and her please Daddy please thing she does, good luck she can be quite the madam when she wants something." I smile and think, I bet.

"Right keep your ears to the ground about how badly Daddy takes the news that I helped Damien out? See you in a couple of days."

We head to the waiting car and Tanner joins us with a curt nod of the head, as if I'm being warned, that look says I know your game mister. I smile this is going to be interesting...

CHAPTER FOUR:

Bella:

I wake with the larks and the girls are still sleeping, I am so happy because I'm spending time with Christopher and I can't believe he suggested it, but I'm glad he did. I put away my ball gown and hug it. It had the desired effect, because I had him interested in me, now to let him fall in love with me. Yeah right, like that's going to ever happen, he thinks of me as Little Bella, even though he is all gooey eyed for Estella, he loves my dad too much to fall for me and ruin what they have. I know who I want, and have done since I got the mad urge to bite the woman he left my party with, the leggy blonde and all the ones he gets photographed with all the time, I am nothing like them and I doubt I ever will be.

I am just going to have some fun before college and university and let loose a little there. Chances are it will be years before I see him again, though I can badger him with emails and texts about my horses. I have a way in, yeah for my little Aztec, which is why I had Dad buy her because he was photographed on his when he did an interview in a magazine about his new line of horses. That was the reason I got Chocolate, my cute little pony, could I possibly say cute more than I do? Note to Bella, stop saying cute, way too much time spent with the cousins.

I pack my new jeans, tee-shirts and add a couple of jumpers in, a new dress I bought and that underwear from Agent Provocateur. I wonder between negligee and pale mouse inspired lemon onesie, and opt for the later. I'm not playing the other card just yet. The girls are awake and packing their stuff.

"Oh, I wish we could come with you, but we have school, that guy Chris is so cute." I sigh not in sorrow but in relief, as much as I love my cousins they go on and on about useless girl crap.

"Maybe next time, but you must learn to ride first it's a horse ranch after all."

"Rather not, those monsters you love look cutesy, but they are the spawn of the devil." Carmen was hurt when we went for a ride and when she dug her heels in and said giddy up, and it startled Dilly, who promptly threw her off, I did tell her to do a clicking sound with her mouth, then give her a gentle tug of her reins, but no she went all Buffalo Bill and shouted yee-har, then almost immediately hit the ground hard. It was so funny, hell yeah, I smiled once we realised all that was hurt and bruised, was Carmen's ego and Dilly got a polo mint for her trouble.

"Umm, if you had got back on Dilly when she threw you she would have known you were the boss, as it was she kicked your arse."

"No she made my arse, leg and shoulder sore for weeks that motherfucking horse of yours is Satan's helper."

"Ouch watch the potty mouth, Dilly is a sweet young mare so shut up." Well said Dora. Once my cousins had had breakfast, they were taken home by Bedford's team, and once they had gone I realised just how much I liked having my peace and quiet back. Once, maybe twice a year is more than enough with those two. The girls are both loud and ultra-lively and are super chatty and alike in almost everything they do, down to the screaming and ultra-fast talking. When they leave, I go shopping in the gift shop on the strip. Looking at the gift I've got for Christopher, it still seems cheap in comparison to the bracelet, but it's practical and I bought one for myself too, though I didn't think he'd appreciate my little jazzy pink girl one? I returned home and Mum was packing away the gifts from the party.

"I'm all packed Mum, and I am having something to eat, are you?"

"No, I'm not feeling all that great today, maybe I drank too much?" I laughed, because her and Daddy were still up dancing a four this morning. I heard them making out too I block that out all too quickly.

"Did you get Christopher his gift?"

"I did and its sort of practical, but what if he already has one? It's not nearly as expensive as the gift he bought me. Look Mum isn't it beautiful?" I show her my wrist and smile.

"It is yes so look after it, and no Bella, what the gift cost shouldn't come into it, not if a gift is given from the heart." Oh, should I give him the model stables I made him then, the gift I said I had broken? Nope, that would make him laugh at me again and that's so not happening ever again.

"I guess so Mum. I have quite a few gifts unopened, what do I do with them all?"

"Open them, send a thank you card and if you don't need them for whatever reason, gift them to the local hospital. I did notice there was a plethora of teddy bears and dolls. Did they even realise you were sixteen not six?"

We laugh and agree the hospital gets the gifted toys. The wait for him to arrive finally comes. Mum asks if I have packed, I answer yes to that again, I'm not telling her the underwear's in there too, because as I look at him, looking at me I know there's something there, with any luck I will wear it to seduce him and go all Lolita on him, yeah, that's so not happening, but I can wish. He smiles and goes to speak to Dad. Dad will be laying down the law, as Bedford has had Tanner in his office all morning, surveying Google images of his ranch and the no go areas. Poor woman, I will make her job easier and stick to Christopher like glue, such a task.

We head down to the reception, to get the car to the airport and I'm feeling nervous and unsure of what to do? I know nothing will come of this, as the age thing is raising its nasty head again. What the problem is I do not know, because Dad is twelve years older than Mum. I do intend to get the kiss I have been dreaming of for years, if nothing more, I will get just the first proper kiss from him. I know I'm looking at him all dreamy eyed and Tanner notices too, but then again, she noticed how I looked at him in the garden, I was begging him to kiss me with my eyes, then she coughed and spoilt the moment, damn her.

"Your plane is here your majesty."

"Thank you, minion, really we can land this on your runway?"

"Yes, mines the same as your fathers, we bought them at the same time, so there's not much difference between mine and his."

"Oh, what is it with you rich men and their toys! So, what's wrong with flying commercial?"

"Nothing besides the airport waiting, customs and losing luggage, I lost a damn fine piece a while back, Mel had the jet and I had to fly cheap and cheerful, so I swore never again."

"Were you drunk in charge of a suitcase and did you actually check it in?"

"Err, I don't know? It could still be on the bed in the flat in Paris, I never thought to phone and ask."

"So you were drunk then?"

"No, but I was hung over and tired for my shame, Bella stop it now and behave I promised your father I be on my best behaviour and letting you know I was hung over isn't a good start."

"What a shame I didn't do any promising, of any kind." I jumped in the plane before he could say anything. Ha, take that, I sit and smile as I take my seat, Tanner throws me a look and I give it back. She takes her seat with his guy Henry, he doesn't use surnames like we do and is more of a friend than boss. I hardly ever notice his guy, but mine is up close and personal.

"Good afternoon Miss Humphries, Mr Humphries has ordered your lunch and as soon as we take off I will serve it, do you require drinks?"

"Luisa, I will have orange juice and Mr Holland." Who, you will stop eyeing up, if you want to keep your bloody job temptress. "Christopher will have a larger, I don't know what the other two want go see to them Luisa, thank you."

"Thanks, but can I have and orange juice too please Luisa, if that's alright Bella?"

"Right, so you're not drunk in charge of a minor. Good catch."

"Bella, it's not that at all, I still have work to do and I can't do it with a drink in my hand."

"Sorry, I didn't think."

"It's alright, thank you anyway." I thought I was being so grown up wrongly guessing he was like Luis and it was the first thing Luis would have done. Paff...We take off and as we do, I get to stare into his eyes as he chose to sit opposite me. I know he is feeling something, but he is so reserved. As I watch him, I fall deeper for the man sat opposite, the same man who has been the object of my lusting for years and he is sat within touching distance. My feet are within touching distance too and so too is damned Luisa. Her with her pert boobs and bright bubbly smile, and now her top button seems to be undone, as she delivers our lunch, yeah for Daddy, he has ordered the Cheesecake Factory pizzas and cheesecake for afters, as ever my father makes sure I have everything I love to eat.

"Oh my favourite, leave the boxes Luisa we will be fine helping ourselves, are you two alright for drinks back there?" They say they are. "Right we will buzz if we need you Luisa, thank you." You are dismissed bitch.

"That was harsh Bella she was only doing her job, do I see those green eyes coming out, are you being a brat again?"

"I don't know what you mean, eat up or I will eat it all."

"I hear you it's nice to see a woman, sorry, a girl who eats, most pick at a salad or have the soup, eat up. You're like me the riding keeps the weight down. We will be going for a trek tomorrow, the route has been approved and they aren't looking forward to it. Maybe, we should give them the day off? There's a natural warm sinkhole for a swim too, do you still like to swim and dive bomb? We can go for a mosey around the ranch, when we get there, if you want?"

"No, to the dive bombing, I'm not five anymore, besides the last time I did that in Hackney Baths my top flew off so I won't be doing it again. I was glad for Tanners protection that day I can tell you, but yes to the other stuff please."

"I bet, Bella please eat, apparently, your dad says you love this?" I nod and eat.

"They were rumoured to be opening one in Fulham, but nah no such luck for me. So I get Luis to pick me some up and they are frozen for me. I only eat fresh ones here in Vegas and at the Lady Grove place, in New York."

"So to win the lovely Bella's heart, we simply feed you pizza and cheesecake?"

"Pretty much yeah, I'm such an easy date. Less of the schmoozing old man, and eat, do you need it cutting up for you?"

"Argh, cutting Miss Bella, very cutting, no, I'm fine I think, but do you need a bib Baby?" Was that baby, as in young, or as a term of endearment Baby? "Only you have spilt some on your blouse." I guess as in young kid. Great.

"Damn I always do, damn it I need to change my top before it stains and this top cost Dad an arm and a leg too, we had a massive blow out, I came into part of my trust fund and I hit the mall big time."

"I know. I saw you and the cousins. I didn't know it was you at the time, you were in Yurman's."

"You were the cowboy that passed as we ate this very pizza in the mall, I thought you looked familiar. It's a small world after all?" I ate the last piece of pizza and excused myself. Tanner stopped me.

"Miss, do you need anything?" I leaned over and whispered I was fine just changing my top, not barfing up my lunch. "You know I worry Bella please?"

"Come in with me, and wash the damn stain out for me then. I swear I am over that Tammy, I swear I am, please believe me?" She was shocked I used her first name and smiled.

"Bring it out and we will have busty Luisa earn her money, club soda will get it out, hurry your cheesecake is melting, or it is about to be eaten by him."

"I will and thank you, did you enjoy the pizza Henry?"

"I did Ma'am. Thank you, Tammy is right club soda it will get the tomato paste out, or is that Barbeque? I have hell of a time with Chris's clothes he's a ribs man and always forgets his bibs. Amy has a fine ole time with his after drunk food binges, shush, don't tell him but it's him who needs the bib, but then it seems you both are sloppy eaters." Tammy, is it? So they are on first name terms, that's interesting. I dash in, and change my top. Bringing the messed up one back, I buzz for Luisa.

"Luisa, have we any club soda? I seem to have spilt on my top if you have a bottle I can do it, if it's too much trouble for you?" I smile as she says she can do it and clears the pizza boxes away.

"Why the sudden attitude Bella, what has she done?"

"Nothing, but she seems to be warm, because she's gone from top button open to two, if I ring again she may have them fully out and on display for you."

"I didn't notice the pizza was more attractive Bella." I look at his face and he winks, the bastard had noticed.

"Oh really she's not your type then?"

"Nope, chances are I will see her again, so definitely not my type." I shuffle uncomfortably in my seat, what did that mean, that he just did the one night or he'd never had a proper relationship what? "Don't over think things Bella please I'm not. We are here to ride horses and that's it, you and me are friends, right? If you want more I'm sorry we better turn the plane around that can never happen, sorry to put it so bluntly but it is just this, friends okay?" That shot me down in flames as I fought to keep back the tears I nodded.

"Fine by me, you think a lot about yourself, don't you?" I can be snappy and spiteful too.

"If you were older and not Hugh's girl then yes, but you are and we can't, alright?" I know I'm sulking and eat my cheesecake, but I now have no appetite for it.

"Fine I get the message, kid sister not dating material, fine by me big brother. Now if you don't mind I'm going to have face time with the stables, excuse me."

"Bella please..." I stormed to my cabin, and threw myself on the bed. Why-oh-why, wasn't I Luis age? I didn't pick my laptop up I stopped in the cabin until the Luscious Luisa called for our seats to be taken, as we were coming into land. Making my way out, I sat in my seat and stared out of the window, what more will be sent to try me?

"Bella please, let's just have a nice couple of days?"

"Fine, Christopher it's just fine, let's not discuss this again. I know now I'm too young and you're too old nothing's going to happen, did I miss something?" I continued with the stare through the window.

"The crew are coming back for you the day after tomorrow, I'm staying here. I have to fly from here to Australia, so Mel's coming here with my plane. Will you be alright? I'm sorry but I have a major problem over there."

"I will be okay Christopher. I'll have Tanner with me." As the plane landed on the bumpy runway, I sighed. As far as I was concerned, I could easily fly straight back.

"Welcome to Mia Casa Ranch." The steps were lowered, and as I peered over his shoulder, the view was wonderful. "You like?"

"Oh I love it those are beautiful stallions. Do they not spook being so close to the runway?" As I was asking the question, Luisa passed Christopher a slip of paper. "I hope that was your mama's recipe for apple pie, and not your number, because that will get you dismissed." Green eyed and annoyed, I walked down the steps. I was followed by Christopher, trying to calm me down and making me angrier in the process, because he pocketed the fucking paper.

"Please tell me you did not say that to her?"

"Did she give you the recipe for her mama's apple pie? If not, she knows that's one thing Dad doesn't approve of over familiarity with his guests."

"Bella, she needs the job."

"Well you employ her then, there the problem is solved. Leave me alone, I'm going for a walk." Tantrum in progress, if he knows what's good for him he will leave me alone. No, he is following me as the security detail follow too. "For God's sake leave me alone, now."

"Not happening Bella, so quit being a brat and shut up." With that I was hoisted over his shoulder and unceremoniously dumped in the back of a pickup and not even in the cab, he got in and drove to the house with me being flung here there and everywhere in the back.

"When I get out of here I am going to bloody well kill you Christopher Holland, you are so going to pay for this. Tell the pilot to stand by I'm going home." As I was flung backwards I banged my head, shit that hurt...

"We're here Bella, have you calmed down any?"

"I want to go home. Can you just take me back please?" With that the plane was already in the air. "Fucking great, stuck here with you and a sore head do you have any pain killers?"

"Still being a brat?"

"I am sore, I ache and I feel like a fool, where are Tanner and Henry?"

"They were in the other pickup, with the bags and stuff and are staying in the security wing, we're here alone for the time being, let me show you to your room."

"I'd rather the plane came back I don't think this is a great idea being here, and with a fucking headache."

"Get changed, and we will go for a ride. The horses are being saddled for us. I thought perhaps you needed to just blow the cobwebs away?" I wanted to ride away into the sunset, go back in time and stop making a complete arse of myself, that is what I wanted to do.

"That would be great, where's my bag?"

"Let me grab it, and take it and you to your room." It looks like I'm stopping then. "Here it is, I am next door and I will meet you downstairs in ten minutes." I really need to get my head around this and stop my lust fest after all, a no is no, and this is going nowhere fast. Having a crush on Christopher for as long as I have is making me an irrational bitch, time to snap out of it and accept the age thing is a no go area. I changed and went downstairs, where Christopher was on the phone and what's the old adage 'you never hear good of yourself when you're eavesdropping'?

"No, I am sure it was just and idle threat. No Luisa, she will not say anything. Please, will you accept my apologies? Yes, she is very childish, highly strung, yes, a brat. I agree, and yes, she is very spoilt. No, I won't be telling Hugh, yes, and please I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but you are not my type, and you did come on to me in her father's plane, Bella? No, I do not have feelings for her, she's a child and I have certain standards, dating children is so not my thing, right I have to be going, I have a pony ride to go on."

Urghhhh, pony ride, child, brat, childish, dating a child, an idle threat. I am now officially over Christopher Holland. I come down the stairs to see the smarmy two faced mother fucker.

"Oh there you are I thought you'd got lost." You wish.

"No, I'm here ready to ride? I need this, thanks." He walks towards me, all cowboy looking, in a big hat and gorgeous, this is gonna be a bad couple of days.

"Here, your ride is an Aztec of mine, her names Coffee, not very original, but her coat is as smooth as coffee, and look at the solid brown almost black colour, she is a show winner I think, what do you think?"

"Aww, she's a supper little pony. Is she highly strung?"

"No she's a calm and gentle ride."

"Not like me then? I'm told I'm high maintenance and a brat. Still sitting here is not enjoying the pony ride, is it?" I climbed on her back and set off before he could stop me, I needed out of here. I heard the shout of stop, and so I stopped, I will not be a brat.

"Blood and sand Bella, take it easy."

"I stopped, didn't I? Wow, I have been riding in gymkhanas since I was six and winning them, so surprise, surprise I know what I'm doing. Chill Christopher, I know how to ride and I'm very good at it."

"I don't doubt it, but the terrain here is not that great, can we take it easy until we get to the flats?"

"I will follow you then and thanks for the warning, I'd hate to be a brat."

"Well, I'm glad you realised you were being one. Bella calm down please."

"Coffee is a beautiful horse, are you breeding her?" I am going to be nice, get this stay out of the way and get back home. "I want to breed from mine. Dad may have to buy me another one. It's as cheap to ship two ponies, as it is the one."

"Well the one you're riding is your present from me, I hope you like her?"

"You got me a pony. Why? I mean thank you, but again why?"

"A drunken sixteen-year-old Christopher ruined your birthday, do I need another excuse?"

"No, I mean thank you, she's beautiful are you sure she looks expensive and beautiful, have I said that?"

"You did, and I'm sorry again for ruining your last birthday."

"My last party wasn't ruined it was yesterday and was really good. The old one was too long ago to be bothered about, really, I hate parties and that one was awful, really awful. Honestly, I'd forgotten about it after about oh I don't know, like err five years?" I laughed and rode ahead, he had ruined my party and broke my heart that day, and it was a lie I never forgot that awful party ever, or what a bastard he was, but hell I still idolised him and remembered him fondly for playing tea parties with me, my teddies and my doll's. Not forgetting, the picking me up thing, when I fell over, being my big brother and my friend whenever I saw him. Granted it was not a lot, it had to be said, but I cherished those times we did have together and the way he made me feel special, even more special than Luis makes me feel, and so started my fascination with Christopher Holland. I have scrap books full of his life and the parties he goes to, the deals he has made and stuff, yes, I'm a little in awe of my pretend boyfriend, and he thinks of me as a little sister, paff. I snap out of my daydreaming, to hear his voice.

"So your dad says you want to be an architect, yes? He also says you have the hotel gene too?"

"I have always wanted to design buildings and the bigger the better, but I also like doing houses, I have always loved to draw them and build them. You must remember my Lego bricks forever thrown about the place?"

"I stood on a few of the bloody little pieces over the years, I know that. Hugh also said your ahead in all your classes too?"

"That's the beauty of having no friends and no social life I study and get good grades, I have extra tutors and extra homework. I know, I have a sad excuse for a life, but I have my ponies and they are all I need, aren't you Coffee, umm little lady you are going to be my favourite."

"No friends, other than your lucky horses?"

"Oh I'm not a sad-oh, I have friends, but they like me, like to study. We children do that."

"I have a feeling someone was listening into my telephone conversation?"

"I did and I was a little pissed off. You are right in everything you said I was being a brat and childish and spoilt. She is going to be transferred though, to Alaska. I am over that now and am here to enjoy this ride."

"Okay then, the flats are here, race you?" I nudged Coffee into a gallop and raced. He was right this was what I needed, fresh air and a good horse beneath me. I stopped at what looked like the end of the flats, yeah, I was ahead of Christopher, refreshed and the brat put behind me, perhaps I did have horse riding withdrawal? As Christopher came into view he was walking his horse slowly behind him, his horse had something in his hoof.

"Oh I have something for you that may help with that?"

"Not unless you have a hoof pick, mines in my wrangler Jacket, damn it, I don't suppose you brought yours from London, did you?" I had his birthday gift in my back pocket to give him.

"Taddah here something useful, Happy birthday, open it I hope you haven't got one?"

"Thank you I think?" He opened it, and smiled. "Thank you, this is brilliant."

"Open it, there's a little hoof pick in there see, you like it, really?"

"Yes, and I'm sure Buddy here will like it too. Thank you it's a very useful gift and I love it."

"You are most welcome, is Buddy alright? Can you ride him back or do you need to double up with me?"

"We will have to double up I'm afraid, his foot looks painful, shift back and hold Buddy please?" I did as I was asked, because I'm not going to be a brat, and he'd given me an amazing horse. As we slowly made our way back, mainly done in silence because we had nothing in common, the age thing was a gap we couldn't fill, there's only so many do you remember stories he could answer questions about, and I had zilch in common with his working life, his mega buck's business empire. Still the horse ride cleared the cob webs and made me feel better, and I got to hug his backside all the way back.

"Do you mind if I grab a bath and go to bed? I'm kind of tired and did you not say you had some work to do?"

"I do, and for most of the night will you be alright?"

"I will get Buddy and Coffee sorted, and I will see you for breakfast yeah?"

"Yes Bella, I will see you in the morning, are we alright Bella?"

"Fine and dandy, and I'm sorry for being so moody and you know being stupid, see you in the morning. Can you tell Tanner to take the night off I'm not leaving my room?" I sorted the horses out, and after a rub down, Coffee looked beautiful and yeah, I was in love with her and after a good talking too I had finally had my horsey addiction filled, horses are I find, the best listeners. Kenny helped me with Buddy and smiled as I went gaga over the cute little white foal, I wanted her and the other little one I wanted them all, which made Kenny laugh at me.

I climbed the stairs and filled the bath, climbing in I ached, and had several sore bruises from the car ride. I stepped out of the bath dried myself, then looking for my lemon mouse pj's, I was horrified I couldn't find them and I know I put them in here, I was sure I had. I had however, put in the sexy negligee. Well, I won't have to go down for anything, I'm safe, damn the interfering cousins from hell, they'd shifted my stuff around and my bikini too? Damn them again, it was the red polka dot thing and not the safe black tankini, urghhhh.

I woke in the middle of the night in need of a drink, I listened at the top of the stairs to the sound of silence, there were no voices just peace and quiet, so I tempted fate, and snuck down for a drink...

CHAPTER FIVE:

Chris:

I watched as Bella went to bed, relieved that she had, being so close to her for nearly two hours was just a little uncomfortable, especially as she gripped my waist. The imaginary conversation she heard was to make her dislike me and make this stupid idea of a couple of days here, a little less err, I didn't know what this is, but it has become awkward? I have this attraction to her that I cannot fathom out and despite me saying I was fine, I wasn't. My heart beats faster near her and I feel so differently, for a change I was not aroused in the usual way either, that on its own was strange, that the need to have her that way was not even centre most in my thoughts, I simply liked her.

After she had her bath, I set about doing the work needed, to solve the problems in Australia. After spending hours on the phone, sending emails and answering several fraught phone calls, it means that by three am, I'm exhausted and thirsty, so I head to the kitchen for a drink, only when I get there I find Bella in the kitchen and she's only half dressed. I watch as she opens cupboards, silently grinning as she sings along to her iPod, her body against the refrigerator light leaves nothing, and I mean nothing to my imagination and I salivate and get the stirring in my groin.

I should rush in and cover her, but I also want to watch as she shimmies and sings, and all whilst I bask in the knowledge she doesn't know I'm watching, but then I get a sudden pang of guilt. I cough as she picks at the chicken, then she seductively places a cherry tomato in her mouth and groans and she repeats her actions. Her tasting them is as sexy as hell, that tiny tomato is damn lucky, her sexy groan added in too, wow my dick is getting hard, and before it gets out of control, I walk over to her, smiling because she cannot hear me as she has on her iPod, so she is slightly surprised to see me there when I tap her on the shoulder.

"Sorry, I thought you were asleep, oh shit sorry I, I, I didn't pack my pj's. This was all that was in my bag, my damned cousins are to blame, because they must have hijacked my bags?"

"I can see, wait there." I went to the laundry and threw her a robe. "Here have this I don't need to see your backside."

"Sorry, I really didn't know you were here, as I said I needed a drink and I may be hungry."

"My house keeper made you supper and it's there in the fridge I'll microwave it, sit please."

"How is Buddy?" She asks as she does she looks flushed and cute.

"Fine, had I rode him back it would have been worse."

"Well good job Coffee was able to carry us both."

"Here eat this. Amy really is a great cook. This was in your honour, Mac and cheese. Do you want a drink?"

"Please, can I have warm milk?"

"Of course you can, is that good?" She is eating it like she hasn't eaten all week.

"Very, and as good as I have had anywhere and I eat this all the time. Have you finished your work?"

"No, I have about another hour or so and hopefully sleep beckons. I rang your father too he is arranging to have Coffee picked up when they pick up Chocolate."

"Did he mention my rant at Luisa?"

"No, he didn't say anything, and she is hardly going to tell him she gave me her number, is she?"

"I was a brat and I will apologise on the way back, right thank you for this." I watched as she washed her dishes and dried them. "Good luck with the phone calls, I need to get some sleep, this was a good idea and just what I needed thank you." As she passed, she kissed my cheek and headed to her room. I watched as she headed to bed touching the cheek she'd just kissed. Tomorrow is going to be a bloody long day. I finish an hour later and head to bed, the dodgy latch on her door means her door is open and she is sleeping on top of the bed, I watch as she stirs.

"Goodnight Christopher, please shut the door when you're done ogling."

"I was simply walking by your room the door latch is loose. Goodnight Bella see you in a couple of hours."

"Night or good morning, get the door fixed you perv." She laughs as I shut the door. Damn that was another sight of her body I could have done without, down boy, my dick is now on overdrive and it's taking me all my resolve not to join her in her room. Cold shower needed and reliving myself of some of this built up, pent up whatever tension I'm feeling. Sleep did not come easily and as I tossed and turned in my bed for ages, I eventually succumbed to the sheer exhaustion thing that Bella had brought into my life, she has brought more chaos to my already chaotic life, she, that fiery dark haired green eyed temptress, sleeping next door.

Waking to the smell of bacon wafting to my room I paid a visit to the littlest room and headed downstairs. Amy was busy making Bella more of her great pancakes so I sat next to Bella as she ate the bacon and pancakes smothered in maple syrup.

"Hey, leave some syrup for me guts."

"Oh you're up? I was leaving you to sleep you didn't get to bed till late."

"I never sleep Bella, where are Henry and Tanner? We are going to the sinkhole later and I need to run the day's security past them."

"They have gone into town to get supplies for Amy. Apparently, we will be fine, besides Tanner isn't a great lover of riding?" We will be alone, just when I needed the barrier of Henry and Tanner too.

"Chris what would you like for your breakfast?"

"I will have whatever you have made already thanks Amy."

"Amy's pancakes are better than Mum's and that takes some doing Chris."

"I know, it's the first test my housekeepers get, make me pancakes and bacon and if they make then near as good as Mum Maria's they get the job, isn't that right Amy?"

"I had big shoes to fill, he never stops raving about your mum's cooking. Here get it whilst it's hot, are you alright Bella?"

"Yes thank you, I'm full to bursting. So when are we going swimming then?"

"I will have this and shower and change and get the horses ready. About an hour suit you?"

"Yes very do able, I just need to put on my bathers and jeans, is it far Chris?"

"Not really about two hours in the opposite direction to the flats, do you want to take Coffee or one of my Mustangs?"

"I will stick with Coffee, Buddy is still not able to be rode, which one are you going to ride? Oh, sorry I went to check on them this morning and helped Kenny's son James, to muck out the stables, I missed getting my hands dirty and it was loads of fun too, he's a little older than me, but I may go out riding with him when we get back." I'd forgotten James was here and he's a seventeen-year-old boy, damn I said there were no temptations out here, I hear he is a good looking young lad and he is more her own age. Good job we are out all day. We weren't meant to be, but will be now, damn it, is this how jealousy feels?

"I will be riding Amigo, another Aztec I have, he's Coffee's dad. Did you see the white Aztec foal? Three weeks old and already full of a gentle spirit, so I thought of calling her Spirit, what do you think?"

"Yes that's sweet and yes, she looks like she could win some prizes, she's so pretty and her mum is kind of sweet natured too she is called Sunshine yes? I like the older of the foals too, he's going to be trouble, 'cos you can see it in his eyes, what's he called?"

"I was thinking Hombre, what do you think?"

"Yes, it suits him he's going to be a good strong horse too, so needs a good name." I nod in agreement, as I finished breakfast. Bella goes to get changed and I follow up the rear after asking Amy to do a picnic for lunch. An hour later and we are heading out.

"I love your home Christopher, it's lovely."

"Thank you and it's big, so come on let's ride for a while, the track here is fine for a hard ride." We ride for a while and as we do, she laughs and kicks my ass, she really does ride well and the view from the back is damned impressive. Good job I'm getting a cool down in a short while, I need it, either that or I'm gonna blow my load in my pants.

"Take the path to the right Bella, its down at the bottom of there." She waits for me damn it and I have the biggest hard on.

"I can't wait to get in the water it's been a hot ride out. It really was a hard ride in the heat, you alright Christopher you look flustered?"

"I'm fine Bella did you bring a swim suit?"

"I'm wearing it, a quick strip off out of the jeans and I'm ready for the cool down."

"I'm a stupid idiot, I forgot the swim suit, shit I..."

"Are you going commando?"

"Bella..."

"No? Then use your tighty whities, unless you want to skinny dip? Then I promise to keep to that side of the pool." I laughed and usually the latter would not have been a problem.

"I usually skinny dip, or dive in fully clothed and dry out in the sun. I will however use my tighty whities. Sorry, but you don't get to ogle me back, in payment for last night's ogle." Oh hell, I went there. "Not that I was, I was merely passing. Kenny is fixing the latch whilst we are out, you will be pleased to know it won't be a problem tonight." She laughed and tied Coffee to a fallen tree and stripped, wow...

"Last one in is a rotten egg?" Wow... No wonder Hugh sleeps with a gun beside his bed, if I thought the dancing near naked did things, then I'm screwed, that was one mighty skimpy bathing suit. I was mesmerised as she dived into the water and shrieked as the cold water took her breath away. "Damn that's colder than it looks, do you want me to turn around shy boy?"

"It's been a long time since I was a boy, and yeah do that please not all of us are exhibitionists Bella." She swam out and I stripped, I needed in the damn water and soon. I swam towards her, now very relaxed, as the cold water was better than the shower I had, in relieving the slight problem that was troubling me.

"I like the tattoos, very cowboy-esk. When did you get the half sleeve done?" I smile.

"When I made my first million, I got drunk and indulged myself and got some seriously nice ink done!"

"It's nice. Mum won't let me get one." She stares, and I smile again.

"I wouldn't they hurt."

"Do you like it here?"

"Yes it's home, and I love it, I especially love the peace, rest and the clarity being here gives me."

"What made you buy somewhere out here, I mean you're a, sorry, were always a city boy, New York and Vegas, why a dude ranch in Texas, and I might add a very nice ranch too."

"Thank you, I have always liked horses, my mum was a very good horsewoman and when I spent time with Gran at her place in Mexico, I rode all the time, and the ranch was part of a takeover of a business I bought into, much to my surprise it was actually a dude ranch, you know for would be cowboys? So, I did away with the dude aspect and breed horses. Racehorses, Aztecs and Mustangs, they are wild at heart horses and I hate to tie them down, but alas they have to be so I can train them or rather Kenny and his team do. I am just too damn busy in Australia at the moment."

"Mr Mogul needs some downtime, when is enough money enough Christopher? When you're six foot under and too old and too tired to enjoy the fruits of your labour? What drives a man like you to want more?"

"I'm asked that all the time and I can't tell you other than I know I want to be better than my father."

"You are already better than him, Christopher, but keep up with the wine, whiskey and women and you will soon be like him, it's a slippery slope that's hard to get off and pretty damn soon you will be going too fast you won't want to get off and end up like your Pa and having a heart attack." Oh for the love of god, she has brains and beauty. "Christopher, why do you have so many fingers, in so many pies?"

"Well, as you know I'm in mergers and acquisitions and sometimes I want to make a go of the business I buy into, rather than break it up and sell it. So, over the past few years of doing so, I have as you say got my fingers into many pies. The ranch is a hobby, which I happen to make money from, the hotels they were gifted to me from Gran on my last birthday, they run themselves really, but my heart stopping job have to do thing, is what I'm concentrating on doing right now, it's mining, because I wanted to use my degrees in both engineering geosciences and resource engineering.

My great-grandfather was a poor Mexican miner, who hit pay dirt down Mexico way and the money he made, he poured into his new wife's families business of hotels, so mining was in my blood as well as damned hotels. Plus, it pissed off ole Hoyt so much it was kind of fun. Like you I was educated at home until I was nine, then I went to an all-boys boarding school, and then on to college. I decided that I was good at maths and finances, so the thought of doing a business degree was always at the back of my head.

I already had more money than I would ever need, I just needed the challenge, and then one day I saw a college pack that a fellow boarder had, for the Colorado School of Mines, and filled out an application, my grades were good enough and the rest was history. Otherwise, I may have stopped in New York or Vegas and gone into hotels, like my old man wanted me to." I can't help looking at her. She's brainy and so well opinionated about everything, I do business with people less articulate than her, she is savvy and beautiful, and I'm gone.

"Oh, I went to private school from five and had a tutor too, I'm sort of a gifted girl, I pick things up and I am advanced for my humble sixteen years, I can go to University now, but I want to do the whole college thing. You know go to parties and shit, the education in England is so different to stateside, so I'm still wondering what to do and where to go, I've a few places in mind. I do like this place though, it's peaceful and calm."

"It's the top of my list for living places. I am hungry how about you?"

"A little, can we go behind the water fall thing?"

"No, there could be wildlife in it and I wouldn't want you to get eaten by a bear."

"Really a bear, shit get me out of here." I laughed as she spluttered.

"Stop, your safe Bella, the liveliest critters here are coyotes and deer, we sort lucked out on the fierce wildlife Bella."

She swam up to me and splashed me, and for the first time in God knows how long, we had a water fight, me splashing her back and tossing her in the air and then she kicked water at me, this was great and we spent ages laughing and fooling around just having fun. Something I'd not ever done before, had a water fight nor fooled around in the sinkhole, or swung from a tree and nor had I, until today that is, cannon balled into the water from the great height, all these tricks were shown to me by Bella.

Then I fucked up, as she came in for a splash, I grabbed her and not thinking, or over thinking perhaps, I was all about grabbing an opportunity, hell I don't know what I was doing or thinking, but I knew I was fucked, as soon as I did it... I grabbed her and kissed her and she didn't pull back, I was screwed, but as I kissed her, it felt right, as our lips met and tongues danced, her breathless appreciation was a turn on and as we clung together I realised that I loved her, but I also realised that it was wrong, so I pulled back damned quickly.

"I'm so sorry I just, I don't know what happened, I'm sorry, we can't do this, we, sorry I, can get into a whole heap of trouble and I can't risk it Bella, I can't, it's against the law and I could get into deep shit trouble."

"Chris, I kissed you back, but yeah, it's so not happening again and as nice as it was, I know, you would get into trouble. Let's eat I'm starving, you did pack food and water?"

"I did, Bella..."

"No, don't say anything more Chris, I may be older in the head and wise beyond my years but I'm not on paper nor in the eyes of the law, but thank you for the kiss, it was... Nice."

"Thanks, had I been younger, and you older, perhaps it would be different, but it isn't damn it. Bella, I like you a lot, I think I always have from the day your mum and dad brought you home and you grabbed my little finger, you had a special place in my heart and I was an honorary brother and that's how it should have stayed Bella, I'm sorry, I won't touch you again I promise."

"Let's eat, I'm famished and yeah brother and sister, I get the message loud and clear stop it, it was what it was a kiss." As she got out of the sinkhole, the excess water flowed from her swimsuit and she screamed.

"What?"

"I have tiny lobsters in my knickers and my bra turn around I need them out arghhhh, they are biting my nunny, fuck that hurts arghhhh." Shit do I help her out, what do I do? I keep her calm...

"They are crawfish, Bella they a delicacy, they must like you." I laughed and turned around, just as one hit me on the head. "Ouch don't harm them they are more afraid of you."

"Damn it, I have to ride home knicker less. Right you can turn around, why did they attack me and not you?"

"My tighty whities are tight Bella." She laughed and pointed.

"Damn tight, are you that pleased to see me?" I turned and grabbed my jeans. "Sorry, boundaries crossed, how dumb am I? Look get dressed and feed me food please the sun will be going down soon and then where will we be Chris?"

"Done, come on and eat, get the food from the saddle bags and the blanket from under Amigo's saddle. I am aroused by you, you're not dumb Bella just too young and shit I'm gonna be regretting this tomorrow." I kissed her again.

"Boundaries Christopher, you're crossing boundaries." I pulled away and placed the rug on the ground, as we made out and damn fine it was too, but regret on both sides as it could go no further. She pulled away this time not me, and as she did I smiled, thank God one of us stopped.

"Eat and stop being a temptress Bella, we or I could end up in jail if I do that again, we have two years before I can do that legally down here."

"Two years you have to be joking?" I wish I was, I could marry her with her father's blessing, but not do anything more without it, and marriage is not on the cards for me.

"No joke, I'm more than three years older than you, so there's not a get out of jail card free for me literally. Here eat and don't look at me like that, it will soon pass. Besides we need to get to know each other, and you have an education to get and college life to enjoy, parties and boys more your own age to have fun with."

"I find boy's my own age rather boring, and not that interesting. All they want is in your pants and to have sex, and that's so not what I want from life, even with you, all I wanted was the kiss, which is what I got and I enjoyed thank you."

"Never say never Bella, I have had all that and found it fun at first and so mind blowingly tedious after a few years."

"Nahah no discussions about your ex-sex please? I still have delusions your pure and innocent, deluded I know, given the skanks you and Luis left my party with, they gave him some sort of medical problem too, don't ask me what? Dad wasn't best pleased and Mum was horrified." I laughed to myself and oh-ed aloud.

"I really did ruin your party Coffee, needs a friend?"

"No, she is fine thank you, just eat and dry out in the remaining sunshine and then we need to get back, I've had a great day thanks, and got what I wanted from it, really I did." I did too in a damned strange way.

"Sorry, it couldn't have been more or for longer, the plane is coming for you at mid-day, so you need dinner and sleep. I need to be able to tell Hugh all was fine?" I sound like a broken record and know it. The look on her face is one of desolation despite her saying she just wanted a kiss, she lied. Who knows perhaps I can be deluded too and hope she waits for me? Given my high sex drive, I hardly think I can wait that long, so I put those thoughts well away. As I eat the meal, she looks into my face and smiles, as she watches me.

"Don't over think this thing Christopher. You couldn't even stop kissing me, so staying celibate for me is not what I would ask of you, but if, in two, four or ten years we see each other again, perhaps I get the extras, deal?" I laugh and hope she can't read minds.

"Deal, in the future if we are both single and above the age of consent in your case, you have a deal. Come on let's pack up it's a long ride back and the horses are well rested."

We packed and readied the horses and rode back, Bella was quiet as she rode steadily and to my side. I watched as her breasts bounced as she rode and wow, it was a nice sight, it couldn't be helped without the protection of the swim suit she rode here in. She refused to put it back on given what had been in it earlier. I wanted to stay faithful and think only of her, but that was so never going to happen, I knew it and was surprised that Bella knew it too. As the sun was going down we arrived home, and Kenny and James came out for the horses.

"Did you have a good day Chris and no accidents this time? Buddy has gotten a deep seated stone bruise to the sole of his hoof, and it's pretty sore for the poor guy. It's led to poor Buddy being a little lame. I fitted a poultice pack to provide comfort and relief he should be fine tomorrow we will let him rest a few days."

"Thanks Kenny, no we had an uneventful day really, the horses were fine and the ride out better, oh there's a mess of crayfish in the pond too. Miss Bella caught a few." James is ogling Bella and I'm mad as hell, go figure?

"Great, I will have a ride out tomorrow if that's alright Sir? Mum likes her crawdads." Great he's outta the way tomorrow. "I can take Bella too if you like?"

"No, her plane will be here before you could get back, perhaps when she's her again James. How is Amy, she had a headache at breakfast?" Kenny tells me the real reason behind the headaches and I laugh.

"Fine Chris stop worrying, she has new glasses and is too stubborn to wear them, that's all and she was up reading her lady books most of the night." James takes the horses from me.

"Thanks James, if you could give them some feed after a wipe and brush down I would be appreciative thanks."

"No worries Sir."

"Damn it James, its Chris, my dad likes to be called Sir not me."

"Okay Chris and thanks for giving me the part time job, college is so expensive." he smiles again at Bella as I fume.

"Anything I can do let me know Kenny." Like paying for him to attend a university in Outer Mongolia perhaps, so that he's never home when I bring Bella back. I'd offered to pay his fees and was told no, he had to do it himself, as they didn't raise a lazy boy. I took that as a stab in the stomach at the time, but the insult wasn't aimed at me but at Amy's brother who bled their mother dry and sponged off her all through college and uni, only to marry a rich girl and leave their mother with a massive debt.

I did offer to have him killed as a joke, something she smiled at and said the offer was already on the table from Kenny. I heard laughing as I entered the kitchen, Bella was telling Amy all about her crawfish catching skills and if she never sees another one, it will be a day too soon. Dinner was a quite affair of steaks and fries, milkshakes and cheesecake for afters. As I washed and Bella loaded the dishwasher, I wanted to hold her again.

"Eyes forward Christopher."

"How...?"

"The mirror on the wall I can see you watching me, really you want to get into trouble?"

"Really, I don't, but hell I wish I could just hold you and kiss you again."

"Umm me too, but best we don't, how about a game on the Xbox thing, I can kick your arse on Call of Duty?"

"You play?"

"Like a bitch, I'm a pretty damned hard faced mercenary, good and ready to kick arse, you ready for a whooping boy?"

"Oh, that sounds like fighting talk, you're not a camper, or are you?"

"Nope, I ain't no-pussy-hide-and-seeker I'm a fight to the death warrior. Come on get it turned on Chris, I need to put a jumper on." When she came back, she was dressed in clean jeans and a jumper. After a two-hour game of her kicking my arse, she decided to go to bed. Me? I still had hours of work to do, and as she whooped in my face at beating my old arse she gave my face a kiss and said goodnight, nothing more just the chased kiss you'd give your brother.

"Night Chris and really thanks for today it was everything I wanted and fun, see you in the morning, stay and get some practice you need it."

"Night Bella and thanks for understanding." She smiled and headed to her room, damn I needed to work some frustrations out in the gym, so headed to the cellar and punched the bags and hit the gym hard, these next few years are gonna be gruesome. I think me and the gym will be spending some quality time together, I will try to stay on the straight and narrow. I do two hours down here and then hit the office. Tonight is going to be a long hard slog.

I woke in the morning to a god damned awful racket in the kitchen, I climbed out of bed and rushed down the stairs in time to see Gina, the fiery Italian stood in the kitchen, and she was laying into Bella. I pulled poor Bella from her arms as Tanner came rushing in.

"Where in the fuck were you two, and how did this skank get onto the property, never mind into my home?"

"Sorry Christopher, but I buzzed her through the supply gates, she said she had my order from Millar's, so I let her in and could hardly pull her off or hit her in her condition Sir." I knew she was a stalking nutter, but how the fuck had she found me, I was as far as she knew Jude Parrish, an accountant from New York? I left her teaching Italian and English, at some school in Japan she worked in.

"Gina, what the fuck are you doing here?" She turned and as she did, I spotted her swollen belly.

"I have come to ask you do the honourable thing, I'm having your son." Oh fuck, that child was not mine. I took precautions with her and yes, I know they can fail, I pray they hadn't and she was messing with my mind, her constant texting and calls bordered on harassment and stalking all made sense now, shit.

"Like hell it is and how did you know where I lived?"

"Easy your picture dancing with this home wrecker was on line yesterday. It said your real name was Christopher Holland, that is your real name I noted, and it wasn't Jude Parrish at all, and then I simply did a web search and found you owned this place. That was after you were photographed getting in her Daddy's plane in Vegas too, so I asked the nice man at the little airport there to help me find out where you'd gone, as I was, and am about to have your baby. He was so helpful as I cried that I would be giving birth any day and I needed to find you, I needed a place to stay and have your child. I was given a lift on a charter flight he had coming to Austin, and then a nice man from Millar's, who was delivering an order to the airport, happened to be coming out here when I asked did anyone know how I could get here and I snagged a lift. I'm nothing if not resourceful and it seems lucky that I was in Vegas, I have spent a month looking in New York for you, before that London, you left a business card for Holland Hotels, so I was doing the rounds of their hotels and I hit pay dirt in Vegas."

"I am not that baby's father I can assure you. You may however stay in the guest lodge, but not in my home. When you have the child, we will be tested, should the child turn out to be mine I will provide for it, of course I will, but as to me and you no way." I worked out from her saying the child was due and yeah, the dates did kind of match up, it had been almost nine months. Bella was in tears and Tanner had sent her to pack. She had ordered a private jet to fly them straight back. Bella came down with her bag in hand and tears in her eyes, that sight alone broke my heart.

"I will leave you to your family Christopher, the jets ten minutes away, keep in touch please, I'd like to know if your son is cute or not, I think he will be and don't worry, I won't be upset if you leave me off the wedding guest list." That cut me to the core, that she believed her and was leaving. I'd ruined another fucking birthday for her, damn it.

"You don't have to leave, stay please? Gina will be looked after, my doctor is being called, and she will be having all the tests and things done, if it is my child it will be looked after. I can sure you Bella I don't shirk my responsibilities, but I will be having nothing to do with his mother."

"Look, she comes before spending time with me, and before going to Australia too, stay and sort this out. If it is your child, whether you like it or not, she's in your life for the remainder of it. Unlike your father, you won't be a bad parent, you didn't like having it done to you and I know you wouldn't do that to him." I watched as the jet was landing, Henry was taking them to the plane. I gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek and wished her well in her studies. Then joked about perhaps not inviting me to her eighteenth? To which she laughed.

"That was the last ever party I will ever have. Good luck, you will make a great dad, just do everything your dad didn't, and all the things my dad does and you won't go far wrong." With that she got in the car, and was driven away from me, I was heartbroken and it hurt. Now to sort out this mess I find myself in. Gina was in the guest lodge, as I went to see what she was playing at.

"Has the home wrecker gone?"

"Don't be stupid Gina, there is no home to wreck, even if this child turns out to be mine, we will never be a family. Gina, you are here now, and we are getting you tested and blood works ran. My doctor has been called and he's arranging for the stuff you need doing, you know the baby crap? So, I will take it you are telling me the truth, until I get the results or the child's results are before me, however should the child not be mine, you will apologise to Bella, for God's sake, she is just sixteen, you fucked up crazy bitch. What possessed you hitting a child like that?"

"And you love her, it's written all over your face, she has ruined us Christopher."

"There was and is no us, carry on and I will get you admitted to a psych ward, and if the child is mine, I will fight you for full custody."

"You ran out on me and our child, so I hardly think a judge will award you custody of my child, try it and I go to the papers."

"Go on, I have amazing lawyers who I pay and arm and a leg in retainers to get me the results I need, and who have never lost yet, money speaks Gina where's yours?"

"Darling so harsh, are you sleeping here with me, I have missed you."

"Again, there wasn't and never will be an, us! We were a crazy few days of sex and nothing more and I know I was covered." I damn well pray that I was covered.

Three weeks later...

I am flying back from Australia, after being told the baby is on his way, and will be born at some point today, and I know I will not make the birth. Gina had stopped at the ranch for her own safety, and is being cared for, in fact she has around the clock security, she has to have security as she is unhinged, she actually has self-harmed to get my attention and tried to harm the baby she carries, to get me to come to heel. Nothing she did fazed me, I just had her doctor give her something to knock her out, cruel? No, she was a disturbed woman, hell bent on killing Bella and using the poor child inside her as leverage, she is not here in the real world, she is off most of the time in her very different reality, a scary reality where she does things no sane person would dare to do. After she first tried to slit her wrists, I made sure she had around the clock supervision and the best medical care available. It's the least I can do, seeing as all the scans and dates we have, makes it fifty-fifty chance that the child could be mine, but she refused an amniocentesis or chronic villus sampling to be taken from the child, so we're waiting it out, and today's the day the wait ends.

Bella still hates me, and I don't blame her, but when it boils down to it I had a past and a past which this time burnt me bad, and Bella, she got a little singed by that awful past. It was my fault bringing Gina into her world, and she is one mad kook, as it turns out she really is a kook too. Gina has also been diagnosed as being bipolar, something she has suffered with from an apparent early age, and had been missing from her family for a couple of years, only reunited by my search into her past for information into who this would be could be, mother of my child was. She has been off her meds for a while too. It would seem I do attract the kooks into my life. My drinking has stopped because of this too, as I am gearing up for becoming a father, and I need a clear head and all that it takes for being a good father, like Hugh, besides it's a big thing to be a father and get it right. Bella was so right, I had to do it like her father, not mine and I won't go wrong. Bella told her father the injuries she got at the hands of Gina, were from a fall from a horse, to both save her blushes and Tanners job. She has also refused to take my calls, and has now returned to London. I nearly stopped longer on the refuel in London, just to talk, but she was apparently looking at colleges abroad with Hugh. Hell, as soon as I get this over with the better.

Gina's mother has been here for the duration of my absence, and if the child is mine she has agreed to me bringing it up, and if not then it is agreed that she will bring it up. Gina will return to Italy, and be sectioned, as she has said to anyone who will listen, that she will kill the child rather than give it up. Given her medical history and her history at the ranch, it makes it more than likely she will always be unstable, and the child will be vulnerable and at risk. I am still in the air, and have hours left before I can get there, when I receive the call that the little boy has been born, and they say the child is definitely of Asian parentage, most likely Japanese.

That's no surprise, as that's where we had our tryst and so her baby is not my child. I breathe a sigh of relief, though I am still insisting on the paternity tests to be done and I am saddened, which confused the hell out if me. Surely the feelings I should be feeling were those of elation? I do not want to see Gina, nor the child and Henry is arranging for their things to be taken to a hotel, from where Gina's mother is to be flown home to Italy with the child, Gina, a nurse, and yes two security guards, just to make sure she gets to the hospital. I am paying for the best care for Gina and paying her mother a generous settlement on the child, it isn't the child's fault and Gina's mother is poor, the kid it is not to blame for having Gina as it's mother.

I fall off the wagon for a stiff and much needed drink. I send Bella news that I am not the father of the child and I hope she gets back to me. I wish she would, though Luis has said to give her time, the smack Gina gave her hurt her and blacked her eye, I wasn't even aware she had been hit, let alone marked. I am having a few days at the ranch, relaxing and riding. I also supervise the transportation of two horses for Bella, the birthday gift Coffee along with my 'sorry for ruining your trip here horse' he is called Gallant and is my prized stallion Aztec, so she can start her own stud in Spain, it is the least I can do. Then I spend time seeing to the hotels in Mexico and then seeing to the other refurbishments on the Home Hotels, the first one is about four weeks from completion. Good old Dad is fuming at the rebranding of my new cheap and cheerful hotels that are opening up next to his exclusive and upmarket establishments, something he bends my ear about daily hell, some days it's all he does all day long. I screen his calls after the tenth call of the day to call me an ungrateful bastard. In his eyes I am, in mine I am just the boy he forgot about, until it suited him.

I am keeping my days busy and carrying on, and though I have feelings like no other for Bella, it's for the best that I keep the distance needed. It would never have worked, because the look as she saw Gina and her hands all over me ruined it, I was reaping what I sowed. I am moving to Australia for the time being and concentrating on the business of mining. It's got a whole lot bigger than I anticipated and the seam we hit, is massive and bringing with it a whole plethora of problems to the area, with the new jobs, comes the need for new houses, new businesses, and a whole new community is springing forth and the economy here is booming. So, I am opening hotels here too, and investing heavily in real estate in the area of Yangaroo, in Western Australia. My home for who knows how long.

CHAPTER SIX:

Bella:

As the wheels lift and we are safely in the air, I run to my bedroom and lock the door and I cry. I cry over something I had no control over, I have control over nothing, only me. I sob so hard I am sick, my breakfast makes a return and I feel happy, all that stodgy food was making me fat, and that's why he didn't like me, even though she was heavily pregnant, she was skinny, all his women are skinny, I will be skinny I will watch what I put in my body, I will be how he wants me to be, skinny. As we are coming into land, I sit back down.

"Miss Humphries your belt please..." Argh the Luscious Luisa, she has a few pounds she could lose, big boobs and backside, that's why she was not his type too fat. "...about the letter Miss Humphries?"

"What letter? Sit down and stop worrying, besides, his girlfriend turned up expecting his baby, you are well off out of it, he's a womaniser apparently?" She sits down as Tanner looks at my eye.

"I fell of a horse Tanner and you have to agree, or lose your job, what did I do?"

"Fell off a horse Ma'am, really is that going to explain the black eye?"

"Yeah, I've had a couple of throws from horses, Daddy doesn't like it but doesn't question the falls, just gets mad that I get back on the bloody horses, besides you and Henry slipped up, and I don't want to lose you now that I have you so well trained."

"Miss Humphries, if you're sure, then thank you?"

"Positive, and I had a great time and it was fun. Christopher was an amazing host and his ranch was beautiful, I don't want them to know about the she devil in his kitchen, do you hear?"

"Yes Ma'am, but will Mr Holland not inform your father?"

"I will phone Luis and tell him my side of the story, and tell him to tell Chris to keep away, and for a long bloody time. She was a maniac, and he was blaming it all on her, what man does that? Shit it was like it was all her fault. He stuck his dick in her, so he's as culpable in all this as her. If you sleep around, male or female that shit happens, or as in this case babies happen, enough now, I have a headache, remind me never to want to have sex ever again." She sniggers and I think thanks God for my turning my light and womanhood to celibacy!

We come into land and dad's cars are there to pick us up. I make a harried call to Luis, and I explained everything, he gulps and says he will do as I ask, and he will contact Christopher for me. I emphasise the need for him never to contact me again. The ride home is long and boring compared to the reception I get when we arrive back at the hotel. It turned into a rather heated row, about how I should have been more careful, then poor Tanner took some flack, and I had to point out that horses don't come complete with seat belts, and poor Tanner could not sit on the horse with me, given she hates horses and dad should thank her for saving my damned eye. I was very lucky she was even up on one because she was able to help get me back, she got his apologies. Dad then argues that there needs something that needs serious investments in a workable seat belt for saddles. I will get right on it Dad I say.

The next few days here were boring, and at last I was going home and putting the good ole U, S of A, behind me. I had no reason ever to come back here. My studies for the next term were damned easy, and the love hate thing with food was working, I'd already lost half a stone, seven whole pounds of fat had gone, but I could do with perhaps losing at least another stone, if not two? I thought I had hidden my dieting well, until one fateful day I forgot to put the lock on the door, Tanner caught me and I was whisked into rehab again.

I was told that my horses would be gone if I did not sort myself out, that shocked me, because the horses I already had were all on an equestrian web site and were there to be sold. I wasn't about to lose that part of my life and they were willing to resort to blackmail, after everything else seemed to fail, but they hadn't heard about Kelly Bostaov, when they did this. The new girl in the group joined us after I'd had fifteen weeks of refusing to eat. She took an instant dislike to me, and I was not the only skinny girl in the group either, so that wasn't why she hated me, not the cutter Sally, or the druggie Macey, not the sex addict Lorna or the other anorexic girl Tonya, yep it was a mystery alright, a real mystery as to why she only hated me? I was in there for twenty long painful weeks in total and after three weeks with her, I suddenly started to turn my life around.

I spent a lot of time talking shit through and taking art classes as a form of therapy, and hundreds of group sessions with even more talking, shouting and fighting. Such fun I had being told I was a freak, by a 'Jabba the Hutt' lookalike, that was what I called Kelly, who was an overeater and who thought I was a freak, she even called me a retard, the nasty bitch was gunning for me. Fuck me, I nearly killed her when she said I didn't stand a chance of ever getting a man, they would only see me as nothing more than a walking skeleton. I'd never be a woman to them, nor would I ever get a man, why would they want me, who would want to screw me for fear I'd snap if he tried. She had men pay her to feed her, so she was way more fucked up than me. She said I wouldn't be able to have sex ever again with my boyfriend, he wouldn't wait that long for me to fatten up, and besides I'd be dead of starvation and never get to see him again. A man, who in her opinion was just a figment of my imagination, a dream that I would never have, because if he was real, he would want a woman, not a skinny arsed child, that was a low blow. I knew I was too young she didn't need to tell me that I knew already.

What did she think I was a whore for food like her? I was denied a visit from Mum and Dad after we fought, and I had a bruise to my face and a sore body, because the damn Jabba Bitch sat on me, and I couldn't move, damn that hurt me so fucking much. My swearing whilst here was very eloquent and tasteful, fuck was my new word and used a lot as in fuck off, fuck you, thanks a fucking lot for nothing, fucking hell and fuck no... Then after even more weighing and more talking was done, and if I never speak again about my very valid, in my opinion, reasons for watching my calorie intake, it will be a day too soon. I found out too from these sessions that Kelly had been horrifically abused. So, I quit being a bitch and listened, she'd suffered horrid things done to her at the hands of her uncle.

What the hell had happened to me was nothing. She told me I was to grow the fuck up, I was not a stupid girl, I was bright and had a brain, she told me my problems were in my thinking I wasn't good enough for him. I was, and why did I never think it was him who wasn't good enough for me? I was stupid to let him ruin my life, what was he? A man too old for me, way too over sexed and he didn't want me, it was no big deal, it certainly wasn't anything to starve myself over, because he wasn't worth it. She went on her extra-long rant and relished telling me what she thought I needed to hear. I could and should control my studies, my horses, my life, not what I put in my body or didn't. I needed to put my private education to good use, and grow the fuck up, wow I thought Kelly was going to bust a gut as I whined about how the man I loved only liking skinny women and I needed to do the things I did to get him back, wow what a session that was. Kelly and I were never great discussion buddies, but I did listen and I learned there were far greater problems in the scheme of things, than being skinny for a man. I grew the fuck up like she said.

I actually believed everything she said to me over those fraught three weeks, and I finally began to see the light when I saw his picture in a magazine. No food magazines were allowed there were no fashion magazines, so no Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, or Vanity Fair their models were skinnier than I was. No, I was reading a nice copy of Emigrating to Australia, one of the nurses was moving there with her family, and had dumped her whole magazine collection on the residents lounge table, and there he was, right there in black, white and colour, with his date, a very curvy voluptuous model, she was his date for the event. The magazine article featured a six-page spread about the opening of his new housing estate, his new real estate agency and his charitable works. She was not a skinny freak like me, no she was a proper woman complete with boobs, a bum and a body to die for, and she was beautiful and blonde.

I'd had enough and I started to eat, and over the final two weeks I ate more and weighed more, my summer spent in rehab was enlightening and much needed, and though I will never be hundred percent friends with Kelly, she did more for me in five weeks, than the whole clinic did for me in fifteen weeks. When Mum and Dad came to see me, I asked that they helped to pay for Kelly to get the more time and help she needed, as she could only afford to be there two more weeks and needed to be there to help her lose weight. She was doing really well and had lost a massive two stone in the five weeks she'd been there she just needed longer.

Dad agreed, so part of my debt to her was paid, she smiled as I left and said she was sorry, and that she was as she said, 'a bit marfie?' Her cockney accent was so broad. I think she meant, she was gobby like me? She was to stay and get as much help, as she needed, and the aftercare too, and the use of Dad's gym in the hotel near her home in Bethnal Green, with an added personal trainer, she didn't f-in Adam and Eve it, so, I guess she was shocked?

I left rehab a little body heavier and a little lighter in the thought department about Chris, and with my new life in Spain to look forward to, I decided in putting the childish notions of Chris behind me once and for all. My ponies from both Chris and Dad were delivered and I was shocked to see an extra guest in my stables, and wonderful Aztec stallion, called Gallant, and with their paper work, was a thick letter from Christopher. I childishly ripped it into pieces. I accepted Gallant and rode him more than any of my other horses. He was a head strong at first, and did not like to be challenged, had I not known better I would have sworn he was the horsey counterpart of me. Strong headed and knew better.

I'd received word via text he was not the father before I was admitted to Barfin-Up-Prison and I was happy for him, he'd had a wakeup call, because had he been the father, that woman would have been in his life forever. Luis and I had hardly spoken, he was too busy being a lawyer in New York, but Rachel came to see our Dad the week I returned from Barfin-Up-Prison, and yeah, she wound me up no end, taunting me about getting caught barfing, and being a failure in that too, despite her showing me how to do it correctly.

The one good thing about her visit, Dad had heard all that conversation too and was saddened, so yeah fuck off Rachel, she was told her money was to be stopped until she did a nursing course. God help the patients she'd kill them, not cure them. She sulked off and told him to screw himself, so I guess she's not doing the nursing course then? Good riddance to bad rubbish. We are living back in Spain, Dad had bought a new ranch here and we moved back to hot and calming weather in Spain, gone the wet cold British summers and back to the sunshine, yeah for me. I would be attending college in Zaragoza and from there would be doing my university degree in Germany, my life was mapped out and Christopher Holland was not in it anymore, in my heart yes, just not my life.

