Author's Notes:

'Drive' is my story for Literotica's Highway Song story event.

This is another first for me. Dipping my toe into the Loving Wives category... and hoping not to pull back a stump!

Truthfully, considering how volatile this category is (and some of its readers are), I have NO expectations.

It sinks, or it swims, whatever. DAMN the TORPEDOS!

Special thanks to blackrandl1958 for her expert advice and for inspiring this story out of my head. Also, a big thanks to norafares for passing her eyes over this work, as well, to find the gremlins.

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.

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Drive

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Chapter 1

Pinkie's Diner sat a little too far back from the road, a mistake in the original site surveyor's work. This misfortune turned to opportunity as the new owner had a clever lawyer who sued and wrangled the entirety of the lot behind the diner for his client. The restaurant now had room for future expansion, but better than that, it had room for a truck parking lot. Investing in his client's new business venture, the lawyer had Pinkie's floorplan expanded to handle extra customers, and it quickly became the place to stop for a warm meal and great coffee.

Forty years later, it was still the favored place for weary travelers and local residents of Rochester, NY.

One of those residents took a seat on the same stool at the counter he'd parked his ass on for the last seven years. He wasn't a daily visitor; his work had him travel a little too much to be such a frequent visitor. He wasn't sure how this seat was always available when he did stop in for breakfast or dinner, but he sent his gratitude to whatever force in the universe made it possible.

"Good morning, Hal."

The man looked up with a smile at the gray-haired waitress smiling at him with a pot of coffee in one hand and a mug in the other.

"Morning, Eve," he replied.

She set the mug before him and poured as she watched his face. With decades of experience, she no longer needed to watch the cup to know when to stop.

"Are you okay, hun?"

A slight snort escaped as Hal looked up once more. Damn perceptive, Eve. He managed a single nod, and she let him get away with that, her experience telling her he wasn't ready to talk.

"Usual?"

He nodded again, and she was off. The woman wrote nothing down yet recalled the orders of all of her regular customers. He marveled once more at her incredible memory.

A single sharp pain flared and just as quickly faded, as his memories nipped at him and slipped away.

He sipped his coffee and watched it move in the mug he held so tightly, like a lifeline.

He had to get out of his head, a dangerous place, so he let his senses spread outwards, picking up the sounds and movements of those around him. It was a skill he'd used to stay alive so many times. Now it was keeping him sane.

The din in the vast space was filled with the high-pitched tink of cutlery on plates, the deeper clunk of mugs on tabletops, the uneven murmur of people speaking, some whispering, and some having no grasp of what inside voice meant. There was nothing out of the ordinary, and he took comfort in that—

There was one sound, almost imperceptible in its minimal volume. It almost seemed to be hiding. It was higher pitched than the forks and knives that did battle or the spoons that mixed the poisons into perfectly fine black coffee. A repeated tapping, almost a vibrat—it was the sound of trembling.

Rings against a mug.

The sound of fear.

That didn't belong here, and he didn't need to hear it. Not today, of all days.

He made the mistake of looking in the direction of the sound and caught sight of the source. He looked away, cursing himself, but it was too late.

She was sitting two stools to his left, his brain quickly categorizing his scan of her.

Tall, maybe as tall as him. Slim physique with long limbs and long elegant fingers wrapped around her coffee mug. Multiple silver rings, the source of the tapping as her hands were trembling, badly.

She was blonde, and what he'd first taken to be an albino boa constrictor was actually a long braid of her hair. Geezus! That was a lot of hair.

Her eyes were big and soft brown with long lashes. When they flicked in his direction, he saw the pain and fear in them. Smudged makeup from crying. Fading bruises from being hit.

She had slightly protruding canines that hadn't been corrected by expensive braces. Her lips looked soft, though the top one was healing after being split, likely from a hard slap over that sharp tooth.

Her nose was slightly larger than usual, but it balanced her larger eyes and that bite. While not classically beautiful, her face had authentic character, and that was attractive in its own way.

Definitely attractive, except for her body language, which screamed victim.

She'd draw every predator within sight of her, and from the bruises, it looked like she already had. He wondered if she was running. It seemed likely. He gauged her to be in her early thirties, almost a decade younger than he was, so he pondered if her current state was a new development or if she'd always struggled to survive.

She wore tight light-blue jeans with rips across her sleek thighs and frayed cuffs over dirty, flat-soled black runners which had seen better days.

The smudged, pink satin jacket barely reached her waist and was worn open. From the side, he'd gotten the impression it might not be able to close, up top at least.

He picked up a male voice behind him talking about the woman. He wasn't the only one recognizing what she was.

The difference was, he wasn't hunting.

Eve arrived with his plate, and he felt a flood of relief for the distraction. He smiled at her and saw the question in her all too knowing eyes. He just shook his head, thanked her, and began to eat.

Eve walked over to stand before the woman. "You sure you don't want anything to eat, hun?"

"No... thank you. Just more coffee, please."

His fork paused on its way back down to his plate, as the woman's deep, sultry voice sent chills down his spine. He hadn't expected that. He wasn't sure what had given it such a gravelly quality, but it was jarring as he'd expected her to have an almost childlike timbre instead.

It still held a note of fear and weariness in it that clawed at him, so he pushed it from his mind and finished up his breakfast. When he was done, Eve was there, ready to take his plate and pour him some more coffee.

"Will I see you again tomorrow?" she asked.

"No, not for a week or so. Going for a long drive," Hal said.

"Another business trip? They run you ragged!" she insisted, making him smile at the concern in her voice.

"Not business. Driving west, to LA. It's personal," he finished awkwardly.

"You're not driving the entire way!" Eve said in surprise. "You'll fly from Buffalo?"

"No, I'm driving. I need the time... to think." Hal pushed back the thoughts that threatened to derail his mind.

"Could-could I get a lift? Just to Erie? I-I have a sister in Pittsburgh. I can get a Greyhound from Erie."

The voice was full of suppressed desperation, yet to his ears, it felt as smooth as honey, poured over gravel. He looked into her soft brown eyes, only slightly glassy from the tears she was holding at bay.

She'd turned on her stool, and he could now see the deep cleavage between her substantial implants. Several thin gold chains were getting lost between those orbs. He picked up her weak attempt to use this view to sway his decision.

Today, of all days... today was not the day to ask him for acts of heroism. Not with the monster inside him whispering pleas to be released. He was in no condition to be the protector of this injured, doe-eyed waif.

He turned his face away and looked down into his coffee. "No."

"I can take you to Erie," said a voice behind Hal.

He knew the voice belonged to the same man, likely a long-haul trucker, who'd been quietly making rude comments behind him about the woman's hot body. Hal knew she shouldn't accept.

He could feel the blonde's eyes on him. Eve's as well. He kept his hands on his mug and his eyes down, as dark whispers filled his mind.

"Sure. Thanks."

He felt her acceptance like a whip across his back, and a sudden rage flared.

This wasn't his responsibility.

She wasn't his responsibility!

He hadn't cheated... His eyes closed as pain ripped through him once more.

"I just have to use the ladies' room."

"Sure. My rig is parked right behind the restaurant. It's the one with the Queen's Pork Sausage trailer. You can't miss it."

Hal let their voices wash over him as he took slow deep breaths. He drank his coffee, then pushed his mind back into the external awareness mode once more and picked through the sounds to calm himself.

He immediately picked up whispers, but this time, not from within his mind. He tuned everything else out.

"Pete! Where the fuck are you?... Good! Meet me at the rest stop just east of Buffalo. I got another slut. Yeah! Sweet ass and big titties. Yup. We'll do it same as last time..." The voice tapered off as the trucker walked away. Hurrying to prepare the trap.

Shit.

He knew it was a mistake. Based on her tears and trembles, not the first mistake this woman had walked right into.

FUCK!

His mug suddenly exploded into shards between his hands, the dregs of his coffee splashing onto the counter.

Eve was immediately there and wiped up the spill. She collected the bits of the mug as she eyed him cautiously.

"Sorry about that. Put it on my bill," he sighed.

Eve nodded and began to move away. Before he could stop himself, he reached out and touched her arm.

"You need to stop her from going with him."

Eve's eyebrows went up, but she just waited.

He took a breath. "He called his buddy." He took another breath to keep his rage in check. "They're planning to rape her at the next rest stop."

Eve gasped as she lifted her hand to her mouth. Then she looked him in the eye. "Hal, she needs safe passage to Erie."

He blinked at her in confusion. "Yes... that's why you need to tell her not to—"

"You need to take her," Eve insisted. Her tone gave no room for argument.

His mouth opened to protest, but she was giving him the look mothers used on stubborn children. She was expert class.

Except... she didn't know what this child had grown into. She had no idea of the danger—

Eve rushed away, and Hal saw her catch the woman just before she left the building. He saw the woman was only carrying a small pink backpack. The two leaned their heads close together as Eve spoke quietly.

Hal saw the woman jerk back then burst into tears. Eve put an arm around her and led her back towards Hal, whose gut got tighter and tighter the closer they got.

When they were standing before him, he managed to look into the woman's teary eyes. "Erie?" he said, and she nodded weakly. Once more, a victim.

"Okay. I'll get you there," he said gruffly.

Eve gave him a sweet smile as she released her hold on the woman. "Her name is Sam. Sam, this is Hal." They gave each other minimal nods.

He tossed some bills on the counter and looked the waitress in the eye. "When I get back from LA, I want a slice of blueberry pie."

She patted his arm. "Sure thing, hun."

With the smallest of glimpses at the woman, Sam, he headed for the door. He held it for her, and she was right behind him like she was frightened he would leave without her.

Outside, he led her to his rental. As he was crossing the country, he'd splurged on an upgraded car. It was just another sedan but a little bigger and a little more luxurious than he usually got. It even had GPS navigation to warn him of traffic tie-ups along his route.

He opened the door for her, feeling stupid for falling into his old patterns.

She glanced at him in surprise then quickly sat inside. He closed the door then walked around to his door. He glanced back at the diner and saw Eve watching him with a little smile. He frowned in frustration, then got in.

He used his cell to look up the Erie bus station's address and entered it into the GPS. Then he got them on their way, driving onto the highway's westbound onramp. They continued in silence, each trapped in their thoughts.

Sometime later, they passed the rest station where the trucker planned to have his little party.

Hal heard Sam begin to cry again, but he did his best to ignore it.

They bypassed Buffalo, but on the outskirts, he pulled off the highway as he was conscious of Sam's discomfort. He drove into the parking lot of a McDonalds and shut the engine. She looked over at him nervously.

"You've been pressing your knees together for the last fifteen miles. I don't have a problem with stopping if you need us to. You just have to tell me. Please use the washroom inside." She nodded in relief, then gave him another worried glance. "Your stomach has been grumbling ever since we left the diner. I'm going in to get you breakfast. What do you want?"

She tried to protest, but her gut squealed.

She smiled in embarrassment. "An Egg McMuffin?"

He nodded and opened his door. Sam scrambled to get out, too. He locked the car then opened the restaurant's door for her. She smiled at his manners then rushed away to use the facilities.

He ordered three of the breakfast sandwiches for her and a few bottles of water for the car.

Hal spotted a teen girl moving quickly for the door carrying a familiar backpack. It had the same tear on the strap Sam's had. This was something he felt comfortable dealing with.

He took two long strides and snagged the bag's carrying loop, tugging it from her grip.

"What the fuck! Give that back!" she screamed at him in full attack mode.

He just stood quietly, watching her eyes.

"I said, give me my bag, asshole!" Her volume was going up, hoping to intimidate him.

"What's going on here?" A deep voice boomed from behind Hal.

"This piece of shit is stealing my bag!" the young girl shrieked, clearly upset that her technique was failing to move him.

The manager moved to stand between Hal and the teen. "Is that true? Did you take her bag?"

"No."

"FUCKER'S LYING! GIMME MY BAG!" she screamed.

Sam suddenly came rushing from the back of the restaurant with a wild look of desperation on her face.

Hal looked away from the teen to face the manager. "The bag belongs to this woman, who was just in your restroom where this thief stole it."

"FUCK YOU!" the girl yelled as she leaped away from the manager's reach and dashed out the door. The big man attempted to catch her, but he was no match for the girl's fleet feet. She ducked around the corner of the building and was gone.

Sam's bottom lip was trembling again as Hal handed over the backpack. He picked up his purchases from the table behind him, then headed outside with Sam following close.

This time he let her open her own door, and she quickly got in.

"Did you do what needed to be done?" he asked, and she nodded. "How did she get the backpack?"

"It was hanging on the hook inside the stall door. I sat down and started. A short time later, she reached over and grabbed it. She did something to the door lock, too. I had trouble opening it." She aimed her big sad eyes at him. "Thank you for getting it back."

He nodded. "Lesson learned. Eat your breakfast." He handed her the bag after taking the water bottles out. He noticed there were no napkins in the bag. "Napkins in the glovebox. Try not to spill any food, please." She just nodded.

Hal got them back on the interstate, and they joined the flow of traffic on 90, heading west along the south shore of Lake Erie. Sam took the opportunity to wolf down her food. She slowed and took her time with the third one, then rested back against the seat, looking a little more relaxed.

"Oh my god. Thank you. I haven't eaten in days," she said in relief.

Hal was feeling a little better himself. It actually felt good to take care of someone else. She was definitely a distraction. Perhaps that was a good thing.

"You're welcome." He glanced over and saw she was watching him. He raised a brow and put his eyes back on the road. "What?"

"You aren't what I expected."

He spared her another glance and saw she was studying him. "What led you to have expectations at all? We've just met." His guilt flared as he knew he'd done the same thing when he first saw her. Though, so far, she hadn't proved his impression wrong.

She seemed surprised by that question. "People... we judge each other with our first glance. That's just... people stuff," she said to explain herself.

"What did you think?" he asked, curious despite his better judgment.

She hesitated, then the words just began to spill forth. "Your clothes are wrinkled like you've slept in them, they're not terribly flattering, and you don't look like you've shaved in a couple of days. I thought maybe you were one of those... invisible people. The ones who never stand out or get noticed. They let the world wash over them and push them around. Now, you seem completely comfortable in your skin. Especially back there at the restaurant. I envy that."

He frowned.

"I'm sorry! There I go putting my foot in my mouth again. I didn't mean to insult you!" she gasped desperately.

He shook his head. "It's okay. I'm not insulted." He paused. "I've had... a bad time the last couple of days. I'm not the best company. It's one of the reasons I'll be driving across the country. Alone with my thoughts."

She was quiet for a moment as she watched his face. "Is... is that why you said no?" she asked quietly.

He grunted quietly. Like saying no had worked out for him. "Yes."

"I'm sorry for intruding... but I'm glad you saved me from those monsters."

He nodded stiffly. Sam didn't understand how close she was to a monster now.

They rode on in silence. The scenery was dull as the Interstate was built for speed, not beauty.

"How long have you been running?"

The question just popped out of his mouth before he had a chance to block it with manners and sensitivity. Maybe it was the monster. It seemed likely. It often surfaced when he wasn't paying attention.

She froze, then glanced over at him then away. "What-what makes you think—"

"Bruises on your face, the split lip, the bruising on your wrist. Not eating for days. Your... behavior in the diner." Hal finally managed to shut himself up as he saw she was getting upset. "It's okay. I'm not judging you. I'm just... observant, and I never know when to keep my mouth shut. Sorry," he finished weakly.

They rode in silence for a while, then she spoke quietly.

"Two days. Frank beat me. Again. I couldn't take it anymore, so I ran when he left to go to the club."

"Club?" Hal asked gently.

"The Kitty Club. It's a strip club he manages. I work... worked there."

"Is this Frank coming after you?"

