Chapter Four

AN: Sorry my Dudes for being away for so long. I have tried to continue this story but I have re-write this chapter like five times and each time I read it, I hated it. So sixth time the charm!

NOTE: ADRIAN IS NOW DIMITRI SO IF YOU SEE ADRIAN IT IS DIMITRI

ONE YEAR LATER

Adrian wiped the fog off the mirror as he stood there with a towel on after a shower. His face was reveal in the mirror as the glass cleared. It reminded him the first time he went home with Tasha and how he was a skinny and malnourish man. His cheeks were sunken and his eyes were dead and dull. Now they contained a spark of life at least that didn't scare people when he stared too long.

Shivering as cold air met his wet arms he stopped staring into the mirror and began to shave off the light stubble that formed overnight. Halfway through his jaw, the bathroom door opened to view Tasha walking in. She was still in her silk pyjamas, raven hair a mess and yawning loudly as she walked over to him and went in for a hug. His body tensed reflexively and then relaxed as she snuggled in closer. Adrian gave her a small peck on the fore head before untangling her arms from him and went back to shaving.

It had taken him weeks to get used to her embraces. At first he jumped away and every time he did, pain flashed through her eyes and a bolt of guilt would hit him.

She was trying so hard to help him and who would flinch away from their own wife?

Adrian finished up in the bathroom and got out to dress. He had to go to the restaurant and oversee the refurbish. The plans have been held back due to his accident and Tasha wasn't so mad that her plans were stopped. Which he thought was unfair for everyone else. Even if he was working for her, it didn't mean that she should just be lax on him. That is inequality in the workplace.

When he told her this, she laughed and waved it off.

It was a bit shameful; he admitted to himself, to be married to the woman who signs your paycheque but love strikes at the most unexpected places otherwise it wouldn't be love.

Finishing up with his tie, Adrian strolled into the kitchen, took a piece of toast out of the toaster and smeared nearly half a jar of strawberry jam on it. Not his fault that he liked sweet stuff. She would say that he's like a pregnant women but come on, it's not like he's craving for pickles constantly.

Yet.

Calling out a goodbye to Tasha he stepped out of their penthouse apartment and into the elevator and there began the long wait to the lobby.

Three minutes and one piece of toast later, he was free of the elevator and walked out into the lush lobby. Red carpet, gold door handles and a large reception desk with dazzling receptionist, it wasn't hard to believe that this place was ranked 5 stars.

With each stride, Adrian went on with his normal morning routine as he greeted the people in the lobby. Giving the doorman Greg a slap on the back, he stepped out onto the busy street and went to work.

After all, it was just another day.

Rose stepped into the office and sighed as the smell of coffee hit her nose. When she got back, Sam Marshall, her boss and adopted grandfather, gave her a scowling session worthy of his title as the United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. Of course he then sheepishly waddle behind his desk and pulled out a box of Godiva from one of his desk draw and handed it to her before pushing her out of his office and telling her to do her job.

Grinning as she walked down corridor a bit before turning into open office space filled with cubicles. Rose knew she wasn't going to be in too big of trouble because despite the scowling, Sam Marshall was a huge teddy bear deep inside and it doesn't take long before anyone realises it. With the appearance of a grandfather, Sam had white hair and thick reading glasses. It was his appearance that was used to his advantage because his opponents disregard him until it was too late. The jury loved him for his caring eyes and tone which most of the time, they won.

Sam Marshall was the best of the best.

Walking down a few more doors until she reached the last one, Rose turned to stare at it and touch the bronze sign lovingly.

Rosemarie Hathaway

Assistant US Attorney

At least some things are still normal.

Opening the door and walking in immediately, Rose got to her desk, turned on the laptop in front of her and began checking her emails.

She had gone back to work a year ago after Lissa giving her a lecture about how Dimitri would want her to live her life and that suiciding was a coward's way out of things and if Rose was anything, she defiantly wasn't a coward. So it took one step at a time to get to the office.

The chocolates from Sam must've helped since she came back the next day and then the next. Next thing she knew, it was Christmas and she was spending it with Lissa and Christian.