My life carried on and was a harsh, yes it was a damned awful time for me and my family. What with my personal food hell, we were also hit by yet more bad news, when Mum got breast cancer, but thankfully she caught it early enough, and sailed through the operations and treatments like a trouper. She was given the all clear and word that she was in remission, by the time of my eighteenth birthday came around and would you believe they actually suggested I had a coming of age party! Were my parent's two morons? The last two birthdays didn't go too great, did they not remember the crying I did and what I did after Chris let me down, apparently not?

"Bella, we have to celebrate, Mum has got the all clear and you have passed your college course nearly, we need to have a little fun Bella and laugh and drink let your dark hair down and have some fun."

"Alright Daddy, as long as he isn't on the list and don't look at me, you know he and I had that big fall out."

"I still don't know what about though? I imagine about paying for the other horse he gave you? He asks about you all the time Bella, all the time. Give him another chance?"

"Daddy do whatever you want, invite him, don't invite him, he will be too busy to come to a kid's birthday party." Or remember the promise he made, that when I was legal and if we were not with other people, we would take things further, yeah like he'd remember that. I still keep up with the tabloids, even though he lives in Australia, he still puts it about, though these do seem to be models and rich daughters of business friends. Still I lust after him like a sappy child, damn him he's going to ruin another landmark birthday. "Right I'm going to the stables for a run out, which hotel are we having the ball in this year?" Not Australia, not Australia?

"New York and the responses to the invites this year have been wonderful, and yes Christopher has said he will try to get here, though he's very busy, but he said he'd try." There it goes my heart has smashed again. He'd try, man speak for something else more important came up. I waved to Mum as she sat on the veranda, taking in the warm Spanish sunshine. I am going to miss this when I go to Munich, it's cold the rainy there, and there's no horses either. Four years is a long, long time without them.

I take Chocolate for a ride and as I look back, my new protection officer is struggling on Gallant, Julie Preston. She is nothing like Tammy Tanner, this woman I boss around and she goes straight to Bedford and whines like a bitch. Tammy left to marry Henry, so she now lives with Chris, and though I wanted to go to the wedding, he was the best man so I didn't go, Luis went to see his mate be best man and Dad went too, Mum didn't as she was stuck with me, besides she was hairless and crabby at the time.

"Four feet rule Preston? Get a move on, you said you could ride when you got the position as my protection officer, what did you ride, the carousel?"

"Ma'am, I ride, just not as well as you and this damned horse is playing up."

"Here take Chocolate then. She is a being quiet today." As we swap over, there is a flash of light on the hillside, and Preston panics.

"Get down here now." I do as I am told. "Bedford, have we estate workers on the Northern ridge?" She speaks into her sleeve.

"What's going on?" I look towards the hill, I see a jeep and a man with a camera, and I think it's no biggie, surely?

"It is nothing to worry yourself about Ma'am." She puts her hand over her ear piece, like I can bloody hear what they talk about. "Yes, a reflection from a mirrored object, on top of the ridge, negative the subject has not moved and is still there."

"Tell Bedford we are coming back."

"No Ma'am, the team are going around back, Bedford and Luis are nearly here Ma'am, please stay calm."

"I am calm, he hasn't moved and I am sat on my arse in the Spanish sunshine on top of a damn ant's nest, perhaps he's just a walker? Why the sudden need for more protection, have there been more threats and more nasty letters?"

"All I can say is this is not an idle threat this time, a woman escaped a top mental health facility in Italy, and scrawled on her wall was she was coming to get you."

"Oh, and who was this she then, and why was I not told about this mad woman coming after me?"

"Gina Amadori, do you remember her? A man named Christopher Holland told your father the full tale this morning, and they are worried that she is coming here for you."

"Oh, I thought nobody knew about the ranch here, what about all the precautions we take to fly into other airports?"

"We do, the ranch isn't in your father's name, there are constant changes in getting here and as I said this is just a precaution."

"Umm, well she wasn't a threat much then and I can handle her, she was a messed up woman Mr Holland dated for a while, she had and has nothing to worry about from me." With that Bedford and Luis came along the road, great the lectures are about to start.

"Bella get in the car now." I was being told what to do by Bedford, shit this is serious because he hardly ever speaks to me, let alone calls me Bella.

"Alright, and then someone better explain and fast."

"Gina, she escaped and killed her nurse, her mum, her sister and her son, she was last seen heading in a taxi to the airport and yes this is as serious as it gets, Christopher is worried for your safety."

"Oh, she did all that and they don't know where she is?"

"No, she has no passport and no money, but apparently, she is very resourceful." Bedford tells me.

"Bella, we will get the horses back, please go with Bedford, I will ride Gallant back and Preston will take back Chocolate." Great, I'm under lock down again. We get these dumb threats all the time, and I'm sure this is just yet another bloody tourist off the beaten track. When I got back, this was the case and I sulk off to my rooms. Apparently, we leave for New York tomorrow, great, happy birthday to me, hiding out in hotel rooms. Luis comes to see me when he and Preston get back.

"False call, it was a tourist taking photo's Dad is moving us to a more secure home because Mum is flipping out about you, and they are damned angry we lied."

"They're really freaking out over that old news, and really she did nothing that I wouldn't have done in her position back at his ranch, but she was very resourceful in finding him last time. Christopher was and probably still is being an arse. You'd know being his bezzie mate?"

"We don't see as much of one another as we used to, really we don't Bella. He's always in bloody Australia these days. He is a different person, all work and no play Bella." Why did I not believe him? That's right I have seen the photos and have the cuttings, yeah shoot me I still keep tabs on him.

"Well where is Dad thinking this time?"

"Spain still, but he's not thinking about it, he has bought an old castle on a hillside. It has one road in and the same one out and so it's easy to monitor, he has been a busy little bee getting it ready, and this scare has hastened the move up a few weeks. We were originally moving when you were at university, but we will be moved in when we get back from The Yonkers Birthday Ball. Our stay there will be three weeks' tops, and you get to hang out with big brother a while." There was an upside to this Luis and I could talk again.

"Oh you were just upping sticks whilst I was away and abandoning me? I come home and find you all moved?"

"Yeah, it was one of my better plans. Have a guess who has told her daddy she is coming to stay, and is helping to decorate?"

"Derr, there was a clue in the title as it's not me, it must be the bitch?" She'd wheedled her way in when Mum was ill and seemed to forget she had to pass being a nurse to get her allowance back, she is far better at this guilt trip thing she pulls on Dad than I am. I knew she would, she faints at the sight of blood anyway. She was told to volunteer in a woman's refuge instead, which lasted a whole week before she cried buckets about how she had learnt her lesson, those poor woman, and those poor children. She pushed all the right buttons and got her allowance back.

This however will be the first time I have seen her since I got out of rehab, I'd prefer that I'm not near her at any time, she too hates me just as much, or more because I am with our father all the time, so there is no love lost. I think Dad knows we will never be friends and just hopes for a silent truce when we are together, yeah deathly silent and that works for me.

"Where is this place then?"

"A village near León, called Villablino, it's in the mountains obviously, and believe it or not it's a shorter drive to the airports and as I said it is easier to secure, and this is a need to know place, we can't even tell Chris where it is for obvious reasons. Dad was hoping you'd go to the uni there too, humour him and go to it Bella, please?"

"No, I want what you two had the exciting university experience. It's bad enough I have to lie about who I am, and please don't look at me like that, you had it in America, Rachel studied in Paris. Obviously, I will be taking Preston, she is doing the course too, who knew the ex-Royal Engineer, has a part finished major in architecture, taken in London before she got the calling to join the army, good job too or she would be bored shitless spending four years watching university doors." My thoughts then go to that poor baby and his family, and yeah, I guess I do need some kind of protecting.

"Bedford hired her because of that fact, something for you two to bond over and she will be your only protection too. It will stop people asking who she is if she was simply stood at the doors waiting around. You are both going to be living in Dad's hotel, the story is you are paying your way through university as a live in chamber maids, good cover or what Bella?" I scowl because I wanted to be in a shared house with fellow likeminded students. "Don't look at me like that, campus life isn't your thing, you know it and I do Bella Pooh, you are not a party animal, your more horse and pony, good girl, and you know it?"

"Luis, I think that you get off on all of this spy stuff. I may surprise you all and become a sleep around slut like my big sister and brother, you two get away with it, why not me?"

"I sincerely doubt you will, and besides you know I'm right, your ponies mean more to you than a good night on the town pissed as a fart and in some strange lad's bed?"

"How is it you haven't got a ton of girls knocking on the door too, with babies in tow?"

"I don't know, good God Bella, you ask the questions Mum is too tearful to ask, has she got a grandchild out there? I have to settle down she wants a grandchild, and as you are the goody, goody it keeps falling to me to provide. I hate to disappoint but I am too sodding careful, no way after the Chris scare, I am never getting caught on the hop. Can we change the subject of conversation Bella? Discussing the streets lined with Humphries babies isn't tantamount to having a good time in New York, around my old stomping ground. New York is going to get hammered especially if Chris gets time off from being a Mogul."

"Are the stables any good at the new place?" I change the subject, because now he's brought Chris into it.

"The stables are amazing Bella, and there's more greenery around not like this desert area. There's a state of the art security system going in as we speak, the pony camera will be up in a couple of days and they will be transported there in a couple of days. Stop worrying the girls and Hillary are coming too their accommodation is above the stables they see it as really big adventure."

"Gheeze, was I the last one to bloody know?"

"Pretty much, Dad was thinking about it ages ago, he has been doing it up for nearly six months, and the mountains come with snow in winter Bella and skiing, I get to ski there and at home." I bet he breaks a bone or two.

"Well I best go see to the horses then. Really, those gossiping girls I employ didn't tell me we were moving? God, they can keep their mouths shut." I pass Dad's office and he looks glum.

"Dad I'm going to the stables apparently, I have horses to move, really you didn't think to tell me?"

"It only came to our attention last night, and the horses are going over the next week, slowly with no big horse trailers, it's all but done and dusted, and yes they know Chocolate is due her first foal, she is being moved first with Cappuccino and Coffee, really what are you calling this one Mocha?"

"Oh Daddy no, I was thinking Latte. Depends on the colouring, you know me Daddy." He pulled me in for a hug.

"Sorry I hid it from you, but I need to keep you safe, that's why you are Susan West at university, so no one will know who you are, are you sure you can't do the course here in Spain there's a nice uni there?"

"I'm sure and it's what I want, a normal life for a little while, please Dad you promised if I attended college in Spain I could go to university in Germany."

"I know I know what I promised, Susan. So why did you pick her name?"

"She was my oldest school friend remember Daddy? It will be easier to blag my way through conversations, should I have any about where I come from and stuff, as it's all based on her life. It still really sucks I can't be Isabella Humphries though."

"Sorry Bella, but you know I want you here with me and all the time and I don't want a hair on your head harming. Christopher explained it all in a frantic phone call last night, and he will definitely be coming to the party, he says it's time to bury the hatchet." Oh, I will, in his head. Still, I have yet to thank him for Gallant, my super best friend in horse form. I emailed him so many times I just didn't hit send, I have page up on page of drafted, yet to be sent letters.

"Dad, are you selling this place?"

"It's already sold, a developer is building a resort out here and keeping the stables running, because they do pony trekking and liked the set up."

"Good to know my stables were a selling point then."

"He asked who designed them, and he was heartily impressed when I said my sixteen-year-old daughter." I take a bow.

"I will be back in a while I need to pack my things for the trip, we are stopping at 'By the Park' aren't we or The Manhattan H?"

"Yes dear, your favourite hotel, By the Park."

"It's only because it looks out over central park and those wonderful views, right I have stables to pack and move. I know most of it will be done already, the ninjas will be in to secretly move us to the new mountain hideaway, all in the blink of an eye."

"Luis told you then?"

"Umm he did, I will see you in a while Daddy." I took a look around at the place that had been home for the nearly two whole years, and head into my purpose built stables, these I will miss.

"Hilary, where are you?"

"Here Bella, why the crying, oh lord I know that look, has Hugh told you about the move? He did, didn't he? Here is the battle plan and the three girls move out tomorrow and are being driven there, it's too rough on Chocolate to fly her out, then the day after the two boys are being driven out, and then when the first carrier gets back these three go, then the boy's carrier comes back and these three go."

"What are the new stables like, I presume that's where you spent last week and not by your friends sick bed?"

"Oh you're good. They are bigger than here, and are fantastic, they're cut into the hillside Bella and there are forty big stalls, forty can you believe it? We only have fifteen here." The training ring in supper and there is an indoor training centre, your Dad didn't tell you it was an old equestrian centre?"

"No he didn't, Luis said an old castle."

"Wow are you in for a treat then, there's even a hydro pool for the rehabilitation of racehorses. It is state of the art, and our accommodation is amazing Bella, I can't wait for you to see it."

"So the tack room when and how's that going?"

"The girls are keeping each of the horses stuff with them until they move, the spares and new stuff are going in the removal van along with the office and the food stuff. Though the new barn is already stocked, the food stores in place too and then there is a new horse already in residence, Hugh got you it to sweeten the move, perhaps then a smile will come back to that sulky mush, with news that your favourite gray horse is waiting for your eager return to your new home darling. What was on top of the next horsey wish list of yours?"

"No way, he bought me a Lipizzaner, you're kidding me, right?"

"Nope and not just one but get this, a breeding line, two gray mares and a stallion will be waiting for you on your return, really you need to decide what you are breeding Bella."

"Aztecs and Lipizzaners, of course, and wow I may even give up uni for this."

"Really? No, you're kidding, but I guess we will be seeing you home more?" I helped pack the office away though now I was eager to get to the new ranch. Three weeks is going to be a killer, when I could be there tomorrow but for the damned party, perhaps I will learn to whine like Rachel? I can do a week in New York, besides I do need new clothes.

"Right, the new name of the stables will be changed and my name will not now appear on the paperwork, I know Dad explained this, yes and the reasons?" She nods and smiles. "You're in charge, and the stables come under your name, on all the new paperwork as owner and proprietor and the new stables will be called, Hills, Bells and Horses. You can handle the move, can't you?"

"Oh, god you are a cheeky sod, of course I can. I love the name, it's about time you picked one. It will feel like a proper business now. Bella the setup is to die for. Did you forget I did the move Chocolate from Mexico, to meet Coffee and Gallant in Texas, then all three to London, and then the whole stables, from London to Spain, so yeah a tiny move across Spain is like a walk in the park, go get packed boss."

I hug my best friend in the world, who like me, loves horses. She agreed to run the stables for me, and she is more than qualified, she has a BSc Honours degree in Equine Science, and a load of others too and she whips my arse in dressage. I offered her, her dream job when she was a head stable girl at the time, in London and was one who came top in all my vetting tests, when I left my babies to go to my sweet sixteenth disaster. She near on runs it all for me, and though five years older than me is just as goofy about horses as I am.

"See you when I get to the new place, if I can wangle it, a damn sight sooner than three weeks Hill's."

"I will see you, when you get there Bella, and have a nice time too, get me a posh frock for the stable warming, nothing to flashy, I wouldn't want it to clash with my mucking out wellies, something in blue I think?"

"See you soon." Happy that they knew what they were doing, I went to pack for my trip. My phone was on charge and the blue light was flashing, who was it? I had a text from Christopher, open or delete? I open and read: Sorry, my life is messing with yours. Will you ever have a happy birthday with me there? I promise I will try harder this time. See you soon.

I can't go down that rabbit hole again, the last time I did, I fell and hard, and this time the rabbit hole was harder to climb out of, because I'd had those kisses. I packed just the basics, everything else I was buying there, including the dress. Security has been ramped up to stupid and over the top as usual, so I guess my shadows will be everywhere. Still at least they tell me of any troubles now, so I don't do anything stupid, not like I get as much fun at annoying the security people as I used to. I head into the kitchen and Mum grabs me tightly, then hugs and kisses me and then the tears start, what the hell?

"Mum, err I am in danger of you hugging me to death here, let me breathe please. Dad help me and stop laughing."

"You are not going to Germany, you are going to university in Leon, tell her Hugh, tell her I will worry."

"She knows, and she has stopped home longer than Luis did, she was promised this Maria darling, please, she will be safer there than anywhere. Susan West is not Hugh Humphries daughter, and she and her best friend Julie Preston are going to be fine. Maria, dinner is burning angel put the baby back down." I am released to the mutters of 'nobody cares about her feelings.' Oh wow, is she Rachel's mother too?

"Mum I will be home most weekends as it is, the course is Monday through Thursday, and so two hours in the air and I am home again. Please Mum I need this, and I promise if I don't like it I will transfer to the one near the new place."

"Well I pray you hate it and come back as soon as you can, I need you, and your horses need you. Papa needs you."

"Mum stop it, you're not going to win this one, besides we have months left yet. Good job I can complete the last part of college on line and through Skype, with my tutors."

"Come and eat, your dinner is ready, Luis, Luis dinner is ready come and get it now."

"What's Luis done this time?"

"He told her 'no' to grandbabies again. He is under pressure to find a nice girl, but unfortunately he doesn't know any nice girls." Dad and I breakdown into a sea of tears and laughter as he saunters in, as Dad goes for the dinner plates.

"My ears were and are burning, did dear old Dad tell you I'm a poor excuse for a son?"

"Umm, he did and that you don't know any nice girls, not one that can carry such a God like child of yours, now she would have to be something special. Perhaps Aphrodite herself can come and claim the Greek Spanish heartthrob."

"My people have spoken to her people and she's not too keen on the weather down here, but she fancies her chances with me."

"Seriously, are there no Greek girls your grandad knows?"

"Plenty and no thanks, they are not what I am looking for either. Once they get a ring on, they pop out a kid and wham, their life is the kid and popping out more, that's why Greek men have mistresses and why my sperm donor did a runner, because Mum wanted more, and given he didn't even want me, she was on a losing battle getting more from him, so he ran. Thank Zeus he did, because Mum met and married a certain Hugh Humphries and I got the best Dad in the world, so, no Greek tragedy for me Bella. I need to qualify first and earn some money you women are expensive commodities. What with your dresses shoes and cars?"

"I don't need a car."

"No, you get a new bloody horse and they are bloody expensive to run and take longer to clean up after. Not to mention the bloody houses they need to sleep in, Dad spent a small fortune on the new place. Your beasts have better bedrooms than me."

"Aww poor Luis, still you get to ski there, just think après ski with the horses in the barn with a frisky bungalow maid, you're on a winner Luis, a bit of rough in the rough."

"Umm, horses do have something going for them, your barns are always nice to make out in, and handy sometimes." He winked as he said it too.

"No, you didn't, who, which one of my girls have you done the dirty with?"

"Only one, you wound me Sister."

"No, please no, really more than one?"

"All of them Bella and Hill's too, she may be a little in love with me."

"No, hell no, she is more than a little in love with Oliver, the soldier away fighting in that God awful place?"

"No, he finished with her, it seems I was her rebound sex guy, and damn fine it was too."

"Argh, you know I'm gonna have to get rid of them all now? Shit keep your man bits in your bloody pants and not in my damned stable girls."

"No don't, you'd be mad to let them all go, besides Hill's isn't that into me really, she and I did it the once and we looked at each other after and laughed, said never again and shook hands. I went to bed alone, so no worries, it was what it was, a booty breakup call, I was wounded she used me and toyed with my affections." Dad came to the table with dinner, followed by Mum. This was the last meal she would cook for us here.

"Eat, what were you to discussing?"

"Just that I'm hiring a couple of stable boys, next time."

"Boys, are you sure with the three girls you have there?"

"Yeah, I may stick to hiring males in future too." I give Luis's leg a kick and filled up on the roast lamb, veggies and Mum's great croquette potatoes. We washed the pots and had a few teary cries with the house keeper. She was too old to move to the new place, and was going to stop on and help pack up the house and retire. I headed for bed, the flight to New York was early in the morning, and I'd had a pretty bad day, yet a pretty awesome day too, now there's a stupid thing to say, but I was moving home and gaining three horses. Swings and roundabouts Bella, swings and roundabouts, and not forgetting a text from Chris...

CHAPTER SEVEN:

Chris:

I'm woken at stupid o'clock from a deep sleep, and still half asleep I answer the ringing phone, if this is Dad I will block him. I sit up when I hear the Italian voice on the end of the phone and my bloody curdles as I hear the screams, crying, ranting, then a thud and then silence, I want to be sick, what has just happened as I listened in?

"Hello, who is this? Hello, damn it hello?"

"Hello Christopher, or are you still using Jude? I'm coming to get you next or the bitch girlfriend, take your pick, see you in a little while lover. I missed you so much, but I know what I have to do now to get you back in my bed."

"What kill me to sleep with me? That's the only way that's happening, over my dead body." There is suddenly silence, there seemed to be no more screams or crying now. Has she hurt someone? I buzz for Henry who is already up. "Trace this call it is Gina, why isn't she locked away? Find out, and get me answers now and send the police in Apulia's hometown, to check on her. I fear they have come to some sort of harm, she was shouting kill and die and please hurry and find out. I will keep her on the line for as long as possible." He does as I asks and disappears, whilst I keep the mad woman on the phone.

"So be it, you choose death for yourself, I'm coming for you. If I can't have you nobody else can." Shit she's deluded how the hell did she get out?

"Gina, Bella and I were never lovers, she was and is my sister in all but name, her brother is my best friend, her father is like a father to me, what have you done Gina, is your son Massimo alright?"

"My son is called Christopher, after his father and he was taken from me. These people would not tell me where they are keeping my son, our son Christopher, where is he, have you got him? They paid the price by lying to me, telling me this Chinese kid was my son. He should look like you, he should be blond and have your bright blue eyes, this one, well he was ugly, with brown eyes, dark black hair and eyes that were Chinese, so he wasn't my son and the old hag with him died for lying to me, as did the nursemaid."

"Gina, what the hell have you done? You have killed your family, that Japanese boy was your son, and you, you are still a mad woman, what else have you done? Why are you out of hospital, did they let you out?"

"No, I let myself out. I'd had enough of being there. I need to see you my love, just you and see our son, is he a bright boy? Is he safe, are you in love with him like you are his Mama? Oh, you asked how I walked out, that was easy they let me walk out of the front door, good job too those bells and whistles and screams made me thankful to be out of there, it was too loud and they kept me from my family, they kept me from you."

"You walked out of a high security hospital?"

"You say that like it's a hard thing to do, when I put my mind to it, I can do anything."

"What did you do to get out?"

"Nothing bad. The nurse who gave me my tablets, she gave me her uniform, her keys to her car and her flat. It was so nice of her to help me settle, she always said we looked like sisters, so I was able to get out of there with no problem she had a sleep in my private room, but the silly girl she didn't wake up. She had to come with me to get money from the bank, but this woman here has lots in a jar, lots of money. She must be rich looking after this ugly kid?"

"Gina, you need help, wait there, someone will be with you shortly."

"No I don't need help, I'm fine. I have been looking you up on the laptop she had, the nurse woman. So I'm coming to find you and that bitch you say is like a sister, if she's like a sister she won't mind dying to save you? They are all quiet now they were liars. They died trying to save this ugly baby... Such an ugly baby... Not like our son... He is beautiful, but you know that... I will see you both soon Christopher... Bye, bye lover, we will be happy when you marry me and then we will be a family."

"Stop there Gina, because that is never happening."

"You need me to be happy. I can make it a happy home for us to live in, in the place you have in Australia. Does our son ride a pony like you, do you teach him things, and do you tell him about me and you how we met? I bet you do, I remember how we laughed and danced and you wined and dined me, you romanced me into bed, you are a naughty man."

"Gina, we did no such thing, we fucked. We fucked and I left you there. I wish you would stay there and get help Gina stay and get some help."

"No. I will see you soon for some catch up, we have a wedding to plan, I have to go, the noises are starting again, the ringing, the screaming and the sirens please make them stop Christopher, they hurt my head so. You're right I need to get away I'm coming to you I won't be long..." The line goes dead and I scramble from my bed I feel sick and dizzy shit, shit, shit Bella and her family are in danger, all because of me. I phone Hugh and it goes straight to voice mail, time differences, what are the time differences?

They are seven behind us so its eight at night, where is he? I ring Bedford and he picks up on the second ring.

"Bedford do not put the phone down, I have some bad, bad news, the mad woman Gina is out, and has killed her family, I think, and is on her way to find Bella and I am afraid for her safety."

The poor man listens to the whole tale and says he's on it and I am not to worry, the family are at dinner and Maria has a no phones at the table policy. I breathe a sigh of relief. I am stopped in mid-tale to Bedford, by Henry who tell me there are four people dead, a nurse, the baby and his grandmother and the aunt. I had listened as she killed her family. I hurled and quite spectacularly so, and began shaking. Henry continued with the rest of the call, as I scrambled to throw the rest of my guts down the toilet pan.

"Chris, we need to be going to New York she will come here first as this is where you live and we need to fly commercial too. We have grounded your plane here so she will not follow, we have seats booked for you and I on the first plane out tomorrow, so pack a bag or do you want Francis to do it for you. Chris pull yourself together." I receive a slap for zoning out on him.

"What, yes, Francis, pack for me. Bella, is she safe?"

"I hardly think even Gina can be in two places at once Christopher, go grab a shower and change. I will have Francis clean this mess up." I do as I am told and step under the shower. I sit on the cold marble floor and cry for that poor child. What wheels had my mindless actions put into motion? Gina was crazy and had killed her family because of me, and because of me his young aunt wouldn't have the family she wanted, he wouldn't get the life he deserved and her wonderful mother was dead, all because of me screwing Gina, what the fuck is wrong with all this? I cry tears for the first time since Glenda died. Did these poor people die because I needed to have sex and chose Gina? What did I do? Never in a million years did I ever think that mindless sex would ever lead to this, is this my karma coming back to bite me in the arse for sure? My tears are stopped by the gentle rapping on the door.

"Chris the floors clear. I have laid out some clothes and will pack as you eat breakfast, come on get out of there, I don't want to be coming in to get you, do you hear me?"

"I hear you Francis I would like just a cup of coffee, thank you I will be out in a second." I hear the door shut and get up the floor is still wet from my up chuck session and the room smells of pine disinfectant. I can't focus, but I get dressed, I feel like crap for poor Massimo. I pray they catch her before I do. I get to the breakfast bar and drink coffee it's still the middle of the damn night. Henry and I discuss Tammy coming, I want her with us she is pregnant and I'm not having another loss of a child on my conscience.

"No, she comes, it's not like I can't afford another flight? Can't we just get on my jet and have it come straight back it will be easier for Tammy?"

"No, Gina seems to be able to get information out of anyone she has a mind too, this way is safer. I will leave Jerry here to look after this place Francis is going home until we get back, everything is done, and thanks for saying Tammy could come, she has missed Bella and her folks."

"Umm, what, right yes, I'm missing Bella."

"Really, you're missing Bella? Chris wake up, eat this and when Francis has finished packing we will head to the airport, with a full day in the air to look forward to."

"A private jet, would be easier and more comfortable, hire one then?"

"Really Chris, you don't know about hiding in plain sight, do you? Don't take the fucking Stetson, that's an instant give away, you in that hat."

"Don't dis the Stetson, instant dismissal buddy." I go to put the hat in my room as Francis is coming out of my room.

"All packed, your home there has clothes, this is just and overnight bag Chris. Here take this and give me the hat." I take the bag and go back to the breakfast bar.

"Come on the cars waiting and Tammy is downstairs too, you have been given a suite by Luis, you're under the name Cooper Hayes and Hugh would like a word when you get there. Bella isn't happy, and her brother says she's way madder than he has ever seen her."

"My fault I know, I wish I could change the past but I can't, shit will this crap ever end?"

"When they catch Gina yes, she will never be allowed out now, come on the airports calling, here's your laptop, phone and gadgetry, all charged and ready in airplane mode."

"What would I do without you Henry?"

"Get some other idiot to do it I guess?"

We ride in silence to the airport and wait for what seems an age, damn it I can see my jet across the tarmac, why the fuck am I flying commercial? After a gruelling twenty-four hours in the air, we touchdown in New York's JFK, and I swear I am never flying that far commercial ever again. Okay I'm whining like a bitch and tired, that damn kid in the next seat whined all the fucking way here. I don't think I ever want to be a father now, twenty-four hours sat next to a shitting, burping, farting machine, it well, it is sort of off putting and stops you having thoughts on wanting them.

Then we have the wait for Tammy's baggage, we have stuff here, she didn't and if she apologises one more time I am leaving her luggage here and buying her more. Thankfully it is retrieved by her attentive husband, and I head to the suite Luis has reserved for me, Tammy and Henry are stopping with her parents, that's his payback for Henry making me fly commercial.

A week or so with the in-laws, I smile as they get their car to Manhattan, and my car takes me to 'By the Park' why Henry insists I stop here when I have a perfectly good secure penthouse above my hotel and club, beggars' belief, I suppose he knows what he is doing? I check in and fall straight on the bed and sleep, until I'm woken by a loud banging on the door, I take a look at my watch and I have slept the clock around, wow.

"Hold your horses I'm coming." Opening the door, I find it's Henry and he has my clothes and is laughing with Luis. Luis comes in for a hug.

"I looked in earlier, but you were dead to the world, and yeah I saw you were sleeping and left you. How's it hanging Chris?"

"Umm, come in and thanks Henry put them down and go spend time with Tammy, he has protection look, I will be fine." I point to the man loitering around in the hall way. "I'm in here for the day I have catching up to do, Henry I swear I will be fine."

"If you're sure that's alright Chris? She's a tad cranky about not being allowed out on her own."

"Use the card take her places buy her stuff, by my way of an apology."

"Thanks, but it's not necessary her mum is a great cook, and lucky ole me is having her mama's Creole cooking tonight. See you tomorrow?"

"No, take the next couple of days off, I have to eat humble pie later today or tomorrow, pay me a visit in the hospital once I see Bella." Luis shuffles uneasily, as Henry leaves.

"Explain the foot thing, what have I done?"

"Bella doesn't know you are here, and doesn't want to see you, if you do come."

"I have a ball to attend and her present to give her, so she will have to deal with it. I need to apologise. Shit is she ever gonna forgive me?"

"Give her time, and yeah, I know two years is a long time, but you know she's had it bad Chris, her time in hospital, Mum's cancer. I'm even surprised she did so fucking well in college and still has a nice side line in horses."

"So I can't go to the ball then?"

"What? Oh yeah, it's a masquerade ball, you know face masks and tuxedos are required, it's a black and white ball? It was Dad's idea, it hides who Bella is and sort of gives her anonymity to be herself? Security has been beefed up too, but she is losing it big time Chris. So go to the ball, but don't talk to her, let her come to you? Send her a present and an apology card saying you don't think you can make it after all. That way she will be happy to see you when you do turn up. Don't fuck up, be nice, don't bring a date, or mention Gina and she may just talk to you again."

"I can do all that, besides every time I fuck up it costs me a horse." We both laugh.

"Those she doesn't mind getting, so keep doing it and fill her stables with reasons to forgive you. Gallant is her favourite horse he's the damn demon horse of Satan for anyone else but her. Horses still aren't my thing Chris."

"I need to get my tux and a mask then, and I fancy going out for lunch, join me?"

"I can't sorry, I'm on Bella minding, she has dresses to get and I have her damn mask to pick up, someone Dad knows has made her a custom job, all black and feathery, what do I know? Do you want me to pick you one up?"

"Yeah plain back and it needs to cover as much of this mug as possible. If that's the only way I get to see her?"

"Sorry Bro it is, what's the deal with you two, do I have to be beating your arse down? She is all you talk about."

"I like her, a lot, the age thing is a killer and the fact that every time we see it each other my past comes back to kill it and no Luis, we have done nothing about the thing we think we have, because we don't know what we have, and yes, I know that seems like a crock of shit, but it really is a confusing thing. I like her a lot, she likes me, but we are not meant to be, simple as."

"Shit I thought it was just her, not you too? Look, whatever went down at the ranch really killed those feelings for you, I got the abridged version and I don't want more details, but she is way smarter than any other eighteen-year-old I know."

"I know way older in her head, a killer body and too trusting."

"Err, boundaries Chris that's still my little sister you're talking about, and yeah she has them hanging around her at college, some even book in for riding lessons to get near her, and no none of them get a look in, in fact they don't do more than three or four lessons before they get the message." I laugh as Luis heads to the door.

"Drinks this evening? I want to get drunk."

"It's a date, we eat and then go for a few drinks, don't forget the mask Luis and I will see you later, some of us have to work for a living."

"Megalomaniac, employ someone to run the damn mines for you, you're a boring bastard stuck out there with the kangaroos."

"I do and he's shit hot... I just like being there, besides a rich Russian wants to buy into the mining operation, its bigger than I ever thought it would be, and I am considering his very nice offer."

"Yada, yada, I'll believe it when I see it. When's enough money enough Luis? What's the point in being a multi billionaire if life is passing you by and all you do is work?"

"Luis that was deep, especially for you, has Bella been at you again to grow up? I agree, I need to have some fun and enjoy life more." I needed to see Bella, I wasn't over her in any way shape or form and it is killing me, and as stupid as this sounds thinking of her my heart is really hurting. I need to get her to speak to me just for a few minutes, that's all I will need.

"See you later and don't work too hard." He left me to think over all the crap with Bella, space hadn't worked and time certainly wasn't working, maybe she would remember the promises we made, and give herself to me? From what Luis says there is no significant man or boy in her life, perhaps she is still waiting for me? Ha, I will remind her of the promise, if I can get near her. I do a couple of hours work before I head out to get Bella her present. The stuffed Kangaroo I bought her is cute and has a pouch for the present. I just need to hit the jewellers and buy her something nice for it to carry.

I head out along Fifth Avenue, and look in the store windows, dressed down and in a beanie hat, gheeze I miss my hat. I head for a look see at the least favourable part of my life, shopping for jewellery. Normally Judy my assistant does all this, she sees to it the girls get the 'sorry I had to leave' gifts, 'sorry it's over' stuff, this is only the second time ever I have shopped for jewellery, the last time Bella and her cousins chose the bracelet I gave her, this time I'm on my own.

I head into Kwiat, a jeweller who I know Mum had a few pieces from. Dad liked to buy her nice things, and he occasionally would show me the things that adorned her body and pictures of her wearing them. Then he'd rant again, and I'd be banished to my wing of the house until he calmed down, but it was worth it to see something pretty and see the photos of her wearing those pretty things. Those and the photos of my mum, that my gran had, were all I had left of the woman I loved so dearly, and yet had never met.

"Sir, how can I be of assistance today?"

"Umm, I don't know, I want something pretty, a necklace perhaps, a pendant, diamonds and if possible with an emerald or two?"

"Certainly Sir, and as to price, what are you looking at paying?"

"No limit, it just has to be nice." Yeah, like I know what I'm looking at? He walked me to the glass display case and it shone brightly, wow pretty and sparkly, we could be on a winner.

"This is an excellent piece, it is an egg shaped diamond necklace, it is five carets total and has a leaf pattern in tiny emeralds which lead to this exquisite diamond daisy, with the two caret yellow diamond in the centre, both combining diamonds and emeralds, its set in white gold and is a unique piece?" I nodded and as I fingered the egg, I muttered it would do.

"The price Sir is fifty-seven thousand dollars."

"Yes that's just fine, here's my card, is that acceptable?" I pay enough, so best it is, why the fucking eye flutter? Then I look at my reflection in the mirrored walls, um I do look like a construction worker, shit I already have the cowboy look down, throw me in a police uniform and I could bring back the village people single-handedly. Wow, no wonder he gave me that look.

"Sir, yes that's perfectly acceptable." He rang up my purchase, and wrapped the box in tissue and bagged the box. I hate jewellery shopping and now I have to hope she likes the damn thing. The card shop next and then the florist, where a basket of wildflowers is purchased, which will be delivered to my room later. Now I need to eat. I grab a cab to Mighty Quinn's Barbeque, the best barbeque place outside of Texas. I eat the best rib eyed steak and down a few beers. How the hell has my life got so fucking complicated? As I eat, my phone chirps.

"Hi Chris, just a reminder you have to visit the dentist and you have an appointment at three thirty with De Beret and associates. Your Russian friend's lawyers there, he wants your damn mines, Chris he has been bombarding me with phone calls on the hour, phone them and him please."

"Umm, sorry Judy, I have my mouth full of the best steak. Right, I will see both of them today."

"Dentist at two thirty, then after that De Beret at three thirty, with any luck I have left enough time between appointments. Oh, and some nutter keeps ringing saying she coming for you? Hillier is dealing with it this end and tracing the calls, but that's all she says and hangs up, is this Gina do you think?"

"Yeah, I guess so? I don't think I have pissed anyone else off just recently?"

"Umm, you also had a call from Alysia, she says if you're in New York give her a call, it's been too long."

"Sorry, she's blocked on this phone, gheeze I need to get a wife, perhaps they will leave me alone then?"

"I highly doubt it Chris, I doubt a gold band will stop some of the nuttier woman you seem to date."

"Right note to Christopher no more nutters. I need to get back to the hotel do my teeth and get to the damned dentist. Thanks Judy what would I do without you?"

"I don't know, but I do know why you offered me the big bucks now. I sometimes feel like I'm your damned pimp Chris. When are you back here then to deal with the Australian branch of your fan club?"

"I don't know, I need to see to the damn Russian and this party, the New York Home Hotel is having a few problems, so perhaps a week? Who knows it could be longer? Henry needs to ramp up security on the ranch too, or we may have to move to a more secure set up, it seems all that land is a ball ache to watch over go figure?"

"Good luck and see you soon." She hangs up and I finish the steak and head to my hotel. They have delivered the flowers and I take them to my room. I am on the lookout for a glimpse of Bella everywhere I go, and as yet have not seen hide nor hair of her.

I linger over the card and write, 'Sorry I cannot be there, things are hectic here, I hope you accept these gifts, and wear the necklace and think kindly of the old fool, who keeps ruining your birthdays, but doesn't mean too. Yours, Chris x' I place the jewellery in the kangaroo's pouch, and place it in the middle of the flowers. I ring Luis, leaving him a voice mail, and tell him the gift basket is in my room and I will see him at eight and he's to give her the basket as soon as he gets in. He never answers his damned phone.

I have a tedious dental appointment and a damned filling is needed, I'm having such a good day already and this? Well this puts the seal on the day, I'm going to a bloody important meeting with a swollen tongue and sounding like I'm speaking a foreign language, which I could possibly be doing, plus I may look like I have had a stroke, there's drool coming from my mouth, great drooling in a meeting, so not a good look.

My pearly whites are given a good clean and they shine brightly as I exit the dentist. I then head to the meeting. I do need to get rid of the mining, it's getting bigger and bigger and the problems it's expansion brought with it, were and are mind bogglingly frustrating. The small business, had now turned into a bloody full time, live over in Australia job. I head into the conference room for the informal chat.

"I'm so sorry, I have had a dental procedure and the after affects are hindering my speech, so what is Mr Anisimov's latest offer?"

"He has decided he wants to go solo on all the operations, the mining rights the land everything, would you be open to begin negotiations at say forty?" I wanted to open at thirty, so he's negotiating up. I smile this could be good.

"I was thinking more eighty?"

"He may be able to go to sixty?" I'm already happy, shit I have more money than I will ever need.

"I will sell to Anisimov, for seventy." He smiles, damn it he could have gone higher.

"The deal will be done quickly, yes?" I nod. "Mr Anisimov likes to do business quickly the engineering reports are favourable to this being a great deal for my boss."

"I am sure it will be and I will be glad to get back home, I have things that I need to do here and spending all my time in Australia is hindering my other businesses. My solicitors here will deal with it and thank Anisimov for doing business it was and is a pleasure." I shake a very sweaty hand and pass him a handkerchief, he is sweating profusely, and I think there was a lot riding on this for him not every day you spend seventy billion of your boss's money?

I am now down to just the real estate on the Western coast of Australia, and the new hotels I am building. It seems hotels are so in my blood after all. Back at the hotel I see Bella and wow she has got even more beautiful, if that was at all possible? She is with a tall guy and Cameron Bayfield. Damn it is he still hanging around her, like the bad penny he always was? I note they are getting into a limo and are heading off with security. I'm safe to get out of the car, which the car service sent me and get in the hotel unseen. Luis is in the reception with his dad and waves me by, what Hugh doesn't want me here either? Damn it. So I head to the lift and press the button. I'm joined by Luis.

"Hello Bro, did you have a nice time shopping? I put the mask in your room. What the hell did you buy Bella? She cried all afternoon in her room and fell asleep cuddling her teddy bear thing?"

"It was a kangaroo and I bought her a necklace. Why did she not like it?"

"Yes, she loved it, but hates that you are not coming, I can't figure her out, she didn't want you here and now you're not coming, she does want to see you?"

"Hard to understand I know. Why did you not want me to speak to your dad?"

"Bedford used his contacts in Italy and got hold of the pictures for Dad, the pictures have made him mad as hell, and Chris it was a massacre not just a killing. Have you seen the photos?"

"No, I didn't want to, besides I'm giving my statement tomorrow at the Italian consulate here with my lawyer, I will have to see them then I suppose? I just didn't think she would go so far, killing her son and family, she needs capturing and soon." Luis looked worried.

"Bedford had stepped up the security, so no one will get near Bella at the ball on Saturday. Dad wants to cancel, but Bella won't let them."

"Talking about Bella, who did she go out with earlier?"

"Jack Lyle, he's Cameron Bayfield new step brother. She's being taken to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner, he did his homework and has been sending it her since she got here. He's quite the smooth talking little boy, but he is gay. Stop looking at me like that he is just a friend, a gay friend. Apparently, they went to school together in London and his mother married Cameron's dad, and they moved over here, they are just email buddies. He calls her his fag bag?" I laugh.

"Lord no, it's fag hag, idiot! So, is Bayfield sniffing around Bella still?"

"Nope, like I said step brothers, and Jack's a pain in the arse apparently, Cameron is alright now. He's got a party the same night as this ball ache thing we have to go to, his bachelor party actually, are you pleasantly surprised? Yes, he's marrying a socialite, Rhona Winthrop, the merchant banker's daughter. He snagged himself a rich only daughter of a widowed wealthy banker, seems his new wife's worth a fortune." I laughed. "Come as my plus one, after the party here? I have to be here anyway. Come with me, it will be a blast he's got a party bus, strippers and a pole dancing club, free booze and all the party extras?"

"No thanks I'm not into that shit anymore, really are you?"

"Hell yes, I'm still in my prime old man."

"Luis I'm a mere nine months older than you, and I might add. I have a small problem called Gina running around free and in a manic state of mind."

"Umm, well hopefully they will have caught her by then. I loved the flowers you sent Bella, what are you like you're an old romantic bastard. She said through the tears that she still has some dried ones she had at a picnic, ones you picked for her at your ranch, you soppy, soppy man. You need to write a tip book you really do schmooze well. Had I sent an expensive weed basket to my dalliances they would have been sent back or been forcibly stuffed way up my arse, a good thing for Jack, but not so for me." Oh, she remembered them and kept them, good.

"I'll get right on it, when I finish the bloody deal to sell the mining operation in, Australia."

"Oh, you are selling them? Thank God for that, are you returning to civilisation then?"

"Yes in a while I am, I will head back to Texas if I'm honest, its home, Henry is stopping to make it safer, but it's wide open, I may have to sell up and look for somewhere less open to my manic ex sex buddies."

"Umm, good luck with that. Horses need a lot of land, I know Bella's need a damn high acreage, her spoilt demon's eat better than I do and live better than I do too, less talking more drinking, hey you need to change your shirt you're drooling over it."

"Blame the dentist, I had a filling earlier, I damn well bit my lip at the offer for the mines and when this Lidocaine wears off it will hurt like hell. Give me a minute to change is it a shirt and tie job?"

"Nah jeans and tee shirt, we are slumming it in a student bar." Great how old does he think he is? Dressed and out of the door we headed to the first of about eight bars, after the last one I remembered nothing. I woke shocked as hell to find myself alone and still clothed and I'd slept in my bath tub. What the hell was I doing in the tub? As I pulled myself free from the thing, I fell over the edge of the bath and landed in a heap on the bathroom floor.

"What the fuck did I drink and do last night?" I stopped trying to get up and crawled to my bedroom, where upon I found the reason for sleeping in the tub, Luis had two women in my bed. Fuck no, I didn't, or did I? I crawled back to the bathroom locked the door striped and showered, cold, then hot, then cold, wow that was needed. I threw the wet clothes in a heap and pulled on a bathrobe. Quietly I got dressed grabbed my wallet and took off, I hadn't a clue what time it was, as I was missing my watch, and for some reason my wallet was lighter than it was the night before.

I headed for the cash machine, and took out a couple of hundred bucks and looked for somewhere to eat breakfast. I needed coffee, I needed food and I needed to know what I did, with whom and where? The only one who could tell me what we had done was sandwiched between two women and had a kick arse smile on his face. I headed for Sarabeths's by the park, for a much needed coffee.

"Sir, what can I get you today?"

"Can I start with fresh orange juice, strong black coffee, the lemon and ricotta pancakes, then I will have the bacon, pork sausages and two orders of the Popeye eggs please, and please keep the coffee coming?" The waiter left, bringing back the coffee and orange juice. I watched through the window where I saw Bella out running with her security, her arse was mighty fine. I watched as the slight girl looked lost, she is also swamped by her security. As she jogs she busied herself listening to her music, her hair is in pig tails at each the side of her head. She gets better looking every time I see her, mores' the pity. I am brought around from arse watching by the arrival of breakfast part one. When all the food was eaten and a multitude of cups of coffee were drank, I asked for the bill and wow, I had an expensive breakfast, I gave her a hundred and headed back to my rooms.

"Luis, Luis are you in here?" No reply to my gentle knocks, good they had gone. I had phoned and asked for room service to come and do the room, and was told they were on the way already. I ordered more coffee and French toast. Then set about work in the lounge, my phone was on the table with the things from my pocket including a pair of red panties? What the hell did we do last night, or mores the point, what did I do and did I join in the threesome on the bed? I had to hope not.

"Hello Sir, you called for room service?" I knew that voice. Shit, shit, shit it was Bella, fuck. I grabbed my laptop, my wallet and headed into the toilet. "Mr Hayes room service, can I come in or do you later?" Umm do me later that sounds like fun.

"What? Wait a moment err, yes, yes carry on I'm in the tub. Will that be alright?"

"Err yes, yes, but please stay in there until we leave, this is highly irregular Sir."

"Sorry, but I wanted to shower before breakfast, I'll be a while in here and I can assure you I will be in here long after you have gone. I like a long soak after my shower." Shit hurry up and go for fucks sake. I sat and listened to her sing, wow her voice is so good Alanis Morissette if I'm not mistaken, singing Ironic? She sang as she tided hovered and I presumed she had made the bed.

"All done Sir and your breakfast is here, enjoy it... Luis what are you doing here and why the hell did you not come back last night?"

"I was with friends and I am here checking on Cooper, he's an old friend from college, here for Cameron's bachelor party."

"Why, oh never mind, I am sick of asking why you get out of these mornings Dad has me working. Mum is pissed at you and pissed Chris isn't coming, the arse." I oh-ed. "Still he has better things to do than come ruin another party of mine."

"Really and the flowers, the teddy and the necklace he got you were crap then?"

"No, no it wasn't, they were beautiful I would have liked to thank him for them in person, I may have been a little rough on him." My heart raced, should I go out and say you're welcome? "Had he come though I would have smacked him stupid and enjoyed it too, this birthday is ruined and he's not even here, damn him." Oh. No, I think I'll stay put. "Right I'm off, see you for lunch." I heard the door click shut and Luis laugh.

"You can come out now, sorry I didn't think they would send her. We had a wild old time last night, well I did, you just drank the last bar dry, ten bars visited in total, and we had a blast." Why is he so fucking perky? I feel like crap and have a bad head, a really bad head.

"Where's my watch?"

"Oh that, it was left behind the last bar we went in, you left your cards here and only took out cash and when you ripped the felt on the pool table, we hadn't enough money, so you promised to go back and pay them, he was for calling the cops, but you gave up your watch. I sent my security for it this morning with the funds to repair the table, because I lost my wallet, I think one of the twins has it, they were both very light fingered, if you get my drift. It was damn well worth it, because they were fucking awesome. Here you are one Rolex and my apologies for having you sleep in the tub, you were offered either Sherry or Jerry, one or both of the twins, but chose to be a Wet Whiney Willy and chose to sleep in the tub, or on the closet floor? Either way I had a good night, balls deep in twins, I'm the man."

"You're that alright, I had over two grand in my wallet, how much did we fucking drink?"

"Enough and you paid for a round of drinks at a bar we went in as a forfeit for failing to pole dance. That is on you-tube, I think? Though I can't see your face and you had your back to the camera. You got way up to the top, wrapped your legs around the pole, then you sneezed, which unfortunately loosened your grip, and well let's just say the headache you must have isn't just alcohol fuelled, you came crashing down hard, and it was out of this world funny.

Then insisted you could do it, or the room all got a drink, and wow it wasn't too pretty the second time around either. Then you rode the pole, like you were dry humping it. That is where we picked up the twins it was their pole you were dry humping it, and boy were they disappointed not to get you in the sack. You had a few pairs of panties thrown at you, and phone numbers were taken, and I think a few dollar bills in your jeans, they helped pay the pool table bill. You could make an ace stripper, if you lose your billions Christopher Holland." Oh hell never again.

"I don't remember any of it, nothing after the bar with the fat guy at the door."

"That fat guy was a woman, and we didn't get in that bar, you pissed them off. Too bad really, I'd have loved to see you in a gay bar, we are now banned from Therapy too." I hugged my head, again.

"Shit and you want to do this again tonight?"

"No, we can't, because I stopped out and pissed off the two most important girls in my life I have to make restitution to them with a few hours of my time. My suck up begins tonight, I am taking Bella to a show, with Mum and then we are having a fancy meal at Alders, my treat for making Mum worry. Oh, you met a woman last night, and were meant to be taking her out, Alysia?" I didn't, please tell me I didn't?

"No, I didn't do that with her, did I?"

"You escorted her to her room, she was stopping in the hotel of a bar we were in, and you disappeared for an hour, then came back looking like you'd had some sort of relief and we moved on to the next bar. Shit you had a booty call that you didn't remember either?"

"Fuck, did I give her my number? Please say I didn't?"

"No, you didn't take your phone and refused to give her it, telling her to ring Judy to confirm. You are going to, aren't you?"

"I am not, no because she is a gold platted money grabber. She practically walked me by Graff's and wanted to window shop for rings after two dates, she was a little clingy and loose with my wallet. I asked Judy to send her flowers, by way of thanks for the fuck, but I'd pissed Judy off for some reason, and she sent her a fucking five-thousand-dollar handbag, the next time it was a bracelet, so needless to a say after the window shopping for things, I sent her a nice thank you letter. I ended it with a voucher for a spa day, and still she pesters me every damn week. If I went there again I am screwed because fucking hell she will see this as a restart, fuck I'm screwed are you sure we did the dirty?"

"Oh so I guess telling her you were stopping here was a bad move on your part then?"

"I did what?"

"You told her you were in New York for two weeks, on business and were stopping here, so expect a phone call."

"I am under Cooper Hayes here, aren't I?" He nodded.

"Look Chris, I have to be going I have some work to do in the offices here, and I am in no fit state to do it. So get some rest and I will see you for coffee later, okay?"

"Fine give me a call, I will be working on the takeover for the Russian guy." My fucking head hurts really bad now, what has Alysia got to think of last night? She will think that I'm up for it with her again. She's a good time in the sack, but way too needy for me, will I never learn? Apparently not!

CHAPTER EIGHT:

Bella:

"These were left in reception for you Bella." Luis brings me a basket full of meadow flowers and in the middle of them there is a big kangaroo, umm are these from Christopher I wonder?

"Oh, they are sweet, what's the kangaroo got in his pouch?" I opened the box and smiled, this was exquisite, tasteful and pretty, the diamonds captured the light from the lamp and sent a glitter ball effect to the ceiling, how pretty is that?

"There's a card, read it Bella." He says.

"I don't need to I know these are from Chris he remembered I liked meadow flowers and he's in Australia, hence the kangaroo, and he's made sure there's Emeralds in the jewellery, so I guess the note is his way of apologising for not coming?"

"Open it and find out he may surprise you?" I opened the card and read it. I was right he wasn't coming. I sighed and showed it to Luis.

"See I was right, damn him I wanted him to come too, oh this sucks it really sucks, he's ruined the day and he's not even here." I went to my room and locked the door, damn him, I really thought he'd be here for our birthday. I put the flowers on my dresser and the kangaroo on my bed, and looked at the pretty egg necklace. I stopped in my room sulking like a kid, and caught up on paperwork for the stables and had some face time with Hill's and asked about the packing and moving. Chocolate had arrived safely, as had the stallions, the boxes were back and the last six were going too, and yes Chocolate was safe and well. The new security cameras would be up and running tomorrow and I could get a look in at her then.

I needed to grab a shower and to change for my date with my old school friend Jack Lyle, fancy his mum marrying Mr Bayfield, now that made Cameron his step brother, stranger things have happened in my life than old friends now being brothers, I guess both brothers are happy not being the one to grab my attention, and I know they both tried hard to get in my knickers, but my unrequited lover tops their predicament? I need to get myself sorted and get over Chris.

"Mum, Mum? Where are my new jeans? Oh never mind I've got them Dad do I really have to do housekeeping tomorrow?"

"Yes and where is it that Mr Lyle and Mr Bayfield taking you today?"

"Umm, to the Cheesecake Factory where else would I go? Derrr, they asked where I wanted to go and that's where I am going. With I might add, the added security and yes, I agreed to it, so stop moaning Dad I am not being cooped up like a chicken in here all day."

"You need to get clothes too, for Germany, warm clothes and books yes?"

"Yes, clothes and books and who better than to clothes shop with than my gay best friend and his big brother?"

"Who indeed, you have your cards and things?"

"I have my cards, my whistle, my panic button, my pepper spray, let's just check I may have forgotten the kitchen sink, I also have my phone fully charged and Preston has hers. She is a bitch Dad why can I not choose my own security?"

"No she is not, and she was chosen for a reason and if you want to go to Germany, then suck it up, because if you don't take her, you don't go. She is looking forward to taking up her studies again."

"One of the perks of guarding the spoilt little rich girl I suppose?"

"I suppose, be nice Bella, for your mum's sake, she is worrying all the time now, she wants you here in this room under lock and key."

"Alright I get it, thank you Dad. See you in a while, I have pizza and cheesecake to eat and dresses and things to buy."

"Keep close to Preston and enjoy yourself." I would have enjoyed it more if I knew the sexy dress I'd ordered would have been seen by Chris, now I was doing the reveal to Jack, he is now my 'would-be-gay' best friend. I swear I didn't see that coming I always thought he was straight, he chased me at school, perhaps I put him off women? Still it just goes to prove, you really shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but heck his book cover was all gay man, I just never realised it, not with his schoolyard female friends, my best friend included. I should have realised really, he spent more time in front of the mirror getting ready than I did, and his room was always spotless and organised and his clothes are always so frickin immaculate and he never has a hair out of place. I may be thinking a little too stereotypical, but then again, I had as it turns out, wrongly thought he was a womaniser.

"Are you ready Preston?"

"As ever Ma'am, please stay within arm's reach at all times, don't think of ducking out, this is a serious threat Miss Humphries."

"I know. Did you forget that you're not the first protection officer I have had? Chill Preston, please we have to get along so call me Bella, and don't bother arguing about it or you go. Besides in Germany you can hardly call me Fräulein Humphries can you or Frau, nor Gnädige Frau, so get used to it, and by the way I'm far from spoilt little rich girl, and should I hear you say that to Bedford again I will ask for another protection officer, and then where would you be? I know I can be a bitch, but only when riled. Do you know what it's like having a shadow attached to you, night and day? Having your first dance with a boy watched by a protection officer? Your first kiss stopped by said same protection officer, which was the first time, and I think it was the only time I was actually glad to have security?"

"No, I don't suppose it is fun being a billionaire's daughter?" Was she serious, I was being nice too? "Sorry that sounded bad, what I meant was, yes you have money, but having money can be a curse as well as a privilege. Bella, I am sorry, fresh start?"

"Umm okay fresh start, right let's meet the best friend and his letch step brother, the first kisser, so watch my back with him please? Tanner stopped the first kiss I ever got from being off him." She nodded and spoke into her sleeve and told them 'the baby was in the stroller'. "Really change my handle to the horse, and then she is outta the stable. Bedford, I know your listening and you're going down too old man." I swear down her sleeve and Preston smiled as the lift doors opened at reception.

"Well don't you look pretty?" Too camp Jack to damn camp, he was checking out those women as the lift doors opened, what's his game? I will allow the facade to continue, then punish the bastard if I find out what I think he is doing, is in fact what he is doing, he may wish he was gay if that comes to fruition, pretending to be gay to get into the changing rooms with me?

"These are just old jeans this is just a tank top and the jumpers old too."

"Umm, vintage Dior jumper, Armani men's button ups and an Ed Handy tank top, you have so pulled together the student look, but making it look fab, very ultra-chic, everyday wealthy-wear, too fab Babes." Oh, he had to have guessed the labels, unless he really is gay, right? I think he could be ambidextrous, or as Luis says greedy and likes Martha and Arthur, umm I will wait and see.

"Hi Bella, you look nice whatever you have on, not a clothes horse myself. So shopping first and then a meal out?" I smile and swear I see Chris in the car down the road? It's not him though, I thought I saw him get in the lift yesterday, damn him. I'm seeing him in the shadows again.

"You both look nice, come on then I need a whole new wardrobe for uni."

"Settled on one yet?" I have to remember that Bella is registered in Oxford, which I am and for an online business studies programme. Dad is flying a tutor over when needed, and my course work will be done online through Skype, like I don't have enough to do?

"Yes, Oxford Jack and I can't wait to start." How I wished it was where I was going to too, near to our London home and my stables there, but it's not secure enough being in London. Sometimes I wish I was normal, but hell this is the hand I was dealt and the one I have to live with, for now.

"Great, I'm at Cambridge studying Law, following in my father's footsteps."

"I guess that's fine, if that's what you want to do? I know Dad would be ecstatic if I did that and followed him into the hotel game, but I want to be an architect so much more than running a hotel group, designing them, helping build them and watching my dreams rise from paper to fruition, hell yes, but running them? No." They both laughed.

We shopped and shopped, the extra security guard was dispatched twice back to the car with my bags. He may only be a pretend gay, but he had great taste in clothes. I picked up my ball gown and we headed for dinner, the jury was still out on Jack actually being gay, but I guess he could be? The dresses and the accessories he chose for me were spot on. Cameron, however, he ditched on us as soon as we hit the mall, he only came for the ride into town and to see Luis on important bachelor business, they argued about the merits of four strippers against five, and whether to use the same nightclubs and bars as the night before, or a new one, ones that he and Cooper were trying out later? They would meet up again afterwards. Surely such research was above and beyond best man's duty, Brother Dearest? Wow, so much to discuss strippers and strip joints. Yeah, he picked the right best man for the job Luis knew every stripper this side of town and probably the next two towns, sorry cities around, him and his deviant soul.

"Thanks for today Jack, it has been great, the driver will take you back to your hotel, house or wherever your stopping, I'm sorry but I have to be up with the larks to do housekeeping for the hotel."

"You have to work, doesn't your dad like own the hotel Babes?"

"He does yes, so?"

"Well, why not pay the help to do it? I get the maid to do my room and throw an extra few bucks if she makes sure my wardrobes organised and my dry cleaning is collected." Oh so he had help with his room and appearance.

"No, Jack I do it because I like doing it, and if it's good enough for the help as you say, it's a good enough job for me. I'm not afraid of getting my hands dirty, or sweating whilst changing a bed, cleaning the bedrooms or fluffing a few pillows, I had and have, a lot to learn still about running a hotel, let alone a hotel empire, and I'm learning from the ground floor and slowly making my way up. Try it sometime Jack, you know? Working for a living, hell even I laugh at that! I do the odd day, the odd shift and even I am playing at it. They have to do it day in and day out it's not a game to them because that's what they do to live. It's how they get money to live their lives. I'm the one whose learning, and I am thankful for them teaching me, very thankful that I know how to change my own bed and crap. Yes, I'm spoilt in some ways, and grounded in others. If I take over, I will eventually know what the job entails and appreciate my fellow workers."

"Surely you mean staff?"

"No Jack you idiot, I meant what I said, my fellow workers it takes more than a head honcho to run a hotel like this, without the pot washer there would be no plate for the executive chef to put on food, without the waiters no one would get that food, it couldn't be put on the nice table, without the clean linens, which are washed down in the laundry, where the dirty sheets are washed and ironed, just so a chambermaid, like me, tomorrow, can make up a bed for someone to rest their weary bones upon.

So next time you stop in a posh hotel, remember what it takes for your single night's stay, and that it goes on and on, day in and day out, month after month and year in year out. It takes many cogs to make the watch fingers turn, it's not just the fingers you see turning that make it work, the most important things are the things you cannot see encased behind the face, and the same applies in that building there, don't dis the staff. Try making your own bed tomorrow and doing your own washing Jack, it may do you some bloody good. See you at the ball on Saturday."

"I am sorry if I upset you Bella, I didn't think you were that bothered being Hugh Humphries daughter, I thought your every wish was pandered to?"