Frightened doe's eyes looked his way. Fuck, those lashes were long! "Probably. Yes."

"Does he just think he owns you, or do you owe him money?" Hal delivered the questions in a matter of fact tone, but inside, he felt the monster shifting, eager and alert.

"Both." She sniffed but seemed to get control once more. "He said I was too old for the stage and not sexy enough to work the bar. He told me I had to get these." She gestured to her implants. "He paid for them."

"Did he say how much they cost?" Hal was getting the picture of how this guy's mind worked. She wasn't getting out from under Frank's thumb.

"He wouldn't tell me," she said with a definite tremble in her already gravelly voice.

"I see. Does Frank know where your sister lives?" he asked. Sam's decision making had been sketchy so far. Hal was concerned she might be leading this violent dirtbag into a confrontation with her sister as well.

Sam shook her head. "I haven't spoken with Delilah in fifteen years. I know she got married, moved to Pittsburgh, and has two kids. My younger brother Jimmy gave me her details a few years back when he came looking for me. Jimmy died in a motorcycle accident that summer."

Hal wondered if Frank had anything to do with that but kept his suspicions to himself.

He had to distance himself from this. He was only Sam's safe passage to Erie. There, they would part ways, and she would take a bus to stay with her sister. He had to stop himself from examining her life path beyond that. While he'd seen her make a few mistakes and heard evidence of ones she'd made in the past, this was her life, and he had his own crisis to unravel.

"Why are you going to LA?"

Her question caught him unprepared, and his muscles locked as he prevented himself from reacting. He took deep, slow breaths in and out through his nose until the tension eased.

Once he could unlock his muscles, he looked over to see her watching him nervously. That made him feel a little ill. He didn't need to add to her fear. "Sorry."

"You don't need to tell me," she blurted timidly.

"No... it's... just personal."

More silent miles rolled by. Hal felt like he'd broken her trust.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Once more, her sudden question cut through him, but this time he was just left stunned. This... victim was concerned about him?

His first response was to laugh, but he held it in. Then remorse struck as he realized what a shit he would have been to laugh at Sam's compassion. Another sign of the monster within him.

He could give her a lie and say everything is fine! But he couldn't. The truth, then.

"I don't know. I'll just have to wait and see. That's why I'm taking a week to get there. I need the time."

He risked another glance and saw some of the lost trust had returned, healed by the openness of his response.

"You know what I do—did. What do you do?"

Geezus, her questions were so innocent; why did they feel like they were cutting him wide open?

He had to go with the safe answer. "Inventory Control Manager for an office equipment manufacturer."

He looked over, and she smiled. It was the first time he'd seen her do that, and those protruding canines of hers widened the smile crazily. He couldn't help but smile in return. Still, he wondered what the smile was for. "What?"

She shook her head, and her smile just got broader and sillier. He felt a tug in his chest.

"Seriously, what?" Hal asked with a grin of his own.

She seemed to come to a decision. "Your job just doesn't seem to suit you."

His eyebrows rose. "Why?"

She shook her head and looked at him more intensely like she was trying to see through him. "I don't know... it's like, you should be doing something bigger—"

"Bigger?" he snorted in amusement.

"I don't know! More important! Less dull!" she exclaimed as she shook her head.

Hal smiled to himself. "Don't knock dull. I like dull."

She giggled, and that sounded delightful with her husky voice. There was just a hint of desperate relief in the sound.

"I don't see it," she said as she continued to peer at him with an evaluating look. "Maybe a fireman or a cop? Or something military... like."

He looked her in the eye. "Military-like?"

She looked away in embarrassment. "I don't really know what kind. I'm not good at describing things."

"I'll repeat myself. Don't knock dull. Not everyone is suited to handle high adrenaline activities. A little calm is appreciated."

She nodded, but he got the impression that she wasn't satisfied with how it was left. He caught her looking at him with a slight frown.

"What now?"

"I see a ring. You're married?"

Once more, her simple question sliced deep. He had to struggle not to let it show. He nodded.

"What does she do?"

He took a breath. Let it out. "Dental Hygienist."

"Ugh! Staring into people's mouths all day," she moaned.

He managed a nod, desperately wishing she'd choose a different subject.

Oblivious to his pain, she continued to dig. "Why isn't she on this trip with you?"

The monster focused its attention on his tormentor, willing and eager to end her quickly. It knew a dozen ways to do it, but Hal maintained his iron-willed control. She would live another day.

"Busy," he managed, once he could breathe once more.

She looked over and saw the muscles jumping in his tightly clenched jaws and the pain in his eyes. Her face dropped. "oh... oh my god, I'm so sorry."

He quickly glanced at her and saw she knew. That was almost worse than her ignorance. "Don't—"

"I didn't mean to pry—"

"DON'T!"

Hal struggled to get his breathing under control. He had to get away from this woman before she discovered her danger.

He spotted a road sign indicating an exit for Erie, PA. He looked at it like a lifeline. Only three more miles, and he'd get off the interstate. He'd drive her to the bus station, then he'd be rid of her and be alone.

That was safer.

As they approached the exit, he glanced over and saw a look of misery on her face. The fear was returning as well.

"You don't have money for a bus ticket, do you."

Glassy doe eyes looked at him. Sam's bottom lip was trembling as she shook her head.

Shit!

"You should call your sister before you show up on her doorstep."

Her look of dread increased, but she nodded.

He pulled off the interstate and followed the GPS route through the city, north towards the lakeshore. The Greyhound bus station was up by the piers.

Hal kept an eye on his passenger and noted her increased agitation the closer they got to the station.

They finally reached the parking lot next to the buses. He shut off the car and looked over at Sam. She was struggling to keep it together, and he appreciated that. He got out, and after a moment, she did as well.

"I'll pay for your ticket, but you need to call your sister first," he brusquely stated as he locked the car.

She looked at him and nodded.

They walked side by side across the lot to the bus station and went inside. Looking around, they saw there were very few people around. They also saw no payphones, but they found a bench across from the ticket booth and sat together. "Do you have a cell..." Another lost look. "So, no. Okay, use mine. I'll check on the bus," he said as he opened up the phone app and handed it to her. She pulled a small red book from the backpack and opened it to the page where she'd written her sister's information.

Hal stood and walked across the hall to speak to the ticket agent.

"Hi, one way to Pittsburgh?"

The man glanced at his screen as he tapped a key. "The bus, the only bus today for Pittsburgh, will be here in thirty minutes. Thirty-six dollars."

Hal paused as he picked up Sam's side of the call.

"Hello? Delilah? It's me, Sam... Samantha. Your sister." There was a long pause. "Don't say that, please don't." Another pause. "I-I was hoping to come see you. Today." Sam began to sniff. "Please-please don't be that way, Deli! OH! I'm not! Please! No! Please! Ohhh..." Sam looked at the cell then slowly curled up on the bench as the tears burst forth. Deep racking sobs tore from her as Hal turned to her and watched in dismay.

He realized there would be no reunion with the sister, the consequence of another bad decision made years before. He walked away from the booth back to the crying woman. He sat on the end of the bench, gently took his cell back, and rubbed her back to calm her—more automatic behavior.

A moment flashed into his mind.

Lisa, sobbing into her pillow. Him, sitting on the edge of their bed, touching his wife's back to give comfort. He couldn't recall the reason for the tears, but a feeling of guilt made him believe they were his fault. He was unsure if he could trust that.

He now wondered if those tears played some part in the events which led to this moment.

His mind was lost, analyzing every seemingly innocent gesture and word, looking for the truth in the details.

Eventually, a bus pulled into the station, and they heard the announcement of the 12:40 to Pittsburgh. Neither moved from the bench.

As the bus left, Hal heard a deep, pained exhale from the woman whose head had moved to his leg during his trip down memory lane. He looked down to see he was stroking her hair. She seemed much calmer now.

What the hell was he going to do now? He was destined to travel to the west coast. She had no place in that mess. He didn't want her to get caught up in it.

He also didn't have it in him to kick her to the curb. It felt like she'd had too many kicks recently. He might be a monster, but he wasn't cruel.

He had to keep moving west. He couldn't decide for her, but he had no choice. He looked down at her and saw her eyes were closed.

"Wha—ahem, what are you going to do now?" he forced out of his tight throat.

She shook her head, pressing it harder against his leg as a shudder ran through her muscles.

He turned his face to the side and looked out the window so he wouldn't see her expression.

He could just walk away. He'd fulfilled his promise to Eve. Safe pass—

Queen's Pork Sausages.

A trailer with this emblem was hooked to an old red Denworthy rig with a big sleeper cab. He'd only caught a glimpse of the potential rapist's truck as they left the lot of Pinkie's, but he was sure he was looking at it now, in the lot just across the street.

So that answered the question of leaving Sam behind. They were likely watching.

"Sam, we have to go. Now."

The woman looked up at him in confusion, then froze when she saw the cold look in his eyes.

"Come on." He helped her to her feet, pushed her backpack into her arms, and got her moving.

"What's going on? Where are we going?" she asked with genuine fear in her voice.

"The creep from Pinkie's followed us. We're going to my car." Hal's senses were on high alert, and he caught motion in the parking lot. Left and right. Converging. So, he brought his friend. The monster within trembled in anticipation.

They were parked in the second row of cars and had to pass through the first. Their assailants would spring the trap as he and Sam stepped out from between the vehicles.

He altered course subtly to have them pass between a parked cube truck and a jeep. As they reached the rear bumper, he gave Sam a gentle push into the narrow space. "Keep going," he said softly. She took three steps forward and looked back over her shoulder. He was gone.

She took three more stumbling steps forward, and a hand grabbed her wrist painfully tight, yanking her forward. Her legs gave out in her fright. She shrieked as she fell sideways against the bumper of the jeep. Terrified, she grabbed onto the heavy tubing to prevent the rapist from taking her.

Behind her, she heard a fast series of thuds, snaps, and breathy squeals. Something clattered to the pavement, followed by heavier, brutal impacts and muted snaps.

She kept her eyes tightly closed as the angry crackle of sparks sounded twice.

Then a calm voice in her ear.

"Sam, it's okay. We have to leave now. Come on."

Gentle hands helped her stand and collect her bag, and she looked down in fright at the two unconscious men, face down on the paving.

"Quickly now."

Sam clung to Hal's arm as he guided her to the passenger side door. When the door closed with her inside, she felt infinitely safer, so she spun in her seat to look back at the two attackers still on their faces. As Hal slipped behind the steering wheel, she stared at him with wide eyes. He was talking to someone on his cell.

"Thanks." He hung up and tossed a black-handled stun gun into the console between the seats. He caught her look. "I took that from the trucker. It's how they were going to get you into their truck."

He quickly got the car started and drove out of the lot at a sedate pace. He tapped the GPS a few times, and then they were on their way.

He didn't speak again until they were back on the interstate. He looked over at Sam and saw she was still watching him. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, but what did you do?"

He looked away with a stiff expression. "I know how to fight." He looked back at her. "So, going to your sister's is out?"

She immediately looked like she might start crying again, but she nodded.

"Do you have a plan B?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"No other sibling, cousins, an aunt?"

Her face fell, and her lip trembled as his chest tightened.

Shit.

"Where are we going?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"I'm going to LA. That's all I know. Do you have someplace you need to be?"

She shook her head with glassy sad eyes locked onto his frustrated ones.

Fuck.

He didn't want her with him in LA. It wasn't going to be safe for her. He wasn't sure what the outcome of this trip would be. That was what he needed the thinking time for, alone time.

Fuck!

She started to cry again.

"Why are you crying now?" he said in exasperation.

"I'm scared! I don't want to burden you, but I have no home, no money, no—" She choked on her words. "...family. My ex-boyfriend wants to beat me to death and cut my tits off, and those rapists tried to abduct me in broad daylight, a second time!" She was shaking badly. "I'm terrified, but I feel safe here with you. But you don't want me here!"

Her tears became sobs, and Hal felt trapped. The monster had been quiet and dormant after he unleashed it on the two men in the parking lot, but the crying was stirring it up again. He had to nip that in the bud.

"You can stay with me until we work something out," he said sternly. "Stop crying."

The tears tapered off as she watched him with hope in her eyes. He didn't want to see that, so he kept his eyes on the road.

The crying stopped, and they rode on through the countryside.

"Where are we going? Tonight, I mean," she asked timidly.

He nodded. "I booked a room in a motel in Columbus, Ohio. I'll get a second room when we get there."

Hal glanced over and saw another worried expression. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to be a burden..."

He sighed. "What is it?"

"I ran with just what I had on me." Another doe-eyed look was aimed at him. "I'm not prepared for a week-long trip."

Hal glanced at her again and took deep breaths to calm himself. He finally nodded. "Okay, we'll stop and pick up some items for you for the trip." At her look of anguish, he continued. "I have a travel expense account."

Her eyes got a little glassy again, but she forced her tears back. "Thank you."

He gave her a nod, and they went back to driving in silence. It would take almost four hours to get to Columbus, so they settled back in the plush seats.

After a while, Hal felt her eyes on him again. He glanced over cautiously, but she just had a look of intense curiosity on her face.

"What?" he asked, wondering if he really wanted to know.

"I didn't see it, but your fight with those two, it didn't sound like any fight I've ever heard. It was so quiet."

He gave her a raised eyebrow in surprise. "You've heard a lot of fights?"

She nodded with a serious expression. "Frank and his boys, the bouncers, they beat people up fairly often. Sometimes people drink too much and touch the girls. They take them outside, and we can hear it in the dressing room. I think they do it outside the window on purpose. Scares the girls." She examined her chipped nail polish as pain crossed her expression. "Sometimes they do it just for fun. Take some poor sap outside and slap him around. Sometimes it's one of us. Me."

She gave herself a shake, then looked at him. "The fights are always noisy with screams of fear, pleading, crying, cursing and yelling, and the slap of skin on skin. Always." She looked at him again. "You were silent, and the fight was over so fast!"

"I don't like fighting—"

"Liar," the monster whispered, but only Hal heard.

He took a deep breath. "Hit hard to disable the opponent. End the fight quickly. Walk away."

He felt the monster's cool contempt at his words. He knew it was only satisfied when the opponent was dead.

"Inventory Control Manager," she wondered aloud, but quietly.

He remained silent. It was safer.

Chapter 2

Hal joined the rush hour traffic in the loop highway around the western edge of Columbus, Ohio. They'd made good time, even with a few potty breaks for Sam.

The first time they stopped, he'd waited in the car, and Sam had been a nervous wreck by the time she'd done her business and got back to the car. For subsequent stops, he went into the buildings with her and waited. This seemed to ease her fears of being left behind.

On one of their stops, he called ahead to the next motel he'd booked and managed to get the room next to his, too.

Sam finally managed to fall asleep, and he was struck by how innocent she looked when asleep.

He saw his turn off and exited the highway to enter the suburban outskirts. He spotted the motel, but they had some errands to run first. But before that, dinner.

"Sam? Time to wake up."

Eyelids fluttered, and big brown eyes looked at him. "We're at the motel?"

"I thought we'd have dinner first," he suggested, and her eyes lit up. He gestured to the GPS screen. "There are a lot of restaurants in this neighborhood. Pick one."

From how wide her eyes went, Hal thought this might have been the first time she'd been asked to choose. He nodded, so she scoured the screen with her eyes.

"They've got an Olive Garden!" she exclaimed excitedly.

He glanced at her then the map where she was pointing. "That's what you want?"

Her smile became a worried expression. "You don't like it?"

"It's fine! I like it," he insisted. "Olive Garden, it is." Her smile returned twice as bright. He had a little trouble looking away from her smile.

He got them to the parking lot and found a spot close to the door.

Getting out, they stretched and chuckled at their mutual groans.