Time did indeed healed wounds. Even though it was healed, there was a scar there but it wasn't an ugly scar. It was the type of scar that you look back and smile fondly about since the memories are all good ones.

Half way checking on her email, a knock on her door sounded.

"Come in."

"I come bearing gifts."

Rose looked up from her screen as the person at the door entered and smiled as the man placed the large cup of coffee in front of her. Tall, roguishly handsome, British and armed with a pair of dimples, Nick Westfield was considered a heart breaker in the office. Of course, she was never a victim of his playing ways hence their friendship that gone on since college and through law school.

"Perfect timing," she grabbed the coffee and gave a good sip and signed. "If you weren't my best friend, I'd kiss you."

Nick chuckled and took a sip of his own coffee and leaned against the door's frame. Decked in an expensive suit perfectly iron and a pair of nice leather shoes, he was the poster-boy image for the office's outlook. But then, he was the only person who Rose knew did this job for the fun of it. Yes, he went to law school and got to this position for the fun of it. Being a trust fund baby that he is, Nick Westfield didn't need the money. His family was rich doing something Rose couldn't remember and Nick decided that he should have the social freedom he craved for if he moved to America.

"I'd kiss you alright, Rosie, but I fear for Nick Junior if I did. Saw what you did too poor D when you met him."

They both laughed at the memory. The first time Rose met Dimitri was nothing but painful. Sleeping in from a frat party the night before, both of them were racing across the campus to get to class while fighting. Suddenly something came around the corner at them and Rose having a mother was a spokeswoman for self-defence, stuck her leg out straight and gave a good almighty kick. Nick of course, was standing next to her and winced when he saw the poor guy on the ground started to turn blue in the face. Involuntarily, he cupped himself. It took him years not to do it in public anymore whenever he thought of the events.

They both sobered up when a throat cleared behind him.

Moving into the office to make way for the newcomer, Nick turned to see Rose's sectary, Mia. A small looking girl who looked out of place in the office. She looked more like a kindergarten teacher but that's when her mouth is close. When it's open, your ears will bleed for the vicious attacks she targeted at you.

"Sam wants to see you in his office in ten."

"Thanks Mia."

The girl nodded and left the office, not after flushing at the sight of Nick.

"Wipe that smirk off your face before I throw a stapler at you."

"What smirk?"

"That smirk. The cocky one that you one do when you're hunting."

Nick huffed at her, "I don't hunt. I merely browse through. That's all."

Rose made a small meh sound and continued to go through her inbox.

Nick moved to take a seat in the chair opposite of her and drank his coffee in the silence.

When she finally finished reading the emails – which turned out to be nothing but social events reminders and emails from her mother – Rose looked up at her friend who was blatantly staring and at her and raised an eyebrow.

After months of hard work, she finally managed to do this which tested Dimitri's patient skills as she failed endlessly.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"I know that 'nothing' is a something. Spill."

"I was wondering if you would come to a social event with me as my date."

Rose was gulping down her coffee and was not expecting this which started a coughing fit.

Nick rolled his eyes as his friend grabbed the table to steady herself as she tried to breath.

"No romantically you fool. I know you too well to fall for you. My parents are coming to an event in NY because of some social thingy. I think Ma said something about polar bears but I tuned out after she said, 'event'. The point is, I'm supposed to attend and my parents expect me to bring someone."

"Why don't you bring one of the other girls you rub against with?" Rose straightened her papers on the desk and stood up to head to Sam's office. Nick follows her and continues to talk.

"Yeah and the next thing you know, they'll be planning the wedding breakfast. Besides, you know those girls don't have the brains to survive the conversation. They'll probably get bored and whine. And you know how I feel about whining."

Nick sent her a pointed look which earned him a sigh. They both stopped in front of the door that separated their boss from them.

A moment of silence passed between them and letting out a sigh, Rose nodded and groaned as Nick started to jump and hi-five other staff members who hi-five him good naturally, not aware of Rose's doom.

"Yes!"

"I'm going to regret this."

"No you're not."

"Your parents hate me."

Nick shrugged at this. It wasn't like his parents made it a secret that they hated anybody who was not part of their elite group. Rose was no exception even if she was their son's best friend.