"Well, you know what thought did then. I work for the money I have, my horses pay my bills and the money I spent today I earned, through buying and selling horses. I don't get paid for being a hotel lackey those bags in the boot of the car, see them? Well I paid for every single thing, not my father, me and hard work. See you later Jack, and save the puppy dog eyes, you're an ass and are way more spoilt than I have ever been. Night and thanks for today." I rushed off to my rooms followed by Preston.

"Sorry Preston, I have to be up early, and by default so do you, I hate arguing with my friends it makes me feel so crap afterwards."

"He was being a spoilt child, and for what it's worth I admire the fact you are willing to work from the bottom up, but I don't envy the morning after that night before thing in any hotel room, you have my admiration for doing it unpaid."

"Oh I get paid I just throw it in the tip jar, because they need it for putting up with me." I followed Preston to my room.

"Your bags will be up presently Ma'am, sorry I mean Bella, and goodnight."

"Night Julie, and see you in the morning, it's not fair you having to do it too, sorry."

"We will get it done quicker with the two of us, sleep well." I waved and walked into the family suite. Mum and Dad were dancing and aww it looked so cute, even at their age. I sneaked past them and went to my room. I did something I haven't done in two years, I texted Christopher and said thank you for the Kangaroo and the flowers and of course my beautiful egg necklace. Then I went to sleep, hugging my Roo.

I'm woken at stupid o'clock for my gym work out, my fight lessons and then my 5km jog. Then I went to work, and I started by stripping the rooms that needed doing, and at ten o'clock, I was paged to do suite 401, as a matter of urgency, just when Julie was due her break too.

"I will be fine, I will not open the door and you can be back up in no time, I promise I will not open the door to anyone but you."

"Alright, I will use the loo, get a coffee and be back. Do not, I repeat do not come out of the room for anyone. Should someone come in the room, lock yourself in the bedroom wardrobe and hit the panic button." Oh a tad over the top, but I agreed. I knocked on the door.

"Hello Sir, you called for room service?" Oh crap someone was in the room, as I was told to wait I did and he ran to the bathroom. Crap, was he naked? I've walked into quite a few rooms where worse has happened, but here Preston had left me alone, keep calm and carry on.

"Mr Hayes room service, can I come in or do you later?"

"Yes, yes carry on I'm in the tub, will that be alright?"

"Err yes, yes, but please stay in there until we leave, this is highly irregular Sir." I would hate to have to pepper spray an amorous guest.

"Sorry, I wanted to shower before breakfast, I will be a while in here and I can assure you I will be in here after you have gone. I like a long soak after my shower."

Err too much information on his bathing habits, but I plug in my iPod, and change the bed and then pick up the rubbish, errkie, damn it what are these? God used condoms, just what the fuck did this man do in here last night? I shifted seven wow a busy and productive man. I'm so going to leave him a fucking note, saying throw the used birth control away yourself. I sang along to 'Ironic,' which it was, when I sang the lyrics.

"Mr-Play-It-Safe was afraid to fly. He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye. He waited his whole damn life to take that flight, and as the plane crashed down, he thought, well isn't this nice, and isn't it ironic... Don't you think? It's like rain on your wedding day. It's a free ride when you've already paid. It's the good advice that you just didn't take. Who would've thought... it figures." I heard the knock at the door as I finished.

"All done Sir, and your breakfast is here, enjoy it. Luis what are you doing here, and why the hell did you not come back last night?"

"I was with friends, and I am here checking on Cooper, he's an old friend from college here for Cameron's bachelor party."

"Why, oh never mind, I am sick of asking why you get out of these mornings Dad has me working, Mum is pissed at you and pissed Chris isn't coming, the arse. Still he has better things to do than come ruin another party of mine."

"Really and the flowers, the teddy and the necklace he got you were crap then?"

"No, no they weren't, they were beautiful I would have liked to thank him for them in person, I texted him to thank him. I may have been a little rough on him. Had he come though I would have smacked him stupid and enjoyed it too, this birthday is ruined and he's not even here, damn him. Right I'm off, see you for dinner. Julie is here now and we still have eight more rooms to do. See you." I left Luis and pushed my cart to the next room.

"Why did you come out?"

"I didn't Luis came in, that's his friends room, he's here for the bachelor party thing? Apparently, it will be a busy night, there are two parties in one night for Luis, my birthday party, the ball thing that is my bloody eighteenth birthday and though I can drink at home, here I still can't drink, so yeahhhhhh for me. Why can I not be in London, or back in Spain getting hammered, you'd prefer that to being at a ball wouldn't you?"

"Bella anywhere would be better than here it's going to be a nightmare. The security issues are stressing both your father and Bedford out, but they cannot cancel or your mother would know something was wrong, as you know she is in the dark about the whole Gina incident." Oops again, because she is right when Mum finds out she will flip. We finish the rooms just before dinner and I run along my check my sheet, shit I have to do the bathroom of the man in 401.

"Julie, I need to do 401's bathroom, let's get that done and get lunch I'm starving how about you?"

"I could do a chicken salad and a coke."

"Right lunch is on me, I can do this, it will only take two minutes, can you ring down for room service to the apartment please and I will have the same, thanks?" I knock. "Room service... Sir new towels..." No reply so I go in, good nobody's in, so I head through to the bathroom, and as I do I notice Christopher asleep in the bed, what the fuck, this is Cooper Hayes? Luis's friend Cooper, is really Chris? I will kill Luis. I quietly make my way back to the cart and tick off as complete, that's what the 'do not disturb' signs are for dumb arse. Damn it is this the surprise they had in store for me? I didn't know what to think, and then I did think, about all those bloody condoms, so he hadn't changed at all. Damn him and damn Luis for lying to me, Julie looked at my handful of towels.

"Did he not want those?"

"No, he was sleeping, but he can call room service for some, if he needs them. Right lunch is on me." We head to the service rooms, restock the cart and hand in the room notes and I leave with Julie to get changed.

"Julie, do you know what the surprise is they are getting me? You know for my birthday?"

"I'm sworn to secrecy, but suffice to say I know you will love it, only thing is you can't use it here, but the girls get to use it in the stables before you?"

"He got me the damned dog's bollocks horse carrier I was thinking about buying, hasn't he?" She laughed and nodded, so if Chris wasn't my surprise after all, why was he here, and who had got him here then? Luis! I went back to my room, and had some quality time with my horses, they were all stabled and looking great, Chocolate is beautiful and big. The girls were taking me on a virtual look see at their new home, and I now couldn't wait to get back, wow, it was as big as Hilly said, and the house in the distance looked equally amazing. I loved it and as my laptop picked up the pictures of my horses I cried, I was missing my horses.

"Hill's, what are the Lipizzaners like, take me to see them please?" She walked me to their stables and their gray heads nodded over their stable doors, wow more tears were had as she patted their heads and introduced them.

"They needed name plaques on their doors, what are they called Hill's?"

"Aren't they lively young things, their names are funny hahaha, and snobby. Your sire here is called and get this he's got a gob full of names, Pluto Ancona Fantasca the fifth, he is from here, in Spain and is a local boy. I'm calling him Paff, for obvious reasons, the dam's names not so grand, Princess Anastasia of Prussia, who is from a Croatian stable and is called simply Princess, and Little Snow here is Austrian, she has the sweetest snow white marks on her rear legs, it looks like she has netting on them, and she is staying as Snow.

I'm in love with your new babies, and their bloodline pedigrees are off the chart amazeballs. We have ten generations of pedigrees on all three and all three are from different bloodlines, your dad did very good in the bribery buying." I cried again. "These have been here a month already and are favourites with the girl who came with them she is heartbroken she has to leave them, Little Snow was her horse, her dad had to sell him, as they had money problems."

"Oh hell, does she want to stay on? I mean she can if she wants, if there's enough sleeping accommodation?"

"There is and yes she would, we need her, what she doesn't know about these horses isn't worth knowing, Bella she will be a great asset to you."

"To us Hill's, to us, stop saying all that's mine, you do the work I just bask in your glory."

"Bask away girl, look at getting another Aztec whilst your there, another stallion, Gallant is refusing to go near Coffee, and Cappuccino is in season soon, old Gallant has had it easy too long, it seems he only likes Chocolate."

"I will get my man on it, he is here, in town for my party. See you later, I have a dinner to go to and a ball tomorrow night and hopefully I will be there Monday, if I can swing it, I can't wait." I had a bath and changed for the show and dinner, funnily enough I was not in the mood for it at all. A very pleasant night was had by Mum as she was spoiled by Luis and I. She was rather tipsy by the interval of Cats and by the end she was nearly asleep in her seat. On the way to the restaurant, I asked Luis all about Cooper, aka Chris, in the car on the way to dinner.

"Luis this friend of yours Cooper, have Mum and Dad met him yet?" Mum's interest in Luis friend was perked, now to go to work on my brother and see him wiggle out of introducing us all to the illusive Cooper.

"Oh, that's an idea, bring him around for lunch tomorrow, I'd love to see him, you don't talk about him often." I bet it will be a good excuse he uses. Come on what excuse are you going to use brother dear.

"He's a very private guy folks. I will ask but don't hold your breath." Private and still sexy as hell and here, Chris is here yeah and my heart flutters. Will I lose it this weekend, and will he still be up for it? Damn I hope so. Err did I really just think that? Shit hopefully not aloud, judging from the looks Luis is giving me, I could have!

"How rude of him, he's in a complementary room, the least he can do is come and see you to thank you for our parents hospitality, what do you think Mummy?" Luis gave me that look as I stared out of the tinted windows smirking, wiggle brother dear...

"Yes very rude, Bella you're right, have him come meet us Luis, I insist." I smiled.

"I will ask he joins you Mum, right we are here. I will give Bedford a ring when we are done. Preston are you and... I'm sorry are you called, Jones?"

"I am Sir. Yes, how can I help you?"

"No, no help needed, I have reserved the next table for you two."

"Thank you, but Sir we would be fine outside watching the door."

"Umm, slight problem with that they don't want you looking like bouncers, and you have been asked you sit inside, so you're having a meal on us. No arguments, besides Julie deserves it looking after the brat, doesn't she Mum?" I kicked Luis as Julie smiled, damn him, Mum smiles and tells us to stop and grow up as he tickles me. We happy band of five went to eat, and Mum disappeared to the toilet, followed by Preston.

"Why is Cooper here really? I have never heard you mention him before, we have met most of the guys you went to college and uni with."

"He is in town doing business, and he very rarely gets to the Big Apple these days, he's overseas for the most part, he was here so he is stopping for Cameron's bachelor party and your none birthday ball of course. Oh, he asked what you wanted by way of a gift. He's mega rich Bella." So I hear, but I don't need nor want more gifts from Chris.

"Oh I don't know? Nothing can better the necklace Chris got for me, so anything else would be a let-down, perhaps he could make a donation to charity in my name but I don't know to which one though, so, how about the children's ward at the hospital, see it gets some new toys? I don't really have a charitable choice."

"I'll see to it he does that, he is pretty clueless as to what to get you."

"He could however make a donation at the family planning centre for the women of the streets. You know help pay for medical care and supplies, it keeps them safe and topped up with condoms and such like. Perhaps, he could even pay for a free week at the clinic, down town. After all he seems to enjoy the sex thing he had going on. I know, because I shifted all the bloody evidence of his night of passion." Luis went red.

"I err, I told him to you know to err shift them? He was very apologetic, he was shocked and sorry you had to move them. He also says it won't happen again."

"Umm I believe you, thousands wouldn't. Come on order, I'm knackered and I need sleep, I have to help Miss Brown with tomorrows little bit of a do, thankfully I stopped Mum doing fancy dress, though I am now look forward to meeting this elusive Cooper, as I said I've never heard you mention him before, what does he do?"

"Real estate in the main and he's a quiet, but busy kind of a guy, he may have to rush off, he has a big deal going through, it's all up in the air and he only came because he didn't want to let the star of the party down."

"Aww, that so sweet, it's not a party though, it's just a stag do surely? I have to do his room first thing, and hopefully he isn't in the bath when I go around tomorrow and he has shifted his own prophylactics this time too?"

"Umm, yeah he will, and no he will be out, as I said he's busy. Eat, Mum's here."

"Are you alright Mum, you don't look too well, are you feeling sick again?" I ask.

"No, I'm tired can we go back to the hotel and get the dinner delivered please Luis?" I sent Julie to sort it. Mum looked ill, never mind tired. Mum was put in the back seat and the food was being delivered for us. As we got back Bedford and Dad were waiting for her, along with the doctor in her room, what the hell was happening? Had her cancer come back? The food came too, and we sent it to the security rooms, as no one wanted to eat. When the doctor finally finished his visit with Mum, we were told that we were simply overreacting, she was just as she said exhausted, phew and wow. I gave her a huge hug, had a cry and went to my room to sleep. Getting in my room, my phone was flashing, I had several texts from Jack apologising for being crass. Two from Dad asking what was wrong, Luis had texted him, then one from Chris.

'Bella, glad you liked them, would love to be there and dance with you, I was after all promised a dance, when you turned eighteen, wish I could be there to claim it. One day soon, we will be in same city on the same night and have the dance. Goodnight sleep well. Chris x'

Oh, should I go to his room and phone him from the door? Use my key card and catch him missing me? Nahah, I'm not going there again, but hell, I want to, I really want to. I wondered if he would remember the promise we made, and if so why is he avoiding me? Perhaps this Gina business was too much for him, was his past messing with his head again? I know his past has ruined another damn party. I sleep, I dream, I have a nightmare, I wake, and I cry but I do sleep eventually.

Waking up I grab my sweats and go for a run, three security run with me, headphones in and I hit the ground hard pounding the pavement, I run around the park and lose myself, security run with me, I slow down and stop cool down and we head for breakfast. I eat and eat and eat. Then I wish I hadn't, because then I battle with myself to rid my body of all that crap. Julie looks concerned as she pays for breakfast and we head home, or what was home, the damned hotel.

"Bella are you alright? Do you need me to phone Luis, or Doctor Travis?"

"No, I over ate, I'm not going to throw up I was really hungry, I didn't eat yesterday, apart from lunch with you. Thank you, I swear I'm not going back there Julie. I'm going for a shower and then Ms Brown needs my help." I pass Mum on the terrace drinking tea and reading a book.

"Are you alright Mum?"

"I am darling, sorry to worry you, I haven't been feeling great, I have a bout of flu coming on and I have exhausted myself with the ball, so Dad has roped everyone in to help, you and I are to sit and chill before the family get here, the cousins are in Spain and can't get back." Good they are way too bloody talkative for me and still say cool and OMG all the time, and talk and talk until the cows come home.

"Right, I will get a bath and change I want to check in with the stables and see how Chocolate is."

"Okay, I will see you in a moment then, take your time and Bella...?"

"Yes Mum?"

"Thank you for being a great daughter and my best friend." Oh my word did she just say that?

"Love you too Mum and if anything was to happen to you?" I went in for a Mum Hug, the universal cure for illness and depression. She kissed my head and I snuggled. I fell asleep on her lap, a blissful sleep. I woke however on my bed. Oh wow, I'm refreshed and full of beans. Tonight I see Chris, whether I see him or him in this other persona of his, that of Cooper Hayes? I don't care I just want to see if he remembers the promise we made. If we had no one else in our lives we would give it a try, when we or rather I, was of legal age, and I am as of midnight, midnight was my birthday and his as well. He would always be older than me, and at twenty-seven, he was that alright. He is still nine years older than me, but it is less than the twelve of Mum and Dad, keep saying that and it sounds better.

"Dad I'm so sorry I slept, I should be helping you?"

"Nonsense, it's all done and dusted, lunch is in the fridge, a Cobb salad and a chocolate fudge cake, Mum is resting for tonight, your hairdresser and makeup artist and nail persons will be here at five, so eat and take in the afternoon sunshine on the terrace."

"I will Daddy and thank you. Luis, I need to ring Christopher, I need to buy another Aztec, apparently Chris's horse Gallant is just as his name says, and he's a one mare stallion and won't service the other two?" Dad looked shocked, having I guess spent a small fortune on the three grays.

"I have to get you another horse?"

"No Dad, I am buying him, I make money at this Dad, or I will do if I get the other two paired with a good sire."

"Ring him I'm sure he'd gladly take your call. He is so sorry he can't be here, but this has been a nightmare." Dad, you're so wrong, he's down the corridor just two doors down.

"I will later. He and the guy Dad bought Chocolate from are the only ones I know of, for pure colour Aztecs. I will do it this afternoon, whilst I wait for the torture team to come, Daddy please don't jump in and pay for it, the three grays you bought me are more than I needed." Luis was lounging on the couch reading something on his iPad he was laughing too, more girls?

"More girlie conquests asking for your services brother of mine. you dirty old stop out stud you?"

"No, so shut up you spoilt brat."

"Man whore"

"Crabby knickers"

"Dirty stop out."

"Children, children you will be waking your Mother." We both laughed and slapped each other.

"Right Dad, Bella much as I love your jovial banter, I have to see Cooper. We have plans to make for tonight. I will see you later I need to change, this stud needs to pull all the stops out for this bachelor party and Dad tell Mum to quit with the guilt trips about grandbabies please, I'm not even thinking that far down the line."

"So you are saying that's never happening, until Bella has one? I suggest you start with the thinking thing son, start looking at least? Try to get one for more than the usual single night would be a start." We laugh.

"I'll get on it right away, it's not like I haven't put a great deal of effort into the thing, but nobody comes close to being like Mum." Oh, smooth Luis, very smooth. Dad agrees as they both leave the apartment laughing. I went to my room for my phone and went to the terrace to make the business call, a call that was far from just a simple business call. The phone rang and only twice.

"Hello, Christopher?"

"Hi Bella, it's so good to hear your voice, I'm really pleased to hear from you, what can I do for you?" Oh, I don't know, tell me why you're taking this call on the terrace two rooms to the right of me. I see him but he doesn't see me.

"I need to buy a stud horse from you, another Aztec as Gallant only likes Chocolate and don't please laugh and tell me to feed him something else, Luis has already cracked that joke too many times already. I would like a solid bay, if that's doable?"

"Yeah, I have the perfect one for you, he's called Diablo, don't let the name fool you, he's not as devilish as his name sounds, I promise. I will get Kenny to liaise with your stables." Shit they will know where we are moving to. Oops, I didn't think.

"Umm, yes can they liaise with Bedford, he's sorting all security out and he can pay for it and sort out transport from our end, don't ask me why but the shit with Gina has made he and Dad a little err, jumpy for some strange reason, there's a nutter apparently wanting me dead out there?" He sighed and as soon as I said it I wish I hadn't, but that's me, snarky and snappy, a bitch whose swooning as he looks towards our balcony, good job I jumped back into my room.

"I know, and I'm sorry about all that, it's been a nightmare, a bloody nightmare. I really thought she was in a secure unit, apparently secure there isn't the same as secure here." Wow he's crying, damn that's so fucking hot.

"Christopher thank you for the gifts they are beautiful, as is Gallant. I know it's been a while thanking you, but..."

"...It's fine. I upset you I know that, and I am sorry, sorry for lots of things I have done Bella, more than you will ever know."

"It's such a pity you can't be here I would have saved you a dance or two. Well, I will text you some numbers for you to pass on to Kenny, as I said Bedford would be the one you deal with. I'm off to Germany, so I'm leaving it in his capable hands. Again I'm sorry it's taken me this long to speak to you, but well you know..."

"...I know and thanks for the call, I'm always at the end of this number, call me anytime, and I mean that, anytime Bella anytime, horse talk, girl talk, and you know just to talk about anything." I can see the pain in his face as he stares out at the park. Wow, he's good looking, and hot damn hot. He is stood in sweats and shirtless, muscular and gorgeous, damn him.

"Wow... I mean err I have to be going Chris, I have to get ready for the ball tonight. It's a pity you're not here I would have loved to dance with you." I heard the sigh and saw the smile on his face, damn him, he is going to dance with me whether he knows it or not, because I know he will be there. I wonder will I be able to spot him in his mask?

"I'd like to dance with you Bella and I promise you a dance soon. Look it's been great hearing your voice again, ring me anytime Bella, I'd like it really like it."

"I will. Thank you again for the gifts and my beautiful, expensive over the top necklace."

"Umm, glad you like it and so it was expensive, it was nice, and exquisite, that's why I bought it for you and I think I can afford it."

"Just because you can doesn't mean you should, and don't think of telling me the horse is a gift too. I can afford the fee and will be very angry and will never speak to you again if you don't accept my money?"

"It will cost you mega bucks then Monkey Face."

"Argh don't call me Monkey Face again, ever. I will kick your backside if you do it again, I didn't like it way back in the day and I don't like it now."

"I forgot exactly why you don't like monkeys, please Bella tell me again why?" He was damn well laughing, because he knew why.

"Christopher, you know why, because of that bloody monkey on Venice Beach, the one you and Luis made me have a picture taken with, it bit my ear, grabbed my hair, pulled out the bow and crapped on me, it went manic, and was bloody well horrid and frightening. So yeah, I just love monkeys and yeah pulled a face, it hurt my ear, and my hair loss was all down to you two and that cute and wonderful Capuchin, which was in fact, a drugged up bloody weird arsed monster monkey and you two just stood there and laughed at me." He was laughing at me again and my heart swooned, yes swooned, his smile melted my damn heart. "Christopher stop it laughing at me, please, it was a horrid day for me and you two should have helped get the pesky thing off me, not just stand there laughing at me. Thank God there are no photos, the man taking them was worried about the merciless midget running off down the beach, not my blooded ear and wet knickers, oh hell I forgot I weed in them too, oh the humiliation, kill me now."

"Okay, hands up it was funny from our side, not so from yours, but your face was a picture, it really was Bella, so no Monkey Face again?"

"No, and I'm going to start having nightmares about rabid primates now, you idiot thanks for that. I have to be going Christopher, it was nice speaking to you, it's like you're so close." I laughed as I stared at him through the window.

"Bye Bella it was nice, have a great night and I hope you have a memorable night."

"Put your phone down first, please?"

"I want to keep speaking to you Bella."

"I have to get ready, and talking to you isn't doing that."

"Send me a picture then, I'd like to see what you look like Bella and then I will agree to put the phone down."

"Deal, I will send you a picture and will keep in touch. Bye Christopher, I promise to keep in touch."

"Bye Bella..." The phone went dead, and I would normally be sad, but knowing he is in fact only doors away softened the blow. That was a nice conversation, easy and funny. I still have feelings for him, but I have seen a side of him he doesn't know I have seen, the condoms on the floor in his room, the things he gets up to with Luis, the life he leads, the women he sees...

I need a rest, tonight will be a long old slog, I wonder too when Christopher will make his presence known? I sleep for a while, my siesta in readiness for the long night ahead. I wake up refreshed and happy, grinning like a mad woman. The madness starts when Jack turns up, he looks charming and Mum is all over him, I laugh as he camps around as the hairdresser is here and the makeup people. Such an over kill.

"Bella, do you think we can we talk?"

"What do you want Jack?"

"I well..." Luis and Dad came into my room, and I laugh as Luis gives me a monkey mask.

"Luis if you think I am wearing that think again. Where's the proper one?"

"This is the one Dad had me pick up? Why do you not like it? Monkey mask for our Monkey Face."

"Dad, Luis this is not funny I'm not going so that's simple then. Dad really, Luis yes but not you Dad?" Dad gave me a hug.

"Christopher spoke to me whilst you were asleep, about the horse, good thinking about telling him we would sort out the delivery, or they would have had the new stables address. He wanted to gift you the horse and I told him no, it had to be a sale or you would never talk to him."

"You spoke to Christopher then?" He laughed and then looked over at Jack.

"What are you doing up here Jack? Get yourself down stairs and join the party, whilst my daughter is getting ready. I will join you in a minute." Jack murmured he was going. What was Dad playing at? He liked Jack yesterday, what had happened to change that?

"I did, and he said it was nice hearing from you, and that the horse has been bought and paid for by you. Luis, please do me a huge favour son and take Jack down, we will see you soon. I need a quick word with your sister." Luis took Jack down with him, umm are we having the birds and bees talk? Dad has that look of embarrassment on his face.

"If that boy is gay, then Luis is too. Bella, he was seen chatting to one of the chambermaids on the way up, he took her number too." I knew it.

"I had my doubts, but how did you figure it out Dad?"

"I may not be gay myself, but gay men do look at Luis all the time, which he likes a little too much for my concern, I do worry about him a little though, you know about him being gay? Well that's fine if he is, really it is, but he didn't even look at Luis that's all I'm saying. Did you not notice it was you he was looking at? I didn't notice, not until Preston said she overheard him on the phone, arguing with a girl about money, so we did a check. Do you keep in touch with your old friends in London?"

"No, not as much as I should why Daddy?"

"I'm sorry to do this but we uncovered some things, which I need you to hear Bella. Do you remember the Susan you went to school with?"

"Derr yes... She was my best friend at high school, and I'm taking over her identity at uni why? I haven't been in touch, well not since I went to college why, and please don't worry about Luis being gay, he isn't far from it, he's a sleep with a woman guy only. What about Susan?"

"She has recently had his baby. So to get the facts, I sent Nora around to ask about her." Our housekeeper in London is a good woman who I loved, as did Susan. "Her sister has asked Nora to look into getting his new address here yesterday, when I asked her to go around and see to Susan's more pressing needs. He knows about the baby and has run away from his responsibilities with his mother, to start a fresh here." Oh poor Susan.

"Really, I knew they went out on a few dates in school, and they went to the end of school dance together. He really ran away from his responsibilities like that?"

"He did, and now she needs money and help, her sister looks after both her and her new niece, since their mother died and they are struggling."

"Have you got his address?"

"Yes Bedford got it, and I have wired money to her account, which she didn't want to take, but after much persuasion I managed to get her to accept it on her sister's behalf."

"Why did she not ask me for money I could have helped her?"

"She felt stupid, Bella, being pregnant and believing he would stick by her as he promised. She thought his problems accepting the child were just because he was afraid, but running here she knew he was ashamed and he is not at all what's best for their little girl."

"Dad who knows about this, who besides me, you and of course Bedford knows he has a child?"

"Just us, I don't know what is game is, but keep him at arm's length Bella."

"Oh I guess I can do that, but he is going to pay for being a pervy bastard and being a lousy parent and a delinquent dad and for upsetting Susan. I swear he will pay for that, and don't worry Daddy, he is never getting that close after tonight, and I'm going to enjoy sorting him out even more now."

"Bella, keep away from him."

"Daddy I can handle him and please don't worry, I will sort out that creep. Can Susan live in the flat, in the basement of the Fulham house, or even Luis's old flat?"

"She moved in yesterday, both her and her sister. In return, they will be taking over from Nora, who is going to Spain to look after us. They both will be living rent free, which means she can go back to college and Susan's sister, Hannah is going to look after the house and tend to us when we are there, she will get to look after the baby and earn a better wage."

"Daddy you are the best father in the world. I will face time her. I've been a bad friend."

"She would like that, but let her tell you about Kiera, and what Jack has and hasn't done, she will tell you when she is ready, don't jump straight in."

"I won't Daddy and thank you, for helping her and looking out for me."

"My pleasure, you my baby girl, are my life and I will do anything to look after you anything." I cried, as I was hugged tightly. "Get dressed and look pretty for the camera and your guests and here little girl is the real mask I bought you, you really are still afraid of monkeys?"

"I think I always will be. They really do frighten me." I opened the box, and removed the layers of tissue, and removed the very pretty mask, wow the golden face piece is surrounded by the beautiful peacock feathers which are nestled amongst the black ostrich feathers, it looks stunning, the jewels shine and the emerald in the centre of the masks gold forehead is amazing, and I cry again.

"Daddy this is so beautiful, so, so pretty and so, so nice oh Daddy thank you."

"My pleasure little girl now get dressed, Preston and your mum will be here to walk you down, and stay close to Preston please?"

"I will, I swear I will. Right I can't wait, you'd better leave let me get ready." He leaves, and the team quaff and buff me to perfection. As I slip on the luxurious black gown I sigh, this is way better than my red one from my shity sixteenth. It's a Jason Lu gown and stunning floor length gown, in plain black silk, but the fit hugged my slender frame, and fell to the floor in long, silky, sexy sweeping lines and it really accentuates my long legs, it's a pain being five foot eight, and in my heels, I'm over six foot tall. Model legs and body to match, apparently, I'd be a natural and be able to make good money, or so the agent who saw the fashion show told me, though that one fashion catwalk show I did, was the only one I did, no thanks, I like food and would hate being told what to do and when to do it. Preston came in with Mum in tow.

"Isabella Maria Humphries, you look stunning such a shame we have to cover your pretty face with this mask, here let me put it on, Julie help me on with it, please?"

"Mum yours is so pretty too, white feathers like my black ostrich ones, Dad has great contacts. What happened to yours, did it moult Preston, why did you not get a posh one too?"

"Bella, I hate having this on, but I'm your best friend tonight and I have to blend, I don't want to spend the night fluffing feathers out of my eye sight and interfering with my line of sight."

"Fair enough, but that dress is pretty and you look normal for a change."

"Thank you, I think? Are you ready? Here's your bag Bella, it comes complete with phone, panic button and pepper spray."

"Is there room for my lip gloss?"

"Just enough room, follow me closely, you're not being presented and you're just there to mingle."

"Good, mingle and no fancy schmancy presentation and posh dances." We made our way down the corridor to the lifts and as we get there Preston lets them know we are coming by speaking down her top.

"No sleeves for the mic?" She shook her head.

"There's hardly any damned dress let alone sleeves." As we headed down, I took a deep breath, and as the doors opened, we were ushered into the great room, which was lavishly decorated and beautiful.

Everyone has on masks, and though some people can be recognised from their hair and particular build. I can't see Chris, but I do see Luis, who is stood with Cameron and Jack. You're going down Jack. I make my way to them, and feel so sexy and I love it. I'm also feeling happy, nervous and excited about seeing Chris, my eyes are looking for him, and for the reveal, waiting for the moment when my sexy arsed man decides to make his presence known, and I finally get my damn dance and remind him of a certain promise, meanwhile it's time to sort out the letch Jack. Luis is heading towards us.

"Hello, you look very nice tonight ladies, how's the party going?" Thanks Cameron. I smile and say nothing.

"Wow Sis, you look stunning, really stunning."

"It's in the genes I have good ones apparently? Is there anyone I should see before they all disappear to your bachelor party Cameron?" Luis smiles as he watches me searching out the room.

"No Bella, the gangs all here most are in the bar, dance with your big brother please?" So when is Chris going to surprise me, I wonder? We dance and I look around the room.

"Umm I suppose so, is Cooper in the bar too?" Hint, hint, brother dear, where is he?

"He had to take a call he's still in his room, he will be here when he can and he donated a van load of kid's toys to the children's ward, along with a spanking new television and Blue Ray player for their television room, with a box full of children's films, he's such a great guy."

"He did? That was really sweet of him I really have to thank him for that." He grinned like a mad man, and my eyes scanned the room as we danced.

"Excuse me Humph old man, can I have a dance now, I have a bit of a party of my own to be getting to?" Cameron begged, as he tapped Luis on the shoulder. "Jack wants to dance he has stuff that's troubling him. He's damn confused about his love life he's just a mixed up moron if you ask me." I dance with Cameron, thankfully he has changed.

"Yeah definitely, I'll save a dance for him. I promised I would talk to him, fancy him being gay. He was as straight as a dye when he was in school I wonder what made him come out all of a sudden?"

"I don't know, I don't know him that well, they have only just moved here? I only found out Dad had married her when they rolled up with the moron three weeks ago. I wouldn't have him down as gay either, but I don't suppose they all camp around in dresses, or do they?" I laughed, no definitely not, nor do they do what Jack is doing and pretend they are to get in a girls bed and knickers.

"I'll dance a couple of dances with him, I promised him after all. Listen good luck with the wedding I'll be back in Spain by then." He thanked me with a kiss and passed me to my dad. I was led to the floor to dance with Dad, all the time keeping a look out for Chris and his surprise appearance, but as I looked around, I couldn't see him. There were plenty of people with the right body frame and height, there were about four people who could have been him, but they all had the damn same mask on, a full faced thing with a hat and big nose, wow was he even here? After dancing with everyman and his brother, I went for the talk with Jack.

"Jack, we can have that talk now?" He nearly snapped his head off in the race to get up from his chair.

"Yeah sure I thought you had forgotten me."

"No, I didn't forget, this way there's an empty room here for the waiters breaks. We won't be disturbed Preston will keep them out." I smiled, because she knew he was going down and wasn't a threat, besides if he did try something, she would be in, in no time at all.

As I walked towards the room I saw Chris, my heart thumped out of my chest, wowsers he looked hot, but better still he was here and in a half mask I'd easily recognise, and he hadn't seen me, he was on his phone shouting at someone, I'm glad it wasn't me. Good, I will get this over and done with, and go and grab my dance.

As we go towards the room, Jack takes me in his arms and kisses me. That action makes me want to be physically sick. I waved Julie away, she was all for killing him but I wanted to deal with this slimy bastard, this was going to be my hour of glory. He then forcefully pushed me into the room. Oh, hell no he was raising my dress and his hands were touching the underwear I had chosen for Chris. He was busy too trying to push me towards the couch in the room. What an idiot, that was his second big mistake. I brought my knee up to his groin area and wow the force was with me in the single knee to his now deflated hard on, he stumbled backwards in agony grabbing his nuts.

"You're not gay then? Don't bother denying it you freak. What were you to try next with me? You failed miserably in trying to be like one of the girls, you failed too not getting the hoped for look at my body in the changing rooms or in my bed room. What were you really aiming for a night time cuddle, when you got an invite over for a girly sleepover? Did you really think I thought you were gay? Did you think my dad would think you a safe option, and would allow you to sleep in my room, or did you hope to join me in my bed for a girly chat, where you would cuddle up at night make a sleepy pass and we'd roll around and have sex, you really are a moron like Cameron says. Did you think I wouldn't know that all this was an act and you were using me Jack?

Do you really think I'm stupid enough to fall for that? Stupid boy, touch me again like that and your dick will be fucking useless for impregnating any more of my friends with, and forget the idea you're going anywhere near me with it, gay or otherwise you smarmy fucking leech. With damaged nuts you won't need to pretend to be gay you will be, you useless bastard. Send Susan some fucking money for your daughter Kiera, just in case you didn't catch her name." Wow, that was an epic rant and I was so infuriated, we were shouting a lot, but it felt damn good.

"It isn't my fucking baby, and so what if it is? I offered her the money to get rid of it, she chose to keep her baby and so the baby is her concern now not mine. It wasn't my choice to have a kid, and not my fault the damn jonnie burst, accidents happen and so you sort it out, she refused to sort it, so she chose to take that kid on, not me." He came at me and the punch to the face and the second kick to his nuts must have killed him. He came for me again and for his troubles, he was pepper sprayed, as I laughed at him, he was in agony.

"You bitch, you fucking bitch I can't fucking see. I need to see a doctor, I'm dying here, get me help and do it now." Preston came in all as I sat at the door laughing, as she held him in a tight grip.

"So you wanted to be with me to get to my money then? Did you want to hear the words I love you Jack? Jack is that what you wanted to hear me say, that I love you, and I can't live without you?"

"I was trying to get close to you, and pretend you made me see the light, be your friend first and then make you fall for me, because I do like you very much, but I knew when you found out about the baby you would hate me. I needed you to like me, before I told you about the baby. I can't be a father, I can't be Bella, I can't be a father and you can't make me be one, it was a damn big fucking mistake, the baby was and is a mistake, God Bella having a baby is a mistake we're too young."

"I could never love a man like you, you used me. What has Daddy done, stopped the trust fund now he knows about the baby?"

"Yeah, he has, but I figured I could be a kept man with yours, the baby news was not planned Bella, it is a mistake we can take care of." We, there was no we the moron, did he think I'd even entertain him with Chris around, let alone after he dumped his kid and ran here? Wow, he really is afraid of being a father, it's too much for him to start being a grown up and have responsibilities, shit it's too late for that though, he is and he needs to man up, not gay it up.

The bastard, I nearly felt sorry for him then, and this is why I hate boys of my own age they are dick wad, immature boys, with just sex on their minds, dick wads who only live in the here and now, with no thought for the future or consequences of their actions, just as long as they have a good time and are able to walk away...

"I don't think you are ready to be a father, you're right, and that's just too bad for you. What you have done though you can't change, but now you just want to walk away and leave your baby for others to raise, let them pay for your child, note I said child, the baby is not a mistake? What is it with you men? Do you think having a baby is a one person job, because it's not Jack? It took two to make it and it takes two to raise it. You, you bastard won't get that chance now, the baby is no longer going to have you in its life, your part in all this ended when you screamed I'm coming I'm coming, you stupid fool and the baby will be better off not having you in its life.

Now, when the child you made comes to you in the years ahead and says why did you not love me enough to stay, whether you loved it's mother is irrelevant now, you should love your child not abandon it, you need to support the baby and the child you created, accident or not the baby is here and you need to step up. You made the child too, so quit running away, because Susan can't run away ever. You whether you like it or not, you did not create a mistake, you created a child. Which means you already are a father, now fucking grow up and act like one.

Do you know what? You're going to miss out on your child's first smile, first words and all her first steps in life, being a dad is a privilege, and one you will never be a part of now so get the fuck out of here? My dad has sorted it all, your child will be well provided for by your father, he has agreed to support his grandchild, even if you don't want to. I'm leaving this room and you are leaving my party and now. I don't want to see you ever again. Give her some bloody money you moron and do it willingly before your father stops your trust fund, and gives it all to your child not you, Susan needs it, you don't."

"I won't give Susan a fucking penny from my trust fund my dad didn't know about the baby, what the fuck have you done, you have cost me millions you and your family will pay for this." He came at me again and Julie made him suffer.

"She doesn't need your money, your daughter does. Get him out Preston." I felt sick and had a bad migraine, as I slumped in the chair and waited for Julie in the room crying, she came back smiling.

"He was thrown out the back door and will be paying money for his daughter. Let's get you out and dancing. It's your party and congratulations, the kick and punch you got in seemed to hurt him a little. He had great difficulty in walking out unassisted." I oh-ed and laughed.

"I have a man to find and dance with..." I went to find Chris, and I managed to find him surprisingly easy. He looked so good leaning against the bar, and as I walked up behind him, I was totally shocked and I stood back when I heard him on the phone, he wasn't aware I was there, but what I heard him saying to the other girl, it broke my heart. I'd heard him talking to a woman, a woman called Alysia.

I thought he was here for me, for us, but catching the tail end of that conversation there wasn't going to be any me or us time at all. I was angry and mad and wanted to know who this woman was, then shout at him my grateful thanks for his non-attendance and ruining yet another party. My fucking parties are damn well cursed. He continued to talk in a sultry tone to her whoever she was...

"Yeah baby, this err kids party is boring and I need to see you, I want you too, like you wouldn't believe, and soon. Yeah great, let me get out of this monkey suit, it's too fucking much for Club Novo, I will meet you there in a while, be there and you won't be disappointed Alysia." He'd arranged to meet up with her in a club Luis was a member of. It is in one of Chris's hotels and his Club Novo, is an exclusive club within this particular hotel, his penthouse is there too.

First, he was going to his room to change, and so I needed to ditch security, so I cried off the rest of the party with a headache, as I needed to get there. I needed to get to my room I needed my purse, with my credit cards, money, then I had to ditch the mask. I could only do this after Julie Preston did her best to assure Mum and Dad she would only be next door, and would check in on me, and that they were to stop and enjoy the party. Great I had escaped the damn party after I explained the Jack thing to Dad, he understood the reason for the headache.

I hadn't had to use my really good fake driving licence yet, as I look older than I am, but I also went into Luis room and rifled through his desk for the key to Chris's place here. I know Luis has one, he lives there most nights and the pass key was just sitting there, what harm would it be to use it, it may not even work and be out of date, the access all areas card was in my sweaty hand, I grabbed it and my bag, some cash, my cards and I headed out of the back stairs. I managed my escape by avoiding the cameras. I'd done this enough growing up for fun, now I was doing it for real and to finally put to rest the feelings I had for that man whore Christopher Holland. I knew they would be tested tonight, I just didn't know how tested I would be...

I had managed to get myself into the club with no questions asked, and I sat and waited for him to show. Hidden in the shadows of the last darkened booth, by the lifts and the stairwell, and whilst I waited for him and her, I sat drinking Mojitos, the combination of the scrummy sweetness, with the refreshing citrus and mint flavours tasted wonderful. I felt like getting hammered, and celebrating my birthday, so I downed two more, they tasted to my foggy brain, like minty sweets, my new drink of choice, they were harmless enough, and actually tasted like there was virtually no alcohol in them at all, a good safe drink for me.

Then I saw him approach the bar with a stunning woman on his arm, and then they danced, and all as I sipped my fourth or fifth Mojito. He looked stunning and she was a bitch, what did she have, that I didn't? Then he disappeared into a room at the back, and she came over to the girl sat in the next booth, where I overheard her telling her friend she would be back soon, as they were going to the roof top for a talk and some fresh air. Then she would call and let her know if she had managed to change his mind, changed his mind about what? I was intrigued. I needed to get to the terrace and before them.

I drank the Mojito in one gulp, wow I got a crazy head rush, and my walk is sort of a wobble as I held the table, and the realisation set in maybe they were stronger than I thought? I slivered out of the booth and headed to the lift, work card please work, saying it over and over, my mantra to the lift gods, as I swiped the all area access card and to my relief the doors shut and the lift rose quickly. I had been here as a child a few times before with Luis, he told me it was Chris's home here.

That was when I thought everyone lived in hotels, so remembering the codes from the few times I had bothered watching as Luis punch them in, for both the penthouse and then the roof, I am amazed they still work. Now do I get off at his penthouse, or do I get off on the roof top? I decided on the beautiful roof top, I loved it out there. Luis had left his wallet here once, after visiting Chris the night before and he had to come and get it, he was on Bella minding duty, so had to bring me along. This next floor was full of rooms with really nice, but very funny bedrooms, and the next floor up was his penthouse, but would he take her there? Shit think, she said terrace, so I decide to risk it and go up to the roof top terrace.

I had ran around this roof as a very naive twelve year old, asking why it was up here and why were there proper beds all around it, all pretty and with net curtains around them, whilst I was helping him look for his lost wallet. Luis told me the older ladies liked to sunbath up here, and I believed him of course, just as I believed him when he said the room I walked into was a gym for workouts, and the bed was there in case they got tired. Yeah, I found out what bedroom was later on in life, it was a sex room. I was told not to tell Mum or Dad, and bribed with a visit for pizza.

I raced up there as I had to get there before them, only when I got there it was in total darkness, the lights were off, and I didn't now think this was one of my better ideas, but I positioned myself in the far corner on the floor, hiding like a burglar. They would be no doubt using the big bed in the middle, because it looked pretty in the moonlight, strewn with rose petals, with champagne and chocolates by the bed. I wanted to cry, as I hid by the bed by the railing. Then I saw them coming towards the beds, I really wanted to get off the damn roof now, but I couldn't escape, not without being seen by them anyway.

So I keep hidden and I watch as they get cosy on the bed, just three along from me. I wished I hadn't come when I looked over the edge of the bed I was hiding behind, because they were having sex. I tried to look away, but I couldn't peel my eyes away from looking at the man I loved and worshiped. I couldn't believe how unlucky this night had been, he was having sex with another woman. I continued to watch them with tears in my eyes, and bile in my mouth, I heard her scream for him and moan, as he moved on top of her, her skirts were raised and he's just pounding into her like a jack hammer, her pleasure could be clearly heard, and my heart sank into my stomach. All this was making me feel sick with grief. I just about died when the realisation set in that I would never be more to him than Luis's stupid little sister, and I was just too young for him, and I would never have him, not the way she was having him at that moment.

He was a machine, because they had been doing that for what seemed like forever, it probably wasn't as long as I imagined it to be, but I just wanted for it to be over, for it to stop and I wanted to go, go somewhere or be anywhere other than here. He didn't hold her, caress her or even have the decency to kiss her or look into her eyes, he was just there, moving and like a damn robot, but I was still envious and sad of whatever it was they were having, the thing she was getting and I wasn't...

How I wished it were me he was thrusting into, and taking me instead of her. I wished he was taking to those damned highs she was getting, but when eventually it was all over and she had finished screaming her cries of "yes, yes fuck yes", followed by her then moans and disappointed deeper groans about not getting the more from him, the more she so obviously and desperately wanted. I sat there hearing him too, as he said no, that she'd served her purpose and not very well, that he hadn't even got off, she didn't do a thing for him, it was a mistake. He then wiped her clean with a handkerchief, he removed the condom and wiped his still hard length, then he simply mumbled his appreciation, as he put it away and left. He'd left her alone and crying and strangely, I felt her pain as she dialled a number on her phone. I listened as I heard those horrid words about Chris, words I didn't ever care to hear again...

"He's left me again Maddie, and yet again no kisses, no cuddles just amazing sex. Why do I come running to him time after time? He fucks me hard and gives me the greatest pleasure ever, gets off and leaves? I feel like a prostitute, why do I do it? I don't know, no, I don't want his money, I never did, and I don't want the gifts he will send me either. I just want him to love me, like I love him. I wasn't kidding, I am going to trap him into marrying me, I will get pregnant and he will have to marry him. Oh shit Chris, no Christopher that's not what it sounded like I swear baby..." When did he come back? I was too busy listening to her sob her heart out, to be watching for him coming back. I didn't though expect the hurt and betrayal to be so wounding to him.

"I came back to say I was sorry, Alysia. I'd had a bad night, something happened earlier that has, well it's rocked my foundations a little. A person I thought highly of has got herself pregnant with someone else's child and I thought we, me and her would be the lucky ones having children. She wouldn't need to trick me into having my child because I'd do that willingly with her."

That's what Chris's dad had had done to him, and now Chris was being treated the same way, hell history does repeat itself. I feel sorry for him and angry at him too, her who I felt pity for, now I feel nothing but contempt, she was used but was about to use him the same way his father's women had. Did Gina try to trap him the same way? Hell I could never do that, if I have children I want to do it the right way, be wooed, get engaged, have a lush big white wedding and then after a few years have children and raise them with my loving husband, yada, yada, yada. I yawn, oops, I hope that wasn't heard?

"I realised she and I haven't got a hope in hell and so, Alysia I came back to apologise and to take you to dinner, and maybe go dancing and get to know you better. I realised I had treated you badly, but how wrong was I? Hahaha, that's so not happening, not now or ever again and please don't wait for another gift or phone call, as there won't be any more fuck me hook ups. You and I are through, and just in time too judging from that conversation. I won't be impregnating you with my child, that gift was meant only to happen with the girl I wanted to date, the girl I wished I could ask to marry me, yeah there was a girl I wanted to be engaged to, and just one woman I hoped one day to marry. She was the one I wanted to have a family with her and her alone, I slipped up tonight with you. My damned anger got the better of me, and I foolishly phoned you."

Oh and who was the damn lucky bitch, I feel insanely jealous, I'd missed this one who was she? I want to get up, but my heads swimming, those cocktails were a tad too strong and wow, they are making the understanding of all this shit much more difficult to digest. Oop's there's a reason I don't drink, the headaches just not worth it...

"You were going to let me in, as a fucking consolation prize? I would have taken that Chris, really, I would have, because that's the thing, having you was all I wanted until I tried to look in your eyes tonight and you turned away. You didn't get off with me then Chris, and you were repulsed by me, your face said it was just that, a fuck. It was horrid watching you stare into the sky above me, instead of into my eyes. You never looked at me once, not fucking once Chris. Yes, I'm in love with you, but this is the last time I allow you to use me, I'm worth more than this.

Maddie is right, you are incapable of loving anyone, even this mystery woman, is not that special, if she was, you wouldn't be screwing around, you'd be there with her, but you're here and you have just had sex with me. You're fucked up with your kinky wants and needs they in themselves are way too weird for normal Chris, you just need the sex. You have to have a woman who is just there for the hard fuck you crave. You need sex to be devoid of all the emotional entanglements that go hand in hand with being in a normal relationship. You don't want a loving relationship, and you probably couldn't handle one either. You're an emotionless, heartless, self-opinionated arrogant prick." She is right, he's also egotistical, a user, a moron and a douche bag too, and I feel sick...

"Women come with a bagful of confusing emotions, and truly being in love with a woman means you need to show that you can handle those needs, you will have to share so much of yourself with her, that Chris you simply couldn't do because you don't know how to. We women like to be treated with tenderness, and to feel understood and wanted. For fucks sake have you ever even kissed a woman, well, have you? Have you even walked arm in arm with this woman, or held the other one, or looked into her eyes and when she does look at you do you want to kiss her?" She really does love him too did he do this to Gina, and is this what he's doing to me, just reeling me in? Shit, it had to be more than this, it had to mean more, and I feel sick, knowing that he was going to use me too.

"I have yes. Kissed her, held her and wanted her all those ways I'm sorry Alysia, you've said your piece please leave." I have kissed him, he's forgotten all about our kiss. Go on kick me when I'm fucking down Holland, kick me when I'm down, and then I am, my head hits the floor. Damn it that hurt, oh my poor head, ouch.

"You have never kissed me ever, so go on why did you not ever kiss me? Tell me Chris, because I needed to be loved and appreciated, and not feel like I'm being used, like a two bit hooker? Have you ever once stopped to consider my feelings, or any other of your fuck buddies feelings? Chris a few of us are nursing broken hearts over the way you treated us, we got nothing but sex from you, I love you Chris, really, I do and I sit for days waiting for you to ring me after we do this. Hell you can't love someone, because you don't know how to." She isn't holding back and he looks kind of upset, lonely and angry too, she needs to stop pushing him, he could get angry...

"I'm glad this woman who is having another man's baby, has broken your heart, maybe now you will feel as crap as you made me feel tonight, you made me feel like a prostitute, and that was my fault for thinking I can and could change you. Maybe you will start treating any other idiot woman better, knowing how much it hurts. I won't be ringing you again or accepting your invitations to party ever again." She ran off crying, as he sank on the bed and cursed himself.

"I have kissed her, she is the only one I have ever kissed, I'm sorry I treated you all like that. Why didn't she wait for me like she promised?"

He made a phone call for his car to pick him up. When she went, Chris followed a little while later, I got out from the side of the bed where I'd been hiding and sat and I cried, he was hurting and I was too. Whoever this woman was, she was one lucky lady, because he truly loved her. I heard that in his voice, but his actions confused the fuck out of me? She can't be that special, and if she was why did he screw around with others, when he had someone to go to?

Perhaps, she was wiser than we stupid girls. Hic, oh hell I'm drunk, upset and looking out at the world from the top of a fucking pimp's palace. Shit my head hurts, as much as my heart does, why am I still in love with Christopher-Bloody-Holland? The answers don't come to me as quickly, as the return of the Mojitos does, and I vomit like and erupting volcano, great I smell of vomit now too, vomit and desperation. Hic, I need to get home and back to Spain, anywhere would be better than here at this moment in time.

I may only be eighteen, but I knew how Dad spoke about Mum and it was just the same, the love and the sorrow in his voice. Poor Christopher and hard luck to Dizzy Izzy, I needed to get my drunk arse home. He'd done it again Christopher Holland had hurt me, and didn't even know he had, we are poles apart and never will be together like that ever! Hic, I feel sick again as I press the button, which will take me away from here, this hateful awful place. Hic, I'm sick again as the lift door opens, great, is there anything else coming to try me today, well, is there world?

CHAPTER NINE:

Chris:

I'm late down to the party, because of having had to take a call from the Russian. He's pulled out of the deal his money it tied up, at the moment and it was too rich for him after all. As he is unable to pay the full amount up front, something my lawyers were, and are insistent upon. I'm in a bad mood when I go to find Bella. I see her security first and my eyes follow her to see Bella with the boy she was with earlier in the week, kissing her and pushing her into a room, what the hell?

I hope she didn't fall for the gay thing he was trying on, or was it just a ruse so they could be together, to fool Hugh into letting him stop in her room? Was it all cooked up by Cameron and him? I doubted it was Cameron's doing actually, because he genuinely didn't like the lad, Cameron was calling him a dick and a Mummy's boy when he came on to a wealth young woman staying in the hotel, then he waltzed off and he was all over her in the lift to her room. I wondered too, just how much of my girls body, he has conned his way into seeing? According to the boasting between him to his new brother, I overheard that the changing rooms were filled with naked women and girls. And that all their tits, backsides and pussies were on show? I take a call from Judy.

The Russian, who has pulled out, has agreed to pay the penalties for pulling out too, I am feeling a little better about the bad business deal now, and though it was a good deal for him, it's too late to go back or hold it for him, because the Chinese are wanting in now. With the offer of even more money, wow, it never rains but it pours. Bella is still in the room with this Jack lad, as I creep to the door. Her security has left them alone and I have to wonder why, perhaps they need privacy? I listen at the door, and I hear the reason for that privacy, Bella has just told him she's having his child and I'm devastated, I cannot keep my focus on the conversation, all I'm hearing is I have lost her, even before I had her, shit, shit, shit.

He is an arse and doesn't want to be a father, which shocks me. She will be a wonderful mother. I hear a noise, I turn my attention towards it, and I see Luis and Cameron coming down the hall. Then I hear Bella tell him to leave, and that her father will see to her baby and her needs, he is then dragged out of the room nursing a swollen eye and a bruised face, he's upset, and the tears are flowing down his face and he's hobbling out with her security woman, wow, who did all the damage? He deserves it, but shit I'm in shock as head to the bar and down four whiskeys one after the other, telling him to leave the bottle, then I drink a tumbler full of the whiskey, wow I need more. I need this shit out of my head. I do something selfish I have needs that haven't been filled for two fucking years. Two years without sex, I need release and I need it now? So who better than Alysia? I phone her and tell her to meet me at Club Novo, after I get out of this monkey suit and mask. I'm devastated, I've lost her and I feel so alone.

I head in to my room, and open the door to the veranda and stare out of the window, and then I finish off the bottle of single malt and still I feel like crap. I change clothes, throw the mask at the wall, and watch as it smashes into pieces, it makes me feel angrier, it's followed by the glass and the empty bottle. I call for the car to be brought around to take me to the club, where I meet Alysia at the door.

"I wasn't expecting the call Chris, but I'm glad you did, really glad." I need her to just shut up and put out.

"I had a few hours spare before I head back down to Texas, I'm sure as hell, not wanting more than an hour or two in your company, if that's okay with you? If not I'm happy to be on my own."

"No, no I'm fine with whatever you want, I am so happy you rang me." I had three numbers to ring and rang the most needy, was I stupid? We had a couple of drinks, as we sat at the bar her hands were wandering, she stroked my crotch as we sat there, and fuck that felt good, I need to screw her and this tension away.

"Dance with me please Chris?" I can do that, I can dance and wish it was the danced promised to me by Bella. Shit Bella, why the fuck did she even think that boy was enough of a man for her? I danced with Alysia for a couple of songs and then needed to answer my damn phone.

"Sorry, but I need to take this Alysia, and then we'll go to the rooftop, I've closed it for the night." I'd actually closed it to bring Bella here and dance under the stars with the roof area decked in tea lights and fairy lights, there waiting was champagne, chocolates and roses scattered in a pathway to the bed, then they were scattered on the biggest of the beds on top of new silk sheets. I wanted to honour the promises we made, to make love when she was of an age, some lucky boy had taken the gift that I thought was mine I thought she would wait like I had done. I'd been celibate for two fucking years, how deluded was I? I'd wanted to shower her with love and affection, but instead I'm here with Alysia.

I take a call from Henry and head for the office for some privacy. They haven't found Gina and Luis has left a whole heap of messages, they are waiting for me at the strip club. I stop security and ask them to kill the lights up there, and ask that they remove the train wreck I created up there, the tea lights the roses, the petal carpet, the special bed too, I wanted everything putting back in the morning, but for tonight I want to be left alone up there.

As I come out of the office, she grabs at my hand I lead Alysia to the lift she isn't having the night I meant for Bella, or anything like it. She's going to want to talk, I see the look and I know that mouth is going to talk.

"Chris, I can come with you to Australia, and be with you, I have always loved you Chris. Why won't or can't you love me? I would be so good for you, and give you the family you want." And here it starts...

"Alysia, I made it clear when I phoned you, what I required from tonight, the choice is yours, take what is on offer or I get another woman here?"

"No, I'm happy for the night with you, really Chris, you're so hard to understand. Why am I good enough to screw when you feel like it, but not be in your life?"

"I don't want anyone in my life like that Alysia, take it or leave it. Are we heading to the roof top terrace or not? The choice is yours, but anything else is not on the cards Alysia." She presses the button.

"I will take what I can get and hope you change your mind. I can wait and I will." I swipe the card through the reader. It isn't real, this is not happening again. I lean against the wall and close my eyes. Why did she pretend that boy was gay? Hugh is stepping in to help her raise the child perhaps she would let me help her raise it? I could be there for and help her, be in her life. Alysia slides over to me and puts her arms around my waist. She goes to kiss me and I hastily pulled away.

"No, don't, keep away or leave." I stand near the door, as it opens, the lights are out and I head for the bed farthest away from the doors and slump on the bed and I have second thoughts, third thoughts even. Alysia sits on the bed and takes off her panties as she slides up the bed towards me and unzips my trousers and takes me in her hand and then her mouth. Shit, I need this. I need the stress gone.

"I need you Chris and you need me, take me take me now." I did just that as I raised her skirt, I plunged deep inside her, over and over holding her arms down to stop her hugging me. I thrust harder and harder. Her screams and demands I meet like for like, the ride is exhilarating as she climaxed she gripped my dick so hard, but I suddenly found I couldn't come. I froze because I couldn't and I didn't feel anything or want it, why the fuck did I do it? As she cries for more of my attention, I become harder and the bastard in me takes over, it seems Dad and I are more alike than I ever wished for.

I removed my handkerchief and wiped her clean, removed the condom and wiped myself clean. I found myself still able to have sex, if I needed too and pleasure her more, but I'd screwed a woman I had no feelings for and hated myself for it, she'd got off and I was useless, and the hard on I had then disappeared, as quickly as it appeared...

I think I thanked her, as I left her there all on her own, yes, I was a bastard because I'd left her crying on the bed and feeling crap. I got in the lift and pressed the button to go down, but half way down I realised what a twat I'd been, an abhorrent, awful monster and decided to try to say sorry and perhaps take her to dinner? As the lift doors opened, I silently walked over, she had her back to me and she was bitching about me to her friend, and quite rightly so too...

"He's left me again Maddie again no kisses no cuddles just amazing sex. Why do I come running to him time after time? He fucks me hard and gives me the greatest pleasure ever, gets off and leaves? I feel like a prostitute, why do I do it? I don't know, no, I don't want his money, I never did, and I don't want the gifts he will send me either. I just want him to love me, like I love him. I wasn't kidding I am going to trap him into marrying me, I will get pregnant and he will have to marry him. Oh shit Chris, no Christopher that's not what it sounded like I swear baby..."

She sat back on the bed, and saw me watching her, what the hell was that all about? Is this what the other women did to reel my father in? Is this history repeating itself, only now it was happening to me? How stupid did they think I was? That is the last time I sleep with someone just to get relief. I'm stupid to think me treating them this way was alright, it wasn't, it isn't and it never will be alright, but I'm angry she wanted to impregnate herself to 'land me'.

"I came back to say sorry Alysia. I'd had a bad night, something happened earlier that has, well it's rocked me to my foundations a little. A person I thought highly of, has got herself pregnant with someone else's child, and I thought we, me and her would be the lucky ones having children, she wouldn't need to trick me into having my child, I'd do that willingly with her." As I said it aloud, I realised the deep feelings I have for Bella, and how treating these women as my playthings was and is all wrong, but her threatening to trap me into marrying her with an unplanned pregnancy was wrong too.

"I realised she and I haven't got a hope in hell and so Alysia I came back to apologise and to take you to dinner, and maybe go dancing and get to know you better. I realised I had treated you badly, but how wrong was I? Hahaha, that's so not happening now or ever again and please don't wait for another gift, or phone call as there won't be any more fuck me hook ups, you and I are through and just in time from the conversation I just heard.

I won't be impregnating you with my child, that gift was meant only to happen with the girl I wanted to date, the girl I wished I could ask to marry me, yeah there was a girl I wanted to be engaged to, and just one woman I hoped one day to marry. She was the one I wanted to have a family with her and her alone." I have to go and see Bella and tell her I will be there for her if she needs me.

"You were going to let me in, as a fucking consolation prize? I would have taken that Chris, really, I would have that's the thing having you was all I wanted until I tried to look in your eyes and you turned away. You didn't get off with me then Chris and you were repulsed by me, your face said it was just that, a fuck. It was horrid watching you stare into the sky above me instead of my eyes.

You never looked at me once, not fucking once Chris. Yes, I'm in love with you, but this is the last time I allow you to use me, I'm worth more than this. Maddie is right, you are incapable of loving anyone, even this mystery woman, is not that special, if she was you wouldn't be screwing around, you'd be there with her but you're here and you have just had sex with me.