He locked the car, and they made their way inside. The hostess behind the desk took one look at Sam's outfit, and her lip went up. The tall blonde moved a little closer to Hal's back.

He moved up and held the young woman's eyes with his. She seemed about to dismiss him due to his not terribly flattering clothes, but the manager arrived and saw the annoyed look on Hal's face. The man leaned closer so Hal could whisper something in his ear. The man's brows shot upward, then he pushed the young woman aside as he selected a table for them. He personally led Hal and Sam to a lovely table for four off to the side and seated them. Hal put the wall to his back and had Sam sit to his left, not to block his view. "Your waitress will be right over," the man said with a smile he shared with Hal.

When they were alone, Sam leaned in a little closer. "What did you tell him?" she whispered.

He shrugged. "The snotty little brat was going to give us a hard time getting a table, so I told him I was a federal marshal, you were in witness protection, and we didn't need any delays."

She began to giggle then looked at him with wide eyes. "It's true! You could be a marshal!" She suddenly froze. "Are you a marshal?" she whispered hoarsely in surprise.

He grinned and shook his head. They looked at the menu and made their orders when the harried waitress rushed over.

When the food arrived, Hal found it to be adequate, but he got more satisfaction just from watching Sam's enjoyment. When she finally sat back and rested her hands across the tiny bulge in her otherwise flat stomach, she looked truly relaxed.

"Full?" he asked, and she nodded with a sleepy smile.

"Don't fall asleep now! We have to do some shopping!" he insisted.

She pouted, then her eyes flicked up to see two men approaching their table. A look of dread washed over her features, and she gripped Hal's hand, making him look to see who she was afraid of.

"Holy shit! I knew it had to be you! Rapunzel, who'da thought I see you in my own town!" a fat man exclaimed as he got closer. The thin man standing next to him just kept his eyes on Hal.

The talker looked around. "Where's Frank?"

Hal glanced at Sam, but she was frozen, so he answered for her. "She's not with Frank anymore."

The man's beady eyes finally focused on him. "Bullshit. Mr. Capello don't let no one go, and certainly not Goldilocks here. Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm her friend. Who are you?"

The chunky man snorted. "I run the Kitty Club just south of seventy. Yeah, me and Frank go way back. I know Rapunzel here from her stage days when she'd be up there shaki—"

"I don't think she cares to recall those days," Hal said firmly, interrupting the smirking man whose eyes went cold.

The man passed his eyes over Hal, and the smirk came back. "You're not the friendly type."

Hal contained his snort. The man had no idea. "You could say that. Have a good evening."

Chubby nodded to himself, then nodded to his partner before fixing his eyes on Sam. "See ya 'round, Goldilocks."

When they were alone, the waitress hurried over, and Hal settled the bill.

He saw Sam was trembling from the visit. He needed to distract her, or he'd be dealing with tears again.

"Come on. We have some shopping to do."

She stood, and he wrapped his arm around her back to steady her. She glanced at him in surprise but clung to his hand to keep the arm there until they reached the door. He guided her to his car, then drove and parked in front of the supercenter.

"We can get the basics here, everything you'll need," he said as he exited the car again. She nodded and rushed to get next to him, taking his arm in hers. She glanced behind her.

They went inside, and Hal grabbed a cart. He immediately took her to the woman's wear section, and he directed her past the discount t-shirts rack she'd stopped beside.

"Please don't take this as a criticism. This is an opportunity to upgrade your wardrobe. You don't need to stick to t-shirts. Don't worry about the cost. If it looks nice on you and fits, we'll get it." She was looking at him with wide eyes. "We need a week's worth of outfits."

She began tentatively. With each blouse she liked, she would turn to Hal and look for permission. He'd just nod. Only once did he shake his head, but only because he thought it didn't flatter her. She took the items over to the change room, where he stood guard over their cart. When she returned with only three of the blouses, he raised an eyebrow.

"The others didn't fit over my tits," she explained and received a scowl from a nearby salesclerk.

"Let's find some more," was all he said. Sam smiled as the three items went into the cart.

While she hunted, he found a few items for himself in the men's wear section across the aisle; a three-pack of black t-shirts and a three-pack of boxer briefs, also black. A pair of charcoal grey running pants finished up his purchases, and all went into the cart.

The next hour went by with Sam trying clothes until they had at least eight days' worth of outfits. Along with the blouses, she had three dresses, which she seemed particularly thrilled about. He made her buy jeans with fewer rips, but she countered with three pairs of yoga pants, which he knew weren't going to leave much to the imagination.

Throughout the activity, she modeled many of the outfits for him, and he saw she had an amazing figure. His original assessment of her from the glance at Pinkie's didn't take into account how long and toned her legs were or how the cutest apple bottom topped them. She had almost no extra meat on her bones, but her ass was truly perfect in his estimate. He caught himself comparing it to Lisa's, and his mood suddenly spiked downwards.

He struggled to shake the funk as he guided her to the lingerie section. He held her eyes with his. "Again, get undergarments that fit and feel comfortable."

"The bras that can support these tend to be expen—" she began but stopped when he shot her a glare.

He held up a hand as he rubbed his face with the other. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to react like that. I just... have things on my mind. Don't worry about the price. If it supports those, it's worth every penny."

She snorted in surprise, then moved off between the cases with a happy smile on her lips.

He wondered where the hell those words came from. He wasn't a flirt. Not like Lisa.

She returned with arms full of bras and panties, which went into the cart. She caught the distracted look on Hal's face, but she didn't ask.

They were walking past the shoe section, and he stopped. "You need some sandals for the dresses and definitely new running shoes."

Her eyes lit up, and she went on the hunt for sandals. He spotted a nice pair of women's runners. White with pink accents and a well-cushioned sole. They were a little pricey, but they were well made and would give far more comfort than the ratty flat crap she had on her feet now. He grabbed a six-pack of ankle socks as well. These and the shoes went into his cart.

He walked over and saw her sitting on a bench, looking at her feet. Her eyes were sad. "What's wrong?"

"I can't wear sandals with nails like these!" she sniffed.

He pulled up his cell's map application and found a nail spa nearby. "Let's wrap this up. You can have your nails done at a place in the next shopping complex."

Large eyes held his gaze as she looked at him in bewilderment. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

He paused as he thought about that. Doing things for Sam was making him feel better. "I-It's helping me too. I can't explain it better. Not yet."

She slipped her crappy runner on and stood. She put two pairs of strappy sandals into the cart and looked at him. "Thank you."

He just nodded and got them walking again.

They stopped before the luggage, and she looked at him in confusion.

"Did you think I was going to make you carry your clothes from motel to motel in plastic shopping bags? You need a suitcase. Pick one. Medium size. The hard-shell ones are pretty good."

She looked around, and her eyes immediately locked onto a bright pink hard-shell a short distance away. She walked over and touched it almost reverently. She looked back at him. "I've never owned a piece of luggage before." She looked down at it sadly. "I've never gone anywhere to need one. This is the farthest I've been from home."

Leaving the cart in the aisle, Hal walked over and pulled the piece out to give it a thorough examination. It passed his quality control review, so he carried it back to the cart and slid it underneath. He picked up a pink make-up kit to hold the cosmetics they'd be picking up next.

"What's that?" Sam asked as the small bag went into the cart, too.

"Make-up kit. We're heading there next." He pushed off, and she rushed to catch up.

This took a little time, but he ensured she got moisturizer, deodorant, the cosmetics she liked, a few brushes and combs, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. He bought her the largest size pump bottles of shampoo and conditioner for her massive amount of hair.

The cart was quite full by the time they went through the checkout. Sam fretted about the cost until he'd had enough. He didn't want to snap at her again, so he just hugged her. Hal was as surprised he'd done it as she was, then a little amused to discover she was actually an inch taller than his 5' 9". He was also more than a little aware of her soft breasts when they squished against him. He pulled back, and she smiled shyly at him.

They carried their loot out to the car, and he opened the trunk. She saw he had two black hard-shell suitcases inside already. He put her pink case inside, opened it, and quickly loaded the items they'd purchased into it. There was only a little room left when he was done. "We forgot to get you sleepwear!" he said in frustration.

"I don't wear clothes when I sleep," she confessed.

He glanced down at her chest, then pulled one of the black t-shirts from his purchases and tossed it inside her suitcase. He then closed the case. "You should have something on in case you need to leave in an emergency."

She just nodded.

They drove over to the nail salon, and he followed her in. He found a spot to sit and wait while a pretty Asian woman brought her over to the pedicure area first. Seeing she was being taken care of, Hal leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He catnapped like this until he heard Sam and the nail technician approach him again. He opened his eyes and saw the widest smile on Sam's face. She was wearing disposable flip flop sandals to let the polish on her toenails dry, and he spotted her favorite hot pink color on her toes. She saw carrying her old runners, so he took them from her and dropped them into a nearby trash can.

Sam held out a hand, palm down, and he admired the polish they'd applied there too. It started off as a soft pink and faded into white at the tips of her fingernails. They weren't fake. Her real nails only extended a short distance beyond her fingertips. He told her they were lovely, and she blossomed anew.

Once more, Hal paid and gave the young woman a good tip for making Sam so happy.

They went back to the car, and Hal got them on their way to the motel, which wasn't far from the shopping district.

They went inside to register, and Hal got the key cards for the rooms, ground floor, side by side on the west side of the building. He drove them around the building and parked in the spot before one of the rooms.

"This is mine, and you get the other one."

She looked at him. "We don't have to be in separate rooms," she said quietly.

"Yes, we do." He took a deep breath. "I don't sleep too well these days. It's saf—better for you to have your own room."

She watched him, then nodded.

He got their suitcases as she opened her room. With a small push, he rolled hers over to her. She grinned happily and caught its handle as it rolled by, to wheel it into her room before closing her door. He opened his door and rolled his cases inside.

He went back to her door and knocked.

"Who is it?"

"It's Hal," he said with a smile. She did it right.

She opened the door and saw his smile, which brought a smile to her lips, too.

"If you need anything during the night, just knock on the wall between our rooms three times. I sleep very light. I'd like to get on the road tomorrow at 9 AM, so that means leaving the motel no later than 7:45 AM to get breakfast. We come back, brush our teeth, then load the car and be on our way. Okay?"

She nodded, so he continued. "Feel free, if you want to watch a movie—" She shook her head.

"Thank you. I'm going to take a long hot shower and wash my hair. That's enough for one night," she said.

He smiled as he took in the long braid. "Okay, lock up, and I'll see you in the morning."

She smiled and closed the door. Listening for the secondary lock, Hal heard her snap it into place. Satisfied, he went into his room and locked up behind himself.

He stripped down and folded his worn and wrinkled clothes. He frowned, as in his haste to escape from his home, he hadn't packed any other clothes. All he had were the t-shirts, underwear, and running pants he just bought. His suitcase contained his boots and socks, so he'd switch from loafers to those tomorrow. He set aside clothes for the morning and carefully packed away the dirty items.

Naked, he began his exercises. It was a mixture of stretches and stresses for different muscle groups.

It helped him sharpen his focus, clear away the day's noise, and put all of his daily actions into compartments for later review.

This routine always left him feeling cleansed, but tonight he couldn't achieve that due to Lisa's recent actions. The taint remained.

The best he could hope for was to achieve enough of a relaxed state that he'd be able to slip into sleep when he went to bed.

An hour in, he realized he needed to stop. The cleansing wasn't going to happen, and even relaxation seemed an impossibility.

Releasing the monster on those two in the parking lot in Erie, yet not allowing it to finish them, had been a mistake. He could feel its alert presence in his mind. Waiting for the next opportunity to get loose again.

He wasn't concerned that the trucker and his friend might continue their predation. He'd left them with injuries that meant their driving careers were over. Walking without pain was likely not in their future, either.

He switched over to push-ups then sit-ups. When he felt a good burn, he jogged in place for twenty minutes and then walked into the bathroom to shower. The hot spray felt good, and he allowed his mind to wander, just a little. He thought about how much effort it must be for Sam to wash all that hair!

An image of her standing naked under the spray popped into his mind, and he forced it out.

In its place came a memory of Lisa in the shower with him. It was the last time he'd been with her. Compared to Sam, Lisa's body wasn't so tall, wasn't so slim, and she had more flesh on her ass. She knew how to get his motor going and how to drive him to madness. She wasn't above doing both together to reach a new high in her search for chaos and bliss. She was the most dangerous woman he knew.

He'd caught a twenty-something gardener with his pants down around his ankles as he tried to line his cock up with Lisa's asshole while she writhed under him on the edge of the bed. The man's frustration made him miss the sound of Hal entering the bedroom door behind them. He was a pothead, and the scent of weed was heavy on him and in the air as Lisa mumbled incoherently.

Her eyes watching him in the mirror as he entered might have been a little glassy, but her crooked smile as she watched the monster break bone after bone in the screaming and retching man's hands and arms now seemed far more aware than she'd pretended she was.

As they stood together in the shower afterward, his pelvis was crushed up against her soft ass, his hot cock buried to the root in her ass, and his cum filled her. She was struggling and hoarsely moaning as he had one hand gripping her gushing pussy while the other was squeezing her throat, slowly choking the life from her.

The monster was sated, and Hal returned to his mind to feel her life on the edge of slipping away. He quickly loosened his grip, and Lisa sucked in a deep breath. He carefully lifted her off his softening cock and gently sat her on the bench in the shower.

"Fucking... coward."

He looked up into Lisa's tear-filled eyes and saw her disappointment. Her eyelids began to flutter as she spiked through a few more micro orgasms as sensation flooded back into her body across her raw nerves.

Hal ripped his mind away from that memory and concentrated on the mundane task of getting clean.

Physically, at least. He wasn't sure he'd ever be mentally clean again.

Chapter 3

It was the chirp of a key card that pulled Hal to full awareness. The monster was already moving his body, sliding him off the bed to roll soundlessly to his feet, the knife he'd pulled from under his pillow clutched in his hand. In his black t-shirt and matching black shorts, he was partially hidden in the shadows of the dark room. He slipped up to the wall next to the door and adjusted his grip on the knife.

When the door burst open, time slowed to a crawl in the monster's perceptions. The tall, skinny man he saw at Olive Garden charged inside, gun in hand. His feet tangled in the bedspread Hal had arranged on the floor just inside the door, and down he went. His weapon went off as he fell on it, and he went still, his brains sprayed across the carpet.

As the first guy was tripping, a second man stepped through the door and got a fist to the gut. He began to double over. Hal grabbed the front of his shirt and felt something tearing under it. He pushed the man out the door as he reversed his grip on his knife to slam the pommel against the man's temple.

He released the crumpling man to dart into the open door of Sam's room. Chubby was standing a few feet inside the room, spinning to point his gun at Hal. Terrified, he put a bullet in the wall as Hal surged closer to drive his knife up under the man's ribs into his heart. The impact lifted the heavy man off his feet, and Hal used his momentum to carry the man like a shield as he charged the last assailant.

That man was fast and got his gun pointed at Hal, but the two shots he managed to squeeze off just hit the corpse.

Hal ripped his knife free of the body just as it collided with the last gunman. He darted his arm around and stabbed the final man in the throat, tearing open his jugular. The man squeezed the trigger once more, and Hal felt the wind of the bullet as it passed by. They all fell in a pile, and Hal drove his knife through the man's wrist, pinning it to the floor. He heard the squeal of tires on the pavement as their getaway driver got away. He crouched over the corpse as the gunman choked out his last breath. Hal was silent as he listened, but no one else was coming. He could hear terrified moaning coming from the bed.

"Sam!" Hal called out as he pushed the monster back into the dark recesses of his mind. He left the knife pinning the man to the floor and moved cautiously to the bed.