"I'll make sure the catering company make some éclairs for you."

Rose sighed again and smile at her friend.

"Just so we're clear, I'm doing this for the éclairs."

"That's what you said the last five times. If you agree to another one, I think you might be falling for me – which inevitable." Nick wiggled his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes, "I'm on a chocolate craving because I have my period."

Nick opened his mouth to answer but Rose knocked on Sam's door and gave the door knob a good twist. He gave her an evil eye before making himself scarce from the door.

Rose stepped into the room, closed the door behind her and sat down in front of Sam. Sam was writing something down and a note pad, taking his time to dot his 'i's and crossing his 't's so Rose took a look around the room and relaxed herself.

She always did this whenever she came to Sam's room. She would always start from the left of the room and slowly move towards the right then back to Sam whose desk situated in the middle in front of two ceiling to floor windows. Starting from the left, a large piece of artwork filled with yellow daffodils hanged on the wall on took of the cabinet. She asked Sam once why he bought that, he grunted and said his wife put it up because she thought the room had too much brown. Moving her head slowly across the room, Rose took in the photo frames that sat on the cabinet, were filled with pictures of his family, then the plush green rug that started towards the desk. His desk was filled with clutter like her desk and mug rings littered the wood surface from years of work. A fresh cup of coffee sat there on his desk, decorated with a matching happy yellow of the artwork and some blue polka dots. Other than that, the room was dreadfully dull and filled with brown. Which explained why his wife bought the blue curtains to go on the windows behind his mahogany desk otherwise the room would have looked like the inside of a tree. Light past through the slits of the curtains as a soft breeze dance with the heavy curtain, a captivating scene.

Rose sat there like this for a while, staring at the twirling dust particles and wondered if Mrs Vivien Marshall vacuumed recently. She met the lady once – short, plump and owned a pair do kind eyes – who loved too baby the staff here at the office in spite of her husband grumbling about them all being tough lawyers.

No one cannot not accept a slice of Mrs Marshall's brownie.

No one.

Even Sam caved and sneaked a piece into his office.

Sam finally looked up from his writing and set his fountain ink down before turning his full attention towards her.

"I need to get on a case for me."

There was truly no such thing as 'beating around the bush' with Sam.

"Lay it one me."

"Hi this is Lissa and Christian, we are away from the phone problem up to some monkey business involving strip– Oww! That hurt! Lissa! We're away from the phone so leave a message after the beep."

"Hey Lissa, I'm not going to be able to come over for movie night this week so you and Christian stay in for the night and do your monkey business. Nick has roped me in for another event and I thought it's time to put my dressing up skills to the test. 'Night, Love ya!"

Rose sighed as she ended the call from her home phone and placed it back on the cradle.

Slowly sinking back into the couch, she sighed again.

It was another gang related cases only this time a politician was found to in on it. Apparently, a member of the minions. Pretty rich minions if she had to say so. Sam handed her the case since a team of lawyers are defending this and he is flying out of the state next week to see how her daughter is after child birth.

Rose has to go to the FBI in the morning, get some information on the case then call the defence attorney to see if he was likely to back down – which is most likely not – but persuasion of a losing case meant time saving.

Then she had to get her suit iron and –

Rose sighed and flopped down again for the sake of it.

It's a night to forget about the case and just relax before her morning flight out to New York.

But before she forgets about her troubles and sleep, she needs to pack.

Groaning and muttering curse, Rose slid off the couch and went to find her suit case.

Nick knocked on the front door and smiled to himself as he heard a curses and objects falling echo behind the door. She never learnt to organise her things did she?

Thank God they didn't male students live with female students otherwise their dorm would be flooded with junk.

The door finally opened and out came a flushing Rose in a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Hair up and a pair of aviators on, Rose was the picture perfect model of a patriot of the United States of America.

All that's missing now is the American flag fluttering in the wind behind her.

"I'm ready."

Nodding, Nick took out his keys and beeped the car to unlock.

"You will not believe what my mother said to me."