You're fucked up with your kinky wants and needs they in themselves are way too weird for normal Chris, you just need the sex. You have to have a woman who is just there for the hard fuck you crave. You need sex to be devoid of all the emotional entanglements that go hand in hand with being in a normal relationship. You don't want a loving relationship, and you probably couldn't handle one either. You're an emotionless, heartless, self-opinionated arrogant prick." I know, why keep telling me? I had waited too long for Bella I should have asked Hugh for her hand in marriage, I still want to and I will look after her and the baby, as she is my life.

"Women come with a bagful of confusing emotions and truly being in love with a woman means you need to show that you can handle those needs, you will have to share so much of yourself with her that you simply couldn't do it, you don't know how to. We women like to be treated with tenderness and to feel understood and wanted. For fucks sake have you ever even kissed a woman, well, have you? Have you even walked arm in arm with this woman, or held the other one, or looked into her eyes and when she does look at you do you want to kiss her?" I want Bella like that. I have kissed Bella like that.

"I have yes, kissed her, held her and wanted her all those ways I'm sorry Alysia, you've said your piece please leave." I have, and she was the one I wanted, she was just too young and we were in the wrong time in our lives, shit, shit I need a time machine to go back and rewrite my shit treatment of all the women I have ever slept with, Gina would be given a wide birth, if she hadn't turned up I would have asked Hugh back then for Bella's hand in marriage, I'm sounding like a drunken scratched record.

"You have never kissed me ever, so go on why did you not ever kiss me? Tell me Chris, because I needed to be loved, and appreciated, and not feel like I'm being used, like a two bit hooker? Have you ever once stopped to consider my feelings, or any other of your fuck buddies feelings? Chris a few of us are nursing broken hearts over the way you treated us, we got nothing but sex from you... I love you Chris, really, I do, and I sit for days waiting for you to ring me after we do this. Hell you can't love someone, because you don't know how to." She hits the nail on the head I don't know how too, I need therapy and help or to spend time with the only good man I know... Hugh.

"I'm glad this woman who is having another man's baby, has broken your heart, maybe now you will feel as crap as you made me feel tonight, you made me feel like a prostitute, and that was my fault for thinking I can and could change you. Maybe you will start treating any other idiot woman better, knowing how much it hurts. I won't be ringing you again or accepting your invitations to party ever again."

Maybe I have reaped what I have sown, Gran was right my karma is gonna bite me in the arse. I watched as she disappeared into the lift, I'd hurt her and I had finally listened to her and listened to her cry of desperation, then it hit me in the stomach, she was so wrong, I did love someone... Bella...

"I have kissed her, she is the only one I have ever kissed, I'm sorry I treated you all like that. Why didn't she wait for me like she promised?" I talked to myself cursing the things I had done, I phoned for my car service I needed to get her back. My phone rang, and as I picked up it was Luis. I stepped in the lift and leant against the wall.

"Yeah sorry Luis, I didn't feel like coming out Luis, it's been a bad night, a really bad night."

"Not as bad as ours Chris, Bella is missing, and has been gone a couple of hours, she was supposed to be in bed, and she wasn't there when Preston went to check on her." My heart lands in the pit of my stomach has Gina got her? I want to be sick, my head spins and I fall to the floor...

"I'm coming now she will be fine, I'm sure she's still in the bloody hotel hiding out." I panic had Gina got her, is my girl in danger and her baby? Shit Bella don't tell her of the baby. I begin to pray...

"No, she was pictured leaving in a cab, a cab that stopped near your hotel, did she follow you? Fuck is she there with you?" I then remembered the sounds on the roof, the crying, the hiccup, the sounds of movements, shit no...

"No I was with Alysia. I will go back and check the monitors and crap, and the door swipes."

"Cheers, Dad is panicking and Mum is besides herself."

"As soon as I get off the phone I will head into Novo's security room. I'll ring you back." I didn't need to look, as I went back into the security office I saw her on the monitors, in the lift. Shit she had been on the roof, she had seen my session with Alysia, crap. I zoomed in and she was red eyed and crying, what do I do? I watch as she cries again. I get security to make sure she discretely gets into the car that was waiting to take me back to the hotel and tell them to tell the driver, she is to be taken straight to security. I have blown it with the Humphries family, especially when she tells them what she has seen and where she has been. I phone Bella and I'm surprised when she answers.

"Bella, I know you saw what happened on the roof, I know you are disappointed, I know you hate me, your family are freaking out they think Gina has you. I need to speak to you about your baby first."

"What are you talking about? I don't have anything to say to you. I will get the car to drop me off at the secure entrance at the back. I will tell them I wanted to go for a walk and ended up grabbing a cab to your place, and I had a drink, because I wanted to celebrate, and I knew I would be safe there." What did she hear? I know what she saw, damn it, why was she there?

"Bella, please I will be in my room for breakfast, join me and we can talk, I need to tell you everything."

"I don't want to see you, speak to you or have anything to do with you ever again. Did you not learn anything from Gina? I saw enough, and you haven't changed one bit, in fact, I think you are worse. I thought you had remembered the promises we made Chris, but it seems you didn't."

"I did, I did remember, but I was late down to the ball and Bella I was coming to claim my dance. I'd been hiding out to surprise you, I saw the boy and you kiss Bella, then I heard you tell him he was going to be a father, and he didn't want to be, that your father was going to help you raise the child, I will help you raise the child Bella."

"Chris I'm not pregnant, nor do I have a baby, my friend does, and he is the father of that child. I was telling him he has to pay for her and he came on to me for my money."

"Bella I'm sorry I heard the conversation, and I thought, well I thought..."

"...There was nothing going on, and there never was. You and I have nothing more to talk about ever again. I would never ever go with someone whose morals are so reprehensively low as yours are. You used Gina, and still you didn't learn and you screwed that girl like a prostitute, despite you knowing there's a mad woman now on the loose from being involved with you. Chris you're still doing the same things with other women, women who are so blatantly and deeply in love with you. I had feelings for you Chris, and I would have done anything for you, anything, I was as desperate to sleep with you, as that girl was tonight, and now I hate you really hate you Chris. I don't want to see you again, I don't want to talk to you ever again and I will never feel anything for you but pity and hate, so have I said enough? Do we need to talk tomorrow? No... I didn't think so... I will have your things packed and sent to your penthouse there."

"Bella I'm so sorry, and here's me thinking I was too old for you when all along I wasn't mature enough for you. I will send Henry for the things in my room, he is used to packing for me, and Bella I promise I am changing, give me time please just give me time?"

"Have all the time you need... I'm approaching the hotel now, and if you keep your distance this stays between us two, and I will not tell Dad, come near me and I tell him what you're really like."

"I won't Bella I promise, I will see you again though, when I'm worthy of you." I hear the phone click and my heart sinks.

I phone Henry and ask him to pack my things at By the Park in the morning, and tell him I'm at the club, and to swing by and pick me up tomorrow. I'm heading to my penthouse, which is the floor under the roof top terrace here at Novo. I need to get my sorry arse to bed and try to sleep. My road to perdition has started, with my head in a mess and my life now heading the same way, worse because I believed Bella, when she said she did not want to see or hear from me again.

What the hell had happened tonight? I'd had a text from Luis thanking me for finding her, she had been upset earlier by a friends unexpected bad news, good news thing, and was wiped out, she just wanted away from the crazy in her life. I was the only crazy in her life and I knew it, when did she get so wise?

CHAPTER TEN:

Bella:

As the car pulled into the security, Dad rushed to the car. Oh hell that look. I was going down like a stone chucked in the sea, I was metaphorically screwed, and drunk to boot.

"Isabella, where the hell have you been? Do you know what your Mum is doing in the room she's being sick, sick with worry, where have you been?"

"Dad, I'm sorry, but I was feeling like crap, Preston had been so busy I didn't want to wake her to take Bella for a walk. I just needed to get away from the stress, and I thought I'd have a walk to the park but then I wanted a drink and as I'm not twenty one I can't drink here. I'm not at home or in London where I could get a drink easily, your bar staff won't serve me here either, so I got a cab to Chris's club, he said he'd be there, but he'd been called away on business, so I sat and had cocktails, all watched by security and all night too. I won't do it again, but with all the stuff with Susan, it had me thinking I haven't got that many friends and the ones I do have, I have let them down, Dad I want to go to the new place tomorrow or later today, I don't want to be here, can I go please?"

"Bella what's happened to you tonight?"

"Jack happened, he was using me to get at my money, I forgot about Susan, Teddy is God knows where, Alice is in Canada. Dad I have the stable girls who I know more about, than my supposed friends."

"We were worried baby that's all, I'm sorry you have to live in this mad security bubble, but for a few weeks or until..."

"Until Gina is caught, I know. That's why I want to go home, or at least to our new home I hate it here, I just want to spend the next few weeks there before university, you know? Just having a normal life, I'm sorry I skipped out on my party and my surprise which was what?"

"It's at home, you will see it later, we are all going home your things are being packed and Luis is saying goodbye to his friends, so we will be in the air after lunch today. Get to bed and try to get some sleep." I do just that as Mum has her hissy fit with me, then Luis has his shouting session and Preston just shakes her head. It sucks that I messed up big time tonight, I didn't sleep too well either and tempers aren't much better in the morning. I head out to do some retail therapy, and as I do I see Henry going into Chris's suite, I sigh and walk to the door.

"Hi Henry, how are Tammy and the babies?"

"They are fine Bella, and how are you after your escapades last night?"

"Well, how the hell did you know that? Oh, don't answer that, has Chris got you watching me too, oh hell you know what? I'm a little confused and a lot angrier with Chris, but mainly feeling sorry for myself or at myself, I'm not sure which?"

"How so Bella, what's the problem besides Chris?"

"Well, I know you know I like Chris, of course you do, Tanner, sorry Tammy will have told you, but on this trip, let's just say I had my eyes well and truly opened to how he lives his life, from the girls in the suite to the thing last night and that's not for me, that's never going to be it for me. I now need to focus on uni and stop believing he can change, when obviously he can't. Fancy him thinking I was pregnant, unlike him, I do not sleep around?"

"Can I just ask why you think he had girls in his room?"

"Condoms, they were used and I shifted a load so I know, I was his room cleaner."

"I'd ask Luis about those. Chris actually slept in the bath tub with a locked door, he called me early in the morning to go to breakfast with him, but Tammy had had a bad night her Mama's cooking was repeating, enough of that! Anyhow it turns out he was getting out of the place before they all woke up and demand he join them again, he's bad but not that bad, your brother however is a different story."

"I know Luis is a man whore, and he let me waffle on and on about Chris's bad morals and what a shameless man he was, when all along it was bloody him, he is going down later. Berrrrhhh, I shifted my brothers used crap. Eww's bleach and wire wool thanks Henry." He laughed.

"Apparently, they were pole dancers from a bar they went into earlier don't ask me, I only got edited highlights. As to last night he needs that or rather he needed sex, it's how he deals with things, he is a grown arsed man with needs and for the record the set up on the roof terrace last night to surprise you. He'd been planning it for ages and when he thought, you were having someone else's baby he went mad, and to call Alysia, he mustn't have been thinking straight to call her. I know he's ashamed and devastated, and that's why I'm here so as he doesn't upset you further. We're off to Texas for a couple of weeks, he needs some downtime, the mines in Australia are driving him potty and now the Russian has backed out he's going it alone again until the Chinese takeover, he's stressed and lonely Bella. I guess Tammy and I will be dealing with the bad moods of Christopher Holland for a while.

Just give him time Bella please just give him time, he needs to grow up. His upbringing, according to Jameson was a little dysfunctional and he doesn't know how to do things differently, he's a young, attractive rich man, who hasn't a clue how to be normal, every time he tries, he fucks up, but I know he cares deeply for you, and last night, well that was a shock to him too. He is horrified and ashamed of his actions. His plans for the night, well, they all went to pieces when he thought you were..."

"Pregnant, I know he said, so he wanted to take me to the rooftop and screw me like he did her, great so fucking romantic."

"No, no, no, it was beautiful, I know because I helped do it, fairy lights, flowers and everything. He pushed the romantic button and went into overdrive. Apparently last night was to have been a special night?" I know I'm burning up and my cheeks are flushed. "He flipped out when he saw and heard what he thought he saw, you know the baby and all that and he realised or thought you were in love with someone else, he heard you say you were in love with the lad?" That's what you get when you listen to part of a conversation. He was still a stupid arsed man...

"Chris and I would never have worked because we're... Christ I don't even know what we are, loves lost dream or something equally stupidly clichéd. I know the age thing and everything else has ruined it, and now it's all in the past. I can't begin to forgive or forget what he did to that woman, knowing the last one, or sorry another one of his freaky fuck buddies, is out there having murdered her entire family, and all because he screwed with her emotions, by not having any of his own.

He didn't learn, but perhaps he will learn from this, I don't know if he's even capable of changing? I know I'll be concentrating on my studies and getting as far away from his madness as I can. His present for his birthday is on his bed, I put it there this morning, it's my copy of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost and a something to remember what he threw away, it's quite fitting really. See he gets it please and hopefully it will help with his emotions, thanks to him, I have need of a bloody great therapist. I have to be going, I have clothes and books yet to buy and we are going home after lunch. Will you keep me in the loop about Tammy please? Sorry, but it has to be through Bedford, my phone is being changed, we are all having to have a fresh start apparently?" With that, Preston came from her room.

"Miss Humphries are we ready?" I nodded to give me another minute.

"Goodbye Bella, and good luck with the studies, and for the record, his and your story is far from over, give him time Bella just give him time." I nodded and went to shop. I am going to kill Luis for not telling me I'd shifted his used goods and that he let me believe he'd spoken to his 'friend Cooper', what with the idiot over sexed brother and my cursed crush, my life would be better served living in a nunnery. I looked at Preston as we get in the lift, she was being nice to me, and I know she had been read the riot act by Mum, Dad and Bedford.

"Sorry Julie I know you got some grief from everyone. I told them I tricked you, they know me and how I was with Tanner, I did it to her way more than I do you, and they know it. They know you look after me and it was out of your control me doing what I did."

"I was worried Bella that's all, but you will be pleased to know there is now to be a camera outside of all your bedroom doors and windows you are to be monitored, all be it by security cameras. I like to think of it as more sort of a very adult baby monitor. Your Dad wanted you to be micro chipped and Bedford was looking into it for him too."

"Oh, I... Well I won't be doing anything like that again, not from now on anyway last night was a wakeup call." That was easier than I thought either that or she was going easy on me? As we shopped, I thought about what Henry had said, he'd planned a special night and instead he ruined it by doing what he did with that girl, and he'd ruined any chance of there ever being an 'us'.

"Bella, what's the matter, you have been so very quiet today and look troubled?"

"Stuff, that's all just crappy stuff."

"Tell me, you have spent a small fortune and have bought more jeans than you will ever wear. Whatever it is, it stops between you and me."

"I need your word Julie, I really do."

"You have it, was it Chris? I saw him last night hanging by the door, before I ran in to rescue Jack."

"He heard parts of the conversation, yeah bad parts, and well he thought I'd had sex with Jack and was having his baby."

"You put him straight I hope that it's your friend's baby?"

"I didn't get a chance, I came out to find him and instead I heard him on the phone, arranging to meet a woman. I knew where he was going so I got myself there." I cried again and her arms came in for a hug like no other, she wasn't being mushy, she was being supportive, a different kind of caring and I shed a fountain of tears. I told her what I'd seen, what he'd said, what she said, in fact everything.

"You've fantasised about this man for such a long, long time and to have any hopes you had of any type of liaison dashed like that, is heart wrenching. I know it happened to me, that's why I left uni. My fiancé was screwing around with my sister, imagine how shit that felt, and consider yourself lucky the relationship didn't involve amazing mind blowing sex, I swear I didn't miss him as much as I did the sex." I laughed.

"No, no sex just a kiss, well a couple of kisses and hugs, he was very good at the restraint thing, but last night I still wished it was me having that stupid sex and not that woman he was screwing."

"I imagine it wasn't the best feeling in the world? I know hearing my sister say she was coming and hard, was an and excuse the pun here, a hard thing to hear and just knowing that she was getting that sort of pleasure from my fiancé, mine not hers, sort of killed me and shocked me into some sort of brain freeze."

"What did you do?" She laughed and smirked.

"I... I can laugh now, but actually, I was very calm, as I said brain freeze! I filled the bowl from the sink with cold tap water, poured in the bag of ice cubes from the freezer, decided there wasn't enough, so transferred it to a bucket and added the frozen peas, the sweet corn, red chilli peppers, Antony's skin was extremely allergic to those, who knew? I added more water, the packet of wall paper paste, as we were decorating the bedroom in time for the wedding, so it was to hand, I mixed it all together, not enough for it to set, but as I poured it over the sleeping couple, who were exhausted from the sex, it set lovely. It was glorious, they were like two gobsmacked little princess covered in sticky food glitter, and wow I enjoyed throwing their clothes from the window and the pair of them from my flat, both naked and dripping in gunk and frozen veggies, it was a most excellent and quite therapeutic thing to do.

The whole street got to see her skanky arse, his delicious dick and the array of clothes that followed them, they were both freezing cold and suitably embarrassed. After which, I had the locks changed, then emptied my sisters overflowing closets full of fantastic designer clothes and her expensive shoe collection, all it turns out he bought her, into the salvation army donation bins at the supermarket, and then all his stuff I donated to a charity shop. Then, like you I wanted to shop, and this lot here was nothing to what I spent on his credit card, let's just say my sisters old closet was filled with some wonderful clothes, shoes and they were all mine, but whilst I was out I passed the army recruiting office and joined up, and the rest was history, as was my sister and her new boyfriend, who cheated on her too, so what else did Chris do?" I laughed as she shrugged her shoulders.

"He asked me to wait. He would change and that I was more mature than him. I guess we weren't meant to be together, but his head of security told me he and I were far from over and to give him time, he had issues."

"All men have damn issues, and they generally start between their legs Bella. I can only say to you go with your instincts, your head and your heart lead you astray, give him time, but don't wait around for him whilst he sorts his shit out. Perhaps that's all you both need time and space, can we go back now? You have spent a fortune and still have to eat." Argh, the old eating thing, I can see us being good friends at uni, and I'm glad Bedford picked her now. I looked at the multitude of bags, and yes, yikkies, I do shop when I'm upset and wasn't aware just how much I'd bought until the other security guards came for the bags. I'd bought way more stuff than I actually needed. Shopping to forget had cost me a sodding fortune.

I was forging ahead with my plans, and they did not now include Christopher Holland, mega billionaire, arse hole, and CEO of Arses-Are-Us. I thought again of what Henry said, that the 'him and me' story was far from over and I smiled, stranger things happen at sea I suppose? When I got back from the shopping trip, our things were already loaded on the plane and Dad was wrapping up some business he had here, but Mum was pacing the floor and Luis was sat with his head in hands, shit I was safe with Julie...

"What has happened and why are you stressed Mum? Luis tell me?"

"They caught Gina she was on a flight to Texas, using the dead nurse's passport. She had a real plastic gun thing in her luggage. Bella, she was going to kill Chris, apparently, she had a list of addresses for him and for us, thankfully not on her list though was our old home, so Dad is leaving it up to you where we call home, the old one or the new one, which was bought for those damn Satan's helpers you have? Chris and Henry have gone to Italy to see to it she never gets out of prison and is not going to be held in a mental health place. He is so relieved that you were no longer in danger. He said I was to thank you for his gift, and he will treasure them, read the book and get back to you, and he will see you again sometime when he's grown up a bit, what did he mean by that?"

"Argh Cooper got his birthday gift then, good. Gina is safe and under lock and key and you dear brother are an arsehole of the biggest kind, are you buying a dog when we get to the new house?"

"A dog, why do I need a dog Bells, oh and when did you realise that Chris was Cooper?"

"A blame hound, so when you fart it takes the blame, seeing as you're too fucking moronic to own up to your own misdemeanours and let your friends take the fall Luis? I saw him sleeping on his bed, when I went back to finish cleaning his room later that morning. If you remember I couldn't do the bathroom, due to him hiding in there and he was fast asleep on his bed when I went to put the towels in his bathroom, he didn't see me so I played along with the charade.

I was just happy he'd bothered to come. I figured he was going to surprise me at the ball and do the things we said we'd do. Then it dawned on me then about the condoms I'd shifted, and then remembered what I thought he'd done, then I thought, why the hell had he come? He hadn't changed at all, he had always been a womaniser and he always would be. Why would he have changed for me? I didn't figure into all that crap that I was wrong about the prophylactics not being his used goods, but those used by my brother. Care to explain why you had me believe they were his stud, and that you'd spoken to him about clearing his own bedroom waste?"

"Oh, err about that and the condom thing, I'm sort of, well I'm a lot embarrassed Bella, I was too err, well you know, for God 's sake Bella, you my sister cleared away my thingy's for me. So, I'm sorry, but I went along with your version, because it was easier to. Yes, hands held high they were mine, poor Chris just passed out drunk in the bath. I was being entertained that night not him. He didn't want to, and besides he was way too wasted, and was from the drunken ramblings waiting for his Miss Right to say yes. From listening to this little tit bit of information I'm thinking I need to ask questions of my friend and his intentions to you, and would you care to explain to me why you were upset at his womanising? What's going on with you two? Have you and him done that, had sex? Are you and him having some sort of thing, you know sex and shit? Oh hell you're Miss Right, aren't you?"

"No, put that out of your head I have never had sex with Chris Holland, and I doubt I ever will now... Really, are you the only one who didn't know I have had the biggest crush on him, since I was little, really little? He was and is the man I wanted to lose it to, and if you really want to know what he and I were going to do, I'll tell you... I was going to have sex with Chris and willingly." His face was a picture, was this all too candied for big brother perhaps? "No, Luis we have never done that, a kiss yes, but he, we, I mean he mainly, decided it was wrong, because of the age difference. Well he, err, we said that when I was older perhaps it could go further, and before you shout and scream and head over to fucking Italy, I wanted him more than he did me.

Also remember Dad is way older than Mum too, so don't go there big brother, and remember too, that nothing happened. It should have and could have, had I not seen the condoms and had to see him with that woman Alysia, it may have been that night last night. So you, you lazy arsed man-whore, sort of put the kibosh on anything happening without realising it. This is the last time we discuss him and me, because despite him saying he wanted that for him and me, he was still sleeping around, so yeah thanks for saving me from a big mistake, one I'm not looking to repeat." He looked a little shocked.

"So, when he said he thought you were special, great and was fawning all over you, it wasn't in a little sister sort of way? Oh hell I'm gonna kill him when I see him again."

"No, don't, it was a two way street Luis I liked him just as much, I always have, and not in a brother sort of a way either. Drop it now Mum's coming back. She still likes Chris as does Dad so leave it please?"

"Umm, alright but don't go there, he's troubled and his Dad has done a real number on him over the years. He hasn't had sex in like two years or so, if that helps you figure this crap out? He is, sorry damn, was a much changed man and I know why now, he did it for you." Troubled what did he mean troubled? And he had been faithful to us, until Alysia, like he said damn it.

"Luis can we not mention this ever again? What's done is done, and we won't be telling Mum or I tell her of the escapades here and me having to shift your junk and about your exclusive card to the sex palace Novo? Also, when Mum talks to you about throwing me a surprise party again, you put her off and tell her I don't want one! I have yet to have a good one, and there is only one more memorable birthday to screw up, my twenty first.

I would prefer I spent that one on a faraway beach getting a tan and sipping a cocktail or three by the pool or watching the wave's crash silently against some sun kissed shoreline, with my wonderfully supportive, lovely big brother. If you hear she, or even Dad say they want to throw me another surprise birthday, please remember this week and put them off, or I do the good catholic girl thing and become a nun, leaving you and your wife to have the much wanted grandchild, deal?" He grabbed me in a God damned brother hug and threw me on the couch tickling me.

"Deal, you ball breaker get your arse here, worrying your big brother."

"Quit it, Luis quit it... Mum stop him please... Mum stop him... Please Luis or I will pee my knickers if you don't quit it." She was on the phone and laughing at us fooling around.

"You two stop it, your Dad's here and we have to get going. Preston, hello yes can you have security come and escort my wayward children and I down, are the rest of the bags in the car, good, good she did buy rather a lot I know, she always sends money when she's upset. Thanks Preston two minutes, right put your sister down and get your bags and Bella keep close." He put me down, and smiled as I thumped him hard.

"Ouch you bitch Bells that hurt."

"Mum, the woman is in a prison or somewhere just as far away from me, stop with the worrying, I'm here and have the best people taking care of me, please stop I am fine."

"When you are a mother you too will worry, Luis your sister is not a bitch, headstrong yes, and a bitch no, argh Preston, I need to apologise for shouting last night, I was just..."

"...Ma'am I know worried. Please don't worry it's never happening again, I have a microchip for her if she tries to run again, and it has the latest GPS, with all the top spy stuff embedded in it, and with that I could find her anywhere." I gulped. "Bedford sourced it, and yes he's serious Bella, do that again and your arse gets a tiny microchip put in." They all laughed as I stormed off to give Bedford a piece of my mind, I didn't know they were joking until I blew my stack at him, poor Bedford.

"Last night Isabella is the last time you give my staff the slip, and contrary to Preston laughing, I do have a tracking devise ready to inject into you, with a shelf life of three years, so think on. I will not have your parents upset again, and you will go to university in Spain if you mess up in Germany am I clear young lady?" Oh shit he's shouting at me.

"Yes Bedford, I'm sorry I won't do it again, I promise." The plane was ready and after I had eaten, I went to my room on board, and I slept for the remainder of the flight and was glad of it.

When we did get to the new place, I loved it, as did Mum, it was everything I needed and more, my horses were settled and Chocolate was a mere few days away from foaling. I loved the new house, sorry the castle thing, it was massive and I filled the next three months with horses, and my new foal, he was beautiful, and was named Java. The arrival of my new stallion from Chris's stables was a memorable day, he was stunning, and not one I had seen before, he'd bought him specially for me, from a fresh breeder in Mexico, just so I had another bloodline.

He was nearly black and his coat shone, I called him Diablo as Chris had done, Kenny actually told me Chris had bought this one for himself, and it was his dream horse. I was shocked, yet not surprised he had done that. I really missed him, and though I flicked through the internet to see the old pictures, I fought hard to keep him from my thoughts and though it took time, and with no new photos on the net for me to see and to dream about or upset myself over. I did eventually manage to forget about him and for long stretches of time too...

I didn't hear personally from Chris again, though Luis, Mum and Dad did, they told me he was busy expanding his mega bucks empire and then I would feel sad for days, but I'd remember what he did and forget him again, and forget that I ever loved that damned man. I'd barely thought of him at all over the next couple of years. I was happy at uni, as was Julie. I settled well into being Susan West, as the real Susan West was doing well too, and had met and married a nice man, who loved Kiera as his own, Jack's father had set aside a large part of his son's trust fund, for Susan to support his grandchild with, and saw her regularly, his son though never bothered with her.

I buckled down and studied hard, because as much as I wanted to do the student social thing, and given that the Bier Keller's here are amazing, and my fellow students were friendly and nice, I still didn't like to socialise much, I wouldn't, couldn't or didn't click with any of the boys who were interested in me. So I studied hard instead, and because of this, I was able to finish the course a full year ahead of my class mates, three years instead of four. The time was flying by and between studies and flying home to see to my horses I hadn't much down time, forget holidays, forget flying to the fancy charity balls Dad had every year, because I didn't go to any, I was however fast approaching my twenty first birthday. Luis and I were both home, when during one particularly nice quite family weekend, the dratted conversation came into play about having the big bash for my birthday.

I laughed as Luis put his foot down, and I listened from the office, whilst they had the conversation in the den. Mum was in fine form and had been planning a very grand affair. She was simply getting the location secured with Luis, everything else she had already planned for.

"I'm organising a sumptuous party for Isabella's coming of age party. So which hotel are we throwing it in this time? What about an Australia Grand Ball, in the new Perth Hotel, or perhaps we could do a Caribbean Grand Ball, perhaps on the island of St Bart's, Dad could look at that hotel for sale on there and kill two birds with one stone?" How the hell did she know that's where we were going? Damn it she should work for MI5 or the CIA, she could give J Edgar-Hoover a run for his sodding money.

"Mum, how...? No, no party I have promised to take her to St Bart's for the week, she specifically said sun, sea and sipping cocktails by the pool or sea, please don't try to plan a crappy birthday party, she won't like it Mum. We, as in me and Bella, are going together. How the hell did you know, you're good. Who did you twist around your finger this time Mum?" Good he remembered, but he was now up against Manic Maria and shit, she had the bit between her teeth, and she knew we were already booked to go. Damn I will kill the mole, umm I wonder if the mole is called Bernie-Blabbermouth-Bedford.

"Oh goody we simply change the ball for a beach party theme then, we can have a luau, she can't moan at that idea surely?" This didn't sound too great...

"Mum she will hit the roof. Remember, she doesn't have a great track record for parties and I promised."

"You promised her the beach, check, the cocktails, check, you promised her the by the pool, check and you said by the sea, check, check, check all checks Luis, and besides she needs a holiday, so does Dad he's been working non-stop for three years now. I'll not do it big and brash we will keep it small. Can we not go for an intimate family affair? With a few of the staff, security, and perhaps get Chris and Tammy here? The twins are nearly three and I have only seen them twice. He too has been busy, so, so busy and I know he'd like to see her again, as he calls me a lot, and you still see him yes?"

"Yes, I see him, but not as much as I used to, we both have different lives now and I'm forever in and out of court and he's over there in Oz. Mum are you sure, she was really instant that she didn't want a party of any kind?"

Seeing Chris again was a no go thing, he wouldn't come though, his engagement to the Russian girl was a big thing apparently. Perhaps he would come and he'd bring her too, ruining the last ever great milestone birthday I was to have?

"I have never been wrong before, and that woman killed herself in prison, so she's not going to be escaping, is she? Go on, you get her there and we will surprise her. Besides Chris was just dumped by the Russian, she and he parted waves, he had a big bust up apparently with his business partner, her Dad was robbing the company and they split up, he's supposed to be devastated." He is, really? I missed that article.

"Mum stop reading crap in the magazines about him please. He was never engaged, because he doesn't see women anymore. He's changed really changed. He hasn't seen any girls socially in almost three years." Really, he has changed that much, then I wonder did he do it for me. Then again, perhaps he doesn't tell Luis all he does, Luis seems to be well informed though. So, Luis and Chris are still best of friends then? "He never sets foot out of Australia now, but he sold his mining operations there in Australia and for a huge amount of money, an eye watering amount actually. He owns a fair bit of Western Australia and he lives on a massive ranch out there and oversees his empire of hotels, buildings, factories and things from there via the web, as I said he very rarely leaves the damn ranch.

He earned enough from the sale to take it easy, and you'd think he would do? There's no chance of Chris Holland taking anything easy. He's big in real estate all around Western Australia. Something he started doing when he opened the mines, and when he expanded the operation, he went into real estate, to support the economic growth of the area, in part brought by his mining operations. He saw the needs and filled the needs. He had to deal with housing, shops, schools and hospitals, you name it he's had to build it and he did, and he got in at the ground level. He builds housing estates and shopping malls now, and he's invested billions into real estate. I just wish Chris had set the record straight about the Russian. It did him no favours being linked to her and boy she wished she were Chris's fiancée as do a lot of women. He only took her out three times, and two of them were to business deals with her father, the crooked bastard who was trying to sell Chris land he didn't own, and was using his daughter to sweeten the deal, only she wasn't his daughter she was his wife and well, she failed getting Chris into bed, the bouncy type and the business one, he just wasn't interested.

However, being linked to Perth's biggest real estate agent, added credence to their story, that Chris was interested in buying in on their non-existent land deal. The Russian, who wasn't Russian at all, but a Romanian, managed to sell the fake land to not one, but three gullible building firms, who all thought they had got the jump on Chris and they all hoped they would make many more millions, than the ones they all paid the Romanians. The builders millions nor the con artist, Russian/Romanian has yet to resurface in Australia. They are thought to be back in their motherland. He has never discusses his private life with the tabloids, who print the crap they do, but he swore to me she was nothing more than a woman who sat at his dinner table, along with her father and Chris's secretary Judy. She is the only woman he see's daily, and is at least fifty and widowed Mum, so stop reading crap about Chris, he calls you enough, just ask him. He will tell you if you ask, because he will never lie to you."

What the reports were all false, will wonders ever cease? She was the only one I ever saw him with and I believed they were an item. Oh... Oh hell no, Mum will have him here now, shit and how long has he been ringing my bloody family?

"I know, he's a good boy, I always hoped he'd ask your father for Isabella's hand in marriage." I choked on my vodka and tonic, and spat it at my laptop. Sorry lap top screen, this will be interesting. "He always asks about Bella, always. He sees your father a lot they meet when he goes to Australia and he is always asking your father for advise on hotel business, he never asks his father." I'm then left wondering just how long has his charm offence been going on?

"Mum I know, Chris and I talk a lot, we just don't meet up as much as we did. Bella isn't for settling down she wants to win the big design contract to do the library at Perth University. She is entered into the competition for all new architects, and hopefully is she wins that, it will be a stepping stone for her career. That's all she wants, to settle into her design work. She took an emotional battering from the Gina thing and from something she and Chris had together, but please never say anything like that to her face Mum, about hoping to marry them off. I shouldn't tell you this but they did have a thing you know? A kiss, nothing more and it sort of hurt her that he didn't want to take I further. He messed up any chance he had when he went out with an old girlfriend, but Bella never talks about it anymore, and I know she stopped asking me about him ages ago, so I guess she's over the infatuation she had with him."

"Oh, I didn't know, perhaps I shouldn't ask him to come then?"

"No, that's for the best, besides he never leaves his damned horse ranch these days, unless there's a dire emergency. His Dad has had two more heart attacks and he never went rushing back, he phoned Jameson and asked his advice, he told him it was a ploy to get him back, and not to bother. So please Mum, if you want her to have a good time, don't invite him, he will send her the usual jewellery, flowers and a bear thing, as he did for her nineteenth and twentieth."

"Okay I won't invite him, but I will be going to Australia to see Chris after Christmas, Dad is there for a few weeks, so I will talk to him then. My daughter is hiding a lot of heartbreak from her mother, but thank you for sharing Luis. Now are you seeing anyone?" I know I laugh because this is about to be the talk, it's her broken record, its Mum's weekly 'I want grandchildren' speech.

I breathed a sigh of relief, as she won't be inviting him. I left the study and went to pack my bags for uni tomorrow. I had a week left in uni and then I was going on the now not so relaxing holiday with Luis. I couldn't wait to go now, as I needed the rest and the sun, and I would be armed with a list of the sodding copious amounts of the cocktails that I wanted to try at the beech bar there. I had yet to get really shit faced drunk, so drunk I couldn't remember getting home, that type of drunk, and I wanted to do it once in my twenty years on this planet, and this was the birthday to do it on. I had decided that this birthday I was going to have a hangover the day after, and with any luck, I would have had sex with a stranger, yeah like I'd got the guts to do that with anyone?

"Bella, Bella come down to the den please." Oh hell here it comes, the party of the decade.

"What do you want Mum, Luis are you alright?" Luis looked like the puppy dog he was, he did everything Mum wanted, but then again so did we all. Luis rolled his eyes at me, his sort of an advanced apology.

"Mum wishes to throw you a party, not a ball a party, a family 'small' party on the beach whilst we are in St Bart's."

"Alright, fine let me know when, is that it? Only I have packing to do, the plane will be here soon, can you email me or text me the details, this is the last ever one Mum. Any bigger than forty people there and I won't show up. Now I have to pack. See that was easy, so Luis when did she know we were going to St Bart's because it was meant to be a secret?"

"She overheard me talking to Bedford about security for the trip and railroaded me, sorry." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Never mind I knew she would get it out of someone, you were the most obvious choice you big Mummy's Boy."

"You at least don't have to do the whole dressing up thing wearing a gown and mask ball thing you had last time."

"No, but I want a fancy dress party, make it a jungle themed event, and yes I do want masks to be worn, you Luis I want in a penguin suit, serving Apple Sours and Jagger Bombs. You are going to be my cocktail penguin."

"Really, fancy dress are you sure?" Yeah, I want them roasting in costumes.

"Positive, because I'm going as a sexy arsed zoo keeper, everyone else is in an animal costume. I should say no monkeys, but what's a zoo without the monkeys?" Mum was clapping her hands, with my enthusiasm. What she didn't know was I was going to make all the serving girls wear zoo keepers costumes too, so I could escape or blend, either or really, my plan was fool proof for escaping my security detail.

"Bella that's a great idea, fancy dress, wait until I tell your father he will be shocked you agreed, and I can wear my peacock fancy dress, Dad has a panda suit. Oh it will be such fun." Yeah, they will be sweating their bums off in fancy dress at a beach party luau, and I will be drunk as a skunk, but not dressed as one, oh hell yeah, my party, my theme and my rules. Oh hell, what had I done?

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

Chris:

I lazed in the swimming pool, after a good days work and I now had three more Aztecs and three more mustang foals, to add to my breeding stock. The foals are all wonderful. I loved my life here in the outback, and bringing the stock from the ranch in Texas was the best decision I ever made. As I watched the ranch from the pool, Amy brought out the cool beers. Asking Kenny and his family to move with them the next best thing I did. I got out of the pool after a hard day's work.

"Thanks Amy, is Kenny about?"

"He's gone into town with Tammy and Henry to collect her folks, they are due here in about four hours, did you forget?"

"No, I just thought they were flying in?"

"No, Mrs Tanner doesn't like the small plane, and so they have had to do the five hour ride out and the five hour ride back, that woman is a damn pain."

"Umm good job they only come out once a year, are you minding the girls?"

"Yes and they are sleeping. They tired themselves out with James in the pool earlier. Tammy should be back soon to take over, she will be glad she's not in the car in this heat." We were highly honoured that Henry trusted us with caring for their twins, Megan and Georgia they were and are his pride and joy. They brought their parents and me endless amount of happiness, the two little elfin toddlers have wormed their way in to my ornery ole heart, and yeah, I loved them too, they were cute as buttons, and I spoilt them rotten. Tammy is having their baby brother, so I'm surprised she has gone on the bumpy ride there.

"Tammy didn't go with them in the car?"

"Hell no, she flew down in the plane, she says she won't be able to fly the plane much longer and is flying Lloyd and the luggage back, she likes the alone time with her Daddy. She's leaving poor Henry to deal with her mother's whines about going back to live in the states." I roar with laughter.

"Hahahaha, poor Henry five hours with Marys moaning, he will be in sore need of a few ice cold tinnies Amy."

"The fridge is full to bursting Chris." I laugh as she hands me my dinner. "Here eat whilst it's hot."

"Chris, are you gonna reply to the messages your father has sent again, or are we deleting without reading again?" Judy walks out from the office.

"What was the first one about?"

"He wants to know if you're home for your thirtieth birthday."

"No, I have plans to spend it with a friend."

"You had a missed call from Maria too, she says ring her back at lunch time, their time, if you're up as she has news." That peeks my interest, I'd had a missed call from Luis on my mobile too, whilst I was in the stables, had something happened? I then wondered, would Luis still be up and decide against it, I'd phone later when I was phoning the states. I think about this year's gift to Bella her twenty first. So that's like really important and so requires an extremely nice gift. What to send her this year in the kangaroos pouch? Last year earrings, the year before a tie pin for her dressage outfit, with the matching jewelled hair combs, this year has to be the wow gift.

I have missed her, and have given her the space she asked of me, and I've not contacted her, other than the birthday gifts. So, I think I have honoured my promise to give her the space she wanted, and in that time, I have kept myself free from temptation, and I have high hopes of getting her to talk to me again. Luis is planning to take her to a luxury hotel I own on the island of St Bart's, for a week and I will be there too. I wonder if that's what the phone call was for, damn it I can't wait.

"Excuse me ladies, I have a few calls to make, see you in a while, Judy are you finished for the day?"

"Yeah if you don't mind I'm wacked, that all-nighter has caught up with my weary old bones."

"Sleep well, and see you tomorrow, don't you rush to get in." I laugh because she lives in a bungalow right next to the main house.

"Funny how that never gets any funnier no matter how many times you say it Chris."

"I know I'm so much fun to work for, now away with you I have a horse to buy and three to sell." I slink in my air conditioned office and dial Luis number. It rings and rings...

"H...Ell...O, speak I'm listening."

"And that's why they pay you the mega bucks to defend the rich European bad men."

"Chris, so nice of you to returned my call just as I was getting downright dirty in the stables, and for your information I defend women too, and yeah they can be really bad."

"Lucky stable girls..."

"Nah, Cappuccino is due to foal and Bella did the night shift last night I offered to do tonight. What can I do for you?"

"Umm you rang me Luis?"

"Oh I did, the party of the year is in nine days, can you still be there and get this, Bella okayed the party. I hate to break it to you but she doesn't want you there Bro, she is over the crush on you I think? Though Mum's still holding out for the same thing as you, so are you coming or what?"

"Coming, because she has to talk to me, she has too, I'm not getting any younger and I have done as she asked, shit Luis she has to speak to me she has to."

"So I guess we will see you there then, oh and bring a fancy dress its, a jungle fancy dress and a mask or a full costume is to be worn. I'm a damn cocktail waiter dressed as a damn penguin." Oh hell, this I have to see, I then wonder what she will be wearing.

"My sister will be a zoo keeper I can hear your mind ticking Chris."

"I may go as a monkey, just to piss her off."

"She got over that phobia and openly welcomes the monkeys to the party, so what are you coming as?"

"I don't know, perhaps a kangaroo?"

"Too predictable, come as a wild boar."

"I am a little bit of one at the moment, I don't know? I have to be in Hong Kong for a few days, so I'll pick something up there, does she really want fancy dress? If I get there and your joking, I will find the penguin and drown him."

"I swim most excellently your lordship, and I want the best suite in the house for Mum and Dad too and a couple of suites for protection, is that alright?"

"Fine, the hotel is at your disposal, let them know how many rooms you will need. All the beach bungalows have already been booked out to me. I didn't want them rented out to anyone else, so you and your guests can stop in the hotel, well away from them."

"Oh great, that's what like sixty rooms?"

"No more like eighty suites. My bungalow is tucked away in the hillside, but you have to pass the beach bungalows to get there, hence the need for them to be empty, so there will be nobody to hear her pleas to be let down. I intend to go all cave man, take Bella there lock the door and just talk."

"So I will see you next week then, and I look forward to it, see you there Bro."

"See you Luis, and Luis thanks I know what this could do if it all goes pear shaped and I ruin yet another bloody birthday."

"I hear you, but that's not happening not this time, see you and have a restless week worrying." Gah, he's not wrong it will be restless alright. I smile and grin like a fool. I go on-line to get the horses on the website. I am looking again for Bella's stables. She doesn't breed to sell anymore, so it's hard as they are very wary about their privacy since the Gina thing. Luis will talk about her, but none of them will tell me where they are, but I do know they are in Europe. I have to trust it is to keep themselves safe. I guess if I really wanted to I could find them, but I gave my word I would make do with phone calls and web chats with Maria. It has been a busy three years and filling my life with the ranch, the twins and my businesses here has not been easy. I miss her so much that I often troll the web for people selling Aztecs and as yet have had no joy she mustn't be selling them anymore. I could do lots of things to find her, bug Luis phone, have him followed, but I made a promise to Luis, that I wouldn't try to find her. I read the book she gave me all the time and hope that the meaning behind giving it to me, was that she would come and find me when she is ready.

In the book, or rather, the book of the play, the king and his nobles swear to remain faithful to their ladies, but the ladies, unconvinced that their love is strong, declare that the men must wait a year and a day to prove what they say is true. The Princess and her ladies depart from the King's court to await their futures. I think the year and a day would have been better for me, but I'm willing to wait forever and a day if I have too, I hope this is why she gave me the book, perhaps it was given to give me hope?

The last time Luis came to Australia, I broken down like a baby and told him everything, and he came up with this plan to get us together, saying we were both miserable apart, even he thought I was the right one for his beloved sister, to which I had to agree. I suggested the island and he did the rest, I actually had only booked out the beach bungalows, but now I have sent an email shutting the whole hotel for the week, it's for family and friends only. I have also told them to get everything Maria wants and bill it to me. I can only hope this works...

I go and grab some sleep, Henry and Tammy will be busy with her parents and having some happy family time. This old man needs some sleep I am away tomorrow evening, and spent most of last night on the phone to America. I shower change, and climb into my bed and then look at the photos on my bedside table, why did she give me the photographs, if she didn't want there to be something of her to remind me? Granted they were in the book, so perhaps they weren't the part of the present, but the cufflinks were nice and the horses on them, she joked were what every cowboy should wear to a black tie affair, they were pretty nice too.

I wake early as usual, then grab my board shorts and swim a few laps of the pool before breakfast. The place is quietest at this time, with the crickets, the horses and the Kookaburras laughter in the wooded area to the rear of the property, the only sounds I hear, then the cockerels in the coup, cry their wake up calls. The gentle rushing of the breezes through the eucalyptus trees by my bedroom door is just as soothing too, but there are no Kolas in them today. I wonder if they are lending their cuteness to the trees outside Judy's bungalow? I know she is feeding my little pair of bears, and when I find out what she is bribing them with, I will get them back, I found them, they are mine. I hear the stable phone ringing, and wonder who's up at this time, as well as me? Give it a couple of hours and this place will be Bedlam.

After my swim and coffee, I busy myself with the plans for the new shopping mall. I hate the designs and wonder what I was thinking of picking it? I wanted light, and airy, even if fifty percent of the thing is under ground, in this retched heat, it has to be super cool and light, I want eco-friendly and I want the grandeur feeling for the shoppers. These plans however look like a damn radiation shelter in Chernobyl, all that gray concrete and fake lighting, I'm not asking for a lot, just something nicer than this crap. For the money I'm spending, they should be great. I spend three hours on a phone call to get new plans drawn up, the new guy better be on the ball. Judy is strumming her fingers on her desk she needs my decision like yesterday apparently?

"Judy you're just giving me a headache, quit it."

"Yes Chris, made your choice yet?"

"Umm, ham on rye with cheese and coleslaw please."

"See was that so damn hard? If you take so long choosing your sandwiches, is it any wonder you need help sorting out the bloody mall problems? Have you thought anymore on someone to help you with the design issues?"

"I'm holding an interview at the office in town tomorrow, and then I'm going to the airport from there, I should have done this months ago, I need to listen more."

"Preaching to the choir Chris, perhaps now you will listen to me more, and take a proper break, you're never away from this place."

"Yes Ma'am, right the paper work for the horse sales are there, the hotel plans for Bangkok are approved. The travel plans for New York, Vegas and St Bart's are great, if I need more time between dates I'll let you know, the only ones that cannot be changed are the ones for St Bart's, five days and I want with no interruptions, my company will not crash and burn during the days I'm there. This is the culmination of years of hard work, it's my last chance, so Judy no interruptions."

"Sir, and am I allowed to ask what you have been working on, that is so damn top secret?"

"The plans are highly classified. I would have to kill you if you got that information from me."

"Then who would you get to run around and pick up after you?"

"Umm, you have a point, perhaps if I told you someone else is going to be there, would that be enough for you not to ask me more?"

"Nope, now I want to hear more. A woman, you're going to meet a woman?" I smile and she smiles as I tap my nose.

"My sandwich please Judy, and then I need to pack." I'm getting near to departing for Hong Kong and I am packing for my month long trip to America, the longest I have been state side since I left. I suppose I could fit in a visit to see my father too? Gran is coming back with me to live this time, and that I'm really happy about, also coming back with me Mel, who has a few weeks before a big trial starts and is coming here to unwind for a while. Things could be looking up at last. I am taking Jamie with me, he is Henrys second in command, as the in-law thing was planned well before I knew Bella would be going to St Bart's, so he's coming with me, and Henry is taking it easy, a whole month with his mother-in-law...

"I was just thinking about you, did the folks get her in one piece, how's things?" Henry was in the office, from the look of things, he's escaping Marys' moaning.

"Fine, so fucking fine, this month needs to pass damn quickly, she's already brought out the 'you don't love me enough' card so many times already, Lloyd isn't a problem, but Mary is gonna end up on the next slow boat to where ever the next horses are being sent. I swear the cherry on top was that Tammy's sister has just bought a massive duplex and they are moving in, and what do you know, next doors for sale and would be frickin perfect for us. Australia is too near as it is, does she really think Tammy and our family want to be so damn close? Can we move Chris they know where we live now?" I laugh.

"Married life includes the parents, sorry Henry, but it's only a month and they will soon be back state side. Tammy loves them and they adore the princesses. How are my two adorable goddaughters?"

"Parading around in their damn Princess dresses, her mama keeps giving them sugar treats, they will be high on it soon, and I told Tammy to check her damn bags for contraband." There's too many swear words in this conversation, and it's only been hours, gheeze, and the poor guys got a month of this.

"Oh three year old Tasmanian Devils, nice get me photos. I can add them to the frame things Tammy got me, I'm gonna miss my little peaches."

"Please, take me with you, please boss, I won't moan? I have never left a man behind, please don't leave me, you remember how she was last time? No you wouldn't, you were away then in Europe last year, why exactly do you time your visits to coincide with Mary's visits?" I laugh again.

"I was dragged over the coals at the wedding thanks a lot, and when she came to help Tammy pack and come here with the twins. She wanted to spank my backside or something like that. I think she swore at me in some sort of Creole patois, but I think it was a curse, she said her mama was a high priestess and she knew her stuff? Please tell me she was bluffing, because I know she has a voodoo doll with an image of my face on it. You, I guess, didn't tell her I offered you and Tammy stateside employment, running things there for me?"

"Nope, we told her no such thing, this was Tammy's idea and she likes the distance, loves it in fact. It was the one redeeming feature of you upping sticks so quickly and moving here, the distance between her and her mama, and her mama, Tammy's Grandmother, is a god-fearing Christian, and is very much alive and lives in Queens, she was born in New York, her Papa was from New Orleans though. The nearest he got to seeing a high priestess too, was being an extra in a James Bond movie, he was one of the many stunt doubles for the fella who played the, you know the big guy the baddy? The main villain Dr Kananga, he had a couple of scenes with Jane Seymour, that's the extent of the voodoo malarkey, he has a few pieces from the sets as souvenirs, has she frightened you with those Chris?"

"No, her rant was so good too, are you sure she had me convinced." We both had a cold beer.

"Those rants are what Lloyd shouts at her in Creole, Mary can't speak it, she can't speak anything but English. Though she did learn to cook the great Creole food to please Lloyd, when they got married, that's the extent of Mother Marys voodoo heritage, wow what will she stoop to next? It's no wonder why Lloyd swears a lot, and why likes his fishing trips back home. I doubt she even knows that what he shouts at her are swear words, and he's telling her to shut up and cook his damn food."

"Well, she will love the next few weeks fussing over the girls, take advantage and get some you and Tammy time, with three rug rats you're not gonna get much down time."

"Thanks Boss, so I guess that's a no to me coming too? I better get back I only came to ask you how you getting to the city?"

"Paul is flying me across and bringing the new things I ordered for my two favourite peaches, there are some great big floaty teddy bears for the pool, they looked cool, and they sit in them like rubber rings? I know Tammy was struggling to hold them both, so this way she can play with both of them."

"You have to stop spoiling them, you do realise they are my kids Chris, you need to get your own or get Mel on the case?"

"I'm their godfather, I have within that title the right to spoil them, so shush and get back to Mary before she pickles your balls."

"See you before you go." I laugh as he sulks off. I pack and load the things in the jeep, then say goodbye to everyone, but my two peaches are fast asleep, and I miss my goodbye kisses. The Tanners are nice people in small doses. I grab my electrics and head to the jeep were I drive to the airstrip, I could fly myself but Paul is rounding up cattle in it later. I had taken flying lessons, when I got this place because it's massive and I'm also a trained helicopter pilot too, as Bella once said rich boys and their toys and I love mine. The flight time is less than an hour the drive is five hours, so I prefer this mode of transport. I get in the hotel about eight o'clock and settle in for the night, the interview is first thing in the morning for the new assistant and I take another look at the revised plans for the new mall.

I get to the office good and early, and re-read the resume before me, Parker McAlister, he seems good on paper and is willing to live in the outback if we needed him to, and he can fly a plane, which for us is even better. His hobbies are horses and stock car racing, all good and his qualifications are fantastic and at twenty six is the perfect age to be authoritative on my behalf, he will need to be firm and confident, this is a damn ball-breaking environment to have to work in, they don't mess with Judy, but she's a freak of nature. Whilst grabbing a cup of coffee, I'm surprised to see a woman waiting in the empty office.

"Can I help you Ma'am?" She turns and wow, she's stunning, what's she doing here?

"No, I'm waiting for your boss, so carry on and do whatever you were doing I'm early, I was just getting a feel for the place, are you the handyman?"

"I'm told I'm handy Ma'am, but I do more than fix things here."

"I'm glad you do other things too, now what's the low down on this Christopher Holland?" I smile and sit on the receptionist's chair. She will be in shortly. "I hear he's a bit of an arrogant arse, and is secretive and a recluse, what's your take on him?"

"I take him as I find him, personally I think he's an okay guy, good to work for as long as you work hard. he is pretty good, generous in his salary's, but he is very private about his affairs."

"Oh he's married and he has affairs?"

"No, as in he likes to keep them to himself he's a private man, not married and no significant other, yet."

"Yet, he's young and a billionaire I'm sure he has people and woman hanging off his every word?" I laugh as she pulls out a compact and re does her lips, smiling at me as she does, I'm not sure about her now.

"Right, I can't be gossiping about Chris, not when there's work to be done."

"Thanks for the chat, one more thing does he have a type?" I splutter on my coffee.

"What as in girlfriend?"

"God no, as in secretary, assistant you know, does he like them to take the lead and speak their minds, or prefer them meek and mild and do as he says? God what did you think I was here for to screw the boss? Shit, what do you take me for? God no, sorry shit that was one too many god's there. No, what I mean is some bosses want you to keep quite if you have your own, possibly better opinion on something. My last boss screwed a mega deal up, I told him it was the wrong way to go, but I was just a woman what did I know? Turns out, I knew he shouldn't have trusted the slimy little Russian. My boss was a money hungry dick, because all he could see were dollar signs, where there wasn't any to be had. I told if it sounded too good to be true, it was and to hold off and do more checks, and it was more than likely a con. He ignored me because he was the boss."

"I guess I should apologise sorry. His personal assistant Judy is a ball breaker, and she takes no prisoners, his included, if he fucks up, sorry messes up. Chris likes to hear all sides before he makes up his mind, he listens to all suggestions, and is I think, not bothered if you call him an ass to his face, if he is being an ass. His preference in women he dates is not up for discussion, he doesn't date simple as, because he has a very specific woman in mind to fill that void, and hopes to bring her here before very long." She smiled and her smile is damned pretty.

"Good to know and thanks again." I rush off saying goodbye as the receptionists is on her way in. I get behind my desk, and drink my coffee and reread about her previous employment. Damn, how did I miss the fact she was an assistant to Derrick Jefferies? He was one of the builders who were conned by Vladimir Rostov, or whoever he was in reality, into buying non-existent land, shit is she here as a plant?

He swore I had a part in it and I didn't. I too did my homework when he approached me about buying the same land, only I wasn't as stupid as the others to jump straight in. I wasn't about to be conned as Parker said, it sounded too good to be true. Besides his wife, girlfriend sister or whoever he was offering to me, was not that good at keeping secrets or her hands to herself whilst drunk on vodka, she had lose lips and wandering hands, which Judy slapped stupid. My buzzer goes and I am told Parker McAlister is here for her nine o'clock appointment, I ask she's buzzed through. The look on her face, as she approaches my office is priceless.

"Please come in Ms McAlister, I'm Chris Holland. Sit, I'm pleased to meet you, though you didn't state in your resume you were female, the name led me to believe you were a male?"

"Umm, sorry I get that a lot, it was my mother's surname, and she died having me, so I guess Dad was just giving me something of hers. Listen about earlier? I'm sorry but I like to get to know how other people see the man I would be working for, normally it's the chatty secretary or receptionist giving me the low down not the boss himself. I guess I should be going?" I laugh.

"No sit please now tell me about your last boss?"

"I shouldn't need to, I know you were involved in the scam too, but as I told the shareholders, you were used too. Only you probably listened to your assistants advice, Derrick Jefferies only wanted to screw me, not listen to me and was put out that I didn't put out, besides he so wasn't my type."

"What is your type? It seems only fair I ask you, you asked me." She blushed.

"My type, I'm not sure you fit the bill, if that's what's worrying you? I don't have a type sorry."

"Oh, well that's telling me." I now am flushed.

"I'm sorry it's just I don't do work place romance it leads to too much trouble and in my experience, it's the women who come the worst off in my opinion?" I agree and finish my coffee.

"So Parker please tell me a little of yourself, hobbies and things about you, why do you think you will fit in here?"

"I am what I am, I have bills to pay so need to work and I work hard. I like to socialise, I like horses, no I love horses that's an understatement, if I could I'd retire tomorrow and just breed horses, I would. They are what I live for. I learnt to fly to help Dad dust the crops. He couldn't do it anymore, he was arthritic and being confined in the cockpit of the plane for long periods was killing him, me I loved it, it comes second to the horses.

For a long time I was at his beck and call, until he died last year. Then I thought I would be running the ranch I thought we owned, I found out after he died that we only rented it, and he was in debt. So I came here for a fresh start and started working for the arrogant Jefferies family, what a bunch of male chauvinistic bastards they are and they deserved to get burnt, research and more research is what's needed in land purchases. I know because I did four years working in the planning department in Sydney, so I know what to look for what to put forward to the planners. I know where time can be saved and more importantly were it should be spent, time on what the planners look for, I would have still been there but for Dad's illness, I loved it.

I know you don't trust me, as I worked for those idiots, but had I wanted to con you, or if you think they have planted me as a spy or something equally as stupid, I would not have put them down on my resume. My references from Sydney's new planning officer should be good enough to get the job here. I will be good for your company, I am hard working and willing to go the extra mile, and I speak French, Spanish and Mandarin." That I found to be helpful.

"I have here my medical report, which I had done recently, and here are my licences, pilots, driving and gun all up to date and here are the other references you need. The personal one is from my pastor at the church, the job references are from Jefferies of course and Carrie Miller at planning department in Sydney, also there are a two more in there, one from the animal shelter that I also volunteer at, and one from the hospital where I take in recovery pets, to visit patients." I am pleasantly surprised with her and I do the something I don't usually do... I hired her on the spot.

"You start tomorrow, but there will be security checks done. Now living arrangements, there is a flat above here on the top floor. Several of my employees live in them. You will also have a small cottage on my ranch, and yes before you ask, a lot of my work is done there. Here are the confidentiality papers, here are the bank forms and these are the personal forms, next of kin contact details etc. These are the keys to the company car this is your iPhone and laptop. When you have completed the paper work give it to Stacy on reception, and she will get you settled in your accommodation, now any questions for me?"

"Yes Sir, uniform, dress code, pay day, how much and what do you want me to do first?"

"Smart but casual, your fine as you are, and you get a clothing allowance. I'm not exactly sure what the amount is, so ask Judy, she has all that information, payday is the last working day of the month, your starting salary is a hundred and twenty thousand a year, with a pay rise after your trial six months, your salary includes free living accommodation, the car and phone too. I want you to settle in today and head to the ranch tomorrow. I'm away for a month, so Judy will give you your jobs, Paul will fly you across or you can drive there that's up to you."

"You're away for a month?"

"Yes Parker for a whole month, you may however have to fly out to America during that time too, have you a passport?"

"I do, I renewed it last month, so the ranch is where exactly?"

"Just outside a small place called Wongan Hills, it's a five hour drive and just under an hour by plane. It's already programmed into your in car satnav, as are all my properties. Now, do you need an advance of salary?"

"Err no, but thanks for asking, so I am now working for CH Holdings then?" I nod my head and then stand to shake her hand.

"You are Parker, and call me Chris, because we're a first name family here, so welcome to the family. I hope we get along, now I have to be going I have my jet waiting. Any problems, questions anything I haven't told you, ring Judy that's stored in your phone, as is my number, Pauls number, he's the pilot and Henry my head of security, if you need anything don't be afraid to ask, we don't bite. Oh sorry your office here is right next door, Stacey will get you anything you need just ask. Right I have to be going, Jamie here my security officer whilst I'm away goodbye and good luck."

"Thanks for taking the chance on me and happy flying." I pack my things away and watch as she takes herself to her office, I think she's a keeper she reminds me of a young Judy, oh hell no, not two of them.

"Sir we have an hour to get to the plane and here are the files you requested on Ms McAlister, Henry says she sounds like a find and is sending Paul for her at ten in the morning, I have informed Stacey of the time and she will pass on the message."

"Thanks Jamie, let's get this trip finished, who's mad idea was it to remodel the Hong Kong Easy? Oh right, that would be mine."

We head for the airport and I catch Parker smiling at me, I wave back and get in the car. We make it to the plane in plenty of time, and as customs board and do the usual checks, I'm able to relax a little and concentrate on my game plan for the island holiday. This trip is a make or break thing for me, and my last shot with Bella, if I mess this up Luis tells me there will be no other chances. I need to make a few calls then I will settle into my cabin and catch up on sleep, because as soon as we land, we are on site at the hotel. I have to look in at the club and see how that revamp is doing. Doing both was a little ambitious, but it means I only have to do these meetings once. I should have brought Parker, and tested her Mandarin she would have been helpful, next time, perhaps? I phone Judy and let her know she is having a visitor, and get her to pay all Parkers more pressing debts off, reading through the reports it's mainly bills from her father, bills that are in her name. Parker had already phoned Judy and introduced herself as a courtesy. I hit the cabin and get some much needed shut eye, as does Jamie, this is his first big solo detail.