"Hal?" her voice asked quietly from under the sheets.

"Yeah, it's me. Stay there for a second. I'm just going to take a quick look around. You're safe here."

He went to the door and listened. Nothing. He darted outside and checked on the man he knocked unconscious. Lifting his shirt, he saw the microphone, wires, and tape he'd felt when he grabbed his shirt. The monster had wanted to kill him, but Hal still had override on kills.

The man was out and might have a mild concussion.

He went into his room and collected his cell. He dialed his handler.

"Report."

"Need assistance. Clean up. Attempted murder and abduction. Three dead, one captured wearing a wire."

"Shit. Give me the address, then sit tight."

Hal gave his handler the details then hung up. He went back to Sam's room. He heard her crying quietly.

"Sam? It's okay; it's over." He sat on the edge of the bed

She pulled the sheets down to her chin and looked around for him.

She squeaked when she saw the two dead men on the floor. "These were the guys we met at Olive Garden, plus goons," he said.

"You—you killed them?" she said quietly.

"They weren't here to play. The skinny guy rushed into my room with his gun out. Ended up shooting himself in the head with it when he tripped. Stupid." He pointed to the others. "These two were after you. Someone got away." He frowned when he saw Sam was still holding the blanket up to her chin.

Red and blue lights suddenly filled the doorway as the local police arrived.

"Are you wearing the t-shirt I gave you?" he asked, and she shook her head.

He sighed and pulled his off to hand to her. "Put this on. The police are here, and they aren't going to be friendly. It's going to be okay, though. I made a call." He looked to the door as she struggled to pull the shirt on.

"POLICE! COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!"

He sighed. "Here we go."

Sam was staring in shock at Hal's back. It was a roadmap of pain. The scars were many and varied. She watched him stand and walk through the door, lit up by the lurid colors and flashing lights.

Then it was her turn. She was grateful for his long t-shirt as she only had panties on underneath.

She tried to emulate his controlled movements, but she was just too frightened.

She stepped into the lights.

Chapter 4

Hal caught up on his sleep in the police's holding cell. There wasn't anything else he could do.

"Demon!"

He opened his eyes and looked towards the entrance to the cell. "Demmon."

"Whatever. You're getting out," the cop said.

Hal stood and walked over to the door, and the cop let him out of the cage. He followed the man out to a big room filled with desks and a few police, the night shift. As they hadn't given him any clothes to wear, he was standing there in his black shorts, and that's all. The room went quiet as people turned to stare at him.

It used to bother him how curious people were about the scars and burns, the visible signs of torture and pain he carried, but now he just ignored them. Sam was sitting with her back to him at one of the desks, talking to a female detective. She seemed okay for now. They'd given her a blanket to wrap around her shoulders.

Standing a short distance behind Sam was his handler. Karl Gunderman was a man in his sixties who looked like he was in his forties. He was a small, slim man with a thick black beard and a buzz cut on top. His reality didn't seem to match the rich baritone voice on the phone. Hal had never seen the man smile, and he certainly wasn't smiling now. He approached Hal and quickly searched for new injuries with his eyes.

"I wasn't hit. A close call but no injuries," Hal said quietly.

"Why?" Karl asked.

Hal snorted softly as he thought of Eve at Pinkie's and how she'd bullied him into taking responsibility for Sam. "No choice."

Karl's eyebrows rose. He looked to Sam, and Hal nodded.

"Why are you off program?" Karl asked.

Hal winced as an image of Lisa flashed through his mind, and Karl frowned crossly. They'd worked together for so long they didn't need to speak in words to communicate. The man knew Lisa was the wildcard in the equation of Hal's life.

"I need the time. No more than a week," Hal said, looking into Karl's eyes. The man finally nodded.

"Can you do it without her, the trouble magnet?" Karl said, gesturing to Sam. He'd already got a read on her.

Hal watched Sam from behind and wondered if she wanted to get away from him now that she'd seen what he was capable of—well, the beginnings of what he was capable of becoming.

She must have felt his gaze or finally noticed how quiet the room had become as she turned her head and saw him standing there in his shorts and tortured flesh.

Sam was immediately on her feet and rushed to him to wrap her arms around him. She burrowed her face into his neck, and he felt her body trembling. His arms automatically went around her, as well.

Hal traded a surprised look with Karl, and then he shook his head to answer the man's last question.

Karl frowned and shook his head in resignation. He held up a finger and mouthed one week. Hal nodded, and his handler left without another word.

"Ms. Dulane, I just have a few more questions," the female officer said, and Hal felt Sam hold him tighter.

"Sam is done answering questions."

The officer didn't like hearing that and got angry. "This is an active investi—"

"Stand down, Officer Hanes."

The officer turned to see her CO frowning at her. "Sir?"

"Orders from upstairs. There is no case. Destroy the paperwork."

The female officer stared at Hal then nodded to her commander. "Yes, sir." She moved back to her desk.

"Thank you," Hal said.

"Don't thank me. Not my decision." He handed over a large manila envelope containing Hal's wallet, keys, room key cards. Even an evidence bag with his knife was inside. Karl had done his job perfectly once more.

"The goons who busted in had key cards. Did you question the night desk clerk?" Hal asked.

"He's in the wind, as is the driver, but even if we found them, there's no case to link them to," the man said with a grimace as if he tasted something unpleasant. He looked at Hal uncomfortably. "You fucked up a sting operation we've been working on for over a year. That said, Officer Romano wanted me to thank you for not killing him." The grimace was back. Hal just nodded.

"We need to go back to the motel to get our stuff. Can we get a lift?" Hal asked.

The commander nodded. "It's been arranged. You'll meet the driver at the entrance to the precinct." He walked away without saying another word; his body language clearly showing his distaste for the entire situation.

"Let's go," Hal said to Sam, and she stepped back to look at him.

"We just get to leave? I don't understand. People died." She looked lost.

He couldn't explain it to her. She wouldn't understand. Maybe she'd decide to leave him here, now.

"Yes, we get to leave. There are no charges to file. It will probably just be reported as a failed robbery ending in the assailants' deaths and justifiable self-defense on our—my side. I'll understand if you don't want to continue on with me—"

"No!" Sam clung to his arm. "Don't leave me behind!" she whispered huskily. "I don't want to be alone!"

He blinked at her, then nodded. "Okay, let's go back to the motel."

They went down the stairs to the ground floor where a man was watching them with a smile. "Mr. Demon?"

"Demmon," he automatically corrected.

"My apologies! I'm to drive you back to your motel." The man was a little mesmerized by how Sam was filling out her black t-shirt.

"Let's go," Hal said to jar the man back to the task at hand.

They followed him out to a minivan and climbed onto the middle bench seat as the driver hustled to take his place behind the wheel.

The drive back didn't take long, but Sam held Hal's arm the entire way. She continued to tremble.

When the driver dropped them off at their rooms, a hint of the sun approached the horizon. Police tape was still encircling the area before the room entrances, and two police cars were stationed outside this. Hal walked up to the police car closest to the rooms, and the officer behind the wheel glared up at him.

"We're going inside to get our bags, and then we're leaving. Are you here until we leave?" he asked.

The cop gestured to the other cruiser. "He's protecting the site. I'm your escort out to the city limits to make sure you do leave," the officer snapped back.

Hal nodded and walked over to the police tape. He carefully untangled it from his rental and cleared their way to the doors to their rooms. Both doors were broken.

Hal noticed a bullet hole in the window of Sam's unit. He was relieved to see the bullet had stopped at the ceiling overhang. It could easily have traveled to one of the rooms in the building across the parking lot.

"Get dressed for the day, get your suitcase, and pack your items into it. Then meet me here in front of the car. We're getting an early start today, so we'll get breakfast in Springfield," he instructed. She nodded and went to the open door.

"I can't!" she choked as she looked inside.

Hal sighed to himself and led her inside. He asked her to choose some clothes and get dressed. He packed her remaining clothes into the case. He stepped over the large bloodstain in the carpet and collected her items from the washroom into her make-up kit. He carried that back out and put it into the case. He held open a plastic bag for her dirty items then added this to the case before closing it up. He looked to Sam and blinked at the transformation.

She was wearing his black t-shirt under a soft, light grey button-down sweater with a deep 'V' neckline.

Below this was dark grey yoga pants, which clung to her legs like a second skin. He could only imagine what they looked like on her ass.

She also had on the new sneakers and ankle socks and was waiting for him to say something.

"Wow! You look very lovely in that outfit," he managed.

Her smile lit up her whole face, then became shy.

He gestured for her to take her suitcase as he left the room with her following. He stepped into his unit and sighed as they hadn't made any effort to clean the gray matter from the carpet and walls. He turned to face her. "You should probably wait here. The room is... unpleasant."

She nodded, then he went inside. He carefully stepped around the mess to get into his bathroom, where he took a quick shower and dried off. He shaved and used deodorant, then packed his kit.

Finally, he cleaned his knife. He'd do a more thorough job that night.

He went into the hall and stepped around and over the mess. He heard a squeak and looked up to see Sam inside the room and turning to face the door. He looked down at his naked body.

Shit.

He quickly pulled on some briefs, the running pants, and his last black t-shirt.

He unlocked the larger suitcase and dug out a pair of socks and his combat boots. He sealed up his luggage, locked them, and carried them to the doorway. "Let's go," he said, and they stepped outside.

Hal loaded their suitcases into the trunk then held Sam's door open for her.

She sat and pulled her legs inside as he watched them.

He closed her door and walked around to his. Once he started the car, the police cruiser behind him backed up to unblock the way. Hal pulled out of the spot and drove them back through the suburb streets to get them onto the interstate. The police car tailed them all the way to the next exit, where it peeled off and left the interstate.

Hal looked over at Sam, leaning back in her seat with her head turned to face him. "Rough night, huh," he said gently.

She smiled weakly at him. "Actually, I had a lovely shower, and my hair is cleaner than it's been in months. The bed was comfortable, and I was getting wonderful sleep until those men broke into my room. Then I was just terrified." Her smile became a deep frown. "I thought they'd shot you and were going to take me back to Frank."

He nodded as he could imagine that's what it sounded like. "But that's not what happened," he said quietly.

"No! I pulled the blanket over my head and jumped every time a gun went off. I almost peed myself. I was so scared!" She looked at him with wide eyes. "Then it was over, and you were talking calmly to me like nothing had happened. You weren't even breathing hard, and they were all dead."

He shook his head as it was important to him. "One lived."

She just looked at him as they drove through the countryside. She didn't know this man, yet he'd beaten up men trying to rape her. He'd taken her with him on a trip he hadn't wanted to share. He'd paid for her expenses to dress and feed her, and now, he'd killed for her. She didn't know how to react. He didn't look like he was expecting anything from her, but she owed him so much!

"Thank you for saving me," she said, tears trying fall from her eyes while she fought back because he didn't need them.

He glanced at her and nodded.

The remaining miles to Springfield disappeared under their wheels, and he pulled off the highway for breakfast.

They ate in companionable silence and were soon back on the road.

"Where are we staying tonight?" she asked.

"A little place called St. Charles, Missouri, which is just west of St. Louis. I've got a hotel room booked. It has two queen beds, as that's all they had. I could try to find us a hotel with two roo—"

"No! I mean, that's not necessary. After last night, I think I'd feel safer if we shared a room," she said hopefully.

He pondered that. Safer. Would she be safer in the same room as the monster? He'd given it the lives of two men last night, so his dreams should be calm... for a time. He was feeling remarkably centered this morning. As long as he didn't think about the trip's ultimate destination and the decision he'd have to make. He refocused on Sam, who looked like she'd been holding her breath while she waited for an answer.

"Ok, we can give it a try. I must warn you. I don't sleep well, and I react to surprises in dangerous ways, as proven last night. You'll need to tell me if you're getting up to go to the washroom before you get out of bed. Moving around without telling me might be... bad."

She nodded to him thoughtfully.

"Waking me by talking to me is fine, but don't approach the bed until I'm awake and responding verbally, in a normal voice," he explained.

"Is it a condition?" she asked, and he felt the question cut deep.

How was he to explain this? He couldn't. He wasn't even allowed to. Still, he could offer her something.

'Yes. I... see someone about it." That was safe enough to share.

She nodded, then settled back in the chair to look out her side window. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He didn't want to lie to her.

Soon the endless flat expanse lulled Sam into sleep. Hal realized she hadn't been able to get any sleep at the precinct.

Now, he had time to think, but all he could think of was Sam and how pretty she looked in her new outfit. He felt that pulling sensation again, the one he hadn't felt for some time.

He pushed that out of his mind as it reminded him of his behavior the day he met Lisa in high school.

While he hadn't known it on his first day in the new school, Lisa was a shit disturber and a major cock tease. The entire male student body, and most of the male teachers, were in a constant state of blue balls around her, and she loved every minute. Her ability to manipulate any male within sight or earshot made her both revered and despised in equal measure.

Hal had been through the orphanage/foster home/juvie hall/public school system grinder by the time he reached the school Lisa was terrorizing. When he was inflicted upon the same school population, he was well on his way to complete social breakdown. His streak of self-destructive behavior was out of control.

Lisa immediately recognized a kindred spirit and hooked her crazy train to his runaway engine that would. They started their rebellion by having sex on the principal's desk with the school's PA system active. Their actions just escalated from there.

Lisa would pretend some jock was getting lucky with her, and Hal would beat him to within an inch of his life then ravage Lisa to punish her. He hadn't understood; he was doing exactly what she wanted. She pushed him harder and harder, and the fights continued. By the end of their first month together, they were racing across state lines in a stolen school bus, its original driver left bloody and beaten in the school parking lot.

The judge at their trial had military connections and gave Hal the choice of rotting in a cell or attending a special program that would help him harness the excess energy he had. It sounded better than jail, so he agreed to join the program and disappeared into their black box.

Lisa was assigned more typical psychotherapeutic treatments. She learned the rules of that game and manipulated her way out the other side with her high school diploma and a scholarship she used to train to be a dental hygienist.

Ten years later, Hal was one of the biggest success stories the ghost-ops project ever had. They announced he was ready for the next phase. He was put back into the civilian population, a managerial job in a small company in a small city in northern New York State. He was still on active duty and was frequently sent on missions to different hellish places around the world, but he always came back, though not always intact. He'd heal and step back into his useful role in society. His success in the program continued. Eventually, he no longer returned from missions injured. Those lessons were over.

Then came the day he spotted her.

Lisa was eating lunch in an outdoor café, and a young man at the next table was desperately trying to win her attention. She was twisting him around her little finger pretty well, and Hal felt his need for her pulling at him as well.

He'd walked right up to her table and sat across from her. The young man tried to object, but Hal simply seized his little finger in a painful grip and calmly asked if he could live without it.

Hal and Lisa spent the rest of the day trying to fuck each other to death.

He surfaced from his memories painfully erect. Lisa had always had that effect on him.

He understood now; it wasn't a healthy relationship. His handler had said as much on a few occasions. It was only Hal's continued excellence in the missions he was assigned that allowed him to continue his marriage to her. He understood that any threat to the performance of his duties would be met with a swift correction.

He was once more pulled back to the present by signs for Terre Haute. They'd stop for lunch here, and he was leaving the choice up to Sam once more.

As he pulled off the ramp, he gently called out to her. "Sam, we're stopping for lunch."

"Hhmmnah? What? Lunch?" she asked as she blinked the sleep from her eyes. "Where are we?"

"Terre Haute, Indiana. I'm just going to drive up the street to see what options we have."

They'd gone a few blocks when Sam made a small sound indicating something had caught her interest. It was an Applebee's, so he pulled into the parking lot.

She looked at him. "Are you okay with this?"

He smiled and nodded. "It's fine."