Thirteen hours, two naps, five food and toilet breaks, seven cups of coffee and five sessions of Nick's grovelling later, Rose smiled at the elderly man as he continued to talk about the importance of good sheep breeding and inwardly groaned why she was still Nick's friend.

His hand was hanged loosely on her shoulders and it wasn't strange for her since they did this hundreds of times. But it has been a long time since they went on a gig liked this and it has been a long time since they faked smiles to please society.

A waiter with a platter of éclairs walked passed her, in all their delicious glory. Nick saw her concentration on the platter and grinned before giving her shoulder a pat, a signal to run. Nodding slightly with her head so the other parties didn't see, Rose excused herself and chased down the man with the éclairs, cursing her shoes as they slowed down her process.

By the time she caught up with him she was flushed, cheeks pink, huffing and puffing but happy as she grabbed four éclairs off the silver platter from the man who smiled in amusement. A few ladies around her looked at her in disgust and some even outwardly point and laugh with their friends.

Thanking the man, she took the éclairs and decided to hide in the open bar until Nick had the balls to go find her. His family is probably expecting him to entertain the guest even if the guest was teaching him the importance of sheep breeding. And even if this wasn't their party.

Spotting a vacant stool, Rose made her way towards it and sat down. Grabbing a napkin with her pinkie finger, she placed it in front of her before unceremonious dropping three onto the napkin before sinking her teeth into the pastry.

Yep, this is the only reason why she stood the nightmare that Nick put her through.

A moan came out of her mouth as the chocolate travelled down her throat.

This is better than sex. Definitely. And considering the last time she gotten any action was with Dimitri, it has been a year since her last check-up. Not that she planned on getting a check-up down there anytime soon. She might as well join a convent since her future sex-life is looking bleak but that would meant she wasted years of her life and study time to get into law school.

Finishing up her éclair, she grabbed another off the napkin and turned to the large decorated ballroom as she watched Nick work his magic on people.

It was a fundraiser on some campaign about 'Saving the Whales' which she was sure that these people only attended to show face not to save the whales. Proof is the fact that Nick's mother said it was a Polar Bear Convention. Men who were owners of large corporates were here, trying to score a mistress behind their wives' back, women who married old men for money are looking a guy in their generation to forget about their marriage life and in between those two, plastic and fake smiles filled it up.

Nick smiled down at one of those girls as they made a grab for his privates.

Aggressive much?

As another zoned in on Nick, Rose decided it was time to save her friend. Throwing back her last éclair, rose slipped off her chair and made her way over, not noticing a tall dark figure sitting there watching her as she walked away.

Nick felt a hand slithered lower toward his neither regions and quickly and politely grabbed the hand. The hand apparently belonged to the young wife of his father's friend James Smithson who, if he was correct, a friend of his grandfather before he past. The woman fluttered her long heavily mascara lashes and looked up at him. Her lush red hair gleamed under the chandelier light and the smoky makeup which she wore were supposed to be seductive was actually scaring him.

"I'm sorry Mrs Felicia Smithson. I'm actually with someone tonight."

Her other hand travelled lower as she leaned into him and whisper in a, what supposed to a smoky voice only to turn out to be a voice of a lung cancer patient, "She doesn't have to know."

While in this precarious situation, he saw at the corner of his eye, another figure wading towards them. Willowy where Mrs Felicia was curvy, this person was another young wife of one of his father's associates. Mrs Jennifer Danes, blonde bombshell on hells and Mrs Felicia's archenemy.

And soon to be, Nick Westfield, the Jam between the bread.

Just as the willowy figure reached him, an arm snaked up his arm and tugged him hard, if he may add, to a side and out of the way from the two women then continued to curl around his stomach, meeting with the other arm from his other side. A leg stood in between his legs and a soft plush body imprinted onto his side.

Nick mentally sighed in relief as Rose did her territorial face to the girl, not that he needed to look down to know. They did this way too many times, that is was expected of her to hug him like this in one event. She had the ruthless prosecutor face one at the girls as they slowly drew together to face the soon to be dragon named Rose. Displease painted their face at the sight of Rose.

She was beautiful in her own right and had the brains that these guys lack in order to get rich.

Unlike them which annoyed them endlessly.