We arrive and get straight down to it, and for four solid days we argue and shop and chose damn colours, red is a popular colour choice here, especially in the club it represents happiness, beauty, success, good fortune and the Number Eight Club, is a highly popular casino and nightclub. My days are long and nights longer, I cat nap the whole stay, I also grab a couple of nice fancy dress costumes, a zebra and a skunk, Luis says the skunk is fine I am to be Pepé Le Pew. I am also to speak French and tell her I do not speak English, apparently my 'y'all' will give me away? Luis says he feels like my pimp. I go and buy her present, and damn it she has everything, apart from a ring, and that's a little too presumptuous even for me to give her, I have it already, but it stays in my pocket, just in case it's needed. I know a watch, I will get her a watch, now where to get the said watch?

The answer is on my wrist, I will get her a Rolex, so we head to their store here and as I walk in, I am at ease in here because watches I know about, Rolex's especially, I love them. After being shown their matching collection, I make the purchases and leave with an identical pair apparently, they are called couples watches, I can but hope. After I purchase a card, and then arrange for the wild flowers to be sent to my hotel on St Bart's, on the morning of our birthday. I feel nervous as I pack for the next leg of my journey...

CHAPTER TWELVE:

Bella:

Luis and I are on our way to our wonderful secret holiday, which is now a joke, it is turning into a damn circus, and I was just informed as I boarded the jet in Spain, that the hotel was now full. How many people had my mother now invited? The party had now moved from the beach to the hotel, the hog roast, and the barbeque was now a catered meal. The whole thing was way out of control, so I did what Luis did and drank myself into oblivion at the impending circus, now that would be a better theme for my party and I could dress everyone as clowns, yikkies why didn't I think of that before...?

Chris's fear of clowns, his Coulrophobia which would have definitely kept him away, I had no need to worry though, I'd also heard through quite mumblings that he'd been invited, but is choosing to stay at home and have a steak dinner and a few beers by his pool, Amy keeps me informed of his plans bless her, and I know this time that the info is correct, so I'm not bothered really. I have feelings for him and I think I always will, but know nothing good will ever come of it.

"Penny for your thoughts Bella Pooh, you look lost and out of it." I sip on the vodka and tonic and mull the strange feelings through my head.

"Just thinking Luis, just thinking..."

"I bet I know who about too?" I smile and sip the last of my drink and swirl the ice cube around the glass and sigh, the clink as I place it down alerts Tom, the flight attendant, to my request to keep them coming, he dutifully places the next drink down before me.

"Go easy on those please. I don't want to be drunk sister watching." I huff, as only a spoilt little sister should.

"Pay back brother dear, is a bitch, how many times have I put you to bed, shit how much sick and detritus have I moved from the aftermath of your drunken grab-em-home-booty-calls? You owe me Luis, and I'm bloody cashing in the IOU's, all of them. I intend to be hammered from start to finish of my shity birthday week, so yeah watch my back for a change." After a horrific ten hours of turbulence and my fowl temper we finally landed in Florida, Tampa to be precise.

We'd added in a couple of extra day's holiday and we were stopping off in Tampa to do the theme park here, something I have never done before. We were supposed to be taking it easy before our holiday started. The holiday that I had, three years ago envisaged, the one on the quiet lazy island, is no more. It is now an out of control disaster waiting to happen, so instead of relaxing I was rushing around getting last minute stuff, including the furriest penguin suit I could find, Luis is gonna pay for mum getting the drop on my twenty first birthday holiday. I also got Chris his birthday gift too...

Unlike him, I did not though actually send the gifts I bought him. I simply placed them in a box year after year well that's an overstatement, the year's thing? I have two previous gifts and this new one, a fluffy donkey wearing a St Christopher's medal that I purchased in the mall here. I may box them up with the hundreds of texts and emails I have sent him over the past painful three years since our last encounter, happy birthday Chris.

I buy some rather daring bikinis, why have the body and not wear them? I was very brave when drunk, I stopped in a bar with Rosanna, my security for the trip, Julie is away with her hunky German boyfriend, on her first trip without me tagging along. I fear after we graduate from university, I am going to lose her to Günter, the man she fell in love with whilst eating knackwursts, after a night on the tiles. A night were although she was supposed to be my protection, I ended up being hers and her interpreter. It was so not good telling the hunky six foot eight body builder of her intentions to strip him naked, and pole dance his body all night, something that tickled him immensely, and after that night she learnt more German and he improved his English, damn sharpish.

Yes, she did dance on his pole all night and most of the sodding weekend, my ears were packed full of cotton wool all weekend, I never want to hear her scream, "Das is good yah baby?" Never, ever again...

"Miss Isabella, we need to be going you really have had too much to drink." I had and I agreed, so bags in hand I was helped to the car with the mass of bags, full of my slutty clothes and my head was a hot woozy mess of Vodka and Red Bulls.

"Rosanna, have you been told about the four foot rule?"

"I have Miss yes."

"Well when we get to the island, if you come within twenty foot of me, you're sacked and I cancel the party, and I fly away to somewhere else and please do tell Bedford I'm serious. I'm not a fucking baby anymore. Go on tell him before I get my bags and just do one when I get back to the hotel."

She did as requested and from the look on her face he wasn't damn happy, well tuff titty I'd had over twenty sodding years of having a shadow and I was now at the end of tether with it all. I was taking my life back. As she handed me her phone I heard the voice of my tormentor on the other end of the handset.

"You will do no such thing Bella you will allow Miss Dumfries to do her job. Do you hear me, are we clear?"

"Oh I hear you, I hear you loud and fucking clear, I have had enough, and I am now demanding all protection be taken off me. I want to be free to live my fucking life do you understand Bedford I'm sick of it all, sick and damn tired? Tell Dad twenty feet, or I leave and I will not have any security at all, are we clear? You work for Dad not me you cannot tell me how to live my life, now Bedford are we clear?" I snapped shut the phone just as we got to the hotel. I was a tad drunk yes, but the damn woman was not Julie, Julie gave me a little more freedom a little space, she I trusted and she trusted me. Oops Luis was at the front of the hotel obviously angry and on the phone to someone.

"She's here, no I do not have her passport, no I do not have her cards, you tell her Dad, she is so unhappy at the moment, she wanted a quiet relaxing week and Mum ruined it for her, she didn't want this Dad, but she agreed to it because Mum was teary and made her feel like shit. All she wanted was her, me and a beech, she doesn't ask for much, give her this Dad give her a little more space, she has at least earned that much, her agreed to number of forty, has turned into well over a hundred, that's not what she agreed to." I smiled my big brother had said all I needed he passed me his phone as I took a deep breath.

"Bella what the hell are you playing at, Rosanna says you have been drunk from getting on the jet in Spain, is this right?"

"Um hum, it is and do you know Dad it feels great, now I need sleep before I fly away to a quieter bloody island, were nobody knows my name."

"Isabella Maria Humphries if you do that I will cut you off."

"Do you know what Dad? I don't care anymore cut me off, I have my own bank accounts with my own money, all I am asking for is a little more space to breathe, it's not too much trouble to ask that on a private holiday, I don't have a freaky, strange woman virtually holding my hand and taking me to the crapper."

"Bella, why are you doing this?"

"Why? I will tell you why, a perfectly nice boy asked me what I was drinking. I said I was fine with the coke and my sandwich, he then smiled and whispered I was beautiful and before I knew what was happening next, my new pair of Bedford's Bevis and Butt Head security had him an arm lock and were forcibly taking him out of the bar. He was harmless, and I wasn't at that time intending to get drunk, I hate this Dad I hate it. Gina is meant to be in the past and I need more sodding space I want what Luis has, what Rachel has, I want to be allowed to grow up. If you don't let me I will take the problem away, I will walk away." He sighed as I passed the phone back to Luis and went to my room and hit my bed I wasn't for arguing anymore, plus I'd got a storming vodka fuelled headache, which was my fault, it was my bag and hell I will be bad in the morning.

I wasn't too bad after all when I woke up and as I hadn't in fact got any sign of the dread hangover, I did a two hour cardio and kick boxing session in the gym, where I noticed the security were in hiding and well away from the four foot imposed security line. I threw my trainer and sparing partners around the floor, kicking arse and yeah alright landing on my backside a few times, but I felt empowered, free and damn good at this shit. I showered and changed and ate my breakfast, Luis joined me and told me Dad had relaxed security, and has told Mum to quit with the over enthusiasm on the party front, or I would not be there and he told her I meant ever, not just at the party, that I'd had enough and had cracked.

Luis and I spent the whole day at  Busch Gardens Tampa, every ride enjoyed, every morsel eaten and we had one guard only, who stayed in the shadows, this was the most freedom I had ever had, even with Julie I knew she was there doing a job and was not my friend, well she was, but she was only there to first and foremost, to watch my back.

"Can we go on one last ride and then go to a club? I fancy some serious cocktails and pull some moves on the dance floor with my big brother."

"With you on that Sis, I have to make a quick phone call, can you get me a smoothie from the stand there any flavour will do."

"Okay be right back." I watched as he spoke to whoever smiling back at me with a wave. He's up to something that brother of mine I just have to figure out what. I hand over the ten bucks for the two drinks and wonder if I have to get security one?

"Here do I need to get Bevis or Butt Head one?"

"No he will get his own, have you had a good day Bella Pooh?"

"I have Lou-Lou Bell. Who were you on the phone to?"

"Chris, he rang me earlier and I had to return the call. He is on a business trip to Hong Kong and sends his love and said he'd re-read the book and it had been longer than a year and a day, how much longer does he have to wait to be given forgiveness?"

"He's forgiven, I guess time is a great healer and all that crap. I should have invited him really and buried the hatchet a long time ago, but I've been really busy. I guess he can't come then?"

"No, he has a business meeting, and then he's home for his birthday, he said something about a steak and beer day in the pool with the twins?"

"Twins, he's seeing twins, great he hasn't changed then?"

"Yeah, two real beauts, called Megan and Georgia, Tammy and Henry's twin girls, you know the only girls he adores and worships are the near three year old terrors?" Okay stupid me. "Why are you so jealous Bella, do you still have a crush on him after all this time?" I blush.

"No I do not. I think that's best left in the past, way back in the past. Why the sudden interest in my love life Luis?"

"I'm just interested Bella that's all. He still likes you, and very much, you know. that right? He always asks about you, he talks to Mum all the time about you." I gather so.

"Well maybe someday we will be in the same place at the right time, obviously not in four days for my birthday. I need his address too I have a few things I bought him for his birthdays, over the past three years I would like to send them to him."

"Wrap them and pack them, and I will send them later, I have some mail I have to send for work. Right last ride, and then back to the hotel, can we give partying a miss, we have to be up in the air earlier. Mum and Dad want the jet." I agreed seeing as I had little choice.

After getting back to my hotel room, I add the new gift to the already packed Chris birthday gifts I will no longer be carrying them with me, after they are posted. I carried them because I often wished he would turn up, so each trip I take, each birthday I have, they are with me just in case, sad I know, but then I am sad ninety percent of the damned time, anyhow I printed out all the emails and the text messages, and put them in a box and wrapped them, knocking on Luis door I handed him the box and went to bed, too late to go running back in for the box now, it's a done deal. I showered packed my stuff and went to bed.

We were on our way to St Bart's. I start drinking again as Luis and I had a competition, truth or dare, and a shot for every fail. I was drunk and he was well on his way too...

"Luis your turn... When did you lose it?"

"What, my mind? Agreeing to come here with you, you mean my cherry, right?" I blush. "When I was fifteen and on Chris's sixteenth birthday, he did too."

"I didn't ask about Chris, but I'm now aware he lost his virginity, at the same age I wanted him to take mine, talk about double standards Luis."

"You wanted to what with who?"

"I wanted to lose it to Chris so, that's no secret I told you already, I'm just pissed off he had done it at my age."

"I thought you said you just kissed him?"

"I did, I wanted to go further he didn't want me that way, something about it being illegal was mentioned and we agreed to wait, I did he didn't old news."

"WHAT, YOU'RE NOT A VIRGIN?" I laugh.

"I'm twenty one in four days what do you think?" I'll let him sweat, but yeah, I'm still intact mores' the pity. "Any way thank you for thinking I'm like you and Rachel, unlike you two, bedroom activities for me, means sleeping and that's all."

"Sorry I just presumed don't worry not asking for details of your past dates because that would be too much." Good because I hate to lie. "Right what next this games gotten old now, do you know it was better the last time I played it, but then I was with twin strippers and we did naked truth or dare. I've had enough."

"Sir Madam, we're coming into land can you get seated and buckle in please?" Tom takes our drinks and takes his seat after checking the Humphries children are all fastened in.

"Mum and Dad get here tomorrow, so tonight we chill, the barbeque is back on, as is the hog roast and the beach luau is back on. Dad thought you'd be better with accepting the extra guests if the party was your original idea. The cousins are already on their way OMG, yes, they are still saying it, what are they like sixteen again? Their husbands are coming with them. More pressure for us, as Dora's pregnant too. Gheeze Bella, I am sorely pissed because Sister Rachel gets in tonight too she even asked if her mum could come do you believe her?" I snigger as the wheals land gently.

"No, she didn't? I bet Mum stopped her yes?"

"Nope Dad did, Mum said the old hag could come, she wanted to show her what true beauty was, I think she meant me." I laugh as he preens.

"When did you find out about Dora, she swore me to secrecy?"

"Her mum told our mum, so the bragging rights to the first grandchild have started, thank you Dora." I'm happy for her she was born to be a mum. Carmen on the other hand will hire a surrogate she doesn't want stretch marks or the pain. We are met at the airport by customs and a car is here to take us and the bags to the hotel. I haven't been here before, and it's beautiful hotel one of first class luxury and so pretty. Luis walks me to my bungalow on the beach, security will be in the last cabin on the beach, but I don't care at least they are not in the next damn room.

"We're in the hotel, so behave there's even a butler to pander to your every whim, your grace, after all Princess Isabella is only twenty one once." I giggle, the shots we did on the plane are taking effect now and I feel giddy. "Right things to do and guests to greet do you want to meet up for dinner later Sis?"

"Yeah, I am going to change and have a few hours reading and sipping cocktails on my private beach, how very decadent? See you later. Thanks for this Luis." I kiss his cheek and my big brother goes on the prowl, for the next Mrs Humphries, apparently, he's really going to buckle down and find a woman to have mum's grandbabies, right like that's true. I have my suitcases unpacked by a maid as I take a relaxing bath, the butler has made me a Sea Breeze, I'm sticking to vodka based drinks and this is delish... The cranberry's and grapefruit make it a very refreshing drink indeed. I am on a lounger right by the waves in my tiny red polka dotted bikini, with sun cream to my nose and sipping my drink, this is the birthday I wanted, calm and relaxing, four days well, three nights now to my party and even though there are more guests than I wanted it's on the beach. The butler brings me a phone.

"Madam a call from the front desk, your costumes have arrived, they are bringing yours over and the girls costumes are being placed in the staff dressing rooms is that alright?"

"Yes Mr James, that's fine." He nods and goes to make me a Woo-Woo, I have given him the list I made, and he is adhering to it. I sit back and read my book, a very raunchy story about two people who meet on a beach and have a passionate holiday romance, just what I need really a little bit of love...

I can read about sex even if I don't do it, besides I need research material. It's started a thought process for my over active imagination. I am at about four chapters in and five cocktails later, I feel very relaxed, I'd go as far as to say I'm drunk, very drunk actually, the last cocktail was a Lemon Drop Martini it was so delish I have two...

I plug in my iPod and sing 'Walking on Sunshine,' and decide to do just that I want to explore the beach, there at least seven more bungalows tucked away on the beach, yet mine seems to be the only one occupied, obviously security are in the first one guarding the road in. I sip the last of the sweet martini and go for a wander, I walk against the gentle breaking of the ocean, the incoming waves wet my sarong, and I laugh, because I feel so free. At last...

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

Chris:

I get a call from Luis they are in Tampa, and he asks if I am able to make it there? I have to say no I'm on a plane from Hong Kong as we speak, so I can't surprise her there damn it.

"She actually got pretty drunk today and sacked her security."

"She did what? Gina isn't dead you know just locked away, make sure she's covered Luis please?"

"I know, Dad and Bedford just told Mum and Bella she had died, to keep them from more worry. Sorry I should have given you the heads up, who spilled Mum?"

"Yeah, she asked me to come to the party, because her daughter is too stubborn to ask, I had to tell her I was in the middle of a very important deal and couldn't come. Then we chatted about why I was a fool with other women, and yes, she wanted details I swear she is good at wangling information out of me, then she slipped in the fact that Gina was dead, I played along and figured you'd told her that to calm her down." I damn well wish she were dead she is in a special unit for the criminally insane, a fitting place for her.

"She wangled the birthday surprise out of me and Bedford, still things have calmed down Bro, they have changed the party to the luau that Bella wanted. She will be happy when I tell her. She still likes you Bro there's hope in that, isn't there?"

"I have to hope so. She is all I want, and she has to want me in the same way."

"Err to much soppy stuff now Chris, where are your balls, man up."

"My balls have stopped working Luis it's been too long without using them properly."

"Again too much information, the fact that the next time you're using them will be with my little sister."

"Oh hell I didn't think sorry, anyway I have her gift I will have it delivered to her bungalow on the morning of her birthday. I bought her a watch will she be alright with that?"

"Yes, extravagant and over the top I suppose?"

"Rolex, will that be too much?"

"Err get me one for my birthday big brother, I think I've earned it, have I told you I feel like your pimp?"

"Several times, anyway I have to go they want the phone off we're hitting an electrical storm I need to get my head down, see you in two days, you will still be there tomorrow, right?"

"No, we leave first thing because Mum and Dad want the jet to go for them and the rest of the Spanish Armada, oh and be on the lookout Rachel is going to be about. Didn't she make a play for you last time you and her were together?"

"Thanks for the heads up, she was a little err handy, I will give her a wide berth. See you tomorrow."

I snap shut the phone and my laptop and grab yet another cold shower, and have a few much needed hours in the private bedroom on here. I need to catch up on sleep and dream about my fair Princess Isabella. My jet lands in the Dominican Republic, at La Romana International Airport, I have to sort out two of my hotels out down here and I am stopping here overnight, I can't risk getting in too early it's a small island St Bart's, and this has to be a surprise. I really just want to fly in now, grab her and take her somewhere, anywhere and be with her. Knowing she now wants me there, makes my hopes of her agreeing to date me more imaginable now. Date, who am I kidding I want to whisk her off and marry her already.

I spend a fraught three days here and yes, I was annoyed, the damn party is happening tomorrow. Apparently, I have a surprise waiting for me in my rooms when I get there, I will like it or so he says, I'll be there within an hour and will see it for myself. I have my bags taken straight to the bungalow, and pray Luis has the family on the other side of the island as he promised, though speaking to him yesterday, and again this morning, Bella has now been drunk for three straight days, and they are off to Gustavia, to have a tour of the Rhum St. Barth distillery. So we suspect the next cocktail list will be rum inspired, and it will be day four of a drunken Bella. Apparently, she's a very happy drunk and is put to bed after dinner every night, blind drunk and much to Luis disgust, not one hangover has she had, but she is worrying her parents too, as this isn't like her?

I get to my bungalow unnoticed, and I immediately shower and throw on my board shorts. I grab a beer and look at the box on my bed, this must be the promised surprise? I open it up and I am amazed there are gifts and letters from Bella. I take it to the decked area and read the simple card on top and look out to the sea and cry, she made me a grown arsed man cry. I can see Bella's bungalow from here, but she cannot see my place, as it's well hidden.

Dear Chris, these emails and texts are what I have been too afraid to send for fear of my heart being broken again. I have matured over these awful last three years, and I hate to admit this but I still love you. I always will, but I think it's time for me to move on, finally. I hope with all my heart you have a very happy thirtieth birthday old man, the last package numbered four under these letters, if you haven't found it yet you should be wearing the contents of, as you read this. See you around its looking like a ten year plan this. X Love you always your Princess Isabella, Monkey Face and friend X.

I open box four and it's a pair of slippers and a candy pipe, she said once I was so old and I needed a pipe and slippers, I love her sense of humour. I open number three first and in it, the first gift is a very pretty St Christopher medallion and its card reads, To C. 'Given with hope of safe passage back' Love B x. Cryptic, does she wants me back? I take it as a yes. The donkey, does she mean to say I'm an ass? Well I am so I take that as a yes too. The second gift is wonderful statue of a wild mustang in copper and it's quite beautiful, it will take pride of place on my desk at home. I open the third gift and it's a pinkie ring, a jet stone with a simple C engraved on it and it fits, this isn't ever coming off my finger and I kiss the shiny stone, I love her too.

Then I notice the page after page of emails and texts and a written letter explains why she sent them, some break my heart, for breaking hers. Others have me laughing, others make me angry but they all make me glad to know that these last three years she had written to me every single day. I read them all, and grab another beer and await Luis to tell me the plan for tomorrow. He stumbles into my hut and is drunk in fact he is way past drunk, he's plastered.

"Hello there Bro, I bring supplies and some R, h, u, and m? I thought it was rum. Go figure it out, I tried to whilst drinking it and failed miserably."

"How drunk are you Luis?"

"Pretty much a lot, shush not as much as Bella is though, I had to put her to bed. Mum and Dad are worried 'bout her, she, hic, has been getting drunker than a skunk every day since we came on holiday, I'm not worried 'bout her she is funny when she's drunk. Here a bottle of Rhum, St Barth's Authentique. It's been bottled for twelve years, me and Bella un-bottled one together, when the olds went to visit the distillery we sat in tasting, hic, it's very good hic, I need a sleep can I sleep here?"

He's off his face so I show him to the guest room, where he promptly goes to sleep. I inform the front desk where he is and that they are to say he's with a guest when asked, not that he's with me. I go to make sure Bella is alright, because Luis needed help getting to bed. I walk down the path to her bungalow, he's left the door wide open, so I go inside and take a look around, she's passed out cold on the bathroom floor, so I gently pick her up and carry her as she sleeps in my arms.

I take off her shoes, and her jacket, then place her in the bed removing her jeans I leave the rest of her clothes on, sorely tempted that I'm to strip her naked and leave her wondering who undressed her, I resist temptation though, she is so cute when she stirs, that I sit and look down at her. She wakes for a fleeting second smiles and says hello. I'm too shocked to say anything back, but she's fast asleep within seconds and I can't risk ruining this, because she's too drunk to listen. I give her a kiss on her head and she smiles. I go back after leaving a message with her security from Luis phone, that she is to be checked on and then I ring Mel when I get in and have a very weird conversation with her, she has decided she wants to be a mother, and wants to know what I think?

"I don't know have you even got a man in your life Sis?"

"No, don't need one these days, it's called a sperm bank, I may decide going down that route because I need to be a mum and not have the hassle of the father attached parenting alongside me. The sperm donator doesn't have much say in the matter, which is pretty damned amazing Chris. What do you think?"

"I think if I don't get with Bella pretty soon, I may have to consider using a surrogate to have my children, I'm older than you."

"Umm by a whole year and a half way, you're way too old to have a baby. Bella still not had you back then?"

"She's here, and I have just had to put her drunken arse to bed, and no, she hasn't had me back, yet!"

"Whoa, run that by me again, you did what, you slept with her drunk?"

"No Mel, I did not. I simply put her to bed after Luis left her alone in the bungalow drunk. I was a gentleman I gave her head a kiss and left her. Her security were left a message to check on her hourly. Anyway, you are still coming to Australia in three weeks, aren't you?"

"Yes, because this case is bad, I need to get away, he's supposed to have put a hit out on me, so they are all a little spooked at the moment, but hell I didn't take this job without knowing that prosecutors sometimes get to prosecute pure nut jobs, and this man is one. So yes, I definitely want to go to the land down under for a couple of weeks. Gran is all packed and ready and has had her stuff already sent, so you will be getting her stuff there shortly, well you know what I mean, she's up here with me so it's just the one stop Big Brother."

"Gran is with you? That's good, she will keep you safe, have you seen her spoon work? Deathly accurate from fifty paces with that wooden stirring spoon of hers and remember to duck when she throws it, well I've got to go see you soon and if you need to get to Oz sooner just ring Judy and she'll have it set up okay?"

"Yes, I should be fine, he's all hot air Chris, thanks for worrying though love you loads."

"Love you too Smelly Mel." I hung up and went in to the office here, and did a few hours' work. I wonder how bad the pair of them will feel later, Hahahaha, Luis will be his usual grumpy self, having never seen Bella really drunk I have to wonder if she's a sit in bed hung over drunk or a get up and soldier on type of gal as Luis said? I go down my path to my beach and do a little surfing. I wonder what tomorrow will bring, as I paddle out to catch a wave. This is just what I need to forget for a couple of hours. I'm not as young as I was, but I've still got it.

I get to thinking of Mel, and her need to be a mum, and decide if this thing with Bella, I may or may not have, if it doesn't work out I will think about the surrogate route. I need children in my life the twins are cute but not mine, and I have to be working to leave all this to somebody, or what am I doing it all for? I will see how things work out, I have a few years yet before it becomes an issue, I still want to do things with my children and being older, I won't be able to run and play with them, as I want to. Shit, I'm getting all maudlin again. When I get back Luis is stirring, and looks damn rough.

"Evening you how's the head? Here's some Advil and water, what possessed you to get so bloody drunk and in charge of Bella?"

"I didn't start the drinking game she did, this is the first time in her life she has just let go and been herself, do you know how good it is to see her act her age and be rebellious and stand up for herself? Well it's good to see, oh and she still sodding loves you, go figure you were all she talked about."

"Really, so I should just go across to her bungalow and say hello?"

"Nope, at the end of the drinking game she said it was all in the past and was stopping there, she's looking elsewhere Bro." Like hell she is, she will talk to me and we will be together.

"So stick to the plan is what you're saying? No way not now, why am I playing these childish games? She loves me and I as sure as hell love her, so why not just go over and talk to her?"

"Suit yourself just be warned she was adamant she was looking elsewhere." I have had it and I'm going to sort her out. I march over to the bungalow and she isn't in, great where do I find her? She is topping up the Rhum from earlier and is now on White Russians. I sit on the lounger at the side of her.

"Hello Princess Isabella, what's a nice girl like you doing in my hotel?"

"Oh my God it was you earlier you picked me up from my bathroom and put me to bed, we are in your hotel, you organised all this didn't you?"

"Guilty as charged, so why are you drinking again, you have a party later?"

"I am drinking to forget you, simple enough reason?"

"Why forget me Bella I'm here? I flew over to spend at least one good birthday with you, I'm not going to play games with you anymore Bella, I will say this only once for fear of embarrassment and humiliation at your reply. Here goes nothing... I love you Isabella Maria Humphries, I think I always have and I know I always will." She sips the cocktail and smiles over the glass at me.

"Well that's good then because believe it or not and despite they crap you have put me through I love you too. So what do we do now then?" I am confused. I do the one thing I have wanted to do again for damned near on five sodding years and kiss her. I am not pushed away, as she kisses me back I deepen the kiss, we both do and before we get downright dirty on the beach, we are interrupted by a very discreet cough.

"Can you please explain what you are doing with my youngest daughter?" I open my eyes to see Hugh. Both Bella and I are very embarrassed.

"I was going to ask you later for permission to date your daughter, but I had to ask Bella first, we have sort of been in limbo for a few years."

"That's how you ask her by kissing her on the beach and what do you mean limbo?"

"Daddy, please stop I, sorry we didn't know you were spying on us. I sort of said yes. I, sorry we made a pact on my sixteenth birthday, I was too young he was too old, you know the same thing Grandma Maria said to you, you were too old for Mum, remember that how that felt for you to be told no she was too young you were too old? Well Chris said I had to live a little and when we were older, perhaps we could take things further, we haven't Daddy I swear we haven't."

"Hugh, Sir... I wasn't only going to ask you if I could date her, but I would like you permission to marry her." Bella choked on her cocktail.

"Chris... We can't do that I need more than three kisses to know if we have that stay together forever thing going on. Really you're asking Dad are you serious?" I get down on one knee and take out the ring I'd had made the year before I went to the disastrous eighteenth fiasco, which was her last birthday party, I look at her face and there are tears in her eyes...

"Isabella, will you please marry me? I want to grow old with you, and have a family with you. I have loved you for I don't know how long, perhaps from the minute you grabbed hold of my finger when you were first brought home, I know that sounds stupid but I feel like we are meant to be together." She has tears streaming down her face this doesn't look good for me. Hugh smiles as Bella looks at him for approval, we have, at some point, been joined by Maria and Luis. Shit, when had they creep in, and frowning at the back Rachel.

"Well Bella, he's waiting for your answer, it would be rude to keep him waiting." She is sobbing now and smiling.

"I don't know...I want... I want to, but what about everything that has happened have you changed and why do you want me?"

"I changed when I fucked up last time, sorry Maria." She smiles. "I have given you the space you asked for and the time, I have waited for you to let me back in, I thought giving me this beautiful necklace was the answer I had waited for, your card was very cryptic Bella." She looks at Luis.

"Post them for me you said. When did you give him the parcel?"

"He knew I was coming to surprise you and left them on my bed for me to read when I got here. I came to see you but you were tired." She blushed.

"I wasn't tired I was sozzled, and I fully intend never to drink again, I did the thing I wanted to pass out so drunk I couldn't remember getting home, and don't you all look at me, you have all done it."

"Well we are still waiting..." Mum is grinning yes, I know she likes Chris.

"Yes, I will marry you Christopher Holland." I heard that right, she said, yes right? I am pushed over on the sand and she jumps on top of me.

"Err your parents are watching us Bella."

"Oh yeah sorry, it seems I may have been a little bit excited." I was helped up by my fiancée, wow she said yes and I'm pushing a green emerald and diamond ring on her finger, she looks down and smiles, then cries again, oh God so is Maria. I am slapped so hard on my back by Hugh I stumble forwards into Bella.

"It seems we have a wedding to plan Maria."

"Oh God no, she has been murder at planning my birthday parties, please no, I don't want a big fuss and I certainly don't want a circus for a wedding, please Mum Dad, and you too Chris. I want just family and just friends, you can throw a massive party afterwards but a small simple wedding and no arguments Mum, or we elope." They all laugh because Maria is sulking.

"If you don't mind I would like to speak to my fiancée we have things to discuss, we will see you at the party later."

"Can we make it official and make the announcement at the party?" Hugh seems really pleased.

"Yes you can, I want the world to know she's said yes." I say, this is a dream and if I wake up, and have to do this for real I will be mad, sad and damned angry...

"Way to go Bro, hey you will be when you get married who knew you would be my brother after wishing you were all those years ago." They leave us on the beach we are a little bewildered I think? I pick her up and take her to my bungalow. This is no dream thank fuck for that.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere to talk, you really meant it when you said yes you'd marry me?"

"I really meant it yes. Each of us had been through hell trying to get to this place. What were you hiding out for?"

"To sweep you of your feet dressed as the skunk, Pepé la Pew. Throw you over my shoulder and bring you here to my little beach hut thing and fulfil a promise we made each other five long years ago."

"So, what are you waiting for? I think I have waited long enough." I carried her up the path to my place. She wowed really loudly. "This is beautiful, very Swiss Family Robinson, all this is for you?"

"Really, and yes all for me, sorry us. Tell me what you think of it?" She smiled and as I put her down in the lounge, she smiled and grabbed my hand and led me to the master bedroom. We cross an enclosed glass walkway to the bedroom wing, its overlooking the ocean and has wondrous views.

"I presume this is the way through to the master boudoir?" I laughed a very nervous laugh.

"Why yes, Bella it seems it is. What have you got in mind? It's not talking you have planned, is it?" She shook her head. "What might I ask what do you wish to do with poor ole me?"

"Oh I don't know? If what you say is true, it's been a while since you had sex, has it not?" I stop her talking and kiss her, there's very little between her, me and the pink bikini she is wearing and I know she can feel my readiness for her. I wanted to take this slowly, and that's well and truly a past tense. I now need her now.

"Bella, everything I said I meant, there has been nothing like that for me. Please stop being a tease." She undid her top, and let it fall to the floor and then shimmied out of the bottoms, oh my God, she is naked and beautiful and I hold her close and kiss her deeply. My hands grab her firm backside, and squeeze the cheeks in my hands and groan as she starts to undress me.

"One of us is a little over dressed for my liking. I need you Chris and I intend to have you, so strip because you're the one teasing me now..." Wow... I'm happy to accommodate, though stripping can wait. I undress and as I too get naked, I turn to face her.

"Oh my Mr Holland, you are ready to please me. Get your cute backside here I've waited for this for five long years so this better be worth the wait." I climb on the bed like a tiger stalking my prey and she giggles.

"I think this is well overdue..." We kiss and explore each other bodies my hands caress her soft skin and I groan as hers find my dick, it's way too over reacted, she oh-ed loudly.

"What's the matter Bella?"

"You're kind of big? You know down here." I smile and kiss her.

"We can take this slowly Bella we don't even have to do that, besides I want to make love to you all night and we have a party to be getting to."

"I want to do it once before we go please? Just be gentle with me I haven't done this with anyone else." I'm shocked she kept herself for me?

"You're still a virgin Bella?" She cries and I kiss away her tears.

"Yes, do you not want me now?"

"Oh hell yes, really I do, but this will hurt you a little, but we can take it easy and edge into it, if that's alright with you?"

"No, I want to get that bit over with as soon as possible, and then the rest will be better." I look in her eyes and do as requested putting on a condom, she shivers.

"Bella, I will be very gentle well as I can be, I have never done this." She kisses me and I hover near her sex and as she kisses me I break through her barrier and she holds my arms and cries in pain I see it in her eyes and panic. "Bella, I hurt you I'm sorry."

"No, please it's not that bad actually, it feels kind of weird, you're alright aren't you am I alright?" Is she alright, yes, she's mine, all mine. I move slowly at first giving her time to relax, and with the tears come kisses and passion, I move within her and feel her as she tenses beneath me, I feel her tighten around my dick as she claws at my back she kisses my neck and holds on.

"Chris, what's happening oh God, what's happening? Please don't stop that's so good, oh hell so good, so good, so good." I gather I'm good, she's about to have her first orgasm, I think, as her eyes have glazed over? I pound a little harder in to her, then kiss, and suckle at her breast. They are pert and hard, and asking to be sucked upon. "What's happening? This feels nice not nice, funny not funny wonderful definitely wonderful, yes harder please harder argh yes, yes, yes, Chris yes, do that arghhhh, I'm dying, dying you're killing me, but don't stop do me harder, harder, yes, yes arghhhh."

She screams my name and cries and I think passes out, as I too come hard with a final last push way into her, her vagina clamps tightly around my dick, never has this felt so fucking good, so good. I collapse on her sweaty breasts, her face is red and a smile is there, after I empty my seed into the damn condom, how I wish I could feel her skin against mine. I hold her tightly and breathe a sigh of relief...

"Was that alright for you, are you alright?" She um's, so I guess I have my answer. "Bella, are we alright?"

"Shush we are fine, so fine, I hurt in a nice way, because I know it's happened at last, we did it, we actually did it, didn't we?"

"I'm still inside you Bella relax a little I need to get out of you." She blushed as I kiss her and she relaxes enough for me to slip out, as I do, she winces.

"Did I hurt you again?" She smiles and kisses me, and damn I'm ready to go again.

"Can we do that again?" I oblige my fiancée twice more, before the phone goes the party starts in an hour. We shower together, as she really is too sore for anything other than a shower too. She pulls on a robe and dashes across to her bungalow, I put on the zebra costume as requested and go to bring her armed with her present, I had intended to leave it on her doorstep but this is ways better, I get to see her open it. I knock and go in.

"Wow you look great, you look fantastic, zoo keeper and sexy as hell, I may have to go to the zoo more, they didn't look like this when I went last time."

"Why thank you, you stripes suit you too, come on we are late for some reason, I know Mum and Dad know we have done it. If you high five Luis I will withhold all sex privileges." I smile and grab her and kiss her madly and passionately, she has just made all my dreams come true...

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

Bella:

Chris and I made our way to the beach party, and his people had made it look amazing, but it couldn't look as good as I felt as I snuggled into his body as we walked into the party, and I swear if Luis makes a big deal of what everyone knows we have done, I will kill him.

"Are you alright Bella?" He asked me as I winced.

"Umm, just a little sore, I'm sure it will be fine. Are you alright?"

"I'm more than fine, sorry about your aches and pains, perhaps a hot bath when we get back in will sort you out?"

"If it includes more of you then consider me well on the way to healing quickly."

"I have unleashed a monster Miss Humphries." I giggled as I was swept up in his arms as we approached the beach, trying to kiss a zebra is not that easy.

"Could we not have been wearing gory shirts and grass skirts and gone Hawaiian? This is going to be a damned hot night. Why are there loads of zookeepers on this beach, with long black hair?" I moaned loudly.

"My plan was to ditch security and have sex with a stranger on the beach it seemed like a good plan at the time."

"Well, I would still have been the stranger, but in a skunk costume so thank you for making our first time a little more comfortable." I laughed as Mum and Dad came rushing forward.

"Well, did you discuss everything?" Mum as usual taking the bull by the horns.

"Yes Mum, were getting married in Vegas on the way home. Chris has a two day gap in business, and we can all go there on the two planes, simple no fuss, and how we want it, you can go over the top with the party and go as big and as brash as you like with that, and wherever you like Paris, Madrid, London or Timbuktu for all I care, as long as the wedding is what Chris and I want, a small intimate affair with just family." Chris squeezed me tightly.

"You want to marry me that quickly?" I nod my head. "Great, you will be coming back to Australia as Mrs Holland." I froze.

"What we'd be living in Australia? I didn't think that far ahead, I'd have to leave uni and Mum and Dad, shit we really should have talked."

"Will it be a problem?"

"No. wherever you go I go from now on, after all that's what married people do isn't it?" I really hadn't seen this one right through. Chris smiled and kissed my nose then my lips.

"Don't worry, you'll love the ranch. I have over two hundred horses, and quite the nice collection of beverage named Aztecs. Yours can all be shipped over and we can, or rather you can design your new stables, as to university I happen to be a large sponsor to the University of Perth, I'm sure we can get you transferred, or if you need to carry on with the one you're at, we can work around you. We also need to discuss children please tell me you want them?"

"Yeah loads and whilst I'm still young too, is that alright I mean I want them as soon as we can and at least four." He smiled.

"I was thinking half a dozen, but sure I can do four, so we need to practice when we get back home, that will be something new."

"What will be new?" Luis came from behind us and laughed. "God, he means the making babies part, he never does it without protection." And suddenly I feel like crap that he'd had sex with who knows how many other girls, and that my brother had seen him at it too.

"That was in the past Bella, there will be only you from now on, stop worrying, I'm sorry I couldn't say my first time was tonight, but if it means anything it was the first time I made love and kissed someone during sex." I blushed.

"So best man duties are what exactly, how does strippers and a bar crawl sound?"

"Like your kind of party, my last night will be spent with your dad at the bar I'm passed all that Luis, isn't it time you were?" I laughed as Mum and Dad took to the stage, interrupting the Calypso band.

"Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, as you know today is our daughters twenty first birthday today, and it is with great honour indeed, that I make this wonderful announcement. Today, I have given my blessing to the marriage of Isabella to Christopher Holland. A man, I have always considered as a son, and he has always been a part of our family. Now at last he is to become an official member, so please let me ask Isabella and Chris to come to the stage, and give the birthday and engaged couple, a round of applause, I hope they will be as happy as Maria and I have been these past twenty eight years." Chris and I take to the stage and accept the applause. I feel ecstatic, its official, and as the photographers snap away, we are interrupted by a loud clapping sound.

"Well done Son, you're marrying your sister, how nice of you Hugh to finally make the bastard legal, with an illegal marriage. I looked at the man before me, Hoyt Holland.

"So Hoyt, you are still singing that same old song, that Chris is my son? I wonder why you think Christina would cheat on you. It is beyond my understanding why though, but for some strange reason she loved you, Maria spent a lot of time with her, it's all thanks to Christina that we met each other and for that, I will be eternally grateful. You see what you didn't know is, they were great friends through their fathers, I didn't enter the picture until I met Maria, you dumb bastard.

I had met both Maria and Christina together in a hotel social gathering, and yes, we met a few times. I was married and Maria was married, and so were you, to Christina, though you were still putting it about. You're only hitting out and being bitter now, because of how guilty you felt, at how you betrayed her, your cheating made her go into early labour. You did that, nothing else did that but you, breaking her weak heart and Maria sat through it all, because as your son was being born, you had to be dragged away by your own security from a whores bed, to be told she was having your child, ask Maria she was there.

She held her hand, she loved your wife and your mother Chris, she promised her on her death bed she would welcome you into her family and look after you. Maria and I officially met two years later, and I asked where her best friend was, she broke down and I comforted her, so tell me how I could possibly be his father when I was two continents away? However, I consider it my honour to love the memory of that wonderful woman, who gave me a wife and my family, and who gave you a wonderful son, a son you seem hell bent on destroying. Well, that's not happened, because in spite of you he's one hell of a man. Yes one as I said, I proudly welcome into the family, because I know how proud his mother would be of him, he was all she talked about right until the day she had him, ask Maria she was there day in and day out.

She loved him enough to die for him, you, you sick son of a bitch ruined any type of friendship with your son long before he started to see me as a replacement father. Thank you by the way, we spent hours together as a family, and during those hours spent together, these two fell in love, so security if you please see to it that this man is escorted to his plane and sent back to his lonely empire. If I never see you again it will be too soon." I gasped and Chris hugged my father, Luis and I never knew how they met other than it was at a hotel thing, damn Chris's mum brought my parents together after her death wow.

"You'll be leaving now Mr Holland, please note I didn't say father, because you are not my father, you never were. For trying to ruin tonight, I will forgive you, because I'm better than you, but know this, I now pity you and despise you. I have all the family I need and they are here, Jameson, see to it he gets home and please take me up on the offer of coming to live with me and my family?" He nodded and escorted the very shameful Hoyt Holland away.

"Thank you everyone I'm sorry for this families very private history lesson being made public, but now you all know the truth and I for one need a drink. Join me in raising your glasses, to two people who were destined to be together because two mothers arranged it in their many, many girly talks, that one day Christina's son would marry Maria's daughter, tonight I honour that woman and toast our children, so cheers everyone. Would you please play a more lively tune, this isn't a wake it's a party, an engagement party, cheers everyone?" I was stunned and Chris held me tightly.

"Well who knew that, did you Chris?"

"No, I knew Gran knew your mum, but they never said how, mind you I didn't ask, I just presumed they were friends because of the time we spent together. So thank you mum and thank you mum Maria, fancy them planning this all those years ago, we need to party and dance, I will destroy Hoyt and he will be sorry."

We parted and drank, we danced and we kissed. Mum and Dad were happy and the world at last was as it should be, Chris had some closure, all be it publicly done, and we were happy, though Chris now wants to know who told Hoyt we were getting married, and where Chris was? We walked or rather stumbled home a little tipsy and so in love and all over each other.

"Get to bed Mrs Holland, I'm having my very wicked way with you all night long, and you have to get a wedding dress tomorrow, because we are getting married in four days, if you still want me that is?"

"Oh hell yes and all of you, I need a bath join me?"

"I may need one too you run it I will get the champagne on ice." We spent all night long making love, first in the shower, than the bath, then again by the fire in his bedroom and finally in his bed, and come the morning he and I were asleep and together. His arms protectively held me to him. Late morning we were woken by my mum, who wanted to dress shop, I kissed my prince as he stopped in bed.

"Get the wedding dress and get that backside back here, I would suggest getting it back in bed now, but you have an important purchase to make, and I have to rest, as I'm a damn sight older than you."

"Pipe and slippers old man, I love you so much, I will be back soon, so keep the bed warm and see you in a while. Plan the wedding dear as it seems your lazing in bed. See you." I leant in and kissed him. Grabbed my bag and went to see what there were in the way of wedding dresses here on St Bart's. A task I was not relishing, and after four hours, I'd had enough.

"Mum can we not get the dress in America, these are so not me at all, and we've spent all day here?"

"Isabella this is important, you are my only daughter and I want to at least have a say in the dress, so we will try the next shop and if that fails yes we will look in Las Vegas after all there is bound to be a better dress there." I liked the first one I tried on but it was too Bohemian for mum, so begrudgingly we went back to the hotel.

"Why did your sister not want to come? She will be your bridesmaid yes?"

"No, she will not, I don't like her let alone want her to stand by my side, she's my sister in name only. No Hills will come and stand for me."

"Did she have a temper tantrum? She always though Chris would ask her you know." I laughed he hated her as much as I did. She'd made a play for him on one of her trips to see dad and he was with us too, he made it clear she was not the one for him. When she tried to interrupt a building game of Lego Chris and I had been working on, she lost her temper and kicked my castle all over the bedroom, just because he said no to her ask that he joined her for a swim, Chris spent all afternoon helping me fix my castle... Come to think of it, I've not heard her say congratulations either.

I got in and went straight to my room, I had left my phone on charge, and there were loads of texts from Chris to come to his bungalow he was missing me... I laughed all the way up the path, and shouted for him to get ready as I ran into his room... How I wish I hadn't because lay in his bed naked, was my own sister, the bitch...

"Ready for what? Our lover has had to fly back to Australia, he tried to contact you. Did you not get the message, to join us here? Boy does he like the kinky stuff our lover boy. Fancy him not waiting until you got back?" I was struck dumb and thinking of how I was going to kill her. I dialled for Dad, Mum and Luis to come and save her before I leapt on the bed and killed her. I did anyway, I punched her kicked her and battered the bitch. Luis and Dad arrived, just as I drew blood, and was dragged off her kicking and screaming...

"What's going on why are you here Rachel, why are you in Chris's bed naked?"

"Yeah tell him Princess Slut, sleeping with my fiancé. Well keep him, I'm going and going now Dad, choose, I'm leaving and I know Mum will come with me, so you stay with her or you come with me, she's a bitch and not my sister. I hate her, I hate Chris and I want to go, before he comes back now Dad."

I didn't wait to hear her story I had been lied to but why? Luis ran after me trying to calm me down, I packed throwing my things in the suitcases with no care they would be creased, with everything done and everything packed, I ordered a car to the airport. I was joined in the jet an hour later by Mum, Dad, Luis and security. Apparently, she came to say sorry to me for freaking out at not being asked to be a bridesmaid, and Chris had had a drink and they talked and well one thing led to another, and I was history apparently, I was not what he wanted, that way, I was lousy in bed. I sat stone faced and desolate. I'd already wrote him a letter ending whatever we had and wished him luck, as we were better off apart, I enclosed the ring and sent it back with the driver.

We landed in Madrid, and we did the usual hide n drive to the castle, I never wanted to see him again. My heart was broken and I couldn't ever forgive him, not this time this was just too much. Dad was livid, as was Luis, why did he run and hide in Australia instead of just telling me he had used me? I was beyond confused I was beyond angry I was beyond sad, I was alone and hurt.

We agreed never to discuss it again and never to speak to him again any of us, this was hard on Luis too, he was his best friend, Dad loved him like a son and Mum well she was heartbroken too. Rachel was cut off from Dad, without a penny too, apparently, she said some nasty things about me being the favourite, her always having played second fiddle, me always getting everything, me getting her man, she was just using him to me show him for the monster he was. She did it for me, how fucking sweet of her.

Legal letters were sent to him, saying not to be in touch, no explanations were necessary. I was not to be contacted, and I would never speak to him again and neither would any of my family. He was not to contact us and not to enter any of the hotels we owned, nor attempt to look for me or us we were through. Surely, he knew that anyway, you sleep with your fiancées' sister, and this was a consequence? I was angry that he had left Rachel to explain it all too, and couldn't tell me to my face, men I could do without them.

Dad took a lesser part in the hotels after this, it knocked the wind from beneath his legs, so he got a manager in and watched his businesses from Spain, happy to be alone with Mum for the first time in ages. He wasn't worrying about the hotels either. I went back to University and I acted like the whole farce that was my twenty first birthday, had never happened. I never heard from Chris again, though he sent basket upon basket of wild flowers to each hotel Dad owned. We'd changed phones again, and Luis was transferred to London and New York, where he assures me all the time he has not been in contact with Chris. Though he has left word with his offices he needed to talk, he made a quick telephone call, he didn't let Chris know where we were, or get a word in just that their friendship was over, well and truly over...

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

Chris:

I lie in bed watching as she leaves, when did I come to my senses and do the chasing? I'm glad I ignored Luis now. My world is nearly perfect, well it will be in four days and she becomes Mrs Christopher Holland, Mrs Isabella Holland, I swear I didn't think this would happen, why did it again? Umm I don't care it did. I get a phone call from Gran.

"Hello Gran, what can I do for you this fine and lovely morning?" She is crying what the hell. "Gran are you alright, what's the matter? Why are you crying?" I hear the sobs and I panic.

"Melissa has been in an accident, she may not last the day, and you have to get here as soon as you can? We're in Montreal General Hospital. Get here as soon as you can Chris, please hurry."

I promise her I'll be there as soon as I can. I phone the jet and have it refuelled and tell them were going to Montreal and as soon as possible. Jamie is packing my things, and I try and try to get hold of Bella, Jamie says the car is here and I write her a note, telling her to ring me, telling her why and that I love her, and to come as soon as she can and I tell her where and that I can't wait next to Bella, the two women I love most in the world are hurting.

I get to the plane, and realise I have left my fucking phone for Bella, on the nightstand next to the bed, fuck. I try ringing her from Jamie's phone, but again it goes to voice mail, were in the air for four hours, and they are long painful hours I have phoned and managed to get hold of the only Humphries girl available Rachel.

"Hi Rachel, it's me Chris, can you please tell Bella there is a note on my bedside table, I have had to rush to my sisters bedside in Canada. She's been in some sort of life threatening car wreck. Please get her to call me I would like her here with me. She isn't answering her phone, thanks Rachel."

"I'll make sure she gets the message Chris, did your security go with you?"

"Yeah Jamie's here with me. Look I'm sorry to do this to her right now, but if she rings me I will arrange for my jet to come back and get her, I need her with me."

"Leave it with me Chris you can count on me to give her the message." At last I can relax a little, the car service whisks us to the hospital, when I get there she has been rushed into surgery again with an embolism in her lung. Gran is in tears, and rushes towards me and hugs me. I don't want to worry Gran too much, and go to speak to the nursing team, who tell me she was hit with a car full on, and it sent her, according to the guy she was with, into the air. She landed on the roof of the car, and was somehow was tossed off it, as the hit and run driver drove off at some speed. They point me to the worried looking guy pacing the corridor.

"Hello, can you tell me what happened, please she's my sister?" He stops pacing and looks worried.

"Hi, I'm Jason St John, her colleague. I can only tell you what I saw the police have already asked me this. We were coming out of court, and heading towards the café over the road, the car came out of nowhere, and hit her head on, it didn't stop it just took her along the road. He swerved to throw her off the roof, and disappeared, she wasn't breathing at the scene, I did CPR, and got her breathing again, but she will be lucky to survive, she was in a bad way. I grabbed her phone, and besides her best friend, I have only ever met her Gran so I rang her. She came straight here, and well she was seen right away, they did some sort of head surgery this morning, and then they rushed her back in about twenty minutes ago. Look, I didn't want to leave your grandmother alone, but now you are here, I have to be getting back into work, and report this. This could be connected to the case we are working on." I remembered she joked about the hit on her life, shit, what sort of crap is she involved in?

"Right yes, she said something, please go, and I'm eternally grateful for helping her and stopping with my grandmother thank you."

"If you need anything, please get in touch and please let me know if, no I mean when she wakes up." He walks off looking tired and exhausted, as we sit and wait. Jamie brings me in another phone and I text Bella.

Bella: I hope Rachel has explained everything. I'm sorry. I will be in touch soon. Sorry, for rushing off, I will explain...

I hear nothing back. Every time I ring her, it goes straight to voice message. So I have to leave a message, each one is begging her to please ring me. I'm going out of my mind with worry, I'm worried about Mel, the news about my sister is not good, and I know I'm being stupid worrying about Bella because she is safe with her family. I have to concentrate on Mel and keep Gran calm, she may not be her granddaughter, but she's as good as her granddaughter, in her eyes.

The surgery takes hours and I wonder what else has happened? They come and tell me after about five hours, she's had a heart attack on the operating table, the clot had gone to her heart and her lung and they battled hard to save her, she fell into a deep coma, and still faces several more surgeries to her skull, face, both her arms, both legs too. She is going to need so much rehab even if she pulls through, just to learn to walk again, such is the damage to her legs. According to the chief of surgical staff, she's lucky to be alive at all.

I sit by her bedside, and send for Judy and Henry, it can't be helped, they are bringing Parker too, she will stay after Judy is put in charge of the company, Judy near on runs the place for me. I await a phone call from Bella, there is still nothing after two days, what's going on? She isn't picking up her phone, neither is anyone else and in desperation, I ring Rachel to ask her did Bella get the message.

"Hello, Rachel it's me Chris. Listen, what's going on there? Bella hasn't called or answered her texts what's the matter, is there a problem?"

"Oh Chris I don't know how to tell you this, but you've been dumped for choosing your sister over her. She had an almighty tantrum when she got back with the wedding gown, eager to start planning it, to be told you'd left and not even bothered to find her first, she said would it have killed you to find her first, and she well has left the country. She has persuaded her mum and my dad and her idiot brother to go with her she was so nasty. She said she would always come second best to your family, I tried to tell her your sister was in a very bad way, but she has convinced herself you have flown to see a girlfriend, and well to put it bluntly you've been jilted. There is a letter telling you to not contact, or even try to find her. I'm so sorry but none of the family want to see you again for breaking her heart."

"Thank you for trying Rachel, do you know where the new place is they have?"

"No, and I know you don't believe me, but I don't. When I saw my father it was always at the hotels, I was not allowed in Maria's home, because she really hates me after the cancer thing. I was a little put out that when my mum had a scare, he didn't even ask about her, but well Maria got it and for nearly eighteen months I saw very little of them. I have been cast out too, for sticking up for you. They all have new phones, and I have only got my father's work mobile. He's retired too, and is working from wherever they are based, until Bella gets her act together. You know, in case she gets this eating disorder back. She does it all the time, things don't go her way and the fingers go down the throat. Sorry, I have to go my planes boarding, I wasn't even allowed on the company jet. See you around Chris you have my number. Bye and I'm sorry I hope your sister gets better soon."

Wow, I didn't know Bella at all. I never thought her to be so selfish, so immature, but that's what she is I guess? I will have the letter couriered home. I have bigger things to worry about, than a spoilt madam. Wow did I have a lucky escape I will concentrate on getting Mel stabilised, and will look at rehab in Australia for her, she doesn't need to work and I'm her next of kin since her mum died. Dad was still a no show there's a surprise, he's probably licking his wounds from the non-engagement party. I await the arrival of my trusted team from Oz.

The weeks at her bedside turn into six long months, months I brooded over Bella and worried about my sister, thank God for Parker. Parker has been staying in my hotel here, and is dealing with all the calls and things from Judy. She is an amazing woman and helps keep me focused, taking the day to day shit I throw at her, all without a moan or a groan. I don't know what I would have done without her. She has been a godsend. I have had official letters sent from Bella, nothing more than telling me to stay away, so I did. I am now over my crush. I haven't had time to wallow in what could have been, what should have been, it is what it is, a fantasy fulfilled, I slept with her, she slept with me and now we are over.

Mel is being moved tomorrow, and is being transported to the ranch where we have had a new bungalow built, just for her with all the adaption's she needs, and accompanying us is a physical therapist, who will be in sole charge of her care. She has taken a few steps, and is ready for the move, we all are. Parker has had all Mel's personal things packed from her apartment and they have been put into the new place for her. Jamie stopped with Mel as her security, Henry flew back with Judy and she has been running the company in my absence.

We never heard from our dear father, though Jameson rang and said he would be willing to look at moving to Oz, when he retires in a year, plans are afoot to build him his own place on the ranch too. I lie when I say I didn't think of Bella I did, and have a man looking for her, they will slip up and I will find them because I need answers. But for now, I have to see to the family I do have. We follow the ambulance to my jet and all pile aboard, goodbye America hello home. I am going to be spending all my time in Australia now, as I feel like it is home now, Australia is where, for now, my future lies. I'd promised myself, that I will find Bella, and I will ask her why she broke my stupid heart.

My godson Thomas was born whilst I was in the states, and I arrive back with loads of gifts for my three little treasures, they will have forgotten what I look like. However, when we land, they are the first to run and greet me and I wrap them in my arms so tightly, to be told by two very angry little Princesses that I cannot leave them again. I agree never to leave them. Thomas is the most adorable little thing I have seen, since the two terrors entered my life. I think I will be fine here for now. I have another faux family to lean on, and I have the two of the three women I love most in the world with me, and for now that will have to do, oh Bella, where are you?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

Bella:

I needed to ready for the charity ball tonight, but actually going there and pretending I was happy was a nightmare, to be honest I had better things to be doing and I didn't want to dress up all fancy and party and speak to people, not tonight. I needed tonight like I needed to be wearing a swimsuit in the fridge, the last time I went to one of these it broke my heart. What I really wanted was a hot bath and to climb in my bed, and not have to be doing the damn paperwork for round three of more bloody fraught negotiations. I am here for two more damn weeks, as it is I have been here a week already. Dad should have been here, but the last round of chemo has been brutal, and Luis is seeing to the European hotels and Princess Rachel, well she has the Australasian hotels, she probably wants to see Chris again, good luck with that you loser bitch. I would much rather be home with Mum helping with his illness, but I am needed here and here is where I am, because I am now CEO of Humphries Hotels, Dad got his wish and I run them for him, well for now anyway...

I'm interrupted in my looking for a pack of paracetamol in my bag, by my temporary personal assistant, Molly King, a very lively young girl, who had not only managed to cut off three phone calls, but she also swore like a trouper at another clients assistant, it was quite funny really. She thought the speaker had been turned off on her end, but it hadn't and she began a tirade of swear words aimed at the personal assistant of one of the other CEO's attending the hotel sales negotiations, not knowing she was on speaker and to top it off, his boss was listening in to the call. He wasn't taking no as an acceptable answer from her, the assistant who asked her out on a date, was left with a slapped face for being too forward, and was now making her life miserable, until his boss sacked him, he was none too pleased with how his staff tried to get their information in his attempted take overs, but Molly is not dumb, mouthy yes, but far from a push over, she saw right through the guys assistant. Blacked his eye and stormed off.

She is a firecracker who makes me laugh, she knows when she is being conned and she leaves a lasting impression on everyone she sees! I can't help but smile or forget the legal representative for one of the companies who yes was an ass too. He'd changed his mind three or four times when he was asked by Molly did he want either coffee and tea, he'd changed his mind mid-sentence the last time and for pissing her off, he received a delightful half and half coffee/tea concoction and was promptly told by her, "shit man I thought it was what you foreigners drank." I'd had a fun day with her. She is good for a last minute substitute, if only for the comedic element she is adding to these fraught negotiations.

"Miss Humphries, there's a call for you, shall I put it through to you here?" I so wanted to say no put it through to the pool side cabana, but knowing her she would, my lord this girl was as useless to me as an assistant, as dance shoes on a donkey. She was fun to be with and got there in the end. She will learn how to do the job, eventually.

"Yes Molly, and after that can you send Dom to me please, have him wait in my office and thank you for stepping into the breach as my assistant at such short notice, what do you normally do here in the hotel?"

"I am a chambermaid, Miss Humphries." I asked Dom for a skilled personal assistant who spoke French, Spanish or Italian and he sends me someone to change my sheets, that bastards going down, so I guess she's not a bad personal assistant then, if all she has done is change sheets and clean bedrooms.

"So, do you speak any languages?"

"Why is it a prerequisite for me getting the job fulltime? Only Mr Jarret, said if I played my cards right, I could be your new personal assistant, taking over from Kendal?"

"Well now that's good to hear, that everyone knows Kendal has left us, that too was supposed to be confidential. So differing languages do you speak them?"

"Sorry, damn it... I really need... I forgot you asked the damn question, shit sorry for swearing, oh crap I mean, yes, I speak several. Not that Mr Jarret knows or even cares that I do, as long as his sheets are changed daily, and that I don't tell you he and the manager are at it like rabbits in the big management suite, morning noon and fucking night, sorry I will transfer the call, and hand in my notice."

"No, please wait for that, transfer the call here, get a drink, a tissue and wait in my office for me, hold off on getting Dom to my office, we need to talk first."

I bloody well knew there was something more to Kendal's sudden departure, that bastard I will have his peanut sized balls fed to the lions in the show here. He has done it this time. She goes to transfer the call and cuts me off, umm chocolate tea pot, she's kinda useless, oh hell, I need a personal assistant, and one I can trust...