They got out, and he scanned the area with his eyes quickly then locked up as Sam waited for him in front of the car. He moved to her side, and she took his arm as they walked to the front door. He wondered when this touching started, then realized it was in the police station. He was going to pull free, but he realized he didn't really mind. Sam seemed happy too.

They went inside, and Sam was all smiles when the pretty hostess gave her a big smile and guided them to a table. So much different from the treatment she'd received at dinner the night before.

Hal took a seat watching the door, and Sam surprised him by sitting next to him, but then, she had the night before, as well. She poured over the menu while Hal quickly settled on a small salad. Truthfully, he wasn't hungry.

The waitress was equally friendly with Sam, and her cheeks were pink from smiling so much.

"Thank you so much for these new clothes! They make such a difference!" she gushed to him when they were alone once more.

"They're just clothes. You're the same person. If it takes a new outfit for them to treat you properly, then that reflects on them, not you," he said with a small shrug.

She leaned against him as she squeezed his arm against her. That felt very good, but Hal was uncomfortable about feeling this good.

"Sam, I need you to stop."

She leaned back and looked at him. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you think I was after sex!" She began to slide out from the bench, but he seized her hand.

"No! That's not what I was thinking. You've been very sweet, and what you've gone through has been very difficult. I get that you may feel grateful." He paused to take some deep, even breaths as he didn't want to talk about his wife, but it had become necessary. He saw the sad expression on her face, so he placed his other hand over hers and looked into her eyes.

"I'm married and have been for years. That's very important to me, but... recent events have shed light on a very ugly possibility... probability." He winced as pain shot through his chest. He took a cleansing breath and started again.

"I'm not very good at reading my wife. She's much better at reading me. I-I think she's been manipulating me our entire marriage. More likely, she's been doing it since we met in high school. I-I'm not sure if she loves me... or ever did... or is even able to. I finally recognized the patterns a few days ago. I need to deal with this before I can make any changes to my life." He sighed deeply. "I can be absolutely oblivious to emotional clues. It's one of the things I like about you. I can see your emotional state very easily. It's right there on your pretty face. It's such a relief."

Sam looked like she might cry again, but she had a smile on her lips. "I'm sorry about your wife. I have to admit I've heard many men tell me their wives didn't understand them, their marriage was a mistake, and they were interested in sex. This is the first time I've heard the opposite. It's... refreshing," she sighed. He raised a brow in surprise, so she smiled shyly. "I like you too, but I won't pressure you into making changes until you're ready." She tilted her face down and looked at him from under her bangs. "Would it be okay for me to continue holding your arm and hand? Just because it calms me," she said hurriedly.

He looked at her anxious expression and nodded. She was so much easier to read than Lisa.

The waitress arrived and took their orders.

When she left, Sam looked at Hal in surprise. "Only a salad?"

He snorted. "These aren't exactly the healthiest of salads. If I added the dressing, it might match your chicken tenders and fries for calories."

She looked worried. "Am I overeating?"

"No, that's not what I said or meant. Eat what you like. You seem to take care of your body... very well," Hal insisted awkwardly.

That shy smile returned to her lips as her eyes looked down at his hand on hers. She noticed a scar in the middle of the back of his hand. Her brow furrowed as she turned his hand over to see a corresponding scar on his palm. Something had punched through his hand! She recalled seeing his back was severely scarred as well.

"How did you get all these scars?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I can't talk about them. You shouldn't ask about them." She nodded, but she looked a little nervous. "I just think of them as lessons. I don't get them anymore."

"Inventory Control Manager?" she asked.

He nodded. "That's my civilian job. We won't talk about any other."

She nodded definitively then smiled at him. "What kind of movies do you like?"

He looked at her cautiously. "You'll laugh."

Now she grinned at him delightedly. "I promise I won't! What is it? Musicals?"

He gave her an odd look. "Musicals? No!" He looked around, but they were still alone. "Animation. Anything animated."

Sam's jaw dropped. This wasn't what she'd expected at all! "What was the last one you saw?"

He smiled as he remembered. "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. A truly wonderful film!"

"So, you like superhero movies?" she reasoned.

"No, not particularly. The movie I saw before that was My Neighbor Totoro." At her lost expression, he continued. "It's a Japanese animation about a family that moves into the countryside and meets woodland spirits. It was a sweet movie."

She smiled at him. "You are a surprising man!"

He looked at her cautiously. "That's... good?"

"Very good!" she insisted.

Their food arrived, and Sam's look of delight made Hal feel good. He realized she made him feel this way far more often than Lisa ever did. His wife only seemed happy when he was off-balance around her.

He ate his salad while pondering this fact.

When they finished, he paid and asked the waitress where the closest Walmart was. She directed him to a mall instead, just south of the highway.

It didn't take long to get there, and once inside, Hal found a shop to pick up more black t-shirts and running pants.

Sam enjoyed walking through the mall with him, so that's what they did. He saw her eyes lock on a display of gold bangles as they passed a jewelry store. They were on sale.

On impulse, Hal directed their steps into the store as Sam's eyes widened in surprise. He realized he should buy her one as it would be cruel to dangle them before her only to pull her away. He wondered what compelled him to go in.

When they left the shop, Hal's head was spinning from the clever sales pitch, his wallet was four hundred dollars poorer, and Sam was floating on cloud nine with five lovely bangles around her left wrist chiming together happily.

"Oh my god, Hal! I've never worn anything so lovely!" she cooed.

He just nodded and got them outside and into the car. He stopped to fill the gas tank. Then it was back onto the interstate towards St. Charles.

He recalled, for this overnight stop, he had a single hotel room with two beds. The admiring looks he was getting from Sam was making him uncomfortable. He had to get out in front of that.

"Sam, I don't want you to get the wrong idea about the bangles." He saw he had her attention now. "I didn't buy them for you with any expectations on my part. I'm a married man and follow the vows I made. I-I don't know why I bought them, except they made you smile... and you haven't smiled enough recently."

He glanced over, and her lovely doe eyes were all glassy again, and she was biting her lip. "Damn, I've upset you again!"

She vigorously shook her head. "You're a lovely man. Thank you for thinking my smile was important enough to spend too much money on this beautiful gift for me!"

Hal nodded and faced the road again as he went over her response in his mind. It seemed safe enough, so he put it aside.

The scenery continued to be relatively dull, and Sam finally nodded off. Later, Hal woke her so she could witness the crossing of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. She was pleased to be able to say she did.

The hotel was very close to the highway. They drove around the complex it was part of and noticed a movie theatre.

"We have time. Would you like to see a movie? We can get dinner afterward," he suggested.

She grinned and nodded. "You pick the movie, though!" she replied.

They parked and walked up to the entrance to read the listings. "Is there anything you don't want to see?" Hal asked as he wasn't familiar with any of the films showing.

"I don't like horror at all. Are you okay with comedies?" Sam asked, pointing to a movie poster.

He nodded, so he bought the tickets, popcorn, and drinks. The theatre was pretty empty, so they had good seats.

Most of the movie's humor was lost on Hal, but he delighted in hearing the husky purr of Sam's laughter, so he enjoyed the movie vicariously through her.

Afterward, when Sam learned that he'd never eaten there before, she directed him to the nearby P. F. Chang's. He saw Sam subtly showing off her bangles, and the hostess complimented her on them. She glowed with happiness, and Hal acknowledged it was an excellent investment. He also thought they looked very attractive on her wrist.

Sam made Hal try some items from the menu, and he found most were quite good. He didn't mention the time he'd spent in mainland China. This food was nothing like what he'd had there.

When they were done, they drove to the hotel and checked in with their suitcases and Sam's backpack. They went up to their room, which was another first for Sam, while to Hal, it was just another hotel room.

"I'll take the bed closest to the door. Again, call out if you need to get up. Don't approach my bed without speaking with me first. I need to verbally respond before it's safe."

Sam watched him with a serious expression and nodded.

"If you want to use the washroom first, go ahead. I do a workout before bed."

"Really? I heard exercising before bed made it harder to sleep," she said in surprise.

"Not for me," he said with a small shrug. "Feel free to watch TV or a movie. I can tune that out."

He opened his suitcase and took out his shorts. He realized he wouldn't be able to exercise nude. That meant he'd have to keep his underwear on. He didn't like to change his routine, but circumstances demanded it.

He undressed down to his skivvies and set today's clothes aside to pack away later. He paused when he saw Sam was watching him intently. "What's wrong?"

Her eyes were taking in all the damage. "Lessons, huh. Were you a slow learner?"

He smiled self-consciously. "Actually, faster than most." He couldn't tell her that most of the other agents in the program didn't survive past their seventh field mission. At her skeptical expression, he felt compelled to explain but couldn't give her details. "Just... really unforgiving teachers." He nodded and moved to the far end of the room by the windows. He pushed the chair, footstool, and lamp aside to give himself space to exercise.

He looked at Sam. "Avoid this area." When she nodded, he began. Today, it was fighting techniques. Having set himself within a safe zone, he started with punches and blocks and cycled through multiple disciplines until he progressed to kicks and leg sweeps. These were particularly tricky as he didn't have any margin for error. Kicking the wall, bed, chair, or air conditioning unit would result in a broken bone. Maintaining his position throughout the practice session was critical, so he forced all distractions from his mind.

When he reached the end of the exercise and was moving on to focus on muscle groups, he noticed Sam was watching him from the bathroom door. She was biting her bottom lip, and her face was flushed.

He paused, breathing hard, sweat running down his skin. "Something... wrong?"

She ducked into the bathroom and closed the door with a definitive click.

Hal wondered what that was about. He pushed it from his mind and went back to his exercises.

He was finishing up when Sam returned from the bathroom. She was once more wearing the black t-shirt, but he noticed she had another one in her hand. He looked over to the pile of clothes he wore today, and his shirt was missing. He stopped and pointed to the spot where his shirt had been as he looked to her.

"I'm wearing it," she said quietly. "It helps me relax."

He wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he picked up his shorts and walked into the bathroom to take a quick shower. When he returned, he saw Sam leaning back against the headboard of her bed, reading a paperback she'd taken from her open backpack. She looked over at his body.

"Do you have any body fat?" she asked.

He looked down at his body and poked his belly and sides, finding none. He shrugged then put his dirty clothes in the plastic laundry bag in his suitcase. He set out clothes for tomorrow, then closed the case.

He opened his other suitcase and took out his knife and tools. He took these into the bathroom and properly cleaned and honed the blade.

The kit went back into the suitcase, which he locked. The knife he placed on the nightstand.

He pulled off the bedspread and put it in the hall before he recalled this might trip Sam in the night. Instead, he hung two hangers off the doorknob as an early warning system.

Done, he went back to his bed and stretched out on top.

"You don't get under the sheets?" she asked.

"No. I don't like the sensation of being held down. Also, it's too easy to get tangled." He slipped his knife under his pillow.

Hal rested back on the pillow and felt his mind settling down. He was surprised by how quickly it was happening as he expected Sam's presence would be a distraction. Instead, he felt... comfortable.

That strange new sensation followed him down into the deepest sleep he'd had since...

Chapter 5

In the morning, they had breakfast in the hotel's small restaurant, brushed their teeth, packed up, and headed down to the car. Hal put their luggage and her bag in the back and did a quick check of the vehicle before opening the door to let Sam inside. She looked at him curiously, but he just smiled and shook his head. He didn't mention the visible handprint on the trunk hood.

As they pulled onto the interstate, he scanned the vehicles in his rear-view mirror to see if any of them matched the cars he'd scanned the day before. Nothing jumped out at him: too many similar makes and models.

He'd keep up the habit of watching. If someone was following them, they'd make a mistake sooner or later. Then they were his.

He felt the monster stir in anticipation.

-=-

The drive to Oklahoma City from St Charles was a long one, and both of them were grateful for the hotel bed at the end of the day.

They'd gotten into a road trip rhythm and found they were enjoying each other's company.

Hal had once more grabbed an image in his mind of the cars following him off the highway and was narrowing down the potential vehicles that might be following them. The fact that they weren't being confronted meant their tail might be someone his handler arranged to ensure their asset was behaving.

It also might be someone else, waiting for the right moment to strike. He remained alert for the second possibility.

The next morning Sam decided the weather suited one of her new dresses, and he let her know how lovely she looked in it.

While her chest was bigger than the dress might have been designed to support, it wasn't blatantly displaying her cleavage, so Hal did his best to refrain from staring... too much.

It also showed off her long legs to their best advantage. It became clear to Sam that Hal thought she was a knockout. Her shy smiles showed she appreciated how the outfit drew his eyes.

Her backpack didn't suit the outfit, so it stayed in the trunk.

Their mileage for the day would be less than the day before, and their target was the much smaller town of Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Hal had a motel room booked, and he confirmed it had two beds.

The landscape was changing, and as it did, Sam noticed Hal's mood was changing with it. While he wasn't a big talker, he became quieter as his eyes scanned across the scrub.

When they finally reached their destination and took the off-ramp to leave the Interstate, she noted his intense interest in the rear-view mirror. There was very little traffic following them.

"Gotcha," Hal muttered quietly.

Sam looked at him then glanced back, but she saw nothing special about the three cars coming down the ramp.

"Is someone following us?" she asked nervously.

He nodded as he pulled onto Route 66 to drive up a hill for a short distance before turning into the parking lot of their motel. Hal stopped the car before the office and stepped out to watch a dark sedan signal to turn into the gas station across the street then change their mind to drive onwards.

Sam stepped out of the car to look over at Hal nervously.

"They're blown. We'll see if they give up or continue," Hal said, memorizing every detail of what he'd seen.

"Are they going to attack us?" Sam asked with a tremble in her voice.

That brought Hal's attention back to Sam, and he saw how nervous she was. He shook his head. "I don't believe so. My impression is that this is an observation team. They're keeping an eye on us and where we're going. If I'm wrong about that please don't worry. I can deal with them. I won't let them touch you."

Sam smiled at him across the hood of the car, but he could tell she was still nervous.

The monster whispered to him that it needed to kill the men stealing her peace of mind. He was a little concerned about the possessive behavior it was displaying, but he agreed with the dark presence for once. He pushed that aside as he needed to take care of Sam first.

He went into the office with his hand on her back, which seemed to calm her. He registered and paid for the room but got an odd look from the clerk when he confirmed once more that there were two beds. The clerk's eyes were otherwise locked onto Sam's generous bosom.

They drove the short distance to the room, and he backed the car into the spot before their unit on the ground floor. They brought their luggage inside, minus Sam's backpack, and took a look around. It was sufficient, if not as updated as the other motels/hotels they'd been in.

"I'll take the bed closest to the door," he said. "Same rules as the hotel. Okay?"

Sam nodded and smiled as the previous night had been smooth. She'd had to get up once, and he'd responded immediately when she called out to let him know she needed to use the bathroom. She could have sworn he was deep asleep from the soft breathing she'd heard, but he must be as light a sleeper as he claimed.

"Let's see what culinary delights await us in Santa Rosa!" Hal said with a smile as he opened up the map application on his cell.

They reviewed their options and decided to try out Joseph's Bar & Grill as they had some Mexican favorites of Hal's.

The drive was short, and they managed to get a booth when they were seated. Hal convinced Sam to try the Chicken Quesadillas while he had the Tamales.

Hal surprised Sam when he spoke to the waitress in Spanish to place their order. The young woman took their order with a wide smile.

"Aren't you just full of surprises! How many other languages do you know?" Sam teased.

Hal smiled self-consciously. "A few."

Sam's eyes widened as she realized he was serious. "The Mysterious Mr. Demmon," she sighed as she assumed this might be something else he couldn't explain. She couldn't suppress her curiosity. "What ones?" she asked, hopefully.