"Who's she?" Felicia asked, impolitely since Rose didn't check off as anyone from the old money in her mental list.

Nick didn't have to answer because he knew that Rose will be doing all the talking in this situation so he happily settled into Rose's arms and let her do her thing.

Adrian watched in amusement as the short brunette at the bar got to her battle stations in front of those girls, curling herself onto the tall British man which would have any man green with envy. Well, most likely blue from the loss of blood on their upstairs since it was pumping in their downstairs.

Adrian tossed back the whisky in his glass and sighed in contentment as it burned its way down his throat. Tasha was holding this event tonight in one of her hotels since she said she loved whales and all. An animal lover his wife is. But half way through the fake smiles and the conversations on whales' breeding pattern, Adrian decided that a drink was in order as a wake-up call.

Who would expect to find a brunette bombshell moaning like an XXX video down the bar over an éclair no less? He certainly didn't and it wasn't actually a disappointing find.

Brown hair that was close to black, left flowing around her face, lips a dark red from the lipstick and a chocolate stain on one of the lips which she just oh so slowly licked off. Now he felt like he was cheating.

Looking away, Adrian took another sip and calmed himself down. When he finally looked back, she was hopping off the bar and towards the British male he met this evening. The simple black dress she wore sashayed around her legs, emphasising on her hips and hour glass figure.

Then it was the show down.

She starting saying something to the girls who he knew personally as a Please-Avoid-At-All-Cost Duo. He actually began to pity the poor man who the woman in black – what else is fitting then that? – was draping across because he remembered his first attacked.

A lot of scratching and squeezing at inappropriate places.

Woman in black began to say something, he lips moving rapidly and that satisfied look she once wore at the bar was gone to a stone cold look. The Duo fired back at her, probably insulting her heritage so something because the woman fired back something that shut them up. The girl continued to talk as red lips moved rapidly in the background.

Adrian noticed how the man didn't say anything but stood there in a relax stance a look of amusement coloured his face as if this was a normal occurrence. Probably it is if they are comfortable to fight back in this situation – and by this situation, he meant with a hot blooded woman wrapping around you and not getting aroused.

The Duo advance towards the girl who took the chance to face fully towards the others, letting go on the man to do so. The man wrapped his arms around the woman in black's back and rested his chin on her head and said something to the duo which put frowns on their faces.

The woman in black grinned and leaned up to peck him on the cheek.

The Duo then left in separate ways – after all, they are rivals – which then lead the couple to do the strangest thing, well to him.

Letting each other go, they turned to face each other and did a complicated series of high-fives and ending up chest pumping each other which lead to other guest turning and scowling.

Chuckling at this, Adrian did the only thing he believed was right to do as a bystander: he's going to buy them a drink.

"Did you see her face? She looked like she's going to give birth then and there when I told her you had five wives and six pairs of triplets."

Nick burst out laughing at the memory as they stood in the balcony of the, catching some air before facing the mass of whale 'lovers'. The two ladies couldn't handle the pressure in which Rose held them under. Firing statements one after and another about Nick and his quality as well as her possessiveness.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to tell them I have genital rash. Now people will think I have herpes or something," Nick said sobering up as they began to make their way back into the crush of people.

Rose rolled her eyes, "That was the last resort. I even told them I was pregnant with your unborn child and they still want you. Heck! I told them you were gay and they were still interested."

"I know, I was there."

"Ha. Ha. But why are you regretting it when you so delicately put it, 'My nether regions are going to fall off soon. If you are still interested then, call me,'" Rose shook her head as they walked through the doors. "I still can't believe you said that. Next time were should a new story."

"Which one this time?"

"How about the –"

"As spectator of the show, I must say that was impressive."

Nick and Rose frozen as recognition sparked in their eyes. There was only one person who they both knew that had that accent. Turning slowly, they faced the wall that the shadowed figure stood.

"You must let me buy you a drink."

AN: Okay folks, haters got to hate, potatoes got to potate. Tell if you ahte it, like it. Do you like that Rose is an attorney? Were you hoping they were security guards or something because that is so over used. Review if you still love me!

Bookworm-At-Starbucks