"Sorry for that, I did not cut you off, your sister said before she hung up on you, she was fed up of waiting she had things to do, and I quote, sorry for this. 'For fucks sake, I have a life and you are on a fucking holiday, I will not file reports as soon as possible. I am not your fucking slave, I am pissed off and angry shove this up your butt. I am going home to see my mother, get yours to fucking do her bit, I have done mine.' I hope I got it all, but she spoke rather quickly and some of it was in Hebrew?" I laugh.

"Please come in and sit down. Why do you want the job as my new personal assistant, Molly?"

"The truthful answer, or do you want the spiel about bringing my great ideas to the table, and being able to do the job 24/7/365? How it's my goal in life to run a successful hotel chain, or better still use the my art history degree at last, a degree that cost me a fortune in student loans, loans I am still paying off. All thanks to my ugly twin step-sisters using my college fund, to pay for their over the top gash-fest, dove shitting on guests, wedding from hell, that was their double wedding to the twin wankers, I mean bankers, Tim and Tom Dolby.

I could even do a job in accounting, or interior design, those I gained as I sat at home waiting on my step-mother hand and foot, yes, I had too much time on my hands, so between time spent nursing my father's second wife, who had Parkinson's and needed around the clock care, which neither of her daughters wanted to do, so because they decided they had a life and family, and I would look after their mother, seeing as I had nothing and no money, they were doing me a favour."

"Your sisters?" I ask stupidly.

"Step sisters, ugly step sisters, but do not call me Cinders!"

"I won't. Please carry on." She did too.

"I had to care for my step mother, as I needed the good money that looking after her would pay. They agreed to pay off my loans in double time, if I nursed her, but silly me they weren't actually paying off my loans, oh no they were spending her money on their new lifestyle, and when I found out my loans were going unpaid, they said oops what are you going to do? We can't possible ask our mega rich husbands to help again, as they'd already paid thousands into an account, we set up to pay her bills, only oops we used it for our bills how silly of us." My god she is a speed talking pissed off, hilarious girl.

"There was no money in looking after their mother for me, they said I had to sort it out myself. They actually had the nerve to tell me I needed to get another part time job as well as my full time one looking out for their mother. I was informed I would need it to pay back property taxes too!"

"What property taxes Molly?"

"My family home, where their mother still lived. My mums home."

"So why not put her in a home and get your home back?"

"All good questions I asked the sisters."

"They didn't help you at all?"

"They wanted me to move out of my family's home, they said and I quote, 'we could then sell it, and get rid of all your debts. How cruel was our stepdad being to us and mummy, in allowing you to live in the house for the rest of your life, after he died? He should have left it to our mum free and clear, from a squatter. So when she died, she left everything to us including the squatter, and as we can't sell it with you stuck in it, we cannot pay your debts off. Damn him putting it that in the will, now you get to live in it for life.' They wanted my home. One my useless father left to her, the wicked forgetful witch and her two bitch daughters."

"I am sorry for your troubles, so what did you do?" As I said she is hilarious and chatty.

"I may have hit twin one, and punched twin two, but hey, don't judge me. I'm a hot headed Italian like my dad, or is it from my mother, who was a fiery Spaniard. Then again, it could be from my Grandmother, the stereo typical Jewish grand-mama. A straight talking hard woman, and she is where I get my chutzpah attitude from, and I get my use of the vernacular, from my Irish grandfather. But because of hitting them both, I'm in the process of being sued for hitting the twins, they are also trying to get me out of my mother's family home. Yes, so I am fighting being shafted, first by my bitch arsed step sisters, the same sisters who shafted me out of my college funds, I was then shafted by my father, who left me to look after his second wife, whilst he was busy dying of a heart attack. Which he got when he was screwing his would be third wife, his secretary." She took in a lung full of air.

"So, Miss Humphries, besides my life being one giant cluster fuck botch up of bad relatives, I am also multi faithed, multi lingual, multi cultured and I'm knackered. Sorry, but I'd been up all night doing my second shift, and was due in bed at ten this morning for a couple of hours. All before I start at the cafe, this was meant to be a hold the phone, and grab a little overtime for an hour thing, instead I'm due back in housekeeping in an hour, and I have still yet to sleep. So do I get the job, which I actually I do want, to get away from all the above shit in my life?" Oh my God, I have never laughed so much in all my sodding life. She can have the job if she makes me laugh every day like this.

"Oh hell, do I say sorry explain all that again, or welcome to my world? Yes, you get the job. Here are the keys to the smaller of the management suites on the top floor, go wash up and send down for pj's and new clothes from the shop. We have a function to attend tonight, a black dress is required, so get one of those too and have them put it on my tab and get some sleep and join me for dinner, before we head down. I will have your contracts here for you to sign, and a laptop phone and iPad all awaiting a fresh from sleep Molly Kent, to be my personal assistant and I will sort out your ex-boss too so don't worry." She is quieter now, than she has been all day.

"Thank you, no shitting me I got the job after that lousy interview?"

"Yes, Cinderella, because you told me the truth I love that you can still laugh after all those step-sisters of yours have put you through." I watch her face.

"I do feel like Cinders some time, the uglies have ruined my life. I have a feeling they are up to no good."

"I will get legal to run over your mother and fathers will, as I have a funny feeling there's something hooky about their urgent need to get you out, how old are you?"

"You have got to be shitting me, right? Hell yeah, I wouldn't put it past them, and err I'm twenty, twenty one in three weeks why?"

"I have a feeling you inherit at twenty one, unless your father sold it first? I heard a guest talking about this to a client the other day, saying it was illegal the things she was doing. I listened in, and the young woman wanted it done and as quickly as possible, she was about thirty, had a black bob and painted on eyebrows, her tale was similar to yours, her mother was left a share of a house in a will, the husband's first wife dies, leaving it to his daughter and him?

The attorney told them the daughter had the bigger claim on the property, and her attorney would tell her that too. He wasn't for breaking the law, and unless you signed it over to them willingly, it was not theirs to sell legally, as the daughter had two thirds, if not all the property. If it were indeed her mothers and not fathers to sell, the bobbed haired woman would only get her mother's share at most. It's strange the things I hear in that damned bar."

"No shitting me, you have just described Portia, had you said red head and a bob that would have been her sister Pilar, the two pouty portly princesses? Yeah shit this day just gets fucking better, oops sorry. It has been a particularly wonderfully blessed day and I am happily frolicking and rolling in bovine grass decorations."

"What?"

"I'm as happy as a kid in cow crap Miss Humphries." I may have to reel the 'no shitting me' in thing she says, but I like her a lot.

"Get some sleep, then bring me the paperwork you have and before we leave for Spain, in two weeks I too still have more arseholes to see before we leave. Oh you are alright relocating to Spain, right?" I heard her squeal again, wow ear plugs needed. She leaves and looks really happy she is going to be fun to work with! I ask reception to show Mr Jarret into the conference room, and have security wait in the outer office to escort him out, and then I want to see the manager and the mangers secretary. I had already fired their arses, her for lying to me and him for having sex on company time in the company bedrooms, poor Kendal, I wonder if this was the real reason for her sudden departure back to home to Louisiana?

I sip the coffee Molly made me and it's quite good, laughter and decent coffee she's a keeper. My headaches after that talk, and it is not helped with the mess of selling our American hotels has brought, it is killing me, and I'm selling the Australasian ones too, that's not a trip I am looking forward to. I am an architect not a hotel magnate like our father. I am the best he had to offer, and I was made temporary CEO, when Daddy became ill. I am downsizing the American ones as they take up far too much of my time and are too large and too far away to manage from a distance.

I still want to keep to those we have in Europe and expand outwards. But now the hard work of negotiating begins. It seems everyone and his son wants them. I'd done the ground work for splitting up the company and assessing their true worth, and Luis had done the legal work. There were three hotel chains who wanted the fifteen hotels we had here in America. I wanted to sell them as one job lot out right, but in today's market, it was harsh ask of any one hotel group to do, they are worth a fortune and I am not willing to sell for anything less than their true worth, as all our hotels were pretty large in the scheme of things, and all were profitable, the buyers were scrutinising everything, because why would we sell a profitable part chain, were there hidden issues?

If I had a dollar for every time I was asked that, I could buy another hotel. Most knew my father was ill, and most when I explained, realised the hotel side was neither in my blood or would ever be in it, the same went for poor Luis. We were not the formidable hotel magnate, Hugh Humphries, we were just his children. So they were being split up, all in all it was a better deal for us. I had just negotiated with Labyrinth Hotel Group for the east coast ones and the Vegas ones, cutting out Holland Holdings, as they only wanted certain ones. Mr Holland's lawyers were livid, tough it's a dog eat dog world. He couldn't even be arsed coming to the meetings and that said something to me. He perhaps remembered the huge row he and Dad had at my non-engagement party, who cares how mad he was, I didn't?

I walked into the conference room and sat there waiting was Dominic Jarret, self-styled playboy, and the biggest dick this side of the pond. He sure as hell was slippery eel, and if you looked close enough, the slug trail he left when he walked made me cringe. This man was a slimy bastard, and the ex-boyfriend of Kendal my last personal assistant, and new fling of the ex-manger here it seems.

"So here you are Dom, a copy of your contract with the Humphries Group of Hotels, please turn to the page with the first post-it-note."

"Inter work place romances are not permitted." He read the sentence perfectly.

"Do you know what that means Dom?"

"Yeah, I can't screw with the employee's, right? Why you showing this to me, I know the policies."

"Argh, but do you follow policies Dom?"

"They are for kitchen staff, porters, maids and shit, not management surely?"

"They are the same for everyone, from a humble hard working cleaner right through to all management including the head casino host, even that lazy bastard, that's you by the way, has to adhere to the rules. My father has always given no preferences to the position held in the company you hold, each rule is for each employee, management should lead by example and should not tap any ass that they want, and certainly not in the management guest suite in the hotel, do you see where I am going with this?"

"I guess a certain birdy told you she caught me 'tapping' as you so crudely put it, the mangers ass here then? Damn that woman, she should have kept her mouth shut, seems I'm gonna have to teach her some manners."

"No, you moron, I didn't need anyone to tell me you were a work place slut, you did that all on your own. I saw the camera feed in the larger of the penthouse management suits, on the night I got here, apparently, you had given permission for a whale to be stopping in it, and as to you being a whale hunter? I would say your more seal hunter, judging by the lacklustre numbers of whales you have landed for us. That's another issue I will deal with, however back to the misuse of company property, when I did a check there were none of our whales in town. So I did a scan of the video and what did I see you and the old manager Mateo, fooling around. Perhaps if Kendal had said something, I wouldn't have accepted her resignation and I would have sacked you a month ago. I will take your keys for the hotel, and the car. Anything owing you will be paid into your bank account, and your things have been packed and are in storage, tell the desk where you want the things sending and I will arrange delivery. You are now banned for the period of twelve months, from any and all Humphries Hotels.

Mateo and his secretary, who got you the job and as she faked the references we asked for, from your previous employers, both of them were let go earlier. I would say it has been a pleasure working with you but it hasn't. Please, don't ask for a reference as you're a lazy talentless liar, and can't do the job you were employed to do, but you are good at pretending you can and are really good at talking the good talk, and you are good at getting my staff to cover your worthless arse. Steve Cyr, you ain't, so do yourself a favour and leave now, before security have my permission to kick your arse from here, right down the strip." He came around the desk as quick as his slimy arse would carry him. To be stopped by security.

"You bitch, you fucking sour faced fucking bitch, you will get yours Miss Humphries, and then you'll know about it."

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before, and oh the fee for the larger of the management suites is twenty thousand dollars a night, how much do you reckon you owe us?"

He was thrown out of the hotel kicking and screaming. Wow, what a day for throwing out the trash. I had my own suspicions about Dom's sexual preferences, but he had fooled Kendal. Had Molly not had her little outburst, I wouldn't have known for sure, as the tapes stop recording when the managements, or a guests card is used to gain entry, only when a cleaner or porters cards are used do they continue filming, so I wasn't sure who had been in the room, I was just calling his bluff. I phoned down to see if Molly had picked up a little black dress for tonight and she had, along with shoes and all the finishing touches. I went for a bath and get ready in my room, I peeled out of the power suit I'd put on, and I ran the bath and soaked my tired body in it. My phone bleeped and I reluctantly answered the damn thing...

"Hello yes, really, well tell him to be in my office in half an hour, I will be down as soon as I am dressed."

Mr Holland is calling in to see me himself. I am honoured, or should that be worried? Either way I finish my bath, and wash my hair and step out onto the warmed bathroom floor, I schlep to the wardrobe and wonder what in God's name he wants? The deal on the hotels he was interested in are all but signed and sealed. I towel dry my hair and wonder if he now wants the other hotels?

Ha, I laugh, perhaps he's coming to try to change my mind, and use his supposed sexual expertise to sex me into changing my mind. The former playboy has to have aged even more than he had three years ago. Unless he was surgically altered like the majority of big names here, with their constant need of Botox and nip tucks and with the help of pills and alcohol, he lived to party twenty four hours of the day, and yet he is still rumoured to have his women.

All be it he never left his Vegas hotel suit now, and they visit him there. The recluse has modelled himself on the late Howard Hughes, he was a damned freaky man, part reality, part man of fiction and in the main an urban legend and apart from his half an hour show, at my twenty first party, he hadn't been seen in public for years. So, this should be interesting. I dry my hair and look at my tired eyes in the mirror wow, I should book a day in the spa, I look tired and drained.

"Isabella Humphries, you look fifty, not twenty four. God girl you need to buck up and get a bloody life." Self-flagellating my reflection in the mirror with my blusher brush, I cover the marks of tiredness and stress, by covering them with my blemish stick and then pile it on my massive lone teenage spot, and paint on a happy face. These hotel sales are going to be the death of me. Why did Dad not get Marcus or Warner to do them? They are his main men, and better than me at this crap, sure I'd been raised in hotels all my life, but it wasn't my thing. I have my own life and I need to get back to help Mum, with Dad and his treatments, and back to see my man. I sigh this is the longest we have been apart, in just over two and a bit years. I put my waist length black hair into a rather fancy pants fishtail braid, and feel at last ready to face the world, Molly breezes into my room.

"I wasn't sure what you needed me to do?" I slipped into the Alexander McQueen black floor length gown, with the matador shoulder embellishments in gold, and slipped on the gold pumps to match.

"Wow boss lady you look so different."

"Why thank you Molly. Now tonight, I want you to go to security and get wired up, they will tell you through my security where I expect you to be tonight. Watch the tongue, and keep to the soft drinks you cannot drink on duty. I want you to tell me when people on the list I sent you get here and make them comfortable at their tables, see to their needs personally, when I am not there you will be me, do you understand?"

"Yes Miss Humphries, sorry I was a little giddy this afternoon, but the sleep was much needed. Thank you for the clothes too."

"You're welcome Molly. I sent the list of things you need to do to your iPad earlier, now if you don't mind, go to the security office and grab your iPad from your room I will be down when I have seen to a more pressing matter that has arisen. I will be down as soon as I have sorted it out."

"Okay, I will see you down there and thank you. You know for the chance?" She shut the door and I hoped she did as she was asked. I picked up my clutch bag and went to see what the hell the elusive Mr Holland wanted. I got the lift to the offices and made my way in, my ever present security four foot away at all times.

"Please wait outside the doors, should I need you I will press my button, I'm sure there is no danger." I'd had these men follow me like shadows all my life, and they had become part of my existence, they were ever present and ever vigilant.

"Yes Ma'am. Usual protocol is one person is to be in the room with you at all times Bedford's orders Ma'am."

"I am happy with the security in the hotel, and he's had to pass a metal detector to get in here, and he is sitting at the other side of an eight foot table, and you can monitor all from the big glass wall here see. I pay Bedford's wages, and I call the shots, not him, are we clear?"

"Ma'am yes Ma'am." Argh these ex bloody army guys Bedford hires grate on my last nerve. I walk in the room five minutes late and fully intend apologising, even though this is not a scheduled appointment, but even so, I do hate tardiness.

"Well, here she is, at last. I thought you'd lost your way in your own hotel."

"I'm sorry?" I looked at the man sat at my desk, his hat on the table and he had the urban cowboy look down to a tee, no change there then. As I looked at him and yes, I studied him hard, I wanted to see if the man I lost my heart to all those years ago, had changed, and he had, he'd got a little older damn him, but still looked like a damn model. He was hard to forget, he was always a rugged tall man, with broad shoulders on top of a large chest, which were still ripped with muscles from the looks of his white shirt under that a plaid jacket and as he stood to shake my hand, I saw the jeans and yes, he had on cowboy boots. Should I ask where he tied up his horse to partner, ye-haw?

He's sporting really blond hair now, I guess bleached from the sun, he is rugged and a mess but a damn sexy mess. From where I was stood, those blue eyes still peered into mine, he was always a looker of course. He hadn't changed in the years since our engagement party, and that memorable night and morning, we had before he broke my heart and slept with the Slut Princess. That was the last time I saw him, and wow my heart was now beating harder than ever. I had been following him yeah so shoot me, because I never got over my crush. First loves a damn hard one to get over, and the way we parted company was heart-breaking for me, I was used and abused and dumped and all in favour of the Slut Princess. He broke my damned fool heart and killed any feelings I had for him, dead in the water.

"So you should be." He grinned. Oh no Mr Holland, you're going down for that remark time for some fun at his expense.

"No, you misunderstand, that wasn't an apology, no that was a question, and I have had meetings all day, which had you bothered to show up to, instead of sending your useless minion's to do your bidding, you may have been more successful in getting the hotels from us. So, then don't be angry when I squeeze you into my off time, as a courtesy. I wasn't expecting the heir to Holland Hotels, no Christopher I was expecting your father, Hoyt Holland, you were the last person I would have agreed to see?"

"I am sorry Bella, and I'm sorry to mislead you, but I'm the CEO for Cooper Hotels and Casinos. Let me introduce myself, my name is Christopher Holland and I'm pleased to meet you Miss Humphries, it seems you had some particularly bad dealings with Christopher 'dick head' Holland before, because you ran out on him with no explanations like a child in the night? You will no doubt, want to throw me out for breaking the fucking court order?

I think I deserve to know why you turned into such an awful person, after we, I thought, spent a wonderful afternoon, evening, night and morning together, how wrong was I? You young lady have been hard to find. Bella, I have waited nearly three years, three fucking years for you to explain why you ran out on me, and finished us before it even had a chance to flourish, as it could have, and so yes, I used Dad as a way in to see you. It seems we got off on the wrong foot. I am sorry I have just flown in from Australia and I am a little jet lagged, sorry again for my bad temper."

"It seems you run away to Australia a lot, you ran there after you ended us. I didn't throw anything away. You did that screwing the Slut Princess, in the very bed where we'd had the lousiest sex you had ever had, with a frigid bitch, too timid to train and too immature to marry, screw with yes, but not marry. You wanted a threesome with my sister, but couldn't wait, so did her then fucked off to your lil ole cattle ranch in good ole Oz. So you get my drift as to why I ran, so, what can I do for you? As I said, the hotels you wanted were sold this afternoon?"

"You can backtrack and tell me what the fuck you just said and why you said it? I assure you I did nothing of the sort, I didn't leave you, well I did, but I went to Canada. Mel was nearly killed in a hit and run. I tried to get hold of you, I tried to find you before I left. You'd left your phone, I presume in your room? Had you replied to the myriad of texts and messages I sent you, you would have known the jet was coming straight back for you. I phoned Rachel three days later, worried shitless something had happened, and she told me your tale." He spent half an hour telling me the whole thing, and I sat in total disbelief.

"You did what? You didn't come and fight for me because you thought I was a childish immature brat? I gave you everything Chris and I thought you'd slept with Rachel." I then spent ages telling him everything, well almost everything.

"So what do we do now? I don't know what we should do Bella, it seems someone has got some explaining to do." I was sat in disbelief at the lengths my sister had gone to, to exact her petty vendetta. I dialled her number and it rang out, I hit redial four more times and the on the last redial she answered.

"What do you want Spoilt Bitch?"

"Nothing Slut Princess, well actually yes there is something. When did you get to Chris's bedroom, you know when you had that magical time with my fiancé? I am writing my memoires and I'm not sure how long I had been out of the bed when you jumped in it? I need a time frame from when he had sex with me, to doing the do with you?"

"You use any of my personal life, and I will sue you bitch. I know you will never get over me being better in bed than you, but get over it, he slept with me and you ran like a baby taking my dad with you, a-fuc-k-ing-gain. I called over a couple of hours after you went for the wedding dress, good job you didn't find one it saved Dad a few thousand." Chris showed me the proof of texts sent to my phone from Jamie's phone and he was in the air a good half an hour when she is claiming they slept together. I so wanted to kiss him.

"Care to run that one by Chris, he's sat here in my office, he doesn't remember the time your speaking about, because he was well on his way to Canada and has proof of him leaving the hotel, apparently we will be having a dissuasion when we get back together. Your sacked, leave the building, security are coming to escort you out of the hotel now, and go home to your mother, in ten minutes. You're getting nothing from my company and I will be asking Luis to revoke your trust fund, enforcing the morality clause you signed, when you sweet talked Dad into giving it you back. You may be the oldest, but you're not the wisest, you are a money hungry whore. Luis has Dad's power of attorney, and I am CEO of Humphries Hotels. You, you stupid bitch messed with the wrong person, you don't know what you have done, you have ruined more than my life you bitch. I swear if I see you anytime soon, you will need more than the hospital care poor Mel needed, forget to tell me about her, did you?"

"You can't do that, I am family. Who do you believe me or him?" I laugh.

"I believed then what my eyes saw, my heart told me it was true, my head said it was all wrong, so I guess I am going with my head this time. You are finished, get a job you will need it, I have just cancelled all the credit cards, which Dad pays, and I have stopped the company ones, and you have four minutes left of the ten I gave you." I jabbed the phone off.

"Look, I know we it seems have a lot to discuss, but can we get business out of the way first, and then set aside some time to talk things through Bella?"

"Yes, we have things to talk about. I have things to tell you too, important things. Hell I'm going to kill her I swear. Chris, she was naked in your bed, I will never get that image out of my head, she was so convincing, I am sorry, but she knew what buttons to press and pressed them. You sent a text for me to come as soon as I could, and I did. I saw her and I went to a place I did not like, I was filled with murderous rampage and pain, such pain. Nothing Chris, I heard nothing from you and suddenly everything she said made sense." I hate her so bloody much right now.

"I left my phone there in the rush to get out. I phoned you before I left the bungalow, then after that I had to use Jamie's phone. Listen, can we do this later? I have people waiting for me? I know this is important, in fact the most important thing in my life, getting this straight, but they have families they need to get back home to and places to be?"

"Yes, the deal you want to make please, I will accept, if there are not too may job losses? I have a room full of people waiting to see the new CEO, will that be you Chris?"

"I hope so Bella, I want to buy your whole hotel chain from you, America, Australasia and Europe, and for that I'm willing to pay you two and a half billion sterling for them." I oh-ed, that was what Dad wanted for the group when he first put them up for sale. Wait, he wants the Europe ones too, no way.

"It was two billion dollars for the American and the Australasian branches not the European ones too."

"Bella, I'm sure that your aware I stated sterling which equates to roughly 4.2 Billion dollars?"

"I can count Mr Holland Junior, as I have a business studies degree, amongst all the others I have. The European hotels are not for sale, I can manage those should anything happen to Dad." Damn I did not hear him say sterling, I heard dollars, blast it, I need to focus and fast this is an obscene amount of money. I winced as the arrogant son of a bitch tipped his hand at me and headed towards the door. He was leaving me after all he heard, he knows I know we were set up to fail. Then I go all dumb and play straight into his hands as he sets my temper off.

"Well Monkey Face get back to the organ grinder, and let me know what Hugh says. It's a lot of money either in dollars or in sterling, so when you're done little girl, get back to me, and for the record the last one to call me junior they ended up in a pigpen face down in pig muck and mud and he was my brother."

"I knew it you still think I'm the brat you fucked up and you used. That girl, you ruined is no longer here. After the way we ended it hurt, Christopher that's why I couldn't see you again, you hurt me and I thought you didn't care. Why would you, you didn't accept you had a possible part in the fuck up that became my life, and the horrid things she did in killing her family, and yet you still went and did that to the other girl, Alysia, then what did I think you'd done, used me the same fucking way. Arghhhh you haven't changed at all, and its thanks to that incident, that I have those lugs with me all the time, Christopher you are still an arse." He looked so sad, when I mentioned it, but it was thanks to him, all this happened.

"I know and there's not a day goes by when I don't hear those people and that child, that baby being killed, it was hard thing for me to have to hear too Bella, as to the security I am sorry, I really am, will you ever forgive me? You know I didn't leave you, are we ever going to be able to get past my past and don't call me Junior?"

"No I don't think I will, I don't even like the man you have become Christopher, so I hardly think I can forgive you, now if that's alright I will phone Dad, see yourself out, and stop looking at me like that, it was a long time ago and it's best it stays put, in the past. Christopher, I put those childish thoughts to bed a long time ago and I wish you would too, it's not what I want now."

"You were still checking me out Bella here have my handkerchief, for the drool on your chin. Don't worry, it's a common problem, and one I deal with a lot, and for your information, I now look and don't touch, there has only been a handful of girls in my life since our kiss first, and only one who meant enough to me for me ask to marry me."

"I was not checking you out at all, and I'm not drooling. I was just seeing if you had changed Christopher, obviously you have if you have a fiancé, I hope you and Parker will be very happy, congratulations."

"Bella, I was joking with you. Seriously, I'd hoped you'd have forgotten that shit day by now, yes, I was an ass but I knew I'd taken precautions, and Gina was known for pulling this crap. Had you waited and listened, I would have got you her security file out and shown you what she was capable of. Obviously, I did not think she was deluded enough to do all that, kill her child and her family, but, she did, and for my part in her madness, I pay the price of little or no sleep, the memories of that day are horrendous and yes, she is still out there, locked away but still alive. I wish she wasn't but she is, I'm sorry you have to be kept safe, but not sorry you are Bella, not sorry at all, that she hasn't fulfilled her promise to kill you, I'm not sorry at all that they protect you so damn well.

I haven't been able to get near you for nearly three years Bella. We sort of never spoke, when we did get together, and I blame a drunken Bella for brushing away the past so easily, and put it to the side and allowing me in. It something I'm glad you did by the way, because I meant everything I said then, I loved you like no other person in my life, I wanted to marry you, I wanted to have you in my bed a lot longer than a day. I wanted you to have my children." I oh-ed very loudly, they were all in the past loved, wanted and then. I feel like I'm banging my head on the doors, as he is slamming them shut, as I try to run to him, I'm failing miserably not to love him. I try not to cry.

"We should have spoken properly, about what happened at your eighteenth birthday, so let's talk. You promised me a dance, and instead of meeting me for it and giving me an opportunity to explain the whole Gina thing and my past, you took a boy to a back room, thus I presumed there would be no need in fulfilling a promise we made each other. Instead, I thought you'd be spending it all cozied up with Jack Lyle. You broke a promise to dance, and talk to a man who loved you dearly, and he left the party feeling fed up and sad that the promises we made, had meant nothing.

I know that too was a mistake but hell, hindsight's a wonderful gift and unfortunately, one I don't possess in my personal life. In business yes, I can see the diamond in the rough, and I thought I had found her in my life too, well I know I did, you were everything Bella and I fell back on that destructive path again for a brief, brief time. Unfortunately for me you saw the detour I made, I knew it was wrong, I knew that's why I was being so distant to Alysia too, I knew what I'd done as soon as I did it." He did too his eyes are full of sorrow.

"I'm sorry but Jack said he needed my help with something, and we spent most of the night trying to sort out his damned cock up with the baby and shit. I was just getting him to admit to his responsibilities, trying to get him to send his baby money and in doing so I was looking out for my friend and her baby you remember the one you thought I was having?"

"I did sort of mess up, I only heard snatched portions of the conversation Bella, between fuming that I'd lost you, to a man I knew was using you. I saw the aftermath of the talk you had with him though, and I had to wonder if it had anything to do with the very harsh looking red hand print he had on his cheek, or the swift kick to the lower regions you gave him. He seemed to be in pain as he left the little room you both spent time in?"

"You saw all that? How, oh never mind don't answer, of course you did, every time I do something out of the ordinary you seemed to be there."

"I'm sorry but, I overheard him tell Cameron, he was going to try the old 'I'm gay routine and I don't have the courage to come out, having well you know never kissed a girl before, and I don't have any other girls I can ask to help thing' and whad'ya know it was working on you. I supposed you being the good friend you offered to kiss him, but just as a friend of course?" I went red, and got a little antsy with him.

"I didn't believe for one minute he was gay, that's why he was never allowed in the changing rooms or my bedroom alone, I just didn't know how or why he was doing it? I found out that night though and much more, the damn fool wanted my damn money, because his father cut him off, only I didn't know the reason why, until Dad told me that my best friend Susan had had his baby, then it sort of made me mad... He, err went for it, as we went into the room, you know with the kissing and the groping, and I put him in his place. I knew everything about his faux gay thing, and the baby, and you I presume, you don't need a detailed run through of what happened next, given I know we have had the talk about what actually happened in the room, when you offered to raise the child with me?"

"No, I presumed as much after, but at the time all I heard was the baby thing. Then him not waning you or the child, I wrongly thought you were having, I did the worst thing ever, and after I realised you weren't too young for me, and that I wasn't mature enough to be with you. I needed to sort out my shit, and I have done. I'm different, totally different now, now that it's too damn late. I know this stuff with Rachel was a ruse by her now but you still ran, disappearing without a trace and I was broken hearted and alone. Parker by the way, is my personal assistant and is with me everywhere I go, she's here and in a suite on a different floor, never have we had that sort of relationship."

"Oh I'm sorry but the articles I see only describe her as the girlfriend, so I presumed you'd moved on. It took me a long time to get you out of my head and grow up, and despite your promises and pleading for me to wait for you, I couldn't. You did things that night, things I thought I could never forgive, the way you treated her was low and I thought you'd do that to me too and couldn't risk being hurt like she was or how messed up Gina became, you were just too old for me, the meek little virgin teenager, who loved you so damn much. I still wanted to do that with you, and yes, I would have risked the broken heart, because I'd wanted you like that for years. Then finally, we did commit to each other, and I thought you'd used me again. Yes, you were more tender with me, more loving, but to hear Rachel say you thought I was useless and frigid in bed, and all the other crap she spewed, I was hurt, and wondered if I was a game, if a hurtful part of the old Christopher Holland had re-appeared.

What I really needed though was some time to grow up too Chris and I have. There's things that have happened in my life, that have meant I had to grow up, and getting over you was one of those things, I had to do it, you know, put away those childish thoughts of you and me? I never would have wanted it to end, and I may have become as needy as the others. I was totally into you, and doing that with you, just you. I was drunk yes, but that way you got the real Bella, had I been sober you would have got this stroppy Bella. She'd have been lecturing you, and knocking you back, but as soon as I saw you I knew, I knew I had to have you that way, and risk the fact that it was all part of a game, a game I knew could hurt me. At least the way it played out that night I had the illusion that I'd got what I wanted, I had you hooked and in love with me, you and I were even getting married for God sake, and then I had to walk away from my hopes and dreams when I saw Rachel in that damn bed. That's old news, we seem to have both found what we were looking for eventually, because Parker looks at you, like the others do, but you just don't see it."

"Parker is a nice woman, and good at her job and that's it with me. Bella, you were the only one I wouldn't have done that too. I was a mess for years, screwing around, and treating girls badly, but that all changed when a sassy sixteen year old brought me to my knees with a kiss, and well, just know I meant everything I said back then. I did want the extra with you, you, are the only girl I have ever allowed to kiss me, you Bella, you were always going to be the thorn in my side. I would for the record, have treated you like nobody else existed in the world, because you were my whole world." He walked out and as the glass door thudded into place I cried, he was leaving me again. I phoned Luis, after I had cried more than a few sorry for myself tears...

"Hi little sister, how's things there?" I was in hot headed Spaniard mode, and about to blow a fuse or blood vessel in my head, the steam was coming out of my ears I was in a mad place, mad with rage. God damn it I am not a monkey either that man is still a bastard heartless man, arghhhh...

"They are going fantastically nowhere, firstly how's my little man, thanks for sending the mask and finally the reason for the call, Luis do you think Daddy will want to sell the European hotels too? We have been made a last minute offer for total takeover of our hotels?"

"How did you pull that one off? Dad was just saying he wanted to sell the whole lot at dinner time, he was going to send you an email asking what you thought, what did they offer? As to Ethan, he's sleeping with Dad at the minute, they are joined at the hip and he is missing you." I oh-ed, I so wanted to hold my baby in my arms, another reason to end this sooner than later.

"Oh, err, they offered us two billion pounds sterling."

"Wow and I thought I had the business brains and beauty of the family."

"It's a good offer then yes, so do I accept it, what do I do?"

"It means we don't have to go through agents for here, so yeah we could be good with that offer how long do we have to consider the offer? I will run it by Dad when he gets up in the later, but yes accept it, it's more than he expected and please hurry back, I'm missing my favourite sister and my nephew wants his mummy back."

"Slut Princess has pissed me off too today, stop her allowance Luis and her trust fund, I mean it all of it, I'm sorry the Slut Princess side tracked me, Cooper Hotels and Casinos want them."

"What Chris is there?"

"He is, and we have spoken."

"Did you tell him about little Ethan? Did he explain the whole Rachel thing?" I cried, and told him what my devious sister had done, all of it. Also that Chris had proof with him, he had also found out that I would be holding the talks, for the hotel chain being sold, and had rushed to Las Vegas to see me, all very last minute, in hopes to catch up with me, and ask me to explain my reason for running out on him.

"So it was her all along, Mum always said it was, she still loves Chris, but because she has Ethan, she maybe a little worried about losing him, if Chris finds out about his son. Are you going to tell him? I think he has a right to know, especially when none of the crap with Rachel was his fault. I have stopped her payments as we speak and suspended her trust account too. Do you want me there?"

"No, this has to play out it's natural course, and I will find a way of telling Chris he has the son he wanted, but what if he tries to take him away from me Luis, I would die?"

"He won't, despite all this, he loves you, he wouldn't fly thousands of miles and offer way more than the hotels are worth just to because he wants some petty revenge, he's come back to claim you back."

"If you saw his face when we spoke you'd have your doubts Luis, he was so angry."

"I will tell Dad everything when he wakes up, keep a grip. You're a great mum and Ethan loves his mummy too. Chris will know that too, he wouldn't take him away from you, I can promise you." I had my doubts.

"Thanks for sending the mask, it may hide my tear stained eyes and my looking at Chris again, he's still as handsome as ever." My brother laughed, as he typed.

"Oh and Rachel has just asked for the jet to get out of Australia and get her home to her poorly mummy, she must have chipped a nail or something? I have asked them to stop the flight plan and sent word at the hotel she is to get home herself and fly commercial, which should be fun. I've sent it to pick up both Marcus and Warner, to cover her arse. See you soon and seriously stop telling me how good looking your baby's daddy is." We both hung up after the count of three.

I went to get my mask from reception and as I did, I watched Chris carry his bag to the lift. So he's stopping here, well Mr Holland let the play commence.

"Jeff can you make sure Mr Holland gets the best room in the hotel and comp his stay."

"He's in the large penthouse management suite Miss Humphries, his assistant is in room 405, three floors beneath him, they didn't want to share the suite? Unusual her being so good looking and into him, I thought they were a couple at first, sorry mind a drift today and I'm gossiping. No, I figured you would want to put the potential buyer for the whole chain of hotels up in the best suite?"

I wanted him close, and he's in the room next to mine, good I can ogle! I mean keep a watchful open eye, and he told the truth about Parker being just his assistant, all be it his googly eyed assistant, did he really not see what everyone else, including my new manager could?

"You figured right, and thank you for stepping into Mateo's shoes."

"Thank you for giving me the position Ma'am. I know a good whale watcher too, we could romance him from the Holland Hotel here, and he's a friend of mine and says things at Hoyt Holland's places are going downhill fast?" I nodded.

"Yes do it, offer him a lucrative deal and any perks he wants within reason, thank you and when you say know?"

"No, no, no he's an old friend, who owes me one. I put him up when he first got here, he's canny and keeps his nose to the grindstone, and has loads of big money men on his books. He's fluent in Mandarin, Japanese and he speaks Arabic, he figured learn the languages of the money men, and he learnt their customs and he did so really well, and wooed them away from other casino hosts, and he's straight as the day is long, is honest and prefers women." I am impressed.

"I will leave that with you it is part of your job to bring in the best staff after all. If anyone needs me I'm in the ballroom, and if they need me they can contact me through security or Miss Kent, Molly my new personal assistant."

"Good kid that girl, she is a scream, watch her potty mouth though its catching after a while. Thank you again Miss Humphries, and have a nice night."

I put on the very nice black half faced gold Venetian mask, which had been couriered from home, like I'd thought to pack it? It was my favourite though and one I always wore, the peacock and black feathered plumes, which adorned the side of it, accentuated my green eyes, well that's what Dad said when he gave it to me for my first ever masked ball, my eighteenth, which Mum cleverly disguised as a benefit ball.

I entered the room and the staff were seeing to the guests as they arrived and I made nice to the many bigwigs here tonight, including the Labyrinth Hotel Groups CEO, now to break the bad news and await the fall out. Damn, I hate letting people down and backing out of a deal, but needs must and all that.

"Hello Mr Frisco, I'm sorry Gerry, can I please have a word with you, first thing in the morning in my offices, there's been a complication and the sale, and it cannot go through, unless you can match the price offered for the entire chain of hotels?"

"What do you mean we had a deal and little lady a deal is a deal." Oh, I hate it when the patronising bastards call me that, like I don't know what I'm doing! Gah.

"A company has come forward and has made an offer my father wishes to accept, he wants the hotels to be, if possible, bought as whole and be an ongoing concern, something the other company have offered good money for. I'm sorry, but all your expenses and such will be met by the company of course." I am man handled quite roughly, when suddenly an arm, slowly pulls me away and into his chest.

"The lady is not to be touched by you again, and I think she clearly said she would talk in the morning. Now leave, before her security have you thrown out, and you don't want to be messing with me today, I have had a bad, bad day and all with very little sleep. I have yet to hit the gym today too, to release some of the pent up pressure I find myself lumbered with, and you may become my punch bag Frisco." He looked damn angry, luckily for me I was still nestled in Chris's arms and feeling safe.

"Holland, you bastard, take your hand off me, I see the apple didn't fall far from either the Humphries or the Holland tree then. Damn it get off my arm, does Daddy know you fucked him over again Chris?"

"I warned him I would ruin him, and I'm doing that one deal at a time, tell him nice try using Labyrinth as a get in with Miss Humphries. She wasn't for selling to we Holland's, so disguising his petty offer with his old company was a stupid trick, and tell him I'm coming for the rest. Say your goodbyes and leave please? I don't know what you mean by apples, but I am proud to be like Hugh Humphries, who is a fantastic businessman and one who I will walk over coals for, you leave and leave now." He stomped away closely followed by my security.

"I think you can put me down now Chris, thank you but that wasn't necessary, I presume you heard that my father is open to discussions with you. The trained monkey, phoned the organ grinder after you made your offer, and he is thinking about it. We will meet at breakfast tomorrow to go over things." He let me loose from his arms and through the plain black mask, I saw his eyes, staring into my soul, with their blue pools and bright whites. Oh, okay wow, he's still nice looking.

"For the record Bella, I am now nothing like my father, and I am proud of that fact too. Had he any other legitimate heirs, I'm sure he would have sent them to do his bidding, as it was I said no and he sent his other minions to do it for him. I told him months ago to put a damn good offer in when we first found out your father was ill. I'm sorry for that too he's a damn fine man your father, and one I always looked up to. I want the hotels Bella not my father, he wants to knock them all down, where as I want them to flourish and thrive."

"Thank you, please join me at the bar for a drink, I'm still a little shaky after that, Roberts get here and now."

"Yes Ma'am."

"Why was he allowed to grab me, and keep hold of me for so long, what the hell do we pay you a stupid amount of money for, if not to be four foot away? The first time I have needed you in years and you were fucking nowhere to be seen why?"

"Ma'am, we had an altercation at the front of the hotel. Mr Jarret has thrown red paint all over the front window, and covered poor Miss King in paint too."

"Is she alright? Is she a mess, of course she's a mess, where is she?"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about Miss Molly she kicked his arse into next weekend and the poor fucker won't be able to walk for a week." I oh-ed quite loudly, what is it with my staff today and their language? But I too saw the funny side of this, a five foot and a bit, young girl kicking that hulk of an idiot was mildly amusing.

"Where is she?"

"Security office Ma'am and thank you Sir you can remove your arm now Miss Humphries is in safe hands now." He smiled and did as he was asked.

"Can I join you in a while, let me deal with this?"

"Sure, see to business I will be waiting."

"Err yes I will get back to you as soon as I can."

"I'll be waiting by the bar Bella." I smiled and rushed with Roberts to see to the damage and to poor Molly. I had the sudden urge to throw up, I knew I had to tell Chris about Ethan, and I wondered what he would do? I should have told him when I found out, I should have gone to see him, but I was a very naïve and hurt by Chris Holland, and Rachel Humphries.

The actual sex yeah was totally great, and because it was my first time too and memorable because three months later I found out I was pregnant with that strangers baby. I went back to Germany three days later, to finish my architectural degree in Munich. I was quite tired and feeling ill a couple of months later and it was more than simple exam stress too. I'd made an appointment at the doctors, and I was told the news in the doctor's office that day, I was having a baby, the family we started that night, was here, and there was no going back, what the hell was I to do? I was alone, alone and frightened for a good reason, I had a Chris's child invading my body, and I hated the man who had done this to me, hated him and loved him all in the same breath of air. I loved the child more, I had him there with his baby, but this baby wouldn't hurt me as the father had.

Being in Germany, I was able to hide my pregnancy away. I lived alone and in one of Dad's hotel there, and kept myself to myself, I was never a social butterfly like Rachel, that's why my security detail was called the death watch crew, because I rarely made it out of my bedroom, even to eat. All I had in Germany was Julie Preston, who was by then fed up of my moody ungrateful arse. Dad would conference call and we would talk all the time. Luis came and said I looked better with more weight on my bones. I'd had anorexia and had slowly beaten it, having had it all throughout my awful teenage years. I spent all my teens trying to live up to my elegant and beautiful elder half-sister Rachel.

Rachel, I hardly ever saw her growing up, but she was always so stunning and Dad loved her more than me, well I thought he did, but well he didn't I was just jealous of the her and him time they shared. Turns out, she hated me as much, so set about sleeping with Chris, or so I bloody well thought at the time, argh I will kill her because of her, Ethan hasn't got a father. Mum became ill, so instead of giving birth there, in Germany and away from my family. I had to return home to Spain, where three days later, I went into labour and all before I could tell them, I wasn't fat, I was with child, but as I had complications, I was rushed into hospital unconscious, they were told by the midwife I was about to have the child. Dad was mad, as I'd kept the pregnancy hidden from him, he and Mum and were even angrier that I hadn't told Chris that he was to be a father, they said he had a right to know, but they stuck by my decision.

Never have I ever been more ashamed in all my life, than in that moment he asked me did I still love Chris? He cried a little and held my hand through my son's early delivery. I screamed for Chris all the way through, of course I loved him the proof was there, had I hated him I would have not had this problem I would have had a termination, and I didn't once ever consider that. After seven long hours my tiny miracle was passed to me and wow the love I had for him in that single earth shattering moment blew me away, there was no way he was ever leaving my side, no, I loved him too much. Dad did too, we all agreed he looked so like Chris, I thought he did too, after all he looked nothing like me or my brother and he had those dreamy blue eyes like his father, of that I was sure, Ethan was then fatherless, which was my choice and one I know Dad struggled to accept. Mum was in heaven, the cuddles were plentiful, and he didn't need a father, because he had a grandfather and an uncle to have as good role models.

I get to look at my son every day, and see Chris more and more but I do wonder would Chris even recognise him as his son? He had wispy dark blond hair, which was now naturally bleached nearly white blond, with the time spent in the sunshine he played in. Those radiant blue eyes and chubby cheeks that I kissed and squished daily, melted my heart, he had his father eyes and hair the rest was just Ethan, he was my wonderful little boy and I felt blessed and honoured to be his mum. I nearly brought him to this set of meetings too, but Dad needed his little grandson, to cheer him up through his treatment, and it was only at most two weeks. Damn I needed to tell him about Ethan, but how to do it without making him so angry that he may want to take him from me, and that's not happening, shit no. I walked away from Chris and to the security offices, I went in to see Molly looking slightly pink and swearing, and boy, was she wound up.

"I'm sorry for letting him get to the window, I was seeing to a guest and saw him march up to the window and it all happened in slow motion. You know, I knew it was happening, but couldn't get the guest out of the way and tackle him too, so he threw the damned paint, good job it isn't high shine, because that wouldn't wash out as easily."

"Where is he?"

"Umm, the police have him, and I think the paramedics are seeing to his pain, he will be nursing a pair for ruining my black dress." I laughed at her.

"Finish up in here and get back to the room you have here, get cleaned up and I will see you at nine in the morning, again call down for clothes and thank you Molly. I have business to see too. Thank you, Molly off to bed with you." She thanked me and went to her room I had words with security and went to find Chris. He was, as promised waiting for me at the bar,

"Hello, sorry for all that, today has been a day for many strange things happening. I will be glad to get out of the hotel business and back home, so will you please join me for supper in the dining room, we have things to talk over, and I for one have had as much drama as I can take today and I haven't eaten."

"Sure, here or somewhere else, I'm easy and starving?"

"Here I still have things to do and I need to put a call into Dad, see how he and... My Mum are doing." Shit, I nearly said son.

"Come on then, please take my arm. I have had a really bad day and it always makes me feel better to see a pretty girl smile. So, would you smile for me? How is Hugh doing, and Maria, I missed our Friday chats. She stopped calling me and I didn't have her number to ring her back, and for some reason I pissed off your Dad and he wouldn't take my calls either, Luis has avoided me like the plague and I now I know why, because he thought I'd screwed you over, we really did drift apart didn't we? I lost you and your family as friends and I, sorry we know it was Rachel's doing, but neither of us did anything to verify her story, we simply took it to be the truth, I knew you weren't as she said, and I hope you know deep down, when we made love, you know it was that and more? Oh, and you're far from frigid and I liked what we did, I loved what we did in fact I'm sorry for hurting you Bella and not finding you sooner, Bella can we start all over again?"

"Chris, in what way do you mean, as friends?" My fingers are crossed that he means in the same way as I'm hoping...

"Hello I'm Christopher Holland. I am here to get me a great deal on some hotels, and whilst here I'd love it if perhaps, you would do me the honour of coming to dinner with me. Oh and I don't like being called Christopher, as you well know, I prefer to be called just Chris. Christopher reminds me of the gangly little kid in blue shorts and stripy tee shirt in the books my nanny read to me, Pooh Bear and his mighty adventures in Hundred Acre woods." He is joking and not answering my question, why? I play along.

"My mum read me Pooh Bear in Spanish and Dad in German or English, Luis in French or Greek and my bitchy half-sister read them me in Hebrew, so yeah I too loved Pooh and my bedtime stories read in a plethora of languages, my poor head. You read them to me too as I recall, but you did the voices and jumped around like Tigger too." He laughed as I talked. "Did you not have a person to read to you and what's happening with your father, is he still an arse?"

"As you know my mum died having me, and that's why my father is such a douche, it turns out he caused Mum to stress out having me, and that's why she died, I found out three years ago that he hated me because she loved me more than him. He spiralled out of control when she died and I took the flack because like Hugh said he caused her to die, it wasn't just having me it was the stress he put her under, so I have spent three years getting even with him, he goes for a hotel chain I buy it, revenge my way is killing him.

So tell me about you, there's not a lot on the web about Isabella Maria Humphries, I know I looked. What do you do other than draw houses and buildings? Breeding horses was something you had plans to do, or have you stopped doing that? You haven't got a stable set up now, have you sold your beverage named friends? I do know you know hotels, and you're not into running them, why when you're very good at it."

"I have, like you, grown up in hotels as you know, and though I like meeting people and the hotels, I want to carve a niche for myself and not just to be Hugh Humphries daughter, so what you want to know is what have we been doing since we stupidly fell for Rachel's deceptions right?" He nods. "Until the Gina debacle we lived in Zaragoza, on a smaller ranch, that's where Mum got ill, so between my sixteenth and eighteenth birthday we lived there and it was where I went to college, the place was a nightmare for security. It was a beautiful place and is funnily enough a dude ranch." He laughed.

"I know I own it, sorry but I'm picking hotels up all over the place and quickly too, there's a hell of a lot more I need too and the more quirky the better. I bought that because of the land and those cute stables, I had an architect draw up plans for the hotel there to match those and it does, it's very much like the Lego castle we once built, well almost it's not in multi-coloured blocks." I stammered.

"You own Villa Maria?" He smiled.

"I do, another reason to buy it, the name drew me in. It's named after the sexiest woman bar one I know, my first crush was called Maria, if you remember, she's one hell of a woman." I thumped his arm playfully.

"So we bought, or rather Dad bought a smallish castle and equestrian centre, in a village near León, called Villablino, it was easy to fly between the European branches, I returned home every weekend from studying at the Goethe-Institute, in Germany. We love it there and when and if you visit your new hotels in Spain, you have to come out and visit us now you know where we have been hiding out, it seems you knew that though, or am I wrong?"

"Is it called Hills, Bells and Horses?"

"You knew where I was?"

"No, honestly I didn't, but I had and enquiry about buying a breeding pair of Aztecs from a Hilary Rosewood, about a year ago? It wasn't until you said Villablino, I knew where you were, I didn't hear back from her either. Did you see my name and tell her not to?"

"No I didn't, I swear I have very little time for the horses now, what with other things going on, she deals with it, she's my partner, Hill's has been great and took over when I had to become CEO of the company. Do you own a lot of European hotels?"

"I have or will have four on the coast of Spain and four in France, and three in Germany, one in Switzerland and two I believe in Portugal, so yes I will be in Europe a lot, thanks for the invite. Good job my nanny was Spanish. I spoke Spanish before English."

"Oh you speak languages too, how come you never spoke Spanish with me?"

"I never spoke it, because you always spoke to me in English, besides I find that being in the world of mergers and acquisitions, the ability to hear and understand what your competitors need from a deal is a usually a pre requisite to a counter strike. If they jabber on thinking I'm dumb to their language, I learn a lot, like when you wished I was your big brother all the time, and Maria said you had one, perhaps he can be your Prince instead?" I grin again.

"So you heard me tell her I loved you, when I was four then and one day I would marry my Prince, Parlez-vous Français?" He smiled.

"Je vous ai entendu, et je pensais que c'était doux, mais j'ai toujours été votre prince, parfois un prince sombre, mais toujours la vôtre." I laughed.

"Chris, you were never my dark Prince, sometimes a drunken idiot." I liked it when he said I was always just his, Chris. "Really you speak French very well, how come we never spoke properly before?" I ask, stupidly.

"We very rarely spoke, you were really shy, until the very grown up sixteen year old re-entered my life, we never had whole conversations, you would just go all shy and hideaway in your room. So what languages do you speak Bella, so I know how to curse at you in a different language in future? I did always consider you mine too by the way, just in case you were too afraid to ask?" I smiled and I know my cheeks are red.

"Spanish and French very well, German and a few more for good measure as I said we travelled a lot and I was home schooled for most of my formative years as you know. Dad insisted his baby girl was with him everywhere and so I travelled a lot, I hated it not having friends, the only one I ever saw was you and that wasn't a lot, I had them when we left for England of course, when I went to a proper school. I don't want that for my child... Should I have one in the future." He smiled, and I realised I had to tell him about Ethan's existance.

"I swore I'd never have a family, but the twins and their brother have made me change my mind, we discussed having children Bella remember?" I did, so do I tell him now all about Ethan?

"Chris where's this going, we're talking yes, but what more do you want, you and I are skirting around the obvious question here, what's next?"

"I want to be happy again Bella, I was for the briefest of days, but I want to know you first, like we are doing now. We need to know things about each other that make us who we are, not just have the mind blowing sex, which it was, just to reiterate what I said earlier, there is nothing wrong with how we were together, nothing, it was perfect. I love you Bella and rehashing the why we split up and went our different ways and what Rachel did and said, isn't helping. We can't change the past, can we? So we change the future, should you want this to go further we will, should you want just to be friends we will, begrudgingly because I want the other things too, the home the children and us." I oh-ed again, that answered that then.

"Chris, can I sleep on all this? I'm not going anywhere, because I am too busy schmoozing a hunky fella into paying billions for a hotel chain, at the moment. I love you like you wouldn't believe, but I have other people to consider. I have loved taking to you again and seeing you, but it's been a long day and I need my beauty sleep."

"You must have been asleep for a hell of a long time, Bella. You don't need any more sleep, your beautiful enough." He smiled as he said it too.

"Smooth chat up lines Mr Holland, do not work on me, but nice try. That's nearly as good as 'did it hurt when you fell from heaven,' or 'do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?' Or an equally tried and tested few more for you. 'Hi, I just wanted to give you the satisfaction of turning me down go ahead say no,' but the best one and most said to me. 'I have had a really bad day and it always makes me feel better to see a pretty girl smile. So, would you smile for me?'" He laughed so loudly people stared at us.

"Normally it works that and 'there must be something wrong with my eyes, I can't take them off you.' Or Luis tried and tested, 'No really you are stunning and I have the funniest feeling we have met before, that's not a chat up line, there's just something about you that's familiar."

"Funny Chris, you know me all too well you're the only one who does, so are we alright to talk in the morning?" I need sleep and to talk to my two favourite men.

"Let me take you to your room, I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I didn't." I pointed to my security. "Oh they can come too I'm just walking you to your room."

"We're next door to each other and to my other side is my security room." My security detail follow us into the lift. "Hold on a minute, I'm in no danger with Mr Holland. Please take the next lift and don't give me the look I sign your pay cheques."

"Ouch that was harsh."

"Umm, not really but don't mess with the fiery Spanish woman then."

"I've no intentions of doing so Miss Humphries, unless you want me to, if not I know when to beat the retreat." He laughed as the lift came and I used the pass key for the penthouse suits."

"So tonight has been good, thank you." Why do I feel like the lift walls are closing in on me and the air is being sucked out? The heat and the feelings of lust and sexual tension between us is so obvious, he smiles at me and I smile back, but we each stay on our own side of the lift and look at each other, neither of us willing to take the first step towards the other.

"It was different Bella, just think about things and I'd like to talk to Hugh can you get him to take my calls, he's refused before and I miss him, he's been a better father to me than my own, and I need to talk to Maria, she must still hate me?"

"No, funnily enough they don't hate you, they just love me more. Sorry you know why I hated you and that the reason is now old news. I just need to get my head around where you want this to go. These past three years have been fraught, what with Dad's illness and Mum worrying, then add in our thing. So yeah, I have a few issues I need to talk to you about tomorrow. I will get Mum to ring you, give me your phone please." I put in their numbers and Luis's, he would be glad to have his friend back.

"Let me tell them first, that we are at least talking again, as to the other things..."

"...We can wait, I can wait Bella, but remember had she not interfered we would be married, hopefully had children and been still madly in love with each other with our two or more kids by now. Nothing has changed for me, now I know the reasons why. Have things changed so much for you Bella?"

"No, but I have something's to explain first, and I'm too messed up to do it now, but tomorrow we talk about this romance and other stuff yes?"

"We will do more than talk Bella, sleep well if you can and say hello to Mum and Dad for me. I love you Bella, get some sleep and meet me for breakfast." I ummed as I willed him to kiss me. He smiled and placed a chased kiss on my cheek, wow, his butter soft lips touched my skin and I felt faint, damn it, could we do this?

"Yes, until tomorrow, it was a very pleasant evening thank you." He entered his room at the same time as I entered mine our eyes looking into each other's. Please tell me I'm not as red faced as I feel, I looked in the hall mirror and no, there's just a rosy hue on my cheek, but as I placed my hand to the place he had kissed I shivered. I phoned Dad for an update, Ethan would be up and having breakfast...

"Hello, my little angel, how are things going there?"

"Fine Dad, really fine, did Luis tell you about the news?"

"Yes, yes, I sent you an email and the price is fine, more than fine, why the hell does Holland want more hotels?"

"It's not him Dad, it's Chris whose buying them, stop pretending you didn't already know, he's buying everything his father wants, but the difference is he wants to keep them all up and running, but the offer is sound Dad, how's my little man?"

"He's here. Ethan come to Papa, Mummy is here, see Mummy is waiting to see you, you and Chris are alright?" I nod.

"I will talk in a minute Dad can I speak to my baby first? What I really need is a cuddle."

"Mummy, Mummy here Mummy come see me." My heart broke being away from him.

"Mummy is here little man, are you being a good boy for Papa?"

"I always a good boy me eating my eggs and soldiers Mummy see, you have breakfast too?"

"No baby, I'm going to bed to sleep, its nigh time here."

"Why it not night here too, you silly, sun out and bird singing, look see I show you." He goes to the window, points and runs back to Dads lap. Dad takes over as Ethan rushes off in search of a whimpering noise.

"No Ethan, Mummy knows it's sunny here, oops he's off, the puppy Luis got him has him totally indifferent to anything going on around him, and he and Mojo are best buddies."

"He got him a damn puppy, oh I am going to kill my big brother. He needs to get his own kids to spoil, I said no."

"Technically it's Luis dog, he's just sharing it with Ethan."

"Technically my ass Dad, you fell for that?"

"Technically no, but Mum thinks I did and she likes the little fella too, he's a bouncy golden retriever puppy and your son adores him, besides you wasn't here to say no."

"Oh Dad low blow, like I'd want to be anywhere else." I sob because I miss my Dad and Ethan.

"I know baby, so what's Chris like? I'm sorry for what Rachel did to you both, she isn't welcome in my life anymore, not when what she did robbed Chris of a chance at being your husband, and stopped poor Chris from being a father to Ethan."

"Dad I stopped that, but I know what you mean. He wants to try again, pretend like it never happened, but it did and I have to tell him about Ethan, he may want to fight me for him, then what Dad?"

"He won't, he will understand your reasons. We know now he has been robbed of over two years with his son, years we can't give him back, but he is his son and Ethan needs to know him, they need to know each other, children are so accepting, so don't worry about Ethan he will be fine, he's getting a daddy."

"I'm going to tell him tomorrow Dad. He has your phone numbers now and knows where we live, I was upfront about everything apart from Ethan, how do I tell him, oh here you are Chris, that's a picture of your son, who I kept from you, because of what I thought you did with my sister? Rachel has a lot to answer for Dad, It's a bloody good job she didn't know about Ethan. I promise, I will tell him tomorrow, but for now can I see my little man before I hit the sheets?"

"Of course buenas noches cariño. I love you so much baby and miss you more." I smiled as he span the screen for me to see Ethan chasing the ball of fluff, that was Mojo, around the terrace, he was cute and then Ethan fell over the dog, there were tears and then a shrill laugh as the puppy jumped all over him licking his face, wow he was a happy little boy.

"Bye Dad see you soon, give him a love for me and see you as soon as I wrap everything up here, hopefully a hell of a lot sooner if Chris has them all." He waved and went he went to sort out his grandson. I changed and stripped the war paint off and grabbed a whiskey from the bar and opened the doors to the veranda outside of the room, to hear a raised voice and swearing.

"Holland, the deal has been done and I own the hotels. So suck it up old man and live with it, no I am not fucking messing with you, I told you three years ago, that I would make you pay. You sent in your lackey Gerry Frisco in under the guise of Labyrinth really Holland? They were the first hotel group you bought out. No Holland, I will not sell them to you, you were shutting them down as they were competition for you, besides what the fuck did Hugh do to you to want to stiff a dying man, tell you a few home truths, well I learnt that night what a bastard you are, so when I said I hadn't got a father anymore I meant it. Goodbye and good luck Holland." Chris comes on to the balcony and at first doesn't see me, and then he does, and smiles.

"Nice night for a walk along the beach, pity there aren't any here. I was just watching the little people down there, getting on with their lives oblivious to being watched by me way up here in the clouds."

"People watching you do it too?" I smile, no Bella, when we danced on your sixteenth birthday you chatted on and on about the people in the room, but I know you like to do it and for me it's become a habit I fell into, by happy accident, as we danced she told me her tall tales of the couple next to us being spies, and they were here to steal the Russian man's personal files, and the elderly couple who were pick pockets and were busy trolling the room taking rich pickings. I laughed and said the young man opposite, was a poor man looking to be a rich woman's gigolo, she laughed and said I had to make something up Luis was in fact a gigolo, but he wasn't poor...

"I sometimes watch them and make up stories yeah, please don't laugh at me Bella. I only do it to get away from my everyday life. I also sit and crowd watch when I have made a bad life choice. Then I sit wishing I could change something bad I did or didn't do, I get headaches when I think about some of the things like that, you know the what if's? You know things you wish you could change and do differently?"

"Do you need to change many things you have done Chris?"