Hal thought about it and realized he didn't have to answer why he learned the languages.

"Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Russian, Turkish, Hindi, and English, of course. I'm not an expert in all of them, but I can make myself understood, and I understand enough to get by."

"To my ear, you speak Spanish like a native!" she exclaimed.

He looked out the window, and his mind took him back to his fragmented memories of his childhood. "I-I think I spent some of my earlier years in a similar town. It's bringing back memories. Not all of them are good."

Sam gave him a sad look. "You don't remember where you grew up?"

He shook his head and shrugged as he forced a smile onto his lips. "It doesn't matter. That was then, and I live in the now," he recited. He couldn't explain to her that much was lost when the doctors started manipulating his brain. All he knew was the memories that remained weren't happy, but he could function in society now.

She nodded, but her eyes never left his.

"How about you? Ever have an urge to learn another language?" he asked to direct the attention away from himself.

She blushed. "I don't think I could learn another language! Besides, isn't English spoken around the world?"

He chuckled. "It is spoken in a lot of places, but not everywhere. Get away from the major cities' urban centers where global business is conducted, and the local languages dominate. Move further into the countryside, and local dialects take over. To them, the US might as well be Mars. The world doesn't revolve around the US. That's one of the most important lessons I've learned... in my travels."

"I'd like to travel one day. This trip has been eye-opening already. I'm seeing so much of the country!" Sam said with a grin.

Hal found he was beginning to crave those smiles! He loved those crazy fangs of hers and how they widened her grins, adding a touch of hilarity to her smile. His... need to see her smile worried him. He wasn't sure of their—his future. Everything hinged upon what would happen in Los Angeles.

"What's wrong? You were smiling, and then it suddenly looked like you might cry," she said gently.

"Cry? No, I haven't done that since... it's been a very long time." His mind recalled the hard days after the trial when he was a teen. When he was first separated from Lisa and sent off to the Military hospital. There'd been tears then and more emotions he didn't want to acknowledge. The process to create who he was now had been brutal and painful, not something he wanted to dwell on.

The waitress saved him from the abyss of his memories when she arrived with their plates. He switched back to Spanish to thank her. He also complimented her and the restaurant staff for their excellent and prompt service. The young woman bounced happily on her toes as she thanked him in return before fleeing back to the kitchen.

"I think you enjoy that very much," Sam said with a knowing smile.

"It's true," he said in acceptance.

Hal proceeded to instruct her on how to eat her Quesadillas.

After her first bite, she beamed him a delighted smile. "Oh my god! This is my new favorite meal!" she cooed.

Chuckling, Hal tucked into his meal. It was delicious, and he nodded in appreciation.

They didn't waste time talking when there was food this good to occupy their mouths.

When they finished the main course, they ordered dessert. Sam went with the coconut cream pie while Hal selected apple pie ala mode.

They both agreed that they had overeaten when they leaned back against the bench cushions, but they were happy.

Hal basked in the first genuine feelings of complete happiness he ever remembered feeling. He was free of tension, and his company was lovely and equally happy. She enjoyed... being with him. There were no expectations or judgments. This utter peace and bliss felt precious, fragile, and wondrous.

He suddenly began to wonder why he'd never felt this way with Lisa. Yes, she excited him, but soon enough, he'd start to feel unworthy, insecure, and the pressure would mount until he finally exploded into rage. Lisa would then have him right where she wanted him.

Now, he felt his peace was in danger of popping like a soap bubble. Like a self-fulfilling prophecy, his anxiety over this most recent revelation destroyed his feelings of contentment. He did his best to keep it from his face, but Sam saw his expression change and watched him with sad eyes.

He paid the bill and left a generous tip. They wandered into the attached gift shop and looked over the memorabilia and souvenirs. On a whim, Hal picked up a CD of classic music from the heyday of Route 66.

Sam held up a dark blue t-shirt with a large route emblem for the highway on the chest. He saw how it was resting over her boobs and suddenly imagined how great it would look on her. She was smiling at him mischievously as she bit her lip. He plucked the shirt from her fingers and added it with the CD on the counter to buy it while she giggled with her throaty voice.

They walked out to the car, and his instincts ensured the area was safe before they got in. His peace of mind was gone.

The hotel was their refuge for the night. Hal locked up and made his preparations. Due to the heavy meal, he decided to move his exercise session to the morning. He stripped down and put on his shorts while Sam was showering. When she exited the bathroom, he saw her long, blonde locks were still wet. He suddenly had the urge to touch it.

"May I brush your hair?" he blurted.

Sam smiled in surprise at him and nodded, handing him the brush as she sat at the end of his bed. He moved closer to slide his hand between the back of her neck and her hair. She sighed at the sensation of his gentle touch. He ran the brush through her beautiful hair, from her scalp all the way down to the ends. He was mesmerized by the sheer amount of hair she had and how soft it was.

"Your hair feels wonderful. Are the shampoo and conditioner working out for you?" Hal asked softly.

She was tingling madly, so she just nodded.

When he finished brushing out all of the knots, he admired its shine. "May I braid it for you?" he asked.

She desperately wanted to keep feeling his hands in her hair. "Yessss! I mean, if you want to," she gasped softly.

He used the comb to separate the bundle of hair in his hands and weaved them into a strong thick braid.

Sam tried not to squirm from the sparks Hal was sending through her body as his strong hands firmly gripped her hair and gently tugged the bundles as he worked.

When he was done, she bit her lip to distract herself from the heat between the legs as she bound the braid's end with an elastic band. "Thank you! You did an excellent job with the braid!" she gushed, just a little breathily.

"Your hair is amazing!" Hal said with an admiring smile. She blushed, and they went silent as neither knew where to take that next.

"I guess we should go to bed—our beds," Hal stammered.

She chuckled with the release of tension and nodded as she stood and went back to her bed.

When they were ready, Hal turned off the light and laid back. His hands twitched with their need to be back in her hair. He struggled to push that away, but it took him much longer to settle his mind tonight.

He couldn't see Sam's eyes watching his silhouette against the minimal light coming through a gap in the curtains. He couldn't see her struggling with her need to feel his hands on her once more.

Both found sleep difficult to find.

Chapter 6

Sam became aware of a noise and opened her eyes. The clock between the beds showed it was just a little after one in the morning. She saw Hal's shape sitting up in bed, and he was breathing in gasps. Perhaps he'd had a bad dream? A distant jingle of keys could be heard as someone dropped a set somewhere outside in the parking lot.

Her eyes went back to the man in the next bed. God, she wanted him. He'd treated her better than anyone ever had in her entire life. He was gentle and patient and seemed to love seeing her smile. She'd caught him watching her, a smile on his face to match her own. She couldn't remember a time when she'd been this happy.

She knew he was going through some kind of marital crisis, and she'd promised she wouldn't interfere, but hearing him shake and tremble was more than she could endure. She had to ease him back to sleep.

Sam pushed her sheets back and stepped over to the side of his bed.

Hal's head suddenly swiveled in her direction, and a hand grabbed her throat. She was lifted off her feet and slammed down on his bed faster than she could understand what was happening.

His hard body was on hers, and his other hand suddenly covered her mouth, pressing against the bottom of her nose. She was having trouble breathing with his weight on her and his hand, blocking her mouth and nose. She tried pushing him away, but he was just too strong. She looked up into his face, but it was hidden by shadows. He seemed to be watching her but said nothing.

Then she felt it. He was becoming excited, and it was pressing against her. She managed to wiggle her head to inhale a little air, and the pressure down below was both delicious and terrifying as he continued to watch her in total silence.

She needed air, but his grip just tightened, and genuine fear seized her.

He was going to kill her.

A harsh jingle sounded outside their door, and Hal's face lifted to look in that direction. A sliver of light from a gap in the curtains painted his face briefly, and she saw his eyes. Cold and emotionless, like a shark's. There was no expression on his face as if the muscles were paralyzed.

The jingle became the grinding noise of a key fumbling against the lock on their door. A drunken and slurring voice could be heard through the door.

"Separate beds... stupid fuck. Here Titty Titty! I've come to fuck you!"

Hal leaped off the bed, releasing Sam so she could suck in a deep breath.

As the door began to swing open, Hal's left hand shot through the opening to grab the man's throat. He squeaked in surprise as he was yanked inside. Hal's right fist hammered his face. The man's nose shattered and flattened out as his head snapped back, his muscles all going loose with his fall into unconsciousness.

"HAL!" Sam managed to scream, though her rough, gravelly voice was hoarse from the strangle grip he'd had on her earlier.

Hal's second punch stopped just before impact, and he swayed as he released the neck of the hotel's reception clerk.

"Sam?" Hal's voice was full of dread.

"I'm okay. You... you didn't hurt me," she lied.

Hal turned on the lamp next to the door. He looked down at the unconscious man in the open doorway. "It's the clerk from the front desk." He leaned down to take a sniff. "I smell alcohol."

Red and blue lights suddenly painted the doorway as a cruiser pulled into the parking lot and parked behind their car. The sheriff got out, put on his hat, walked up to the open door, and looked down at the unconscious clerk.

"So, what happened here?" the sheriff asked as he eyed the scars covering Hal's torso.

"The clerk tried to break in. I stopped him," Hal said, his voice cold and clipped. He twitched when Sam gently touched his arm.

She'd wrapped a sheet around herself and was now standing next to him.

"I heard this man say he was coming in to have sex with me. He used cruder words," Sam said to the sheriff.

"So your... husband got jealous and beat him?" the officer asked, looking closer at Sam's neck. The mark from Hal's grip was beginning to show.

"We're not married," Sam blurted.

The sheriff pointed to Hal's hand. "He seems to be married to someone. That mark on your neck is no hickey. Are you okay, miss?" The lawman put his hand on his holster, and Sam felt Hal's body respond. She froze.

Hal forced himself to relax. He'd been drilled on this by his doctors. He had a script to follow. "I have an acute case of PTSD. I was woken incorrectly just before the clerk's arrival." He turned his head to Sam. "I sincerely apologize for any harm I might have caused you."

"It's okay!" Sam insisted. "I forgot to call out to you! It was my fault!"

The sheriff gave Sam a disgusted look as he assumed she was just another victim taking the blame for being abused by a predator. He turned his eyes to Hal. "I believe you've worn out your welcome in Santa Rosa. Get your belongings and go."

Sam made a sound of protest, but Hal touched her arm and nodded to the sheriff. "We'll leave immediately."

Hal gestured for Sam to get her clothes and get dressed in the bathroom. He packed his suitcase, hiding the knife he collected from under his pillow. When Sam came out with her make-up kit packed, Hal took his turn getting dressed in the bathroom.

When he came out, the sheriff was speaking quietly but firmly to Sam, no doubt trying to help her break free from the monster that Hal was. He didn't blame the man, but he could see the sheriff's mind was made up, and the denials Sam made were falling on deaf ears.

An ambulance arrived, and they waited for the clerk to be loaded onto the gurney and wheeled away. The man had begun to come to and was complaining about his sore nose.

Once they had access to their car, Hal loaded their suitcases into the trunk. He held Sam's door for her then faced the sheriff as he shut her door.

"You arrived pretty quickly after he broke in. Were you just in the neighborhood?"

The sheriff glared at Hal. "We got an anonymous call from a concerned citizen."

Hal looked across the parking lot to the gas station across the road. The dark sedan was parked there—concerned citizens.

He nodded, walked around to his door, and got in. Sam was watching him with a worried expression. He waited for the sheriff to get back into his cruiser, then he drove out of the parking lot. The sheriff pulled out behind him, no doubt to follow him to the town limits.

Hal watched his rear-view mirror and saw their tail leave the gas station to follow.

He pulled back onto the interstate and saw the sheriff continue past the ramp. A short interval later, headlights pulled onto the interstate behind them.

"Where are we going now?" Sam asked in a quiet voice.

Hal looked over at her, and his heart clenched as the fact that he'd hurt her sent a chill through him.

"I want you to know how sorry I am that I hurt you! I knew you weren't safe with me. I should have insisted on separate rooms—"

"No! We were fine the night before! I made a mistake—"

"That almost cost you your life because of me! Because I'm a monster!" he exclaimed in anguish.

He held the steering wheel tight, his knuckles white from the death grip. He watched the lines on the road tick by and saw their tail following well back. He hadn't realized how loud his breathing had become and tried to calm himself.

"You-you're not a monster," Sam said quietly, almost as if she were trying to convince herself.

"I am. Part of me is," he admitted.

"You said it was PTSD—"

"It's not. That was a lie for the sheriff. Something he would accept." He looked over to her. "But you saw it. The monster. It left its mark on you." A shudder went through his body. "I can't let that happen again."

They drove on through the darkness, lost in their thoughts.

"What... where did the monster come from?" Sam asked cautiously.

He gave her a bleak look then concentrated on the road. It was easier to talk that way.

"It's always been inside me. Now, it's just compartmentalized. I'm not allowed to talk about it but considering it almost killed you, you deserve to know. You can't tell anyone about this. I mean it. It's not safe for you."

He held her eyes with his, and she nodded, eyes wide with fright.

Hal squirmed inside as he was responsible for that fear, and that was something he never wanted to do to her. She didn't deserve it.

"You're married."

Another sharp but straightforward comment cut through him. He nodded.

"She knows." It wasn't a question.

"Yes."

"Have you ever hurt her?"

He sucked in a painful breath. Sam couldn't know what these questions were doing to him, but he was reeling from the cuts.

"Yes."

"Is-is that why you're going to LA? Did she leave you?" Sam asked gently.

She was so far from the mark, Hal gasped out an involuntary bark of relieved laughter, then immediately clamped his mouth shut.

He needed to answer that. "No... she hasn't left me." He realized he wished she would. It would be... cleaner. "She won't. Not until... she gets what she wants."

"What—"

"Please, I can't..." Hal gripped the wheel tighter until he felt the stitching begin to cut into his skin. He forced his hands to relax.

"I'm sorry," Sam asked. "I really like you. I don't like to see you in pain, so I want to help. If talking it out can help you. I want you to know I'm willing to listen."

Hal felt the urge to burst into hysterical laughter, but he managed to suppress it. The woman he almost killed didn't want to see him in pain?!

"Th-thank you."

The moment the words left his lips, their incredible inadequacy slammed home. This woman, who had no place in his predator life, who'd likely been a constant victim in her life, now occupied his heart and mind.

Until this moment, that had been Lisa's domain. No other woman had ever, ever threatened his wife's domination of his being.

He didn't know what to do with this new awareness. It still had no place in his current situation.

He wasn't free of Lisa. She still had her claws in him, deeply. He'd been entirely under her spell since that first day they met in high school, and he still was.

After he'd been sent away to the army, he and Lisa had been separated for over a decade. When he returned to her, he was a changed man. The doctors, technicians, and trainers in the Ghost-Ops Division he was assigned to had seen to that. They hadn't removed anything, just reorganized it so he could fit into civilized society, yet be the weapon they needed him to be. That first day when Lisa brought him back to her place from the outdoor cafe, she'd tested him to see if he was still the man she'd molded to her desires. He knew every inch of her body. He knew what she loved and what she craved. He gave her that, and when she still showed signs of kicking him to the curb as another failed conquest, he panicked and let the monster out, just a little. It punished her for playing with him, and when they were finally spent, she smiled as she caught her breath, gingerly touching the bruises on her throat. Her satisfied smile that day sank the hook into his soul. He was hers.

His handler had threatened to have Lisa eliminated for her interference with their successful project. Hal managed to convince him to hold off until he could prove his performance wouldn't be impacted.

He did prove his skills exceeded anyone else in the project. He fulfilled his mission goals with less collateral damage, less noise, and more accuracy than the others, so his handler had to agree to his request to be allowed to marry Lisa.

Their married years began well enough. He was able to keep Lisa satisfied without exposing her to the monster. But every so often, they'd go through a rough patch where nothing he did was good enough for her, and his anxiety would begin to build.

During those times, she would revert to using her master class cock teasing skills, exciting and enticing strangers in bars, sporting events, neighborhood parks, and on tropical vacations. She'd tease them beyond their self-control, with the promise of a fuck they'd never forget. Her real goal was to drive Hal into a jealous rage, to make him lose control. When confronted with the situation, he'd attempt to diffuse it, but that always failed as Lisa picked her targets well and wound them up into a frenzy. They'd attack, he'd lose control, and the monster would get loose.

He'd come close to killing them on more than one occasion. One near fatality had Lisa's lipstick on his cock. Later, she'd asserted the man had gotten her too drunk to distinguish whose cock was in her mouth

Lisa was always there to confront his dark side after it dealt with its rival, and it took its reward from her willing flesh.

During this escalation of hostilities, his handler returned to inform him that Lisa's disruptive behavior, if it continued to get worse, was going to be dealt with. While Hal's performance in his missions had not been affected, the odds were increasing that Lisa would force him into violence they couldn't cover.

However, this threat remained just that, a threat, as he'd become too valuable to the Project to risk affecting his happiness and performance.

He realized he wasn't happy, and Lisa's need to sample his dark side continued to get worse. As it did, his happiness diminished, but Lisa was content as she was getting what she wanted.

As she always did.

Their interlude in the shower not that long ago when he'd lost control and almost strangled her, was an eye-opener for him. He finally understood she wasn't going to stop until he'd killed her.

That thought terrified him, but he felt he had no control in their relationship.

Enter Chet.

Hal discovered the man sitting in the waiting room of the dental office where Lisa worked. The moment they locked eyes, Hal knew he was facing another predator, one who'd been visiting his wife at work.

He was six-foot, young, handsome, tanned, and blonde, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He'd easily fit in with college jocks or Cali surfers.

It was the cold dead eyes that locked on Hal's, which gave away his true nature.

Before Hal could decide how to react, Chet stood, casually walked to the front desk, and let the office assistant know he'd reschedule his appointment. Then he looked at Hal and told the assistant to tell Lisa he'd see her at their 6 PM appointment on the twentieth. As Hal wondered at that, the man smirked and left.

When Hal confronted Lisa about the reference to 6 PM on the twentieth, she claimed Chet must have gotten the date wrong as she'd be in LA at a conference. With a chuckle, she dismissed his insistence that she assign Chet to another hygienist.

Her small satisfied smile sent a knife through his heart.

He realized at that moment, Lisa was a monster, too.

Chapter 7

They stopped in Albuquerque to get a room at a hotel to finish their sleep.

While Sam spoke softly, she insisted she felt safer in a room with him than a separate room when they had people following them.

Hal didn't have the will to argue, especially when she touched his arm and turned her doe-eyes on him. He reiterated the rules, then they managed to catch up on their lost sleep.

They got a later start than usual, but they'd covered some of the day's mileage already. They grabbed brunch in Gallup, once more visiting an Applebee's. Obviously, one of Sam's favorite places.

Speaking of the lovely blonde, she was wearing her blue Route 66 t-shirt and light grey yoga pants, which proved to be a significant distraction for the wait staff and Hal. She was delighted with the attention he was giving her. She'd perfected her look of innocence when he questioned her on the provocative nature of her attire.

Her throaty giggle when he gave up brought a smile to his face. Her joy filled him with happiness. He began to wish for a future where he'd hear that sound every day.

The countryside had changed considerably, and as they made their way west, Hal struggled to keep the flashes of memory at bay.

Finally, he'd had enough. He pulled off at a rest stop and got out to stretch his legs. Sam got out, as well, and watched his face, looking for clues to the source of the melancholy clinging to him.

He caught her watching him with her concern clear to see on her face. That made him smile. He found himself about to pull her into a hug and crossed his arms instead.

"Is there something wrong? Something I can help with?" she asked.

He sighed. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to talk about this.

He gestured to the surrounding landscape. "My memories of growing up in similar settings have been plaguing me all day. It's the scenery. I can't recall where it was... or when, but this all feels... familiar. Hot. Dry. Pain. Loneliness. These sensations are surfacing again and again."

He twitched when Sam wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. He had to uncross his arms and move them around her to not be uncomfortable for both of them.

The hug didn't feel awkward at all. It was just warm and soothing. When she pulled back, Hal tried not to protest, but he might have made a noise as she gave him one of her dazzling, crazy smiles.

"You need a distraction!" she said and looked inside the car, spotting the CD Hal picked up at the gift shop. "Why don't we listen to the CD and sing along?"

"Sing?" Hal exclaimed in surprise.

"Come on! I have a terrible voice, but I'll sing along if it distracts you from unwanted memories," she said with a grin.

"I love your voice!" he blurted, then bit his treacherous tongue.

"Oh! Thank you, but I don't know why you would. It's all scratchy!" her face was becoming a delightful shade of pink, but he could see a twinkle in her eyes.

He locked the car, and they walked over to the washrooms. Hal waited as Sam made use of the ladies' room, then they walked back to the car. As they went, he kept his eye open for their tail. They weren't in the parking lot. He finally spotted the dark sedan pulled off the road on the off-ramp to the rest stop. He was tempted to walk down the lane, but he'd be out in the open with no cover.

Instead, he opened Sam's door and closed it for her once she was in. His old habits were coming back with a vengeance.

They pulled back onto the highway, and Sam opened the CD package, slotting the disk in the dash.

The music began to play, and Sam turned up the volume. She grinned over at Hal and began to sing along to Nat King Cole's rendition of Route 66. Hal smiled as he knew her singing voice would be every bit as mesmerizing as when she talked, laughed, and giggled.

"Why aren't you joining in?" she complained with a pout.

He smiled at her. "Two reasons. I don't know the words. More importantly, your singing is so wonderful I'd spoil it if I joined in."

She rolled her eyes. "Now I know you're pulling my leg. My singing voice is like nails on a chalkboard! Frank always told me to shut up when he caught me singing. My family did the same when I lived at home. Momma told me I wasn't gifted with the voice of an angel, so I should find other ways to express myself." She shrugged with a slight smile on her lips as she examined her nails self-consciously.

"Your momma didn't know shit, and I seriously need to beat Frank to paste!" he growled, his outrage clear on his face. He struggled to calm himself and looked over at Sam, who was watching him with wide eyes. He cleared his scowl. "Sorry to disrespect your mother, but she was completely wrong about your voice!" He took a deep breath. "Frank still needs a beating."

She smiled at him timidly. "You really like my singing?"

"I love your singing!" he insisted.

Sam's smile widened, and she picked up the tune once more. Soon, she put her whole heart in it, and Hal grinned at the look of joy on her face. She loved singing, and they'd tried to silence her.

Stupid bastards.

She wasn't off tune in the slightest, and her voice was strong, so the only complaint they could have had was with its rough texture. Hal found it to be damn sexy! Hell, Rod Stewart and Kim Carnes made a career with their raspy vocal style, and he thought Sam sang much better than either of those pros.

They continued towards Flagstaff, Sam singing her heart out, and Hal no longer locked into the memories of a painful and partially lost childhood.

Chapter 8

Sam was glowing with happiness as they pulled into the parking lot of their hotel near the junction of highway forty and seventeen in Flagstaff. They'd exhausted the music on the CD and resorted to hunting for radio stations through the desolate landscape.

"There's one of those supercenters nearby. We can walk over and pick up some more CDs for the next stretch," Hal suggested, and she nodded enthusiastically. "There's also an Olive Garden in walking distance as well."

"I'd like to do some walking after all these miles of driving!" she said with a grin.

"Me too!"

They collected their bags and went inside to check-in.

"Hi. Reservation for Demmon?" he said to the pretty clerk behind the counter.

She looked up his name. "Yes, I have you here for one night. Single king size be—"

"No, sorry. I need two beds. We need two beds," he said, stumbling over his words.

The young woman looked at each of them in question then back to her screen. "Let me see if I can find you another room. We are rather booked up tonight... Ah, I have one room facing the courtyard with a balcony. A cancellation."

"We'll take it," Hal said in relief.

They processed his reservation, and soon, they had key cards and were on their way up to their second-floor room.

Once they let themselves inside, Sam rushed over to the patio doors and went out onto the balcony. "Oh, this is lovely!" she sighed as she looked around. She turned her face to look back at Hal with a blissful smile.

The late afternoon sun was bathing her features with its warm tones, and Hal's breath caught in his throat. He'd never seen anyone look so beautiful in his life. She was peace, harmony, and joy, personified.

His mind immediately compared her to Lisa, and it was like he'd touched a live wire. The shock of it ran through him, and he was stunned by an epiphany that rocked his world. Sam and Lisa were polar opposites! Sam was an innocent, targeted by predators in life, like Lisa and him. Sam did everything in her power to calm his mind. Lisa relished the control she had over him more than she appreciated... him. Throwing his mind into chaos was what brought her joy. Even their color choices seemed to be at separate ends of the spectrum! Light and dark. Geezus!

Why did it take immersing himself in Sam's world to see how bleak his world had become?

"Are you okay?"

He came back to himself, standing before the open patio doors. Sam was standing before him, her hands resting gently on his chest, which was trembling slightly. Her eyes held compassion and concern.

"I-I think... I'd like to talk to you... about Lisa, my wife."

Her lovely mouth made a cute little 'o' of surprise as her large eyes widened.

He cleared his throat, which was suddenly dry. "Later. After dinner and our shopping."

"Okay, sure. That would be fine," she said gently and gave him a small smile.

The urge to kiss her swept through him, and he jolted back. "Sorry. We-we should get moving. I'm hungry. Are you hungry?" he babbled.

She just nodded, then locked the patio door. They grabbed their keys and headed downstairs.

Once outside, she looked at him curiously, and he pointed to the north corner of the parking lot. There they found a sidewalk that led them over to the restaurant.

They had a little bit of a wait, so they stood outside with the other hungry patrons.

Two couples were obviously together, and all four were gawking at Sam's tits, stretching her tight t-shirt. While the ladies were slim like Sam, they were less endowed, and the two men had beer guts deforming their polo shirts far worse than Sam's tits did to her t-shirt. This fact seemed to be lost on the couples.

Hal heard the men making rude comments, which made their women giggle, and he began to growl. He glanced at Sam and was surprised to see a determined look on her face. She looked at him.

"Trust me?" she whispered, and he nodded.

She moved behind him, and he sucked in a breath as he felt her breasts pressing against his back. She turned him slightly to face the four and rested her chin on his shoulder. She slid her hands around his sides, and Hal trembled.

He noticed the four weren't speaking anymore, but they were watching with rapt attention.

Sam took a grip on the hem of his t-shirt with one hand and slowly lifted it up to his chest, exposing his hard, chiseled abs. She ran her other hand, fingers splayed over those dense muscles as she watched the eyes of the couples following her touch. Her hand stopped, and she pulled him back against her.

"At least I don't have to fake it, writhing under this," she said boldly, then gave a throaty chuckle.

The two men were glaring at Sam like they wanted to strangle her, but both were seriously intimidated by Hal's muscles and the visible evidence he'd endured and potentially inflicted a lot of violence.

The two women were squirming as they watched the bulge rise behind Hal's thin, black running pants. When he looked into their eyes, each stepped back behind their men. They were definitely squirming, pressing their thighs together.

The four decided they'd eat elsewhere and walked back to the parking lot.

Sam released his shirt and took a small step back. Her breasts were still touching his back, just not so firmly. She rested her forehead against the back of Hal's neck as her hands went to his shoulders.

Hal felt her trembling. "Hey, I've never heard you talk like that before. Are-are you okay?"

She released a deep breath. "No... that was harder to do than I thought."

He stood there, letting Sam get her equilibrium back. "Well, your words were devastatingly effective."

"Not my words."

He turned his head, but he couldn't see her. "It sounded like you were speaking."

She snorted gently, and he felt a tingle from her breath on his neck. "I mean, the words were Maureen's... one of the ladies I used to work with. She was quick-tempered and sassy and could cut a man to shreds with her sharp tongue."

"She sounds like fun."

"She was." Her voice was subdued, and Hal could guess the reason.

"Frank?"

Sam turned her head and rested her cheek on his shoulder as her sadness welled up. She wrapped her arms around him again, but this time it was just for human contact. She smiled a little when he placed his hands over hers.

"She must have lost her temper around him or with him. He beat her. Badly. She wasn't the same afterward, and then she just... disappeared."

Hal had heard enough. Frank was going down. Hal was an expert at making dirtbags like him disappear. He'd work out a way to justify it with his handler, or he'd bury the creep so deep even the Ghost-Ops Division wouldn't be able to find him.

"Demon?" a voice called out.

Hal sighed, and Sam chuckled, releasing him. He turned and raised a hand to indicate they were coming.

"Oh!" Sam exclaimed in surprise.

He looked at her and saw her face was quite pink. She was looking down at the front of his pants. He immediately moved his hands in front of himself. "Uh, sorry about that. It's from earlier when you were touching my stomach. Not from just now." His face was heating up as well as he stammered through his excuse.

She grinned wickedly. "It's nice to know I can still have that effect on a man."

He gestured for her to proceed him into the restaurant. Partially to hide his condition behind her and partly to watch her ass in her tight yoga pants. The second didn't help him with the first. He'd have to pick up some jeans or pants with a denser fabric for containing and concealing such activity down there.

They were seated, and Sam couldn't hide the smile on her face.

"What?" Hal finally asked.

"Sorry, I'm just feeling so good about myself, and I can't remember the last time I did. This was probably the best day of my life!"

Hal froze as he stared across the table at Sam. For him, the day started with his hands around her throat.

His shock must have shown as she waved a hand at him. "Starting from the when we woke up in the hotel in Albuquerque," she amended.

"Ah," he replied and nodded.

He stuck with the soup, salad, and breadsticks as that was filling enough, and he wasn't terribly hungry. Sam went with the lasagna.

"I wonder if we're going to meet more of Frank's associates at this restaurant," Hal mused, looking around at the other guests.

When he looked back at Sam, his face dropped as her expression showed genuine worry.

"Hey! I wasn't serious! I'm sorry! There isn't anything to worry about. I can deal with anything a thug like Frank that brings to bear. Unless... he has a trained killer bear. Then we're in trouble."

Sam snorted as his bad joke struck a funny bone anyway. Then her expression turned serious. "I do worry about the people following us."

He nodded. "They might work for the people I work for and are just keeping an eye on me. Considering how quickly I spotted them and how poor they've been at remaining out of sight, I think it is more likely someone associated with the goons back in Columbus."

"Someone associated with Frank."

He looked at her and nodded. "Yeah, it's possible, but they've made no moves, and I know they know we're aware of them. If they make a move, they're dead. They're likely aware of that, too. They have to be tracking us for Frank or someone he's associated with." He stopped to think about the amount of effort they were going through to get Sam back. He looked closely at her, and her eyes widened at the intensity of his examination.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Why would they still be after you this long? Do you have something of theirs? What's in that backpack?"

She looked defensive. "Just some of my personal items: a small family photo album. Some mementos of my childhood I keep with me, my address book, my favorite paperbacks."

He frowned. "Nothing sounds like it should be of interest to someone like Frank. I mean, outside of his need to be a cruel prick."

The food arrived, and they continued to talk about what the goons might want from her. She told Hal that she knew nothing of Frank's business dealings. She was never present when he had meetings or did business on the phone. He'd tell her to fuck off somewhere.