"Lots Bella, there's lots in my life I wish I could turn back the hands of time for, and have a do over. The biggest is not looking all across the island for you that day and trusting your sister to see you got the letter and my messages. That killed me every day. Then the family stuff, not meeting my mum, fighting with dad and my siblings not being closer. We were all abandoned by Dad, so you'd think we would be close, but we're not. Still Roger, twenty years later, hates me. He left my life three years ago, and is still a bitter and twisted young man. The last time I saw him was after Dad got back from our engagement, and the bastard had feigned a heart attack, Roger came to the ranch, when I ignored his calls and he ended up in the pig pen, you know the brother who called me Junior? Then there's lots of other little things and painful things, I wish I could change. Have you many regrets in your life Bella, things you wish you could change? If I gave you the gift of time travel for a one off do over what would it be?"

"Oh that's easy, but I'd need two turn backs, one to about two years ago when Dad didn't take the doctors' orders seriously enough to get checked out and sooner, rather than the later he did. Then just one other time that was a particularly confusing and sad time for me, but that I can't do over, as much as I'd like too, do-overs are a fruitless waste of time. I stopped wishing for that piece of my life to play out better, three years ago, besides you have to live in the now, not the past, you can't change your past no matter how much you wished you could. I don't think that part of my past I would change, even if I could, I'd gain a little yes and lose more, so much more. I'm going to bed and try to get some sleep. Today has been different I will give you that, it's Christopher Robin time and sleep is needed. Lord I do hate not having my own bed, night and I will see you at breakfast."

"Goodnight Bella and thanks for listening to me gripe." I smiled and went inside, I am going to get him back, I am going to tell him about his son, and I am going to do it tomorrow...

...She laughed and closed the doors, goodnight sweet Bella tomorrow I win you back...

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

Bella:

I wake up after a fraught night's sleep, I must have ignored my alarms too. I to find I've over slept, why did Molly not wake me? That's right, I emailed her and told her to get her things from her apartment and bring them here, as we could be away quicker than I expected, if today's meeting goes to plan. I slept very well listening to Winnie the Pooh on my iPod it seems you are never too old to listen to it. I order room service and have a shower whilst I wait and as I sit on my bed, through my open bedroom window I hear Chris on his phone again does that man never sleep? He was on his phone most of the night, it seems they want him back in Australia and he has asked for three days, two I think were offered. He's on now to his assistant, as Judy is mentioned not Parker, I haven't seen the delectable girl and I wonder if Chris has told her to keep her distance? I think its Judy as there are lots of yes dears and no dears.

"Right Mel, I am back in Perth the day after, so I will fax you the copies of the contracts Bella gives me today. Have Mitchel and Price go to their corporate headquarters there, and do a full audit as soon as the hotels are ours. No keep the staff in place for the moment no tell them everything stays the same for the foreseeable future, there will be redundancies and offer good early retirement packages. Yes there will be some job losses, but no, not in the thousands, I will be a trimming the fat cats, and seeing to the basic staffing levels. No Humphries Hotels have always been run well, so I highly doubt there will be a great need for major changes, Hugh Humphries ran and still runs a tight ship, of course some jobs will go if we bring our people over." Good he's keeping them as they are for now he is a man of his word, how very refreshing and yes interesting.

"Mel, I know it was an expensive buy, but I had to have them, yes she means that much to me yes, her father was extremely nice to me once and made me what I am today. Mel, they have family, you know how much family means to me, you are the only family I have sister dearest, and at the moment the biggest pain in my rear, so the funds are in place? Good and it's everything Bella agreed on? I actually thought she was going to squeeze my bollocks for more, yeah, yeah metaphorical, not actual. Yeah, you'll be the last to know if she does, I know you and that mouth." He bought the hotels just to see me is he mad? I won't ask for a penny more, but he's mad to do it just for me. No, they make good money but take all of Dad's time and time I know he doesn't have, I know he's putting his affairs in order I'm not totally stupid.

"Good one sis, see you in Perth, company jet? Yeah, of course you can use it I will have three more to add to the fleet soon. Yeah, the Humphries can keep using The Isabella, as my gift to him and them. No we will pay its upkeep, yes but all flights are still to be logged, yes, it's on loan to them, but under no circumstances does the bitch of a sister of hers use it for her jaunts to Moscow, and use it to be ferrying her mother around for shopping trips, yeah, she does. I bet Hugh didn't know.

That's old news though she was fired and she was cut off from anything to do with the family, yes, she's been cut off by her brother and sister. No, I'm not shitting you. Why? Because she was behind our split yeah, no I'm not shitting you. Really are they the only words you know, if so your daughter will come out saying no shitting you?

Really, you never read your emails I sent you the full version and yes, I want her back I know, I know alright keep your hair on are you alright? Are you sure, how's the baby? She's fine good, no good, but keep your legs up, you shouldn't be working, the doctor said you were dumb getting pregnant, because your bones are still weak from the accident. I know I worry, but I'm allowed too, because I love you. Read your damn emails see you later and legs up or I come and drag you back home." I could bound over there and kiss him, well that's not strictly true, because there's a wall between us, both a real one and a metaphorical one.

"Luis flies commercial between hotels and I think Isabella has only flown this one time in nearly three years? Yes, my security do monitor all their flights, where she was I couldn't tell you then, I know now, she told me everything, read the damn email I sent you. Yes, I know her Dad did a good job hiding her from me, it's in the email." I laugh and fall madly for my smooth talking baby daddy.

"I want her to design the new hotel in Cancun for me. if she has the time, yes, she's CEO of Humphries Hotels, well for now, but I highly doubt she wants to work under me running my hotels. Get your dirty mind out of the gutter Mel, yeah, I'd kill to have her under me, crude and hornie, but just for her my dearest little sister, you heard it here I love that bloody woman, sister dear. Anyway, I know that beach front is calling out for the best hotel ever, yes, I am going to build it next to Hoyt's place there, and I'll show him the land my mum left me is in a beautiful location for an equally beautiful hotel built on it. Thanks for finding the deeds to it in the paperwork Grandma sent me. I would never have known I owned it, and for that alone I want to show him he can't mess with me or us."

So, he wants me to design a hotel for him in Mexico, does he? I hear a laugh, it's his sister he's talking to on the phone and sounds happy too, and there is a knock at the door, umm plenty there to digest over pancakes and strawberries, and boiled eggs and soldiers.

"Yes put it on the veranda, breakfast al fresco I think? Yes, out there thank you." I sign the chitty and casually walk out on the balcony, to see he's people watching again.

"Good morning Bella, are you having a later breakfast too?"

"Umm, I had a very rare sleep in, sorry. I would say join me but there's only enough for me." I uncovered the lids and I was wrong there was two of everything. He was over the wall in one jump.

"I took the liberty of ordering mine to come here, and as you asked me so nicely to join you last night, I will thank you."

"Make yourself at home."

"Well after today it will be one of many, thank you and cheers." He picks up the orange juice and clinks my glass. "They were my favourite breakfast, that and peanut butter and jelly on toast. Wow, and you eat them too, I eat them with the twins and Thomas, my adopted kids, Henry and Tammy send their love, and say you have to come back with me and see their children."

"I know you got custody of Tammy in the split, she too was a casualty of fucking Rachel, sorry about my language. I will try to kerb it, but I can't forgive her for what she did. The boiled eggs and soldiers, I have them with my... Dad every morning, and yes I love them too, nursery food Dad calls it, I have to have my creamed potatoes with everything, he says I should be over baby food by now, but just when the need went away I got swept back to wholesome foods."

"My favourites still mac and cheese, that's all I ate when I got Chicken Pox. Creamed potatoes, yes, I love them too, and if you throw in sausages haphazardly stuck in the side of mash mountain, and a pea river and a gravy trail over the top, now that's a meal and a half, fit for any big kid. That and green trees and white trees, with cheese sauce snow over it, and shush never call it cauliflower cheese, or I won't eat it. I have been known as a child to throw a tantrum, if I thought nanny was giving me anything but peas and corn as my vegetables. I was quite the brat apparently for eating my vegetables?" I oh-ed he was in a talkative mood.

"So apart from chickenpox did you have any other childhood diseases?"

"Measles, a broken arm twice, a cut chin, a sprain ankle and my appendix out when I was three, I got bent out of shape like any other kid, but nothing major, and you?"

"Chickenpox, measles twice, mumps and wow I had my tonsils out when I was twelve, no brakes or sprains though I did fall off my pony and hurt my bum for a week or two, bruised my cheeks and my ego." He laughed as I cut the top off my egg, and proceeded to dunk the soldiers in.

"You didn't say sorry for chopping off Humpty's head." I dropped the knife in shock, how the hell did he know that's what Ethan did, a strange thing he and Dad did every breakfast time.

"Sorry what was that?"

"When I was little I used to say sorry Humpty I can't put you together again my belly is hungry." I am stunned and happy, they share a bond and he doesn't know it yet! "Your dad taught me to say that he sat with me one day at the breakfast table at some conference we were at, and I was being uppity for my nanny and didn't want boiled eggs. I wanted pancakes and syrup, he made it a fun game and after that I had them every day for years, I had the pancakes too, but not before I took Humpty's head off either once or twice depending how many eggs I wanted to do battle with. I liked your dad he was always nice to me, I think he missed Luis and your bratty sister, so used to look for a child to spoil and I was there a lot, I have several photos my nanny's took I will find them and send them to you."

"Thank you, do you know that you have known my dad longer than me?" I laughed. "He didn't do the Humpty's Head with me, so I feel cheated."

"Argh but were you a brat with food?"

"Not as a child, but I was a troubled teenager, who battled anorexia, he tried stuff to get me to eat, but in the end, he gave up, the counselling worked and now I eat properly." He looked shocked, by my revelation.

"One of my sisters had that, Sommer, she was a messed up kid, but she did other stuff too, one of the seven damaged kids Dad had, she died of a drug overdose, she really couldn't be helped, I'm glad you were helped."

"Funny thing, the thing that started it all was the thing that ended it all too. For years, I'd had my dad to myself, and when Rachel was allowed to finally come and see us, I got mega jealous of their time together. So for years I tried to be thin like Rachel and look like her, but I couldn't be as thin as her, I read somewhere about, you know throwing up and it kept you slim. I was addicted to it, and then one day she was here again visiting and I'd forgotten to lock the door, and she caught me with my fingers down my throat, and she laughed and said the best way was the toothbrush down the throat you don't gag as much. I then realised what she did to stay thin, and I didn't want to be like her ever again, it took a few months but I started to eat and get the weight back on, and Dad was happy again, the stupid things you do to win affection, Rachel? Her and I hated each other well before that morning."

"I didn't know. You always looked so happy together as a family."

"Just to please Dad, out of earshot we fought like sailors. We hate each other because of her mum. Rachel's mum, she is a strange one and blames my mum for breaking their marriage up, when nothing could be further from the truth. Dad and her hadn't been man and wife for oh nearly five years when they met, and as soon as they did they fell in love, and Dad asked the shrew for a divorce.

Which they got, she got a massive pay-out, and custody of the brat daughter and Dad and Mum married, he adopted Luis who was from my mum's first marriage to the Greek hotel magnate, as you probably know through Luis? I was the surprise child, Luis and I we are still inseparable, I hate not seeing him now he's got his own life but heck he's never away from the ranch, he even bought a puppy and we look after that apparently. I will kill him I have always said no, that we are not having a puppy. I come here and what does he do, he buys E... Dad a puppy, one we can't get rid of, because he loves it already.

"Well, we have spoken nursery foods families, what about love lives Bella?"

"Hahahaha, I haven't one is the plain and simple answer to that question, the last man was kind of hard to get over."

"I don't and haven't had a friend lady or girl in three years I've been too busy working and stuff. I haven't as much as kissed anyone in oh, nearly three years. Get where I'm going with this Bella?" I laughed, relief I think and a warm glow rushed throughout my body, was I the last?

"Now that I find hard to believe, really hard to believe you kept faithful to me, me who walked out on you?"

"Sorry, why would I look at anyone else? I mean have you tried to date other people, I have and none were you, so have you had a boyfriend since me?"

"Oh you're playing dirty no I have never had a boyfriend so there. I once went from being single to being a fiancé, in like thirty seconds and for a whole day too." He smiled I swear I'm going to kill him in a minute.

"Never had any man, as in only ever me?" He was grinning like a schoolboy.

"You know what, here it is... I have only ever kissed you, slept with you, had sex with you and loved you, so enough of the have I got anyone in my life that I have sex with questions, you have been the only man to ever mean anything to me and now your grinning like you've won the lotto."

"I wanted to know if I asked you out tonight would I be stepping on anyone's toes. So really, there's only me and you kept yourself faithful to me too?" I gulped the orange juice down.

"Yes just you, so you want to go out with me as in a date?" I ask.

"Yes as in putting on a fancy dress, meal drinks and dancing, or is that not how dates go?"

"Err, I've never had a date, I got drunk and danced with a man once does that count?"

"I don't know did you enjoy it?" I know I blushed, I felt the heat rising.

"I did very much so, I was at my sweet sixteenth and he danced with me, he did it at my seventh birthday too, but on that occasion, he left with a hooker too and broke my heart."

"Oh, how very ungallant to use you like that, sorry I was hammered and it was Luis's fault." I laughed. "So is that a no to the date then? Only you never said?" I looked across the table and saw those eyes.

"Yes, I will go out for the evening with you, but under the understanding that we don't mention Rachel, or what she did ever again, and oh, I don't put out on first dates either."

"I'm wounded you thought so little of me, consider me told, no smooching or putting out then?" Laughing I looked at the time.

"Shit I, sorry we, have to get to the offices they will be waiting for us, damn where did the time go? I still have to phone Dad."

"Well, we know I want the properties I shook on that last night, and we know the price, so I figure we can let legal know we will be down in an hour and get things started without us?"

"Are you sure? You definitely want to spend a lot of money and become a hotel magnate?"

"I'm sure, besides I will have a CEO in charge of them. I don't have time to run them, I was going to give the job to the man running it now for your Dad, either a Marcus or a Warner, but as it's so massive I may ask them both to stop on and run it all, what do you think? I will be in overall charge, but they will make me billions?"

"Dad trusts them and Luis too, they are both good people as Dad says, and they are as honest as the day is long, they would love the job they stepped up when Dad was diagnosed and have been such a good family friends to us."

"Well if they are good enough for Hugh Humphries, they are good enough for me. I will shower and change and see you in a while, your place or mine?"

"Mine, I take longer to get ready." He gave my cheek another kiss this time a little longer than the chased one from the night before.

"See you after I shower and change Bella." He leapt the wall like superman.

"We have doors you know." He laughed and went inside shouting, as he did.

"Where's the fun in that?" I grabbed another shower did my hair, and dressed quickly, I could just read Pooh Bear to Ethan, if I hurried.

"Hello Dad, how's things you're looking peaky are you alright? How's Ethan?" He smiled.

"He's had a late night, because we had a long nap this afternoon, it's going to take you a couple of days to get Ethan back into his routine, I'm sorry I can't help it when he asks to stop with me."

"Can I see him and read him Pooh Bear?"

"Yes here he is, I will take you through to his room and let you have time with your son."

"Thank you, and Dad, I will be telling Chris he has a son later, but for now can I see him please?" I smiled as his chubby little face came on the screen.

"Mummy, Mummy you there and I'm here, see and Mojo here too, I keep Mojo, pleazzzze?"

"Yes baby boy, you can keep Mojo, have you been a good boy for Papa?"

"Yesss I have, you read me Pooh Bear tonight, or will that man read me story?"

"What man Ethan?"

"The man behind you, you're silly Mummy." I turned to see Chris looking at the screen and tears flowing down his face, shit what do I do, what do I say?

"If he wants to he can read you Pooh Bear. Ask him he's, he's your..."

"I'm your Daddy, and I would love to read to you Ethan, is that your new puppy?"

"Yes, you my Daddy, I not got a Daddy. I got a Papa and Unkie Lou, now I got a Daddy too, I say night, night to Mummy pleazzzze?"

"Night, baby boy, see you in the morning sleep tight and sweet dreams, Daddy will read you some Pooh Bear, hugs squishes and kisses."

"Hugs kisses squishes Mummy love you lots night, night Mummy, read me now pleazzzze Daddy." Dad was right, he's been accepted no questions asked, by both of them, shit what happens now?

"Oh, okay now lie back down and listen whilst I tell you a story..." I ran to the bathroom, shit, shit, shit, not like this he's going to take my son, shit, oh shit no. I sat for what seemed like forever, before I was called to see if I was coming down to the meeting, shit I'd forgotten about that, I asked them to finalise the paperwork in our absence, as we had something's to sort out and we'd sigh in the morning. Apparently, Chris told them the same thing he was too busy reading a story to do it just now. I lay down crying. I slept on the warm tiled floor, as I sobbed myself to sleep, I napped for about ten minutes, and I went in the room as Chris and Dad were speaking and Ethan had long since fallen asleep. I sat on the couch across from him and waited for the fall out as he shut the screen down.

"I left you alone carrying my child, can you ever forgive me?"

"I haven't anything to forgive Chris. I'm sorry I didn't know you still loved me, Rachel was very convincing."

"It seems your sister has a lot to answer to and your dad said you should have told me, what were you thinking?"

"Dad and Mum wanted you to know, but I didn't want you to take him from me. As to Rachel doing and saying what she did, I would have thought she was doing it for spite, thank God she knew nothing about Ethan."

"He's a credit to you and so like me." He is, and I don't believe this is going so well, where's the bombshell moment?

"You don't want to do a DNA test on him?"

"All the tests in the world, would only confirm what my eyes saw, that he's my double, thank you for looking after him so well." I cried.

"What, why did you say it like that, are you taking him from me, because I will fight you tooth and nail for him, he's mine Chris?" I broke down in tears.

"Where's that coming from? Why would I take him away from his mum, are you mad? I was thanking you for being a good Mum. Apparently, this is the longest you have been away from him, and he's missing you Bella. Why would I break both your hearts? Bella, I love you and have been searching for you everywhere, and when Henry found out you were the one chairing the sales, I got in my jet and came to see the woman I so rudely walked out on." I cried even more, never in fact have I ever cried as much.

"I... Thought... You... Would... Take... Him... From me..." My sobbing broke the sentence it a long rambling cry.

"Bella, I wouldn't do that to you ever, oh Bella come here." I slid across the couch towards him.

"You don't want to see him either?"

"Err try keeping me away from him and his mum."

"What you want me too?"

"Yes you come as a package deal. Wow Mel owes me a million dollars, because I won the bet yeah me."

"What?"

"Sorry I'm just being stupid, as Mel and I are getting on in years, we made a bet when I turned thirty that whoever gets the first baby gets a million bucks and yeah I won."

"You won't hold her to that I hope?"

"Damn right, I always honour my bets, so does she, and her daughter isn't due until Christmas, looks like someone is giving me my million back." I slapped him.

"You will do no such thing, betting on my son."

"Err I think you'll find that's our son." He pulled me to him and kissed me, wow I had a near heart attack as he held me tightly. "I wanted to do that when you walked into that office and were late for that meeting Bella, those five minutes seemed like an eternity."

"Umm, what, what did you say, err eternity five minutes?"

"Yeah you have that effect on me too Bella, so when do I get to give my son a hug?"

"When we wrap up selling the businesses, and then and only then if you really want to be in his life and not just a weekend and holidays dad?"

"Oh your dad isn't selling the hotels now, he's gifting them to Ethan, and I will set a team in place to run them and take the strain from him, he wants to keep our son's inheritance running."

"Wow, how long was I asleep in the bathroom for?"

"Err two hours or so, enough time for me to tell Mel to divert here in the plane and let the lawyers go and ask your dad for your hand in marriage, seems I have to make an honest woman out of my baby's mum?"

"What, that was a proposal? Shit you really know how to wine and dine and dance me to bed don't you? We haven't even been on a date and you want to be tied to me again because of that one day? It really isn't necessary."

"Oh but it is, because that one day has kept me going for nearly three years, Bella and I'm not waiting any longer than I have to, we have an appointment at city hall in half an hour and then we are going to see our son together."

"You're serious, really serious... Oh hell you are too."

"Damn right I have been carrying this around for God knows how long." He was on his knee and opening a ring box and flashed the biggest diamond ring at me.

"Wow err does that come with sunglasses?"

"Isabella Maria Humphries will you do me the greatest of honours, by consent to being my wife again and having a few more of those cute kids for me?"

"Oh yes, yes, yes I love you. Not many more kids either, that one nearly killed me."

"Sorry he does have my big head, that's why the no need for a DNA test, it's a killer thing having all those brains, and so they need a big skull to go in." I laughed as he slipped on the ring.

"Really you have had this for three years?"

"No about eighteen months, it was my grandmothers diamond and I had it made into a ring for you, these I got three years ago from Birks in Canada, these I had engraved too, and we will need them in life forty five minutes. Get a dress on your not marrying me in jeans and a tee shirt."

"Let me see the rings then? Oh sweet, 'I love you Princess Isabella" and what does mine say? Oh Chris, that's..."

"I know I'm such a girl... 'I love you Prince Christopher'. Oh and I do mean I love you, you and our son and you come with me everywhere."

"Dad and Mum, what about them, they won't let Ethan go?"

"Well he agrees your place is by my side, and I agree which means we go nowhere without him and your mum. There are great oncologists all over the world and he has hired a private nurse." I cried again. "Besides it's just Australia, not the moon, so we will stay there until we sort out stuff."

"Stuff?"

"Oh hell lots of stuff, money, houses, planes, businesses, my child's name and stuff you know stuff."

"Can we not buy a normal house and do nothing but other stuff all day?"

"Nope, sorry the little man and you will be more at risk once it gets out we're married Bella and then he will be at risk as you were and if anything were to happen to you or him it would kill me."

"Oh, I never thought of that, I sort of got used to the way we live now, and I guess yeah he will be a bigger target, shit."

"Dress woman do as your future husband tells you." I had my backside slapped. What to wear for a wedding?

"Which dress red dress or blue dress?"

"Which one goes on the quickest Bells?"

"This one I think, yes this one, gimmie five minutes for the hair and makeup. It's a good job Mum isn't here she would kill me."

"Oh she's planning a big shindig for later don't you worry." I had no doubt about it. I went out ten minutes later to a wow.

We were married after we got the papers signed, in a brief ten minute drive through wedding. His sister was waiting at the airport for her big brother and his new wife, and we were up in the air two hours later heading to see Ethan. Parker was dispatched when he realised I was right, and she did look at him that way, she will be waiting in Australia for his return.

"Well, she's everything you said she was and more, welcome to the family Mrs Holland, you look beautiful, and I can't wait to see my nephew, is he as adorable as Christopher Robin says?"

"That's your actual name?"

"Yeah live with it sweetheart, your married to Pooh's best friend. Melissa, we could fall out. Do you know all my documents have just Christopher on them, but that's so amazing because guess what, my first job as a dad, was to read my son a story, I read to Ethan, my son, his bedtime favourite about a bear, a boy called Christopher Robin, a tigger and a piglet in a Hundred Acre Woods, I read to my son this morning and when he wakes up I get to give him those teddies and the real Christopher Robin how cools that?"

"Damn cool it your two I suppose? God you're going to be worse than Luis with him aren't you, you mentioned son quite a few times there Chris?"

"For a while he gets spoilt, I have some catching up to do. I like the sound of saying my son, shit my son, well our son I suppose I have to share?"

"Well excuse me I need to grab some shut eye, I'm in my cabin Chris, see you in seven hours I don't know what you two are doing, but me and my bump need sleep."

"See you later Mel."

"Yeah, I have some legal stuff to do Sis, see you when we get there."

"Don't work too hard you have a bride to keep amused." She laughed as she shut the door to her cabin.

"Well come on, my room we have some legal work to do."

"What sort of legal work?"

"Consummating our union for one Bells, making this marriage legit and all above board, come on Mrs Holland."

"Mr Holland, you only had to ask."

"Now, in here or on the big comfy bed, I am asking Bells?"

"Bed please and less talking more action husband."

"I live to please..." We made love for hours and hours only stopping when the pilot buzzed we were half an hour from landing.

"Are you happy Mrs Holland?"

"Very Mr Holland, have I got time for a shower?"

"A quick one and hurry I need one and unfortunately it's not big enough for two, bigger plane next time."

"Yes sir, two shakes I love you and thank you."

"I love you too and I'm damned nervous too, what if he doesn't like me?"

"He likes everyone he's two, he thinks everyone is nice and he thinks everyone smells funny."

"Smells funny?"

"Yeah, he has a keen sense of smell and everyone has different smells and things deodorants aftershave soaps you name it he can smell it."

"Oh, perhaps I need to diversify in to perfumeries?" I laughed as I came out to a hug and a kiss.

"We will smell the same, you're wearing my smell well, Bella." I dressed as he showered, coming out I was ready and he grabbed another hug.

"This morning I promised you a date, what the hell am I gonna do to top marrying you and that afternoon in the mile high club?"

"After a morning with Ethan, you will be too knackered I can tell you."

"Why did you call him Ethan?"

"After my grandfather, my dad's father, he was Ethan Hugh Humphries, and my dad's best friend in the world. He's called Ethan Christopher Holland Humphries already, and because he was born in Spain he can take either name."

"So he has my name, already?"

"Of course he has and it will be legitimate too, because I would like to put your name on his paperwork as his father, it's blank at the moment."

"Thank you. I really am nervous now, shit I do multi-million dollar deals that don't get me as pumped as this."

"Come on the landing lights on. It's only four in the morning so we have plenty of time. It's an hour's drive and I dare say Dad's sent the cars." We took our seats as I snuggled into Chris. I played with the rings on my fingers and smiled

"What's the matter, is it too much Bella?"

"Yes but thank you, there's a lot of love in these rings, and I love them, where's my emerald?" He looked puzzled.

"You still have it Bella."

"Nope, I sent it back with the driver with instructions to leave it in your room. Rachel must have it, it is the only explanation." He nodded, as Mel noticed the glowing rock on my finger.

"Um Grandma's diamond, you lucky woman."

"Oh, should Mel not have had it, Chris?"

"Why would I have Chris's Grandma's diamond, she wasn't my grandma, she just had me called her grandma. She was his mum's mum, and was a beautiful fair-haired Swedish woman, I'm surprised Chris isn't darker than he is given that his grandfather was a Mexican guy, but then again, we always said he was the delivery guy's kid. He looked like neither his mum who was dark like you, and so pretty too. We have all Gran's pictures for you to look at, of Chris's Mum, and as our dad is dark, haired too, it bugged the shit outta Dad that Chris was so fair. Poor Chris has used every lab we know and still he's related to Hoyt Holland, your dad Hugh looks nothing like him either apart from hair colour, that sad man is going bonkers, have you told the ole bastard about your son yet?"

"No, I haven't, and until I have seen my son, I don't want him to know either, he's kinda mad at me already."

"Well the hotels are still Humphries Hotels, or will they change names when Ethan becomes Holland?"

"I was thinking about that what about rebranding them H&H Hotels, seeing as Ethan already has both our names? Dad will be pissed I will be changing my name, so it's an added bonus."

"You're going to be Holland Humphries too?" I was shocked as I said it and pleased when he said we'd all have the same name.

"Yes, we will all have the same surname Bella."

"I'm glad I have my mum's name, but I love being Melissa Yeller, they shout out look out Yellers yelling, when I'm in court, and I didn't wish to change it either, and unless I do I get nothing from the old man when he turns his toes up, like I want that mad bastards money? He should have been there to register me, seven of us and only one other carries his name besides Chris, that's good ole Roger. Wow his mum was one evil woman, she came after my mum, and really thought she'd nailed god ole Daddy good and proper. Having the second son, we girls don't add up to a-hil-a-beans, as far as he was concerned, but wow, she was in for a shock, her ass went flying just as quickly as my mums, and everyone else's too. We were allowed in the mansion, but none of us other than Chris lived with him full time, and even when we did stop, it was in Chris's wing with him and his Nanny and valet. Yeah put your face straight you had a manservant dress you until you were ten."

"Do you want me to leave you here in Spain? Shut up Bella, has heard more about my life from you than she has off of me."

"Shush, I like listening, your dad seems to have been hit badly by your mums death and guilty at all his bed hoping before and as you were being born, and perhaps he's just a guilty man who couldn't accept the truth, that he was the one to blame for her death, not you? Who knows? Sorry though, I don't want Ethan around him, if he makes you feel so shity he's not doing that to Ethan. That I leave to you to deal with, but he has never heard a crossword in over two years and I don't want him too either."

"Really you don't have fit to busting showdowns?"

"Nope, but my bitch of a sister is going down though, when she gets here. Dad has called her over because of her keeping your notes and my ring and then claiming you'd slept with her. He too is livid that he misjudged you Chris, and all this stopped you seeing Ethan."

"Ethan, is gonna be one spoilt boy sorry Bella but he is. A family is all my big brother has ever wanted, he has me and his niece."

"What is there no husband?"

"God no, sperm donor I haven't got time for the love crap, I went through a catalogue six years ago, I had to use the eggs soon or they would have been destroyed, so I had my little girl implanted earlier this year, too soon really after the crash, but hell I wasn't for throwing them away. I chose my babies daddy, he has brown eyes, dark hair is a lawyer, like me, he is of Mediterranean heritage, so I guess that means Italian, Spanish or such like, and well he was a looker alright and reminded me of someone I used to know."

"What you got to choose him from an actual photograph?" I'm astounded, and Chris just laughs.

"Yep, as I said it was like a Sears Model Catalogue too, well I'd go for Sports Illustrated, if I was honest. He likes soccer, and beach volleyball and what's the one in water? Polo, yeah water polo, he is not a lover of horses though, he does ride if he has to, and plays a mean round of golf, so my baby girl is predestined to me a sportswoman lawyer, like me." I looked at Mel in amazement I wasn't sure I'd have gone that route, not without a little love involved. As I look at Chris, I would never have had Ethan without falling for the gorgeous man in the sharp tux, and killer blue eyes, who asked me to dance. She knew more about her baby's daddy, than I did about Chris.

"I know I asked her not to, but truth be told I was looking for a surrogate to have kids in five or ten years to have my children, if I hadn't found you and what do you know you come with added extras." He laughed as he hugged me

"No, I wasn't being funny, but she knew more about her child's father than I did, so don't judge her for having sex with a mail order Dad." He laughed. "Glad you found that funny Mr Holland, we are only just talking now I don't know what sports you like? I know you ride and that I'm better..."

"Oh no sister, hey I have a normal sister. There is no hanky-panky it's all done in labs Bella."

"Really you would have done that had children, with no mum?"

"I never had a mum, I missed her of course but I did alright, but I have always wanted to be a proper father so yeah, I gave myself ten years to find you, don't forget that I'm older than you Bells and my clocks got more miles on it than yours." I laughed as we hit the runway.

"Welcome to España, and can I just say you two are hilarious and so obviously related, you're so alike in your mannerisms, if nothing else, seeing as your blond and Mel's dark. I had a canned history of the life you two have had, no wonder you wanted normal, so you can see why I want normal for Ethan?" Mel smiles, as she looks at Chris and I huddled together.

"Totally, if I had time to fall in love I would, but I didn't and I wasn't getting any younger Bella and the embryos needed using. Wow, its warm here, and its early morning too we need more summer clothes baby girl, or Mommy is gonna roast in these and I need to pee again."

"I have loads that are nice and loose, I wore them baggier than I needed to, to hide him away and there's a few Dior and Chanel amongst them, yes I was a clotheshorse even when pregnant, my dress bill is huge."

"Don't worry I have a spare couple of billion, as my hotel deal went belly up. My wife can have as much Chanel and Dior as she wants."

"Oh you say the nicest things." I headed out of the door to a welcoming committee.

"Oh, Lou-Lou you're here." I ran straight into my big brothers arms.

"Hello Bella, let me breathe please, so you found Ethan's Daddy then? You really do need to try harder next time to remember where you put things down."

"Hello, Lois pleased to meet you again."

"Come here you mutt, I should be kicking your ass around the bloody airport knocking my baby sister up, but I kinda like my nephew, so cheers. Welcome, come on then cars are here."

"We have to wait for Chris's sister. She got caught short and can't do an hour in the car." He looked a little pleased to hear she was here, what the hell, was he smiling?

"Well let's get the bags in the car then, Dad is so excited to get you back Bella."

"Right big brother, I have emptied the bladder and I... How... What the hell... You... What are you doing here, here in the back of beyond?"

"I beg your pardon? I don't think we have ever met before, in fact I know we haven't. Which of your sisters is this Chris? I have only ever met Melissa."

"Oh hell no, you have met me before, I am Melissa. I'm fatter yes and six years older, and I had to have a little bit of facial surgery due to an accident, but your ID number is 10021980 LPH is it not? Shit, no wonder I liked the look of the donors action pictures, fuck me my babies daddy is Luis Humphries, no shitting me?"

"What does all that stand for?" Luis looked at Mel with a completely blank expression.

"I will give you a clue did you donate some of your swimmers and put them in a catalogue?" The expression changed and wow did it change.

"It was something I did when I was at Harvard doing a lecture, and it was Jamie's stag weekend, a woman came up and asked did we want to earn some money, we were good looking and just what her clients would be looking for, she bought us a few drinks and encouraged us to donate? Shit as part of the bloody stag do challenge thing, we had to do something our parents wouldn't approve of and she said they wouldn't approve of this, and it would pay well. I wanted to show my ass out of a bus window like they do in the movies, but no Jamie he wanted to donate for a bigger pot of cash for the drinks we had yet to buy, boy were we wasted after that night and the extra booze, that we got, yes a few of us did it for a challenge. Fuck me, yes, I did donate some of my swimmers. Hell I'm screwed, why did you pick me Mel? Mum is going to kill me, really kill me. Oh hell she is gonna cut my balls off." He screwed up his nose and sobbed. I hardly doubt Mum would do anything preventing her from getting more grandchildren!

"I picked you from the action photos they showed me, you know in your glory as a sportsman? It listed your likes and your job, it said your family was of mixed heritage and the pictures where what made up my mind."

"I must have been naked then?"

"Luis this is serious, you are the father of that baby, and this is so messed up." I shouted at Luis who was gawking at Mel's swollen belly and sort of smiling in a gawky way.

"Well say hello to one of your swimmers Luis, all those precautions we took before could have saved me twenty grand. This Chris, is Nina's Daddy." Mel introduced a very shocked sperm donor to Chris.

"What the fuck? It seems you knocked up my sister, should I bounce you around the airfield too? You two have had sex before, of course you have what am I thinking about you and he are well matched, man magnate and the chick magnate." I would laugh but this was no joke, she'd gone from anonymous donor to meeting him in the flesh.

"No shit that's my baby in there, for real and this isn't a joke? Fuck, Dads gonna kill me, there was only enough for two lots in the donation they swore there was, have I got kids all over America? Hells teeth, I may need some of those tadpoles, because Mum is gonna have my balls for this, I won't have any swimmers left, help me Bella?"

"I bought the other donation too, so that my children would have the same father. I've used some and there were others ready to go. The first lot produced three viable embryos, and they were already frozen and ready to use, when I had the accident. So with the clock ticking, both mine and the storage facility, I had them all put in six months ago and hoped for the best, and she is the best and the only one from the three to take. So when she took, I had the rest of your unused donation disposed of and yes I watched and made sure." My brothers face was a picture, he slumped in the driver's seat.

"What are the fucking odds of that? Six years ago, I jerked off in a cup and now stood before me in Spain with my new brother-in-law I'm looking at his sister's belly with my baby in her? Bella help me he will kill me. Why did you not shoot me in the balls with that paint gun harder Mel? You told them we'd done it before too, you should have said you wanted my kids I could have given you the donation free gratis! Shit I said that aloud, didn't I?" I laughed. Perhaps the reason for picking the donor was because she was still in love, and with Luis.

"It's a coincidence alright, too much of a coincidence. Who did you go with Mel, to do the choosing and the impregnating procedure with?" Chris asked his sister, this was too weird to be true, but it was, and it had happened, poor Luis, poor dumb Luis.

"Lorna, she works at the agency, and she sort of knows my type, but there was no names just the code numbers and pictures and no offence. I haven't seen you since you did a runner from the hotel after we did it the last time, you remember when you said you loved me? You ran away after hearing the L-word, whilst I was at work. I wish I'd shot your baby maker harder with the paint ball! Why did you run, were you frightened I was gonna say I loved you too Luis, that wasn't going to happen, just to make it clear you were a booty call and nothing more. Sorry to break it to you, you and I don't do the commitment thing. Photos lie too, because you're not as good looking in the flesh, now I have seen you again and I'm sober."

"Whose Lorna?" I asked them.

"Our sister..." Both Chris and Mel shouted at the same time.

"She did this on purpose why? God if only I wasn't drunk that afternoon? Wait I didn't take any pictures, they asked for details not photographs." Poor Luis!

"The clinic you used was it in Providence?" Mel asked, as she apparently loves a little mystery, and my brother from the way they are staring at each other.

"Yes and the girl was kind of pretty and very persuasive, the other lads were well up for it and it was an all for one challenge. So I did what I could for the brothers, Gheeze, I'm glad I was off my game that day, but hell it was six years ago, how the hell did she know I would say yes and you would need that sort of help and would even go to that clinic? That is too much to be a coincidence, it's a set up, but why?"

"Lorna, she was the one who talked me into it six years ago, saying she'd found the perfect place to get the sperm from and as she worked there she could get me the pick of the newest little guys in, from the best looking donors. She phoned me to tell me a new donor had come, and he was my ideal man. She was so wrong paff, like you're really my ideal man. So I bought the swimmers. I'd had a hard time what with the accident and all that, so I delayed implanting them, until they phoned and asked was I aware there was a seven year cut off in the clinic for storage. I did it six months ago and the rest were flushed as I said. So what's her game? This has a smell of Roger and Catherine about it Chris, I feel violated and used. I trusted her."

"Would she do that to you?" I ask.

"No, Lorna and me were, I thought, finally like proper sisters, you know we discussed everything when she came to stop with me in Canada for a while. I told her about the wanting to start a family, but couldn't be bothered with a man in my life because the last one was an ass. Him, who was and is you Luis by the way. I discussed us a lot with her, she listened and I thought she understood me and where I was coming from. She asked had I considered a sperm donor and after I talked to you Chris, I decided why the hell not. So when out of the blue she rang and she jogged my memory, about finding the right swimmers and I decided to go for it."

"I was the ass you were seeing six years ago, then you said you wanted casual Mel, I wanted more with you, hence the I love you mistake I made, I had to get back to work, I didn't disappear I called you and told you where I was going. We could have talked but no Yeller had to do what she did best and it was you who ran away. I meant what I said."

"I ran you idiot, because I did like you, but you were a bloody clown who needed to grow up first, your ideal night out was drinking games and bar crawls and romance for you was saying please before we had sex." I oh-ed and Chris and I watched as they shouted at each other.

"Guys, can we keep the shouting down, she's pregnant, I'm tired and now wondering are we being watched? We weren't as tight with the changeovers as we normally are, we need to get this sorted, Bedford can you drive around a little and make sure we're not being followed?"

"Yes Ma'am, but I don't think you were there are no flights due in until nine today and the place is dead." I ummed something was off and I needed to get to the bottom of this. Chris hugged me.

"Bella stop worrying, we only decided after I read Ethan his bedtime story to come here, and I diverted Mel to Vegas from Cancun mid-flight. All the planes go through private security, so no one knows where my planes are, but my personal security. This was just a chance meeting, they didn't know we would be coming to see a son I didn't even know I had, or that my sister would come with us and that Luis would be here after all he works in Paris mainly, yes Luis?"

"Yes Paris and here in Madrid, why would they do this?" Where was Chris going with this, was it just a coincidence or had they been set up. I watched Luis smile a little when he glanced at Mel's swollen belly. This was way above weird, it was straight out of the Twilight Zone. Chris was trying to come up with reasons and things they both had in common, that Hoyt would want.

"I haven't a clue apart as to the sane reason, but hotels are the common denominator, Mel's father is the owner of the hotel chain, Meller Yeller, the very cool hippy boutique chain of sixties themed hotels, and very good they are too. Mel. Your father owns the Humphries Hotel chain Luis. Please tell me he's not that deluded to have Roger, Catherine and Lorna working together to make one massive chain of hotels?" Chris is struggling with this, he knows the lengths he will go to, to get what he wants, but this? No this is way beyond insane!

"Do you think that Lorna did this on purpose Chris?"

"No Bella, Lorna hates Catherine, I mean really hates her, she hates Roger too. They stopped Dad paying her trust money, just because she was friends with me and Chris, so she had nowhere to go when Dad stopped paying her rent and came to me. I have set her up in an apartment and she has a really great allowance from Chris and I. No, she hasn't got anything to do with this." Chris agreed she was too sweet and nice.

"Sorry to interrupt, but there's another chain of hotels too, when Luis's father died he left him his shares, in the Dodecanese Hotel Chain, and they all over Greece and Cyprus, Luis here is the sole heir to that chain too and there's a lot, but as you said, his Grandad is still very much alive and kicking. Oh and that means your baby girl is part Greek too Mel." She smiled. Chris was livid as it started to make sense of some of his father insane ramblings.

"I bet he is behind this, and those two are the only ones who would do his bidding. His idol is the late Howard Hughes. They share a love of owning hotels and investing in films. He always said his hotels would be the biggest, the best and be everywhere, but this is way more than madness this bordering on something from the fucking x-files, he's done it this time though. Mel, can we get him declared insane? What do we do?" She looked lost and Chris was fuming, what have I got involved in?

"I don't know what our father is capable of, and I don't care not really, but I do know I wasn't meant to meet the bloody sperm donor on an airstrip in Spain, this sucks all the times we did the bedsheet tumble and protected ourselves from being parents, and I pay for this to happen with you, I swear if our father did this and got our little sister to do it, I will kill the old, deluded, insane, mad, old fucker." Luis gave her a smile, as if to say sorry.

"Tell me about it. You got both of my deposits, right? I only have to deal with this shit once?"

"Once and just me, and it's my shit not yours. This is my daughter."

"I think you will find Smelly Mel, that she's mine too! Let's not argue about this right now. Perhaps that's what they want for me to find out and sue you for custody, joint or otherwise and then shit knows what else? My biggest concern is Mum, I can't hide anything from her, and she will get it out of you too." Mel's jovial side was back and she was laughing.

"Well let's start again then hello, I'm Melissa Yeller and I'm having your babies, we met at Harvard Law do you not remember me? Then we had a chance meeting six months ago in Providence, does that lie sound better?"

"Your Yeller the yeller, pleased to meet you, you have a killer mean cross examination voice, and wow I have watched video footage of you and you'd make a grown man wet himself, welcome to my home."

"Why thank you it was too brief our last meeting, ten minutes from start to finish. That is all it took for your to knock me up lover, quick little bugger ain't ya?" Luis laughed and shook her hand.

"Hello, my baby's Mama, pleased to meet you. I'm sorry I don't think I have been anywhere near the business end of your pregnancy in a while, six years ago to be precise, but there is plenty of time to get to know you better. Really we met at Harvard?"

"Yes you were the idiot who sent me flying down the stairs, and blamed that weedy little dick Nordstrom. You were too drunk then to remember my welcome to Harvard bunk up then?"

"Argh Noisy Norseman, the Norwegian legal beagle, he was an ass, he's some sort of big name in parliament over there. As to remember it, it was great, but I called over and your roommate said you were in bed with a fellow, so I went to bed with another woman and then you avoided me like I had a disease again."

"I was in a metaphorical bed, with a research fellow, you dick I was researching for a case, me and three other girls were on my bed with an old guy. Not having sex you dick."

"Oh I thought, I well, I guess I didn't think." I oh-ed these two had been doing it off and on for fifteen years sheisk they have history.

"When you two have finally stopped this legal flirting and ass kissing, can I go see my boy please?"

"Hold it right there brother, ass kissing or kicking you choose, I'm hormonal and need to lose it with someone, you're the chosen recipient of my thumps." Luis looked shocked as Mel yelled and thumped Chris's shoulder.

"Don't worry they do this all the time, Luis they give you a headache, right what cars?"

"I will take my babies Mama in this one, and talk strategies, you two are with Bedford, he is eager to meet the man who gave them the slip and managed to knock up his boss's daughter."

"I swear the next one that says I knocked her up is going down, I didn't do it on purpose and that's the end of it."

"Sure, are you sure this wasn't your daddies plan too? What did he do poke a hole in all your condoms and make you sleep with my baby sister?"

"No stranger than knocking up my sister with thousands of miles between you, besides Ethan was a planned baby, we planned to get knocked up and we managed it, didn't we Bella?" I shook my head in disbelief, were they really having a pissing contest about their swimmers?

"Super swimmers boy I have super swimmers, mine swam continents to impregnate your sister." I swear they are going to be the death of me.

"Right first one back gets to tell Dad you're about to be a Dad too, so come on Bedford I want to win."

"Miss Humphries, how old are you?"

"That's Mrs Holland, Bedford and come on you know you want me to tell Dad first." He opened the door and was about to help me in when Chris stepped forward.

"I've got my wife covered thanks Bedford, my team will need to liaise with your team, I want as little fuss and change around Ethan as possible, my team have been with me years."

"Sir, I'm sure that won't be a problem, Ethan had three PO's Mrs Holland had three also, who worked varying shifts, it was cut down to three shared here, as she has very rarely left the ranch, and she hasn't needed more, if we go into town I go with them all."

"Thank you, the one in Vegas slipped up."

"He was dismissed the same day. Oh Mrs Holland, a Miss Molly King phoned the ranch, and said and I quote Mrs Holland, 'you have to be shitting me, she fucking forgot me?'" I am aghast, I forgot her, bloody hell she will kill me.

"Have her pack her things, have her picked up and taken to the airport, and then flown here today, also can you get Kendal's old rooms packed and sent to her mother's home?"

"Yes, when the sun is up Ma'am, it's already done and new things are in place for Miss King." I may think he's a stuffed shirt, jobs worth, but he knows his stuff, and he is loyal to daddy.

"Are you happy to be home Bella?"

"I am, I may even risk waking Ethan up for a cuddle, a squish and a whole heap of kisses, and I've been away twelve days and its twelve days I missed things he did, I will never get back, the stupid thing is that if I hadn't gone, I wouldn't have found you."

"I would never have found you here this isn't on the list of properties your father owns?"

"Actually Ethan Holdings own it, Dad put it in his father's name and there is no paper trail to it leading to us or any other company. Normally we fly to Madrid, Barcelona or Bilbao airports, and helicopter or drive into the ranch from there, there's a helipad on top of most of the hotels, all cloak and dagger stuff isn't it Bedford?"

"Yes ma'am, we are changing protocol too, Luis says he was followed in from Madrid Airport, so he booked in the hotel there and gave them the slip and drove a hire car here earlier, we are looking into it."

"Good, how's Dad been really, he always says fine, but you know Dad is he getting better?"

"His doctor is hopeful that the last lot of chemo has done the job, but he is weak and that's despite your mother cutting down on the time he spends with Ethan. That though has been a fruitless exercise every time we turn around, he's on his Papa's knee. The puppy has tired Ethan out too, but the little thing is a chewer and he's a shoe chewer too."

"It needs training, and I ain't doing it, Luis can do it, it's his damned dog."

"Ma'am Rochelle is an ex-police dog handler from Scotland Yard we don't need to send it far. Perhaps she and Ethan could learn together?"

"What, my son is too young to train a puppy? Can he even walk that far?" I laughed he talks and walks way above what he should be doing for his age and both are non-stop, from walking, talking to sleeping.

"He needs it Chris, he will wear you out I swear, that boy is actually as bad as you, he's got three things on the go at once, he likes to be busy and he likes to be up all night too and walk that far? Turn your head on him and he's off, he's been walking since he was ten months old Chris, hasn't he Bedford?"

"Yes Ma'am, and might I say my proudest moment to date, working for your father, being the only one to witness his first steps, and having the foresight to record it, I just knew he was going to do it."

"Bedford was on Ethan duty, and we were at the hospital with Dad and Mum." There are then sad sighs from both Chris and I, he's missed so much of his life and I am going to make my sister pay for that. Chris held my had tightly, it's a reassuring it's alright, I know it wasn't your fault type of squeeze, then he smiled and told me why he was up the night before, and for most of the night it was spent on his phone, giving orders and doing a deal.

"I never sleep all night, somewhere there is a deal going down and it can happen day or night. I swim in the pool and run on the ranch every day, I do ten kilometres a morning and fifty laps of the pool. I have, or had a lot of excess energy to burn off." I know he did that on purpose, to make me blush, he actually used a lot of energy on the plane.

"Believe me Chris, you will spend a morning with your son, and you will feel like you have done a marathon. Chris, today has been surreal and kind of crazy, perhaps we should have taken this a little slower, because I don't want you to feel trapped into this?"

"Trapped is that what you think you have done to me? Well I guess you did in a way, I've had you on my mind for years Bella and those were the years I felt trapped. Yes, it's been rushed, yes, it's freakishly surreal, but I am where I am because it's what I want, it's what I have wanted and for quite a while."

"Can it be so simple? Have you ever lived with a woman before?"

"Umm, yes and definitely no, I will make mistakes and mess up, but believe me you were all I thought of, so simple it is, and it won't be easy but it will be fun trying, because we are going to have to learn to get it right together, and the first lesson is I like a little starch in my shirts dear wife."

"Oh, is that how you want to play it? Well when you do my laundry all my underwear goes on a moderate wash with extra softener."

"Easy I can do that, where is the nearest store for new ones, in case I don't do it right?" We both laugh but he shrugs his shoulders, I doubt he even knows how a washing machine works.

"It's fine Anna, the housekeeper is pretty damn good at laundry, and I will inform her of your starch requirements, tighty whities starched too?"

"Nope, I like extra fabric softener in those, I like that area nice and comfortable dear wife. So, are we going to be alright?"

"I guess we are about to find out, we are here, well this is the property boundary. It's a good five minutes up this drive way. Welcome to my humble abode."

"Wow, it really is a castle. Aww shucks my wife is a Princess in a castle."

"Yes with a miniature pig, that's the size of a horse, four llamas, three sheep, two goats, numerous ostriches and all my actual horses."

"A miniature pig, and horse size?"

"Yes, Mum fell in love with one of those micro pigs, only now it's a hefty half a ton sow, the llamas, they were bought for their wool or something, she was spinning her own stuff, and the wheel thing has cobwebs and sits in the store room and the llamas spit and are nasty. The sheep and goats were for her cheese making courses, which she took for like three weeks, and they are now pets, the goat's milk Ethan drinks, and one of the men takes the milk home and his wife makes cheese for Ethan, from the goats and the sheep's milk too! Oh, and we have an ostrich or two too, because Mum wanted to go start designing her own Faberge style egg things? She took a jewellery class, and the next thing we have half a dozen small birds, that over three years have turned into two dozen nightmares. Dad really has to stop her hair brained schemes.

They were all at some point her daft hobbies and now they are her daft pets. Her hobbies last five minutes at best. She was a high powered attorney when she met Dad, and when she had me then I was her life, Luis too of course, but he was more independent than me and he had time away with his grandfather in Greece. Then she forever badgered Luis for a grandchild, she however got the surprise of Ethan's arrival, so now she's just glad to be filling her time with Ethan, Dad and her damn Noah's Ark thing, or as Ethan calls it Nana's Zoo, he asked her for a tiger cub, and would you believe it, she found one?"

"He has a tiger cub too, shit will it eat me?"

"Nope, I stopped her just in time, so she bought him the monster life sized one in his room, that's called Tigger, and he loves it." He sighs I realise and I know, just how hard is this going to be, because he's missed out on so much, that I cannot give him back.

"So Luis gets that from her then, an impulsive lawyer with the attention span of a gnat?"

"Pretty much she is a little scatty at times, but the law thing is a family tradition, her father was an attorney and she followed suit, but it skipped over me, though I do have it in my blood and would be a natural, but I still like to design buildings, I'm not a cut throat sort of person, or I wasn't until I started doing Dad's job. I have Ethan and my small projects on the boil, so I'm happy and that won't change just because I'm married to you, with technology I can work anywhere in the world."

"I wouldn't expect you to drop everything for me, but I would like some us time and family time thrown in there please, for a few years anyhow. I'd like more family time than work time if truth be told?"

"I always can find time for those things too, though there's going to be a damn sight more Ethan time for the foreseeable future, I missed him. Here we are and the party's all here." We both see the blond toddler, who's busy jumping up and down and getting over excited.

"I'm just a little bit afraid right now, what if..."

"...Shush, Chris he will love you, there's your son." He looked over and smiled, I looked at them both again and my heart is fit to bursting, with so much pride, they are like peas in a pod. Take it easy Isabella, breathe deep and relax, this is going to be fine, really fine and if it isn't throw Luis to the lions hahaha.

"Mummmmmmyyy, you here... Mummy, Mummy..." One very clingy little boy sticking to my leg is raised up and I go straight in for the biggest of cuddles and squishes. Lord I missed my little man.

"Mummy missed you baby boy, I have brought someone to see you."

"You bringed me a Daddy, you bringed him home?"

"I did, and he's waiting to see you." Chris stepped nervously from the car and Ethan wriggled to get a look see, and was demanding to be freed from my arms and demanded to go to a very pale Chris.

"Hello, I'm Ethan, you look funny. You not give cuddles and squishy kisses?"

"Oh I can do those things, you're a big boy, have you been good for Papa and Nana?"

"Always good, I like your hat."

"That's a Stetson and thank you, here wear it if you like?"

"Yesss pleazzzze, come on see my Mojo, he asleep in my bed. He poopied on my floor and Nana said rude word, and Unkie Lou gonna get it for bringing mutt to house, it a crappy machine and Mojo eated her shoe too."

"Shall we clean the poop up, when you show me your puppy then, and it's best we hide your shoes too?"

"No poop, Nana moved it, 'cos it smell funny and awful in my room, in house come see, this way Daddy, you smell of wood, soap and stuff, Mummy smells like you too, good you smell the same." With a shrug of his shoulders and carrying Ethan, whose head was drowning in his daddy's hat, Chris smiled back at me mouthing thank you, as they disappeared into the house.

"Mum, Dad what do you think, am I mad doing it all again?"

"No, we have always liked Christopher and he was always a part of this family, now you've come to your senses, and he is going to be good for you, and be good for Ethan. They really do look alike. I always said so, and Chris was about Ethan's age, when old Hoyt started to parade the lad out. Whose Luis got with him?" They had pulled up and had exited their car, looking really relaxed together. Luis stood with his arm protectively around Mel's waist. Umm, I wonder what they discussed in the car to get them this close, and they are both smiling?

"That's Chris's younger sister Mel. She's nice but really loud and Canadian, she's so funny, and they get on as well as me and Luis do. She was the reason he had to leave me, the limp she has, is the only physical scar she has now. She's tired and grumpy though, because she's six months pregnant and can't wait to see her new nephew."

"Well, you look happy Bella, we just have to get through the next few days and sort things out. Rachel will be here in the morning, and knows what it is all about. If she wants her trust money, she has to be here, she has to know the pain she has caused you and Chris, and what the time away from his son has done to him, to them both. She says it was only done to protect you, and that's the only reason she didn't tell you of the letters or the messages he sent you. She thought he was too old for you and had a reputation as a womaniser. I know the last part used to be true, he and Luis were wild young men, but the Chris we knew later was very much changed, anyway, we will have the answers tomorrow."

"Dad don't fall for it, she did it for herself, you saw her naked in his bed, a bed that Chris had been out of for two hours. He phoned her and asked her to pass on a message, which she never did. A message that as soon as I'd called him, his jet would come to take me to him and to his sick sister's bedside. So, I could be of comfort to him, instead when he needed me most, where was I? I was running back here. He thought I was just the spoilt brat Rachel told him I was. She even told him all about my stint in rehab, and she said I would be there again, for more attention seeking.

She picked up the ring and the letter I wrote, and kept it, she probably wears it when we're not around. After this plane journey, she rides commercial like Luis, and her mum does not get to go on shopping trips in our company jets either. She works at making her job just that and not another excuse to party, it is not a hobby, she has to make her own money Dad, Luis and I do. Really stop falling for her guilt trips Daddy, she's thirty three, not three and you paid her mum enough money to get her own bloody plane, besides the witch's new husband is a banker and rich enough. Here's the Wonder Son now. I was just telling Mum and Dad, that Mel may be tired, what with being pregnant and all." I winked at them both and Mel smiled.

"Oh I bet you did. Mum and Dad, I'd like you to meet Melissa Yeller, Chris's little sister and mother of my soon to be daughter, long story and yes, she is grumpy. Mel, meet my mum Maria, and my dad Hugh."

"Less of the grumpy Luis, and I'd go with tired and in need of the loo. Hello and pleased to meet you both, and no this is not what it seems like and yes we can explain, after I get to the bathroom." Our mother didn't know what to do first, hit Luis, hug Mel, or cry. Dad showed her the way to the littlest room and she did the latter.

"Melissa, let me show you where the cloakroom is, you really are having my son's baby?"

"Really, I am, and yes, I need the cloakroom real fast, she kicks and I need to pee, sorry." Mum was astonished, and Dad looked like he was steaming mad and I was sure he had vapour coming from his ears, like a kettle, as he walked back towards Luis.

"Son, there better be a bloody good explanation for this, how long have you known and why would you do the same thing to her as Chris did, well he didn't, but you know what I mean? Your sister had to go through her pregnancy without the father here. Damn it Luis, I thought I raised you better than that? I knew all your partying would come to this, hell I expected it in your teens if I was honest, and definitely in your twenties, but by your thirties I thought you would have grown up a little. Get in the house, Bedford have Miguel and Rodrigo put their bags to their rooms please, Melissa is in the blue room, Chris is in the back cream room."

"Daddy my husband is stopping with me in my room, and yes I have the paperwork and the new rings." I flashed my freshly acquired rock and gold band at them.

"Damn my kids are going to kill me today. Wait, just one minute, he and you, no you can't have can you, you're not telling me that you got married and it was done today? He only asked if he could marry you, not that he was doing it right away, you must have, because I only gave him my permission this afternoon. Are you really married? What else is going to be sent to try us today?" We headed in to a wonderful sight Ethan was hugging Chris, and giving him squishy hugs and kisses, because Chris was crying.

"Why all the tears Chris, what's the matter?" My dad asks.

"Daddy say he happy to see me, and then cried. I do something wrong?"

"No Son you did nothing wrong, these are just happy tears, very happy to meet you tears, that's all. Now show Mummy your puppy, which needs a new name, a Mojo he isn't, he pees like a fountain, we need to call him Trevi."

"Nope, I likes Mojo, Mojo good and he likes you, he pee if he like you, see he pee up your shoe, look Daddy he really like you. Mummy why you crying too, you got's happy tears? Oh you look funny lady, lets me down Daddy, lady crying too she need a squishy hug and kisses." He ran into Mel's legs and she bent to pick him up.

"Hello little man. I'm your Aunty Mel."

"I got's an Aunty Ratty, who I not seed yet and now I got's you too? You have a big belly, you smell nice you smell of lemon, apple and chocolate, you got chocolate hidden here in your big belly, you is very big Aunty Smell."

"I have a big, big belly because there's a baby in here." He screamed, wriggled out of her arms and straight to Chris, not to me but Chris, who smiled, what was he worried about again?

"Smell gonna eat me too Daddy, send her away, Aunty Smell gonna eats me Mummy."

"No baby, she didn't eat a baby she's going to have a baby, it's in her belly until it is ready to be born, like when your pony Ginger was in his mummy's belly, do you remember? She's called Aunty Mel sweetheart."

"Mummy, is she not going to eat me? Good, but, how it get in there?"

"Yes, how did it get their Luis Yannis Theodore Humphries? I would like to know too and soon please?" Oh Mum, gave him his full name and now he's in trouble.

"Not now Mum, please, there's plenty of time for that later? You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Until an hour and a half ago, I didn't know I was having a daughter, I haven't seen Mel for six years, we saw each other on the holidays, I spent with Chris, and she was the one who wacked the jewels, with the paint ball gun, do you remember her now, you even met her a couple of times, back in the day. Apart from catching glimpses of her at Harvard, we only met up occasionally after that, then nothing in the last six years. See I told you Mum wouldn't believe me Bella."

"I know Mel, she came a time or two to the hotels with you Chris, but you have changed, so much I would not have known it was you Dear." My mother is straight talking.

"Plastic surgery, I had to have a lot of it, but I am happy with the new face, its growing on me!"

"Yes, yes, it is nice, your old one was nice too. Have the operations finished?" Mum is patting her arm.

"Yes, and though I wanted to wait to have my baby until my leg was stronger, I couldn't wait any longer."

"You both studied together in university, if memory recalls?" My father asks.

"Yes, I went to study. Luis used it as an excuse to party if I remember rightly, it's a small wonder you qualified at all party boy, and he's right we haven't seen each other in years." Luis feigns a look of shock, I wonder if the reason she chose a dark looking donor was because of how she was when they were together? I had seen her a few times at Chris's place when I was really little. Well we know they have been intimate before, so what's the game? Chris smiled as he watched me looking at them.

"I wondered about that too, they always seemed to be fighting when she was at my place, after they rowed, they'd sneak into each other's rooms at night, like they weren't bloody grown adults. I wonder if he thought I'd be mad at him having sex with my sister? I have to wonder too, why are they were hiding this obvious love thing they have? On a brighter note, I love my son very much he's cute, thank you Bella."

"You are welcome want to start practicing for the others we said we wanted later?" His eyebrows rose and he laughed.

"Mum, can this wait, they are hungry and need food, my daughter makes Mel hungry, feed your granddaughter please before her mother goes thermonuclear on me." Good stall brother, mention granddaughter and she's whipped.

"Anna has prepared breakfast, a little earlier than we normally have it, but it's ready when you are."

"Mummy, do my eggs pleazzzze? Daddy are you having egg and soldiers too?" He smiled as he sliced the top off and the mantra taught to him by Dad.

"I'm sorry Humpty but I can't put you together again, 'cos my belly is hungry." Dad and Ethan looked on in amazement.

"I say's that too." He watched and smiled as Chris did his egg for him. I had to leave the table because the tears were starting...

"Bella are you alright?" I nodded my head and went through to my room and I was followed by Mum.

"Why are you crying Isabella? What has made you so unhappy?" I was wrapped in her arms crying like a baby.

"He missed so much, and I can't give him the time back, the egg thing, tucking him in at night, reading to him, watching him smile for the first time, lots of things have been robbed from him Mum. I'll kill her, I mean it Mum, I will kill Rachel for what she's done." Two more arms came in to grab my waist.

"Bella, I can have those first times again, I've just had to wait until now. Isabella Holland, I'm here now, please don't cry over something you can't do anything about, come on, Ethan wants you to eat your eggs."

"Who taught you Hugh's breakfast thing?"

"Hugh, a long time ago, at a conference my father dragged me to, he got me to eat my eggs by saying that and making me laugh, it was something very small, but very fondly remembered, and that he was nice to me."

"Come on my little girl, your husband is right you need to eat and then we talk. Luis has he been naughty Isabella, tell me please?"

"No Mum, he told you the truth. After breakfast, we'll sort our rooms out and have some time with Ethan. He and Mel will explain what we know, but it's shocked my brother and us, I can tell you that much." My mother is so very confused with the fact that she is to get a granddaughter, that didn't involve Luis having had sex. I am unpacking as Chris comes in looking red and flustered he's spent an hour with Ethan and Mojo.

"Our son is hyperactive, he can never have sugar, he will kill me, Bella he has accepted me without question, and I'm so... I'm... So..."

"Happy?"

"Err yeah of course I just can't believe you had my son without me here."

"I had my stupid reasons and my pride severely dinted, being as I was so not your type."

"You Bella Holland are my only type, have we got time to work on his brother or sister now?"

"Oh I'd hold that thought Mum and Dad want words, but hell yeah after I sort out Ethan, sorry Chris but being a mum has kicked back in, we now have to snatch time when he sleeps dear, welcome to reality of parenting, are you still sure this is what you want?"

"Hell yes, please Bella what makes you think I don't? I have wanted and waited for you since you were sixteen. So what, we've had a rocky start yes, but from now on, you two and anymore he lets us have time for, I want. I love my wife and my son and hopefully they love me?"

"Umm, hopefully he knows that they do? Well then discussions and plots to reveal, do you really think your dad's behind this?" He laughed as he hugged my backside and kissed my neck, oh if he doesn't stop doing that we will be late down to the meeting...

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:

Chris.

As I look at my wife coming in fresh from the shower, I smile. Life is perfect, my son is beautiful and for two he's pretty damn smart, so well advanced, he talks, runs and does everything better than the twins and Thomas did, I may be a little overly proud of my son's accomplishments. I'd kill to get those years back with them and will kill Rachel if she upsets Bella tomorrow. I highly doubt she will come though. There's a knock at the door and Bella goes to answer it, it's Mel in need of clothes.

"Here they are in my winter wardrobe, help yourself, how's Mum with you?"

"Intense, but in a good way I think? I didn't sign up for all the added family you know?"

"Sorry, but we won't be going anywhere soon either. So, Luis what's he like and has he said anything?"

"Delighted I think? He keeps saying 'he's the man' a lot as he looks at me. He always was weird, in a cute way and his stupid chat up lines were really cheesy."

"That's why you loved him."

"I know... I mean I didn't love him, I liked him and he was a good fuck buddy, but love? I don't think I can love a man, or a woman in case you were going there. I am not wired to stay committed to one person like that."

"Mel, you do realise you will have to love your daughter for a life time."

"Yes, but it's a different love, men are hard to figure out and most are self-centred, they think of one of two things, sex and food. They are a whole other species and too hard to figure out, especially as most of them don't know their arse, from their elbow and only think of their own needs ninety percent of the day."

"Err I don't need to know about your bedroom antics." Chris grimaced as she said it and the pair of them did yucky faces at each other.

"I knew it, you and him have history but what sort of history?"

"Bella, I'm her brother and sat in the bed, do you mind not discussing sex when I'm here, especially sex between your brother and my sister. Who by the way hooked up more than once at my place, did you not? Don't think I didn't see you sneaking in his room and vice-a-versa." She laughed.

"We did as it happens, for mad drunken sex romps and quite a lot too, but he was a dick in University and didn't give me the time of day, we hooked up once when we got drunk, see the common theme we get drunk and have sex. I don't even think he knew or cared how hurt I was, as he slept his way through uni with everyone else, after we did it when I first got there. I thought great he likes me, but nope it was just a onetime thing. I went to his room the night after and he had another girl in there and didn't even see me, I didn't go there again not at uni anyway. Judging from the comments he made on the way from the plane, he meant what he said when he said he loved me though, shit this love craps hard."

"You don't have to tell us about it we know...." Chris and I spoke in unison and laughed.

"I used him for my own personal fuck buddy, when I was in town or on holiday like he used me, I got what I wanted without the tears and drama, I wanted to tell him I loved him too, but I remembered the other girls, the hundreds of girls and couldn't get past it. So I became his female counter part, I enjoyed the variety, but Luis and I had that something else, we always did, well we popped our cherries together, when we were fifteen, so I guess it was special or I thought it was until he came back with some crappy disease from a trip he took for someone's birthday." I will kill Luis he took my sisters virginity... Oh wait, I was older though and so was Bella, Bella smiled across at me and winked.

"I always thought he was, he err, shit, that he lost it with the hooker from your party Bella, when I was sixteen. It turns out he's a bigger player than me. Bella wasn't overly fond of our guests, were you sweetheart?"

"No I wasn't, I wanted to bite her, as all little girls do, but in my defence, I was only seven Christopher. That was the first time your big brother broke my heart with a woman."

"You were in love with Chris at seven, wow, talk about a slow start up Bro, you really liked him? Shit I suppose you did thinking back you did throw me looks when Chris and I fooled around, aww brother she was jealous that's why she didn't like me." I laughed as she took a handful of dresses, and went to change in her room. Chris had rolled himself in a sheet, when Mel entered the room, and was now heading for the bathroom.

"Oh we have delayed the meeting until you two got caught up Mum, Dad and Luis want you downstairs as soon as your dressed. Honeymoon's over, we have shit to sort."

"Okay I'm ready we will see you in ten minutes." I walked to the bathroom and Chris was already lathered in soap. I watched him as his hands caressed his body, wow that's all mine.

"Like what you see? I'd say get in here too but we have a delayed meeting to attend to and a son to see to, we really should have gone straight down, you and your wonton needs Mrs Holland are gonna be the death of me." With a rinse off, of those lucky, lucky bubbles I handed him the towel.

"You smell nice, we could ask for another ten minutes or so Chris?"

"Ten minutes? You wound me, nothing gets rushed with you Bella we're going to have to be fine until the little one is asleep."

"Umm, I suppose, so get dressed then, I will see you down there, love you, I love you, I love you, oh and I love you."

"Seems I love you too, go see to Ethan I'll be down in a second." I walked in to see Mojo with my shoe in his mouth the little fucker. I took it off him and scolded him. Ethan was in tears as I clocked the mutt with the chewed shoe on the nose.

"You little mutt bugger you, those were my good shoes. Luis you owe me some major grovelling time, they were my best work pumps you..."

"Mummy he sorry see he wagging his tail..." I saw my cherubs little tears and kissed them away.

"I know and Mummy didn't hurt him, he just has to learn that shoes are not for chewing, like you learnt that the mud isn't for eating, he has to learn too."

"Okay, he like eating his poop I smack tell him no poop not nice, like you did when I eated all the mud, I did good?"

"You did good." I felt like throwing up, irk dog poop is far worse than nappy poop to shift. "Right folks we need to discuss plans and stuff." We all sit down in the lounge as Ethan runs to his dad. To be swept up into Chris's arms, with a snuggle and a kiss.

"Missed me already?"

"I had a nap too, Nana said you and Mummy were tired, so I had a nap, I was tired too. Mojo had a smack, he eated Mummy shoe, he a mutt bugger."

"Oh really a mutt bugger, that is a naughty word Ethan please don't say it again. Mummy better not say it again either." Ouch scolded by my husband, yes please! I winked as they sat on the couch next to me.

"Right first things first, we need to speak to your sister, can you get her on the phone please Mel?" Mel dialled Lorna's number. We waited with bated breath, as the ring cheeped away.

"Hello, why are you waking me up so early, this better be good, speak god damn it if that's you Roger or you Catherine, I swear I will get Chris to sort you out. Speak please don't keep ringing me all night, all bloody night long you've been doing this. I do not know where they are, because they wouldn't tell me and I wouldn't tell you two if I did, so do your worst stop it, stop it. STOP IT PLEASE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE..." We were all shocked.

"Lorna, it's me Mel what's the matter? You're on speaker Chris is here too."

"Mel, it's really you? Thank God, they have been ringing me all night, I couldn't tell them where you where I thought you were in Mexico sorting out some legal problem for Chris, where are you?"

"We are with Bella and her family, and I am not telling you where they are, they still need to be kept safe. Listen we are going to be sending security to watch you, don't bother packing get dressed as though going to work and do nothing differently. The security detail will follow you don't worry about looking for them, they have been following you a while. Go into work as normal, then head to your office wait ten minutes and head to the roof, and I will have a helicopter grab you and your security from there and fly you to the airport, to get the jet to bring you here from there. Don't worry Lorna we will look out for you, are you alright?"

"Chris, they wanted to know where you where too? I don't know what's going on they are nutters the pair of them. Dad had another serious, proper heart attack, a proper one Chris, not a sympathy one. Jameson will be ringing you when he's out of surgery. They went nutty and have been ringing all night." We all gasped.

"Listen we can discuss Hoyt later, but for now, do you have anything to do with me having Luis Humphries baby Lorna?"

"Oh hell, I, oh, I guess you know then? How did you know the father was Luis? Have you had her early, and she looks like him, God are you alright?"

"No it's a long story too, I'm fine and Nina is fine, carry on please Lorna."

"Mel, I never meant for you to find out, it's just you helped me so much. I, crapfess, I'm in trouble, aren't I? I'm so sorry, but I wanted to give you the thing you most wanted, Luis's baby. I sort of had it planned a while, you know after we discussed your wanting a sperm donor, you asked did my clinic have anything as good looking as dick-for-brains. You wanted the baby, but without the dad thing and all night long you whined on and on about not wanting a dick like Luis anyway, his kids yes but not the idiot dad, so when you wouldn't stop bleating on about the dick ignoring you..."

"Lorna, that dick-for-brains, dick, is sat here too as are my parents..." Luis smiles as he says it.

"Oh I'm sorry. I forgot I was on speaker. Hello Mr and Mrs Humphries. Luis, I still think you're a dick though, my sister is worth ten of any of your Barbie Bimbos."

"He is a very stupid boy you're quite correct, Melissa is indeed a very nice girl, very pretty and too good for Luis. Now dear, why did you do it and how did you do it?" My dad was being so calm despite wanting to throttle Luis. Luis, he was not doing a lot, but mutter he wasn't a dick, how childish? Nah he was just being my dick of a brother Lou- Lou. I'd laugh but I am staring at my boys hugging each other and playing. What a bloody great sight it is!

"Well the hardest part was getting Luis contribution. I had to wait for one of his many New York bar crawls. I knew from his Facebook account that they were going to be out one weekend, on a bar trip. I posed as an agent for a modelling agency, and the other lads were well up for it, then they asked did it pay well. I said to the lad whose party it was, that it was not paid at all, but if they wanted extra money, had they thought of donating blood, or you know man stuff? They were well up for it not the blood stuff, the man stuff, typical men won't save lives but are willing to jerk off to porn for an hour or so."

"Lorna, my mother-in-law is here. Please watch your mouth." Chris laughed as he said it.

"Sorry I forgot, alright Chris sorry. Right, where was I? A challenge of Luis's was to get as many rounds of drinks for free, as they could. So my donating idea meant they were getting their drinks from somewhere other than their drinks kitty. Apparently, Luis also set up another challenge, to do something the folks wouldn't approve of and it had to be something they couldn't, or they wouldn't get arrested for. So I told them I also worked in a fertility centre and they paid very well for, err, you know, donations?

After their donations were received, I put Luis aside, and put together a fantastic folder full of Luis's best features. Sheisk, which was hard work, thinking of good things to write about him I can tell you. Included in the folder where photos of him, photos that showed off his body, and just a distant look at his face, he was playing sports and golf and well you get the gist? I did such a great job, that when I phoned Melissa, she came and had a look see, at the newest donor. You're a dumb ass and my sister is too good for you Luis, and just so you know, I am going to kick your ass when I get there, you know that right?"

"Lorna, I get the picture you think I'm not good enough for your wonderful sister. right?"

"Well, right as long as you know she is wonderful, I'm still gonna kick your ass though."

"Lorna, please continue you're due to be getting ready to leave for work." Chris was grinning at Luis who was ogling Mel and smiling.

"Alright Chris it was a great folder and she bought his whole donation. She never knew it was Luis, just that the guy kind of reminded her of him. Sorry Sis, I thought I was giving you what you wanted, without having the dick-for-brains Luis knowing. How did you and him find out, please tell me you two haven't done it again, not after six years? Really where did you meet him this time, hopefully not drinking on another bar trip, you shouldn't be drinking Mel?"

"I haven't touched a drop of alcohol since the accident, as you well know, though I could do with a whole bottle of wine about now. Chris had the plane diverted to Vegas, and we flew here to their home. I knew when I saw him at the airport, the photos gave him away. He came to meet us as we landed I knew it was Luis because he was wearing those same hideous freaky goofy golf pants he had on in the damn photos I looked at. There can't be two pairs of them in the world?"

"Freaky? I am hurt because they are very me I will have you know. Really the pants were what gave it away?" My dad was in stitches laughing at Luis face, the pants were awful and had hideous Hawaiian flowers all over them and he teamed it with an equally hideous shirt, cap, and orange socks, yes, I agree with dad and Mel, he was truly noticeable in them.

"No they really are hideous, my club have petitioned for them to be burnt Luis."

"Really the pants gave you away. I am so sorry Luis, Mr and Mrs Humphries, but she was only doing it to give me something nice. Lorna thank you and be careful. Ring us as soon as you get to work, please, now get to the hotel and ring me from your office. I'm sure Chris will put a good team together you're in no danger. I will see you when you get here."

"Am I not in trouble? Mel, Chris are you going to shout at me?"

"No little Sis we aren't. The man following you from my team is called Grant Williams, he is already watching you, and he has been doing so since we moved you to Chicago, he will be waiting outside your door. He will take you to work and bring you here and see to it you are safe Lorna."

"You had me followed Chris, why did you not trust me?"

"We trust you little one and a hundred percent too. We don't trust those two, now grab your passport, some clothes, then give the bag to Grant and do as Mel said, go to work and act normal, or as normal as you can, you fruit loop. Really you did all this on your own? If you did, you should be working in mergers and acquisitions Lorna." We all laugh and agree.

"Really, I did, sorry." She said goodbye and went to change for work, having been told to leave everything electrical in her office, and just bring her personal paperwork and purse. Chris arranged for them to meet Molly in New York and fly together here, Molly, she too is told to leave her phone and electrics with Chris's security guy. I then wondered when and if this cloak and dagger stuff would ever end.

"Well we have our answer to the who, the what, the why, the where and how Baby Nina is on her way, it seems my son and Melissa need to do some talking, because I'm sure they have things to discuss. Bella show Chris around the place. Take Ethan to ride his pony I'm sure Hill's has been great letting him ride, she just well..."

"...Doesn't handle a two year old fire cracker. I'm sure Chris is up for a ride, we can't do anything until they get here, are you sending for Henry, Chris?"

"No Bedford has everything covered here, this is his territory after all, and you have been well looked after here. I just have to phone Jameson and see how Dad is fairing, and where he is and what he knows about Roger and Catherine's stalking of Lorna."

"How did you know to have her watched Chris?"

"Call it a gut feeling. I thought because you and Lorna had become close, they or Dad would do something, but I wasn't having her calls monitored, my guy was just her watched, I'm glad I did now. Can I use your office here Bella?"

"Umm, yeah of course mi casa es su casa, you don't have to ask. I will get Ethan ready for his ride, are you alright?"

"Fine Bella, I have everything I need right here, I won't be long. Hugh and Maria I will see you in a moment."

"Fine take your time, Maria and I have to talk to the nurse about flying to Australia, unless you feel okay staying here it's rather safe you know?"

"I know and I haven't been able to find Bella, so I hardly think they will be able to manage, we will speak later. Please let me just get this talk out of the way and we'll discuss it further, I can never tell with him if it's a play for my attention or not, he's cried wolf so many times Hugh."

"I know Son, I know. Well fingers crossed." I doubt there's a thing wrong with him, but I go to use Bella's office and hope for the best. I get through to Jameson. He answers immediately and I hold my breath.

"Chris, thank the lord, it's bad news I'm afraid, he's just died. I was just about to phone you. They operated last night, I've tried getting a hold of Mel and Lorna, the others have been informed, but as next of kin you have to deal with all this, and as soon as you can Chris please? It's going to be a rough couple of months. Roger is trying to sort things, but your father, well let's just say he didn't trust the pair of them. Bring your sisters please they are with you, aren't they?"

"What... Yes... I mean yes they are with me, what can I do from here?"

"Well not a lot really, he set plans in motion months ago for today and top of his list was to get you in charge of the group, and as soon as possible."

"Oh, I didn't think he'd do that, why did he do that?"

"You're his heir, his legitimate heir, you have always known this Chris, but Roger and Catherine are not happy at all. They have been looking for you everywhere and are tailing the girls. Can you get back quickly, because as soon as they are dealt with things should get better?" I was stunned, and as much as I thought I hated my father, why was this hurting so much?

"Jameson, I have a family now, I can't possibly just drop everything and get there, my son needs me and my wife and I have only just got back, but this needs sorting can you have the other five at the hotel when I get there?"

"Your son, you have a wife?"

"I have Jameson, I married the mother of my son yesterday and flew straight here to meet him, I'd love for you to see them."

"I'd like that too, are you happy Chris?"

"More than I ever thought possible, being his father has blown me away, he's so wonderful, he and his mother are the best things in my life. I expect if we come, it will be en masse as the French say, we will stop at By the Park, have them all there in two days please, as you say as soon as this is over the better."

"They will be here and awaiting you at your fathers hotel there. They have no choice, because as soon as died, he had their trust funds put on hold until you authorise their payments to start again. As I said, he's stirred up some trouble for you even from beyond the grave. I have extra security in and have locked down the office and his rooms, just until you get here."

"I will be there as soon as I can Jameson. I'll have the jet readied, my family may not be with me, and I can't ask them to come. Hugh is ill and Ethan hasn't travelled before. Shit this couldn't have happened at a worse time, I will be there Jameson as soon as I can, and thank you, thanks for everything." I said I'd be there as soon as I could. I put the phone down and for the strangest of reasons a tear fell from my chin, when did that sucker escape? Bella came in and looked at me. Did I look that bad?

"Chris, was it bad news?"

"The worst kind Bella, he has just died and I have to get back to New York as soon as possible, he was doing a business deal there and had a massive heart attack and died on the operating table, so I have to go back to sort everything out. Give me a minute, please? I will have Grant stop there with Lorna and have him hold Molly there too. I can't ask you to come with me, so I will get this over with and get straight back."

"I'm coming with you, I'm supposed to be by your side, isn't that what wives do? Besides, Ethan will love the trip in the plane. We are going on a road trip how's that sound like Ethan?"

"Me fly in plane with Daddy?"

"You can help Daddy fly the plane, how does that sound Ethan?" He was placed in my arms.

"Yeahhhhhh..." I held on to my son, and cried as he clung on to me for dear life, these were the moments I'd hoped for from my father, this little boy in my arms is going to know what it's like to be loved by me, every single day of the year, ever year of his life, he will get what I missed out on.

"Are you alright Chris?"

"Yes, I feel sad for some reason, but having you two here helps, come on we need to pack again. I will explain everything to Hugh, they won't want to schlep all the way there and who could blame him?" Bella shrugged her shoulders and smiled as Ethan and I left her to the packing.

"Come on little man lets go and tell Papa we are going to America again."

"Am, err, i, ca... In a plane with Daddy yeahhhhhh..."

"Yeah Son, yeah, come on rug rat let's get us some talking done." He held on to me as hard as I held on to my precious little boy. He already has my heart and I couldn't imagine another day without him, so how could my father be so cruel to his children, not just me, but the others too? I could never be as heartless as him, perhaps that's what he did for me, made me want to be a better father because of how he treated me, God is the only one who knows now?

"Hugh, Maria I'm sorry but we have to leave, my father died in the night and I have to get there as soon as I can, Mel too of course, I can't ask you to come, I'd like you by my side but I understand if you cannot."

"Nonsense, Maria was just saying we needed to get out of here for a while, weren't you dear?"

"I was yes Hugh, now we need to pack. Have Bedford get both jets ready, the whole security team needs to be there with us. Now I wonder what we still have in, oh which hotel Hugh, Chris?"

"By the Park, if that's alright? I technically own all Dad's places now, so I could stop there, but By the Park always seemed like home to me."

"Yes, you did spend a lot of time there with us, didn't you Son? Now, I will phone Rachel and put her off for a while, that's just too much to deal with as well."

"Right, Ethan and I are going to see to it that Hills takes good care of Mojo and we will see you later." I spent two hours running my boy ragged, so he would sleep for most of the flight. The dog and horses were left in Hills care, and the cars were loaded and sorted by my very capable wife, we then made our way to the airport, the jets were ready and Henry and Tammy were on their way from Australia too. I did time the trip well, her folks were all too happy to be left on charge of their grandchildren, my other rug rats are being spoilt, I have missed those three too, the ranch is going to be full of children when we get back, if we get back.

Bella may not want to settle there. Crap when did life get so damn complicated? Ethan tugged at my shirt and I then realised I'd become a family guy, and I ain't for changing. I have enough money to get the whole show moved to wherever my wife wants to live, let's get these next few weeks outta the way and then it's us time. Bedford and Hugh talked for a couple of hours about his security issues and it had to be said he raised some valid points. Ethan was a target more now, my sister had been threatened, we were sure it was Rogers doing, helped, as ever by Catherine. I figured I'd add my opinions into the security talk, my fears for my child and my wife. I hoped Bedford would put me out of my misery. He was amazingly good at this crap. He'd kept my son and Bella away from me after all.

"I am my father's legal heir, even though we fell out, he apparently rated me as a businessman, damn good of him. He left me all the hotels, perhaps they thought with me out of the way, everything would go to them. I have always told Roger whatever he did it wouldn't make him any more of a legitimate son than any of the others. I was all he considered his, the others were just mistakes of their mothers, but considering he always thought of me as your son Hugh, I never understood why he had me down as legitimate. Why was he like that Hugh, did you know him before me?"

"Yes, he was always top of his game, his father too. Your grandfather was a hard man, he had your father running at his beck and call. I always felt sorry for him, your father that is, because his father belittled him all his adult life. Always telling him that he was useless and would never be as good as the legitimate heir to his empire, his eldest son was killed in the war, and as your grandfather couldn't have more children, all he had left was your father, a product of a small dalliance of your grandfather.

I only found out this from my father. We, your father and I were both brought up in the hotel game by our fathers, much as you and Bella were, as I said perhaps that's where he gets his hate of illegitimate children from. You know his father despising him for being alive and his favoured son dead, who knows? I know I consider Luis my child and could never think of him any differently from Bella. My father was a wonderful man and I learnt from the best, alas your father learnt nothing, something I'm glad to say he did not pass on to you, you are wonderful with my grandson, perhaps old Hoyt was just wired wrong? I know he was never a happy man, even when he married your mother, he always thought he wasn't worthy of her, but God rest his soul when your mother sees him again she will give him what for, that's the first thing Maria said as we were packing, she'd like to be there when they meet up again." I laughed I didn't think they'd get to meet up, because it has to be hot where Dad is going.

"My security team though small, is well trained in all aspects of security Henry has been with me since I started in business, he Tammy and Jamie are very reliable, they are the only ones coming and Gavin of course who is with Lorna. Tammy has said she will cover Bella or Ethan she has kept her hand in and still regularly knocks Henry on his backside. They will be best served around Ethan or Bella, especially Tammy as she and Bella have a bond, they always have had."

"I was thinking perhaps we could have Tammy, Ferguson and Ethan's nanny Poppy, look after his safety. Poppy is not only his nanny, but is his personal security, and the little chap loves her, and she loves my grandson too." I oh-ed I thought she was just a snip of a girl. "Rochelle and I will look out for Bella as more than likely she will be glued to your side." I agreed with Bedford, he knew my wife well.

"Look I'm going to get my head down for a few hours and join my wife and son in the cabin, Mel and Luis are asleep in the other and Maria is in my main bedroom all of you get your heads down and thank you for all this, and sorry for dragging you into it Hugh."

"Nonsense you're my son and are family, you always were and always will be. You're right of course I am tired and the nurse is on the other plane, so I will take my leave too, you get your head down too Bedford, I think we are going to need you on top form."

"Sir I will be fine, now go and rest before Maria comes and grabs you and tells me off." We retire to our cabins. I look at my wife asleep, in her arms is my little boy, that sight melts my heart, I slip of my shoes and join them.

"I wondered where you were, miss me much?"

"Always Bella, now shush and sleep, we have a busy few days ahead of us." I don't know when I fell asleep, but I did, with my arm under Bella and over Ethan...

"Daddy wake up, we here, we here in a minute, Daddy wake up pleazzzze." I mumble I'm up. "No you not, get up lazy bone, Daddy get up." I grab my son and tickle him and he squeals.

"I'm up and tickling my little monster, have you been up a long time Ethan?"

"Yes had eggs and pancakes, yours is ready come on ups, now lazy bone." I smile as I see Bella for the first time and she's smiling too.

"Come on breakfast is waiting, we have to eat. Lord knows when we will be eating again." I climb off the bed, and pick up Ethan and kiss my wife. How does she get prettier each time I see her?

"Morning wifely one, have you two slept well?"

"We did, now get up you promised Ethan to fly the damn plane. You can fly this can't you?"

"Rich men and his toys what do you think? I have all the necessary paperwork back home."

"Me fly plane yeah. Daddy quick's eat your eggs and we fly plane. I tells Papa." Off he runs with a slam of the door.

"Wow can I have whatever he ate Bella?"

"As I said more energy than normal kids his age, come on beloved husband, you have a son to impress."

"Do I need to impress my wife too?"

"No dear you did that several times yesterday. Now get up lazy bones." I'm pulled up and dragged out of bed. Umm I'd prefer it the other way around. I eat breakfast have my coffee and get the second pilot to come take a seat whilst I trade places with him. I spend a fun half an hour watching the pilot cringe as I allow my son to 'fly the plane,' in reality the pilot was flying he had all the control Ethan didn't know that though.

"Thanks Frank, what do you think, has he got potential?"

"He has, he's a chip of the old block and so very like you. Can you send Jake back please and take your seats we land in five minutes Chris?"

"Thank you for lets me fly your plane Fank, it was good." We laugh as he runs off and tells Papa all about flying the plane. I take my seat and watch him as he chatters away, I'm mesmerised and happy and so damn lucky. The plane lands and I note there are a fleet of cars ready to whisk us off to the hotel, customs make their checks and we are loaded into the cars. I hate the thoughts of what could lay ahead of us, we should be on a happy honeymoon, somewhere hot and romantic.

"What's on your mind Chris, tell me Baby?"

"Just things Bella, I wanted to whisk you and Ethan way somewhere nice, not to a bloody funeral."

"It's a pretty place to be Chris, when we get this over with, how about we go to that little beach hut of yours in St Bart's?"

"Yeah, I'd like to show you the new bungalow I had built there, the last place held too many memories for me, so I had a bigger one built, I needed too, you know with Mel and a wheel chair? She couldn't hack the hill to it."

"The old place had some nice memory's too the bad ones though were pretty damn bad, but nothing we can't overcome, after all its where this little monster was conceived Christopher Robin Holland."

"Daddy called Christopher Robin? You have a friend called Pooh and Tigger too?"

"I am called Christopher Robin yes, but you can call me Daddy." Bella laughs as he gets out his book and looks at the picture of Christopher in the book and smiles.

"We looks like Christopher Robins Daddy. Good, oh look Mummy look at that big building oh and that one too, oh there's another, there are lots of yellow cars Mummy, see Daddy lots can I have a toy one for my garage please?"

"We'll see if you're a good boy, tomorrow we will go to the store and get one."

"Chris you're going to be busy tomorrow."

"Not too busy for Ethan, never will I be too busy for him. He comes before everything here, we can go to the toy store, and the hotel won't have many toys for him, will it?"

"There's a few from when Luis and I were little, but I have a feeling you need some alone time with your son right, and where better than a toy store?"

"You're not mad I want to spoil him?"

"No, just don't go over the top, he has you that's all he needs, I trust you to know when enough is enough Chris. Besides I have a feeling whatever I say you two will ignore anyway, have some time with him, I can get Molly up to speed and see to some paper work for the hotels here. I presume Mel will be stopping in Luis's rooms here?"

"I guess so they have been kinda cosy did you notice they are all gaga over Nina?"

"I did so did Mum and Dad. I have a feeling they aren't going anywhere without each other for a while. Right we are here are the others here?" Chris looks around and the cars all arrive like a presidential motorcade. I step out of the car and Chris has Ethan arms wriggling to be down and off.

"Ethan please stop with Daddy just until we get inside baby boy."

"He's just excited, that's all, come on let's get inside." I'm worried we are causing a scene with all the damn cars and luggage it looks like the Kardashians or a President of some country are coming to stop at the hotel. Bedford hurries us inside and we head to our rooms. It seems like a lifetime ago when we were here last. We settle into our rooms and we finally get Ethan to sleep with the promise if he goes to sleep he can go with Daddy to a toy shop.

"Right, what next, my minds a messy place right now, with this legal stuff and then there's the two siblings who have something akin to revenge on their minds, this is all up in the air. I will ring Jameson first."

CHAPTER NINETEEN:

Bella.

As Chris picks up the phone, the door to the suite is knocked on and hard. It can't be Roger or Catherine, as they are not allowed in the hotel. I watch as Bradford opens the door and stood there is Tammy. I shriek and run into her open arms.

"Well, look whose finally got her man."

"Tammy, you look great, Henry please come in don't be so formal, get in, you great big lug you."

"Hi, Mrs Holland, I hear we have a new close protection duty to perform?"

"You do, Ethan, he's sleeping at the moment and yes Poppy could do with the hand. He runs her ragged, come in sit please, there's coffee and tea and soda."

"We're fine and just stopped in to let you know we are here and in our rooms, and the whole floor is secure, Bedford nice to meet you again."

"Likewise Henry, I will be in the control room if anyone needs me, and Bella, the nursery is wired both for sight and sound."

"Thanks, did my old baby monitors still work then?"

"Yep, and I still have the chip for your behind Mrs Holland, and don't think I won't use it if you step out of line." Oops, I forgot about the much threatened chip, and much argued about when I had Ethan, the need to have one in his little body, I said no, but now being here away from the safety of the castle I may have to rethink the idea, I will have to run it by his father.

"We have them in the children, better to be safe than sorry. Chris had a fair few sleepless nights worrying, anyone would think the punnet of peaches I had were his, I'm so glad he has his own blossoming orchard! How are you both feeling?" We go to the meeting.

"We will feel better once we have a battle plan, I have a feeling Roger has got something up his sleeve." I do wonder what this Roger is like and though I love Mel, I have never met this Roger. With their departure, two more heads appear in the room. Lorna and Molly with their security detail are now in the room too. It's a busy place. Mel comes to my side and introduces the small girl to me.

"This is our baby sister Lorna, this Lorna is Chris's wife Bella." I didn't need to know who she was she was Chris's double and I smiled as I swept her into a hug.

"Nice to meet you Lorna, your nephew is asleep, you can see him in the morning, your brother is in the office with my father. Grant do you want to go through it's the door there to the right, he's expecting you."

"Thank you. Mrs Holland, girls, I will bid you good night and Molly tone the language down there is a child present, or will be in the morning."

"Shut up. I just got a little giddy in the plane you know it was my first time and every first time is nerve racking, I'm sorry I head butted you I will be calmer the next time. Hello Boss, why the hell, heck, I mean, why did you leave me behind and where is this baby Lorna keeps going on and on about? I didn't know you had a baby?"

"I do and he's two and a half, and far from a baby, you and he will be firm friends before long. He's sleeping, he's had a very busy couple of days and I have been travelling forever. Your suite is down the corridor, get settled in and order room service, you too Lorna I'm sure Chris will be speaking to you tomorrow, but for now eat and sleep, are you two alright sharing?"

"Yes Boss, we caught up in the plane, we too have been here there and everywhere one minute heading to Australia, then back to here and as we turned in the air I thought we were crashing, I swore a little and head butted the cute guy guarding Lorna." I smile as Molly has a bruise on her head, my PA is going to be as much of a nightmare and as hyper as Ethan is too.

"Right then, get in your rooms, your sharing with Rochelle, she will be in after the briefing." They disappear and Mel smiles at me as her hand cradles her bump.

"Lorna is frightened to hell that I am going to freak out at her and yell, which I am not going to do, she gave me everything I have ever wanted. Bless her. Molly is a little err, lively? Listen, I am going to turn in too, and apparently your brother's room is down there." She points to the bedrooms. I know she has been here before, but has she done the do with Brother Lou here too? I laugh as I watch her head down to his room. Good God, I need some clarity, none of this is making any sense, but as finally the security pile out of dad's office, I see smiles.

"Can I go to bed, everyone is here and Henry and Tammy are jet lagged and are in their suite, Lorna, Mel and Molly are in theirs, Luis she is really tired." I wink as he salutes and tells Chris he's the man. Grant joins Bedford in the security suite and as Dad comes out, he looks knackered, excuses himself and goes to join mum who went straight to their rooms as she got in. I looked at Chris and a smile came over his face.

"We it seems are now all alone and until tomorrow morning, we have nothing to do but to start getting the practising in."

"I have news for you sunshine, we have been getting practice in from the get go, I don't have protection husband. You forgot to ask."

"Oh, really and you didn't stop me either. Come on my son needs a sibling." We head to the rooms and practice our awesome baby making skills and yes, we put a lot of effort into perfecting it too. Chris made love to me all night long, and as he did, I felt a sudden feeling of wow, wow was a crap word for something so frigging spectacular, but I loved the things he did to me and how he felt, how he treated me and yes, I wowed quite a lot that night and into the early morning.

As I nestled into Chris's chest and ran my fingers down it, I watched him as he slept, his chest rising and falling and his eyes twitched, my hand over his heart feeling the beating of it, I listened as it da dummed, da dummed in my ear, the slow beat made me sleepy and as I drifted off. I heard an ear piercing scream, the scream echoed around the apartment, and as Chris suddenly shot up out of bed, I threw him his jeans, he went to see where the commotion was coming from, and as we both entered the lounge we froze, I froze Chris froze, and sucked in a deep breath. Stood there with a knife at my mother's neck was Gina. Gina, how the hell did she get in the rooms, let alone the damn hotel?

"Chris darling long time no see, I see from this that you are now sleeping with her. The girl you swore was like a sister to you. Get sat down all of you, and you fellas don't make a sound, sit both of you, over there." Luis and Dad were slowly sitting down, Dad now panicking about Mum. "You, yes you fat girl, sit next to the old guy, and is there anyone else in here?" I shook my head, when I saw the red of the cameras blink red and I hoped Bedford had used the door connecting to the store room from security to grab Ethan, I breathed a sigh of relief he was safe. We had run through this procedure all the time at home, and the green lights would turn red once the most vulnerable person was safe. It was me for years and then Mum and then finally Ethan, I laughed all the time when my protection would grab me from my bed, but there is no laughing matter now, this shit has just got as real as it will ever get.

"What do you want Gina? How the hell did you get out?"

"Chris please don't rile her." I whisper. Watching the mad woman in our room.

"I am, if nothing else, quite resourceful, and really good at seduction, and the doctor in the hospital was such a sweetheart, he helped me escape and your brother Roger flew me here in his father's private plane, to meet you again. He has been visiting me for months, he has been planning my escape, and he succeeded and here I am. Surprise... Though the stupid man tried to tell me what to do and I have to say, his voice hurt my head when he shouted, so he is sleeping now. I don't like loud noises they hurt my ears and then my head gets all these voices screaming at me. It makes me do things, bad things. Really bad things" I guess we need to stay calm and quiet then?

"Come here Isabella, I need to see what you have, that I don't, come here and I let your mother sit down." I had no choice and as I walked across she threw my mother down, the lights were blinking red and then green and then red, security were outside, but hell I needed to see to it my family were kept safe.

"Gina take me, let Bella sit down, she's not well and is tired, let me take her place?" Gina smiles as he walks towards her smiling, it's now or never as her guard is down, as Chris is her main focus, I signal and as I do the fire alarms go off and I put to use my years of training, training for just this thing, into action. I push her, and grab at the arm she has the knife in, and as I do, she begins screaming at the sirens and at Chris to save her. My years of training kicks in, and I unleash a frenzied attack on her, my mothering and protecting instincts click into place too. Then as she lunges forward, we struggle for dominance, and I grab at the arm with the knife. Then as we fight, I hit her in the face with my elbow, and pound into her chest. Then I grip the knife arm again, just as I grab her, she and I then fall to the floor.

I am suddenly hot and my chest hurts, I feel the heat and feel wet, wet but hot, I look up to the ceiling and hovering above me Gina, who is going mad and laughing. What's happened? I pull out my hand from under Gina and scream as I hit her again. It's then I notice the blood, I am bleeding and I scream in anger as I land a smack to her chin, Gina smiles down at me the knife is raised, just as a shot rings out and she falls on top of me. I have been stabbed and then I taste the blood, I taste it in my mouth it gets thicker, the screams get quieter and then the room goes black...

Chris:

I watch as suddenly my wife lunges at Gina, and I gasp as Bella shoves me out of the way and I fall banging my damn head on the table as I do. I regain my footing to see an epic battle, and although I know it's going on, my head hurts, I'd banged my head on the table as I fell and blacked out for a few seconds. I watch as Bella hits, punches and manhandles Gina, Luis is getting to his feet but in the blink of an eye, the room is awash with security. My wife is on the floor screaming and with blood everywhere and she now has a dead woman on her chest. I throw Gina from her and stare down she has been stabbed, but what with, Gina has the knife in her hand?

"Shush Bella helps coming, stay awake Bella look at me and stay awake." I lift her arm and there is a small dagger in her side, I didn't see that, and I know not to remove it, but as I hold her, I hear the rasp as the thick blood comes from her mouth. I am manhandled away as Bedford and Henry work to save her, I am watching as my world comes crashing down. I watch helplessly as they work on her, I watch and do nothing I can't do anything I'm useless. I watched as my wife defended me, surely it should have been the other way around?

"Chris, move and grab some towels now, Marie do you have any pipe here or a tube of some sort, the nurse, is her bag in your room?" Maria rushes to grab the bag as I come back with fucking bath sheets, damn you dick I rip them into pieces and they are pressed to her side and as I do I hear the same rasp I did when Glenda died no, no, no, no. Maria gives Henry the bag and as he rifles through it he finds a catheter and skilfully he inserts it into the wound on Bella's side, his fingers are in there too and he is covered in blood, he slides it in and as he does, she breathes easier.

"She has a collapsed lung her ribs broken and has punctured it, this will help her breath, now get the paramedics here, and Tammy nice shot by the way."

We all then notice Gina, who was dragged from off the top of Bella, she has a round red hole on her forehead and the back of her head is oozing blood everywhere. Mel is then screaming as her stomach hurts. Maria takes her and Luis to the bedroom, as pandemonium brakes out. The fore alarm has everyone running from the hotel. They are not our priority, but they need to be safe too.

"Bedford, get the guests re roomed in the H, and tell them their stay is comped. They are all standing in the rain we need those alarms off and where in Christ sakes is Ethan?" I hear Hugh ask Poppy.

"Ethan, is he not here with you? He wasn't in his bed when I went to his room I thought he was in here with you." I'm with Bella on the floor and realise my son has been taken. Hugh is still speaking.

"No, we saw the flashes and thought he was with you?"

"The cameras were faulty, they tried hacking through the powers supplies, but the backups kicked in." My son is missing and I don't know what to do. Henry is still fingers deep in Bella and thought the packing is stopping the blood flow, he is losing her again, then thank god, the paramedics rush in they quickly work and stop the bleeding, the then perform CPR on her as she flat lines, I pace the side helpless to do nothing and wonder where my son is. I send Grant and Rochelle to look through the camera feeds and I bark out orders, as a worried Bedford takes the second lot of paramedics to see to Mel, who has started in labour, Christ when shit happens to me it is never simple, I'd laugh but this is serious.

"Shit, he can't be far, Poppy you and Tammy head to the ground floor shut this building down. Ferguson, I want answers and now, get more security in searching the floors, I want my son found." The police head into the room and are taking control. I am still watching as the work on Bella and place her on a gurney, for now she is safe her pulse is weak, but she needs the dagger thing removing and her lung fixing I watch as Hugh collapses fuck me no, not him too?

They are taking Mel, Maria, Hugh and Luis to the hospital and I am lost, what the fuck do I do? When suddenly I hear a little voice and let loose the breath I was holding on to.

"Daddy, why are there lots of people here, I not sleepy now?" I cry in relief and as I swoop in to rescue him, I then realise he can't see his mother covered in blood, I take him to his room and as I do Tammy runs into his room. Ethan has blood on his Superman sleep suit, I check him over, the blood is not his, how and where has it come from, as he went nowhere near Bella? Poppy is relieved to see her ward and came by my side and ran her hand over him and shook her head, it wasn't his blood, thank god.

"Where were you, you little stinker, I looked for you stink bomb, were you in the bathroom?"

"No, I was sleeping in the cupboard in my room Poppy, the lady tolds me to get in and be quiet, 'cos the bad lady would get me too."

"Which lady Ethan, and here is she?" I had to wonder who saved my son from Gina's hands.

"She looked like Aunty Smelly."

"Catherine." Lorna looks at me as we both say it at the same time.

"Where did this lady go stinker?" Tammy had rushed to check his room, and on her return, she gave me the sign for a cut throat, had Catherine been killed too? I go to place him in our room followed by Tammy and Poppy.

"She said she sorry, but she needs to be sleeping for a minute. I am a good boy, I play a game and I need to be quiet, to win a prize, did I be quiet a long time? She got to see her bruver alright too he hurt by bad lady. I win a big prize Pop-Pop?" Poppy smiles.

"Yes little man, you were very good, and get a big prize, later okay?" He nods his head and falls against my chest.

I then remember Gina's rant had she done Roger harm? I had to hope she'd killed him 'cos if she hadn't I will. I see to it that Ethan is not left alone, and go to be with Bella. I follow behind the gurney and as we head down in the lift she flat lines again. I stand back and as they shock her not once but three or four times, they shout, they are losing her and as I watch on helplessly, I pray for him to take me, not her...

CHAPTER TWENTY:

Chris.

As we head along the road to the crematorium, I watch the hearse in front of us taking the coffin to its final resting place, and as the rain falls, I hold steadfast and hard. I hate this day and I want it to end, I hold Mel's hand tightly as we drive in silence. I pray for this to end quickly and with no drama and no fuss. I watch as the mourners take their seats. There are flowers, of that I'm sure and there are tears I know, because I hear them, but as the blurb from the priest drones on and on I am here, but not? I want to be anywhere else but here. My heart is breaking and I need the world to stop and rewind, I want a time machine I want to go back. I need this pain to go away. I watch as Maria is hugged by Hugh, and I watch too as Jameson, watches me, as do Tammy and Henry. Mel is being held by Luis, as we sit, none of us taking this in.

"Today we say our fond farewells to person, who meant so much to so many, leaving behind family and friends." I want to laugh nobody here knows that to be true. My father was an ass, as were the two bastards that tried to kill me and my family. I get up to leave and as I do, a hand comes to my side and hugs me.

"Sit down Chris you need to say goodbye, you need to put the hate you have for him behind you."

"Yes Mrs Holland, but did he really know the bastard that was my father or his spawned from evil children? The way he is talking, they were not the lunatics we knew them as and they are not the hapless victims of the deluded maniac Gina. They deserve to be burning in hell, all of them Bella, all of them."

"I guess not, but you still need to show your respect, and be a better man than he was. This bunch are here for the free booze, and that lot to see if they got left anything. Let's crowd watch Chris?" I agree as Bella strokes my back lightly. "Her over there, she's here to tell you all she is having your father's child, and needs what you all got. That one there was his last bunk up, the one who he was err playing with as the reaper called. The man there is his tailor and has his bills in his pockets. Now your brother and sisters are here waiting for the decisions on what they get from their departed father, anything or nothing, have you decided is it to be disappointment or happiness?"

"Happiness I guess?"

"You guess?"

"I decided to split the money, and give them all the same, there are only the five of us now what with Sommer, Roger and Catherine dead, the rest well they need to be free to do what they want with their lives, Mel and I want none of his money, but I will keep the hotels and they get the money shared between them. We have agreed to try and be civil as you suggested, but Mrs Holland I guess time will tell as to whether or not we bond?" I sigh as the priest stops talking and the body is slid behind the curtain I turn and walk back to the car.

"How are you holding up Son?"

"Fine Dad just fine, let's get back to Ethan he will be missing us and you, how are you?"

"I have had better days Son, better days it has to be said." I am hugged, as I get back into the car and we head back to the hotel, we need to pack and head home, and with everything set for tomorrow I try to relax. I figure the ranch in Australia is going to be the right place to raise Ethan, our ranch is fast becoming a housing estate as three more homes were added to the growing number there, with a nice one for Maria and Hugh designed by my clever wife. I get back to see Poppy holding Ethan and as he runs to my legs, I smile and pick him up.

"Daddy, your back, you leave me too I thought you leave me too."

"No baby, I didn't leave you, I had to say goodbye and I didn't like it very much. Can Daddy have a big cuddle off his big boy?" My son holds me tightly as I sob into his shoulder.

"Come on we have to get to get something to eat and get to bed early, because tomorrow we have to take a big long ride in our plane."

"Are we taking my mummy home with us tomorrow too?"

"Yes baby boy we are." I get him his dinner and ready for bed with a warm bath and clean fresh pj's, these are a Spiderman onesie, because he likes the onesie that look funny, his favourites are ready for the plane ride tomorrow. Mickey Mouse gets to run around the company jet and yes fly the plane. I read him Pooh Bear and as he finally drops off to sleep I kiss his sweet little head and join him in sleep, a much needed rest, my mind is as heavy as my heart. I sleep for what seems an age and then as I wake I kiss his head and head in to the lounge to see the rest.

"Is my little Prince asleep?" Maria comes in for a hug.

"He is and wearing his second best pj's, the Spiderman ones you got him."

"I didn't think of potty training him when I got them, Bella was going to start soon, poor Bella. She won't be seeing him tinkle in a potty, we did try before you know but as Hugh says he can't be the best at everything. Are you going now?"

"I am I will see you in the morning."

"We will be waiting do you want me to come too?"

"No, I need some alone time with her for a while." I am driven by Grant to the hospital and as I get there, I'm greeted by smiling faces and people running around like headless chickens.

"What's the matter? Has Bella..."

"No, oh god no, she has woken up and is very grumpy, very grumpy indeed."

"I don't understand how, you said she would be in the coma for the rest of her life, how?" I was told to sit in the doctor's office as Bella was busy having tests done. I have done little else in the past three weeks but write statements about Gina, then I had to identify my brothers and sisters bodies. Roger had had his throat cut with the dagger that was taken from Bella's chest, the one that had nicked her heart and had caused the heart attack, she died several times more on that fraught road to the hospital and on the operating table, she lost so much blood she was nearly empty. Her poor heart gave way so many times, then the last one shut her brain down for five whole minutes, and she was put into a medically induced coma. Alas, we were told she would, in all likelihood, never recover and if she did, she would probably be damaged. The day I had to honour her written word of no medical intervention if her life was dependant on a machine for survival, that killed me. They stopped the drugs and turned off the machines, and as we stood by her bedside awaiting her to die, she didn't, she fought to stay alive but alas she still did not wake.

"I'm not sure what to say Mr Holland, but Mrs Holland was being readied for her trip and was having her last scan and the technician noticed sudden body movements when she was in the machine, and as he rushed to get her out, she awoke screaming to be freed. I can assure you the last thing we expected was for her to wake up, as I have said to you before the brain is a complex and integral part of our anatomy, a part of the body that we as yet do not fully understand. She has not asked for anyone, she could have memory problems and she could be brain damaged we just need for you to be prepared."

"I am, is she awake now?"

"No after the initial scream and upon her release from the machine she passed out again. She is as I said sleeping."

"Sleeping, not in a coma?"

"Sleeping as in extremely tired, her brainwaves are fine, her heart stronger than it's been in almost a month, all tests show she is simply sleeping." She takes a call and smiles. "I will send him up now." I see the smile and I push the chair from beneath my legs, and run, not walk, I run for her room, as I get to the door I pause, what if she doesn't remember me, what if she doesn't need me? I put my hand on the door and push it open and the nurse smiles and steps aside for me to see Bella, she has showered and changed and her hair is in a towel.

"Mr Holland, you're here, Mrs Holland has, as you can see just had her shower and would like you to sit."

"My wife would, would she?"

"Thank you nurse and I'm sure if we need you, you will be buzzed." She smiles and leaves and as I continue to stare at Bella, a lost look crosses her face. Shit she doesn't remember me, or our son, please say that's not so.

"Bella, I... I... Oh Bella you're awake."

"It would seem so, I am sorry but they keep calling me Mrs Holland, I don't think that's right, I am not Mrs Holland..."

"Bella, you don't remember me?" I am fighting back the sadness I feel as I see her smile.

"I thought I was Humphries Holland, the same as our son?" The relief as she said it took me by total surprise, total and utter elation, she remembered me, she remembered Ethan. "Now, where is my little boy, is he safe I had a strange memory of everyone looking for him? I have been asleep they tell me for almost a month, is he alright?"

"Bella, he is wonderful, missing his Mummy but wonderful. Bella you're here and awake and, you're here and awake." I stand repeating myself over and over dumbfounded and amazed and don't know what to do, my heart is fit to bursting and my eyes are wet with the tears of joy I am shedding.

"You missed me so much, yet you haven't said hello or kissed me yet?" I stumble to her bed and haphazardly fall at her side. I am in the prayer position at her bedside and lost, I need to make sense of all this, yesterday I was told she would never awake and could possibly live a whole life time simply sleeping, that was fine by me she was still here and she was still Bella. Ethan said she looked like Sleeping Beauty and perhaps, if I kissed her, she would wake up. I rained down so many kisses to make her wake up, as did Ethan too, but alas she still slept. Tonight I come back, and she is awake and looking like nothing has happened to her.

"I can't believe it, you are awake, aren't you? I know you are, but the doctors were so sure, you would not wake up Bella."

"A kiss would still be nice unless you've gone off me Christopher Robin?" She has remembered my name. Surely, there is something wrong with her?

"Hey just for that you can go whistle." I got up from my feet and kissed her, her warm dry lips were kissing me back and her hands were holding me this time.

"Now am I still a dream?"

"No, no you're real wow so real." I kissed her again and again, not noticing the doctor come to the room.

"Hum-hum, cough, cough, excuse me?" We part lips for a second and I feel my cheeks get warm.

"I see you do remember you are married and are reacquainting. How do you feel Mrs Holland?"

"Please it's Bella, and to be honest with you I don't know what all the fuss is about, however I have a few scars that weren't there before and I ache, what the hell happened to me?"

"You are indeed very lucky to be alive, you have had a very bad time indeed, dying several times, and indeed we for a time thought you would die again. The massive coronary you had on the operating table, meant you needed help breathing and you were in coma, as your brain suffered a massive gap of oxygen deprivation, and oxygen is essential for brain function. Your cardiac arrest had caused a sudden cut off of the blood flow and oxygen to the brain, this is called hypoxia or anoxia.

After you had been given cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR, you were resuscitated, and not once but several times that day, and as with most survivors of cardiac arrest, you end up in a coma. The reports we had back were not looking too good, you had little to no brain activity, the machines were breathing for you and on hearing this, your brother brought in your living will and it clearly stated you did not want medical intervention, and were not to be kept alive if it was to be dependent on the machines. So honouring your request, we weaned you off the drugs and still you did not wake, we then removed the breathing tubes and the things keeping you alive, and what can I say, other than you're a lucky lady, you did breath on your own, but alas did not wake. We have had specialists in and they all told your husband to expect the worse and that you would in all probability not awaken from your sleep."

"I died, really oh hell really? Chris where is Ethan, can I see my little boy please Chris?"

"He's sleeping we were having an awfully big adventure tomorrow and taking Mummy home, home to Australia."

"We are we still going I hope, because my horses will love it there, we need to get them all there Chris? Ethan's sleeping, of course he is silly me where is my head at these days, leave him please Chris, and so Doctor what happens now?"

"I am reviewing your latest test results, but other than the scars, there seems to be nothing wrong with you, to say that you can't return home in the next couple of days. We will keep you here for observation a day or two more and yes, more tests I'm afraid, but no you should, tests permitting be allowed home soon. I am both amazed and pleased to see you Bella, really amazed. I will leave you two, to it and call back in the morning please rest, and yes I know you have been sleeping a long time, but you are still very weak."

"Thank you, Doctor." She walked out and I sat and gawped at Bella, I was taking her home to live out her days sleeping, and here she was as fresh as a daisy and awake.

"What happened I remember that woman coming in and nothing after, well bits and pieces of huddled whispers?"

"You went all Jedi Knight on Gina, and she well she stabbed you in the heart with a dagger and as she rolled over on you she cracked a rib and it punctured your lung and for good measure she stabbed you there too. Henry saved your life, doing some sort of pipe trick he learnt as a medic and kept you alive until the paramedics came to save you."

"I don't remember any of that, but how did she get in? Mores the point how did she fucking escape from prison, and where did you find Ethan?"

"Questions are all I have answered these past few weeks Bella?"

"I want answers Chris, I am stuck in here and all because of Gina, please, I deserve to know Chris don't lie to me please not now and not ever."

"Okay sweetheart okay. She escaped with the help of Roger and Catherine."

"Those two caused this?" She was mad as hell.

"Roger found a prison doctor in there, who needed money, and he was easy to buy, he had Gina transferred to the prison wing, they rigged a drip and she had some sort of fake death thing happen, don't ask me but the two of them worked a way of getting her out and to America. She had been in the hotel for three days, before we got there, and Dad's death hastened their plan for Gina to kill me. Thus keeping the blood off their hands, however Roger the fool, didn't know who he was dealing with, he started barking his instructions out to her and she was off her medication and it was then the voices started and she slit his throat, and she stabbed Catherine, when she went to help him.

Catherine realised Gina wouldn't stick to any plan, and she knew Gina would either take or kill Ethan if she found him, and in all the confusion of the alarms and security rushing around, she somehow managed to get into Ethan's room and put him in a cupboard to keep him safe. She sat with him and talked to him, he fell asleep, and well she died saving him, and when the gun shot woke him he sat there for a while, the lady didn't speak to him again, and then he simply walked in the room.

Tammy found her body in the cupboard and Tammy saved you baby, she shot Gina, just as she was going to stab you. Then well you, you, you died over and over and it's been awful here watching you sleep. Ethan and I have tried everything to wake you, he doesn't understand, he just calls you Sleeping Beauty. I got permission to fly you home and well that's that a month out of our lives we will never get back and one I never want to live through again.

I have texted Luis, and they are all coming and en mass baby, including Ethan, Luis and Mel are here anyway, baby Isabella made an early appearance last week. Mel has been here trying to keep the baby in her as long as possible to give her more time, she isn't called Nina as it was too like Gina and well Luis and Mel called her Isabella, and she's just like you baby just like you too."

"Oh hell I did miss a lot, didn't I? How's Mum and Dad?" I can't believe I'm having a conversation with her, a month of this one way shit was all I had done and now all I want to do is look at her and touch her. I snap out of my silent lusting as the doors burst wide open.

"Bella Pooh your awake you lazy bitch. Sleep becomes you, so why wake up now then did you know little Bella was off her ventilator and can breathe on her own?"

"Great, she's breathing on her own, how's Mel?"

"I'm here the lug left his fiancé in the damn bloody corridor err forget something did you sunshine?"

"Oops sorry, I forgot about you for a little minute there." I laugh as Mel is wheeled in.

"Well ain't you the sight for sore eyes. I guess a welcome back is in order then, excuse the chair, c section and all that and damn sore back. Wow you look great for a corpse."

"Mel."

"Well she does, I knew she would wake up, you lot and she's going to sleep her life away. They have driven me potty oh hell and your mum is a bloody fussing nightmare."

"She is rather, and I guess having us both in the same place she has exercised a lot?"

"Yep three floors you, Mel and little Bell. I hear her coming now God help you Pooh, she's over hyper." With that, Maria and Hugh crashed through the door, Hugh holding Ethan tightly, who wasn't for staying put once he saw Bella.

"Mummmmmmyyy, mummy, mummy, oh mummy put me down Papa, Mummy you sleeped a long time a long time."

"I know baby boy, come here I need a special huggee squish from my big boy."

"Daddy I says she wake up before we go on plane, we not go on plane tomorrow?"

"No, we will be here for a while until Mummy is all better."

"Okay, I tired I sleep here with Mummy." My son climbed in next to Bella and I saw the tears falling down her face. Her mother and father were killing her with the hugs and for now Bella was letting them. I stood back and couldn't take it all in, she was awake and like nothing had ever happened. When everyone eventually leaves I climb on the bed for the much needed cuddle, and sleep, my arm covers her body and I breathe in her smell. I wake and I am cuddling the pillow in my son's bed and then the realisation sets in again, Bella didn't wake up at all, she wasn't asleep, she died when we took her off the damn machines. I actually said goodbye to the love of my life yesterday, not my father, I am a mess and crying like a baby when Mel comes in to sit by the bed.

"Let it out Chris come on cry, you have kept this in all week let it out."

"I can't live without her Mel, I can't, why did he not give us more time, we had days not the years of marriage we both envisaged, we were meant to be together forever not for mere days, not days Mel." Mel is huge and in that last dream she had her baby early, in reality she is still pregnant and as I cling onto her I realise I'm screwed, my heads a mess with the utter confusion between my dreams and the reality.

"I don't know if I could cope as well as you have, if it was me having lost Luis or this little girl in here I'd be a mess too. I so wanted to hold you and comfort you yesterday, but you were kind of zoned out again. You kind of space out a lot, do you imagine being with Bella? You were talking to yourself a lot at the funeral, but I didn't hear what you said or to who, then you came here after giving the wake a miss and spent the evening with Ethan, how is the little guy?"

"Holding out better than his ole dad, that's for sure. I want her back and I know that's never happening I know she's dead, I just need all this to be a dream. I dreamt she was alive again last night, I have the same dream over and over and I have for the whole two weeks since it happened."

"You may be better once you get away from here, and settle back into the ranch?" I am taking her ashes back to Australia, with those of my mother, which my creepy dad slept with under the bed he took the bunnies too, I had him and the others cremated and buried all together, let the mad bastards have each other for eternity, it serves him right, for being a mad man.

I am being joined by our whole family. We have decided that a fresh start for all of us is what's best, and with many CEO's in place, I intend to focus on healing and raising our son to be the man his mother wanted him to be. I will be joined by Hugh, Maria, Mel, Luis, my sister Lorna and the rest of our extended security family. It will be hard it is hard, her dying has killed a part of me that only she could bring to life, my soul is heavy and my heart broken, I can't do this without her, I don't know how too... "I don't want to carry on living, let alone be ranching, I want to stop the world and get off, that's what I want to do Mel, and I want to be with her." Just then, Ethan walks in and smiles.

"Daddy I want Humpty's head off, but he's being hard, I can't do it Daddy you do it pleazzzze?" I get out of bed and scoop him into my arms, and realise that this is why I have to carry on, he is all I have left of her and in him, and I will have her forever. I smile dust myself down and go to do the breakfast prayer without her...

\------*------

Coming soon... Ethan's Outback Adventure... Ethan wants his father to be happy, something his father is not, and hasn't been for a long time, so he thinks his father needs someone to care for him and make him smile again, and he intends to be the one to find someone to heal his father's broken heart... Quite the herculean task for the ten year old...