When they finished their dinner, they went for a walk. The night was comfortable, but cooling and Sam's t-shirt wasn't going to cut it, so they'd pick up a sweater for her.

They crossed the road and made their way to the entrance of Walmart. Hal grabbed a cart, and Sam smiled back at him as they went inside.

He brought her to the entertainment section, and they picked up a selection of CDs with songs she knew and liked to sing. This made her very happy, which made him happy.

He grabbed another three-pack of black shirts and gave her a fake glare. "You keep putting bumps in my shirts!" Sam burst into giggles, which made him smile at the happy sound.

Next, he found a pink hoodie sweater for her, which fit over her chest. It would keep her warm on the walk back to the hotel.

"Do you think it's time to replace that ripped backpack?" Hal asked, and she looked at him with big eyes. "You can keep the larger items in your suitcase and get a smaller bag for the essentials you want to carry around with you. What do you think?" Sam nodded cautiously. "Let's go look to see what they might have, and you can decide then," he offered, and she seemed more comfortable.

It took a little while to find the accessories department, but they did have a reasonably extensive selection of purses. Some were backpack style, and this seemed to be the type Sam preferred.

She was eyeing a pretty black leather bag with gold-colored zippers and buckles. Hal saw her glance at the price tag and quickly put it back onto the shelf. He immediately plucked it off and looked it over. It seemed like it was well made to him. "You like this one? Is it large enough to carry your stuff?"

"It's too expensive—"

"I get to decide that. You just get to decide if it would work for you," he calmly insisted as he held her eyes. "So?"

She bit her lip and nodded her head. He put it into the cart.

As they walked to the cashiers' stations, Sam hooked her arm through his. "Thank you for being so good to me. Better than anyone else ever has," she said in a quiet voice.

"You don't have to thank me. You're worth it! You've been a great help to me as well," he said. "And the CDs are a gift for me, so I get to listen to you sing tomorrow."

She grinned happily at him, and he lost himself in her smile. The urge to kiss her swept through him again, and he swung his face away to locate the nearest cashier. He pushed the cart into the lane, and a few minutes later, they were ready to leave. He'd had the cashier remove the tags on the sweater, so Sam put it on and zipped it up. He thought she looked adorable in it. Huggable. He forced that impulse away, too.

She put on the purse, and he nodded appreciatively. "That looks very nice!"

Sam was bouncing on her toes with joy. Hal noted that did things to her anatomy, which drew the eye, and not just his.

He took her arm and guided her out of the store. They walked arm in arm across the parking lot and ran laughing across the road to the hotel. It wasn't long before they were in their room. Sam dropped her new purse on the bed, next to the backpack, while Hal poured them a couple of glasses of water.

They went outside to sit on the balcony. She was smiling at him, and he couldn't help but return it. They relaxed and just enjoyed each other's company in silence for a while until Hal was comfortable. He was grateful she hadn't pressured him to start. He had to work out what he was going to say. What he could say and what was safe for her to hear. She couldn't learn anything about who he worked for and what he did for them. That wasn't relevant anyway.

What was relevant was the cold-blooded killer contained in his mind and Lisa's self-destructive obsession with mastering it.

As he began, in the back of his mind he was screaming at himself to stop, as telling Sam these secrets would drive her away.

But, wasn't that in her best interests?

Chapter 9

Breakfast was a subdued affair the next morning. Sam was still processing the information he'd divulged the night before. Learning you were bunking with a man with an engineered split personality, one of which was a psychopathic killer, was probably more than a little disturbing. Worse still, she'd met the killer and felt his hands around her throat.

She knew first hand that he was real.

Hal gave Sam space that morning. While he believed she was better off distancing herself from him, he also understood her current situation didn't leave her with many options, or more accurately, any choice but to continue onwards with him.

The thought of her staying with him because she had to, not because she wanted to, made him feel terrible. His misery must have shown on his face because as they finished their meals, he felt a soft hand cover his on the table.

He looked up in surprise and saw a small smile on her lips and compassion in her eyes. Something moved in his chest, a longing.

"I'm sorry for putting that frown on your face, Hal. You've been wonderful to me since that diner back in Rochester, and here I am judging you."

"No! You need to! You've experienced my other side, so you know I'm not safe to be around... not all the time, at least. You have to think of yourself first!" he exclaimed.

"But you're so sad!" she insisted.

He turned his hand over to hold hers and ran his thumb over its back. He kept his eyes on her hand as he struggled with his words. "For the first time in my life, I'm experiencing genuine happiness without the doubt and fear that kept me on edge throughout my marriage. Yes, I'm sad I've frightened you off, but that doesn't matter. I understand I don't deserve this, and you should keep me at arm's length because you're a good person. The truth is, I'm not."

Sam made a sound of protest as she squeezed his hand tighter. "You're a good person, too! You just have... the other living inside you. I understand now that you can't get rid of it, but at least you have an outlet that keeps it... calm." She sighed. "I can't say I'll ever be comfortable around it. It's like having a loaded gun in the house. But I lived with Frank for almost twelve years. That man was much worse, as I never knew if he would be affectionate or explode violently and beat me. You're far more stable than he ever was, and you have far fewer rules." She looked at him with hope in her eyes. "I'd like to continue with you a while longer if I could."

Hal's relief was so intense he let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He automatically lifted her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles.

Then he realized what he'd just done and pulled back.

His eyes widened, and he looked at her quickly to see how upset she was. Her face was a lovely shade of pink, and her eyes were almost twinkling with joy.

"I-I'm so—so sorry! I don't know what came over me!" Hal gasped.

A wide smile spread across her face. "No one's ever kissed my hand like that before! Such a gentlemanly gesture!"

"I didn't mean to—"

"It's fine! I'm not upset. I'm flattered," she assured him, so he gave her a self-conscious smile.

"Can I have my hand back?" she asked with an amused smile.

"Yes!" he jumped as he released her fingers and leaned back in his chair.

She made a throaty chuckle and leaned back as well. "Are we going to LA today?"

"No, I have one more overnight stop before I need to be in LA. We stop in Las Vegas tonight."

Sam's face lit up with a wide excited smile. "I've always wanted to visit Las Vegas!"

Her crazy grin sent his head and heart spinning once more, and he knew he couldn't live without it.

"I have the hotel room booked for three days. I hadn't planned on staying in LA. I don't fit in there, so after my meeting, I'll head back to Vegas." He looked into her eyes with a serious expression. "I won't be taking you to LA with me. I'd like you to wait for me in Vegas."

"Why? Why can't I go with you?" Sam exclaimed in surprise.

"I told you about Lisa's obsession with my other side. How she wants to control it?" Sam nodded. "She's been meeting with someone... exactly like me at her dental office. There's a good chance she's going to be with him in LA. She denied it, but she was just manipulating me again. Sowing doubt and anxiety, to force me into acting irrationally, to defend my claim on her, violently."

He reached out and took Sam's hand in his again. "What she and I didn't take into account was my meeting you. I've been shown what real happiness feels like. My marriage is a sick, twisted caricature of what the union should be. It needs to end."

"So walk away! Don't go to LA!" she exclaimed, clinging to his hand.

He smiled gently. "I need to let Lisa know that she no longer owns my heart and soul. I'm free of her, finally. I can do that now. Because of you."

She smiled, and a tear ran down her cheek. Then her expression swung to worry. "You said this man is like you. How safe will it be confronting them together?"

"That's just it. I'm not going to confront them. That's what she wants, but I no longer care what she wants. They can have each other. I no longer feel trapped by the need to satisfy her sickness. I don't feel anything for her! I'm going to tell her I want a divorce!" Hal was feeling lighter than air with the pressure he'd been struggling under suddenly removed. He could never have even said the word divorce before as he'd been so confused and tangled up in his need to please Lisa. Now he could see just how one-sided their relationship had been.

Sam's smile was wide and so filled with joy Hal couldn't resist the urge to kiss her hand once more. That brought on a burst of giggles from the woman. The sound filled him with happiness, confirming his new life-direction.

They left the restaurant with Sam's arm linked with Hal's, and he let her in the passenger door. He scanned the surrounding lots and spotted the dark sedan at the far end of the lot they were in.

His inner voice was telling him to go into his suitcase to get his gun to take these goons out, but it was far too public, and they'd see him coming.

Instead, he got in, buckled up, and got them back on the road. Not long afterward, they were on interstate 40 heading for Kingman.

Sam grinned at him as she pulled the CDs from her new purse.

He smiled and nodded, so the road on the way to Kingman was filled with song.

Every so often, Hal stopped for restroom breaks or just to stretch his legs, and each time Hal would test their tail, shooting ahead to drive down alleys and doubling back, but he couldn't shake them. This proved to him that they must have planted a locator on the car. That was pretty high tech for goons. That took him back to the idea that they could be linked to his handler, but they were so bad at hiding their presence, it still felt doubtful.

He recalled the handprint on the trunk. So, it was under the car, at the back. He'd make a call at Kingman.

Sam stayed silent throughout these exercises, just accepting he was doing it for a good reason, and he was grateful.

When they pulled off the highway in Kingman, Hal stopped for gas, and Sam used the facilities. He scoped out the nearby businesses and spotted something he could use.

He paid for the gas, then pulled out his cell and dialed the preset number.

"Report."

"I have a tail. Official?"

There was quiet for a short period. "No. Assistance?"

"Not required. Second question. Chet Barley. Official?" Hal had done his research to get that last name.

The handler made an involuntary choking sound, and his voice returned much more clipped. "No. Avoid. Potentially rogue if he contacted you directly. Did he?"

Hal thought about that. A rogue agent was potentially having an affair with his wife of all women? Bad odds of that happening randomly. "Possibly accidental but probably not. Met at the dental office Lisa works at." He kept the upcoming meeting in LA to himself.

"Shit! Avoid. We will deal. Anything else?"

Hal could tell the man was clearly upset. Maybe he'd like some good news. "I'm going to tell Lisa I want a divorce."

"What?! Why? Because of Chet?" the man exclaimed.

"I thought you'd be happy," Hal grumbled disappointedly.

"No, I am! It's just—oh! It's her," the handler's already deep voice dropped an octave as he realized the reason was Sam.

"So, you're not happy?" Hal responded. "I am. Maybe for the first time in my life."

"No... it's good. We'll talk later. I need to deal with this other issue."

Karl hung up.

Hal put away his cell as Sam walked back to the car, and he gave her some money.

"Buy some snacks and drinks, water for me. We will be skipping lunch today," Hal said, and she looked at him, then nodded. She hustled away to the small shop and returned shortly with the purchases. He let her in her door, then drove over to the nearby supercenter's automotive service center. He drove the car directly into one of the open bays, which had a worker's pit under the car. A mechanic rushed over to wave him off as they had another customer waiting to enter that bay. Hal stepped out and held up a hand to calm the man.

"Apologies! I drove over something on the highway, and I'm worried it hit something vital. I just need a quick visual check. There was a thump at the back. It won't take five minutes." He gestured for Sam to step out, and when she did, all eyes turned to her.

Distracted by Sam's assets, the man called out for the mechanic working under the car to do an inspection. He worked his way back, checking the underbody until he got to the frame behind the rear bumper.

"Cliff! Come down here and tell me what this is!" a voice called out from under the car.

The man standing next to Hal frowned. "What's it look like?" he called out.

"Like a pack of smokes stuck to a magnet, and it has an antenna!" the voice replied.

Cliff's eyes widened as he turned his eyes from Sam's tits to Hal's face.

"Maybe I should remove that," Hal suggested, and Cliff pointed him to the stairs to the pit.

Hal moved quickly down to join the mechanic in the pit and saw where the man was pointing. He recognized the device. It was a simple tracking beacon with a range of a few miles. They probably changed the batteries each night while he was sleeping.

He reached up and yanked the device from its spot on the frame, and the mechanic screamed. Hal just looked at the frightened man.

"What the hell, man! That could have been a bomb!" the younger man yelled.

Hal shook his head with a frown and went back upstairs to see Sam watching him with wide, worried eyes. He smiled at her, and she flashed one back at him, instantly trusting.

"Looks like nothing was damaged. Thanks!" He nodded to Sam, who picked up her cue and got back in the car. Hal slipped a twenty to Cliff and got in to back the vehicle from the bay as the mechanic stared at them in confusion.

Hal knew their tail would be close by, so he pulled around the back of the shopping center in the delivery lane and accelerated hard. Sam yelped in surprise as he slammed on the brakes to exit the far end at a more sedate pace. He turned right to follow the lane next to the building as quickly as possible and rushed through the parking lot to exit south on the main road, leading back towards the highway.

Accelerating again, he caught up to a row of vehicles heading for the on-ramp to the highway. The light ahead turned green, so the traffic began to move.

Pulling up beside the left side of a transport pulling a flatbed with a bulldozer on it, Hal lowered Sam's window and lobbed the locator out to bounce across the flatbed's surface until it hit the metal side of the vehicle's tracks. The strong magnet caught hold. Hal immediately swung over into the left turn lane and moved away from the truck, which continued to drive up the on-ramp.

Hal scanned the road and his mirrors for signs of the dark sedan. He knew his little trick wouldn't last long, but they were at the interchange where he could continue west on Interstate 40 to Los Angeles or turn north on Highway 98 to Las Vegas. They wouldn't know which one he'd be taking.

Instead of either of those choices, Hal drove north through Kingman to head north on Highway 20, out into the desert.

"This is the road to Las Vegas?" Sam asked.

He smiled. "The scenic route. More time to listen to you sing!"

Sam gave him a happy smile and looked through the discs for the next one to try.

The miles flew by, though he'd extended the journey considerably by taking the side road.

They made it to Hoover Dam by mid-afternoon, and Sam was dazzled by the sheer size of the engineering project. They opted not to do the tour, as Sam was eager to get to Vegas.

Hal kept his eyes open for the dark sedan, but it seemed his little trick had worked. Another example of how poor they were at the job.

Sam was almost vibrating with excitement as they saw the city come into view. Hal cruised past the big hotels to ensure she had a chance to see them. He decided to take her for a walk later to see them up close.

As he headed back to their hotel, Sam turned to him with a huge smile. "This place is amazing!" He thought the brilliance and happiness in her smile far outshone anything this desert city could come up with.

The Enchant Resort was one of the newer hotels, and Hal had gotten a good deal on a room. He hadn't realized there was a convention going on at the nearby convention center. Some of this hotel's halls were handling the overflow.

Hal parked at the valet desk, and they grabbed their luggage after he handed over the key and got his chit.

"What's the convention for? Is it the porn industry?" Sam teased.

He snorted and looked for some signage indicating who was attending.

Two tall and gorgeous women, one blonde and one a brunette dressed in long flowy dresses approached and drew all eyes.

Hal reached out to take Sam's arm and guided her to the side of the corridor. He pulled her into a hug with his back to the two women.

Sam was surprised at first but quickly wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back.

Hal found himself enjoying the warmth of the hug, but he kept the brunette in the corner of his eye until she entered one of the convention halls.

He pulled back from Sam, and she looked into his eyes.

"What was that for?" Sam said happily with a sweet smile on her lips.

Hal's face heated up. He didn't want to disappoint her and say it was just to avoid being recognized by the brunette. Considering who and what she was, it had been critical for him to go unrecognized. Sam was safer, not knowing that. Besides, he'd really enjoyed the hug.

"I want to thank you for traveling with me, for keeping my mind calm and entertained with your singing, and for helping me re-evaluate my life and marriage. I can't begin to express how much that meant to me."

"The hug was a wonderful start!" she said with a grin.

Hal was distracted by a group of men in army uniforms walking by. Behind them were three long-haired, long-bearded skinny older men in thick glasses arguing energetically in a mathematical language beyond Hal's comprehension. Directly behind them were four women in business suits chatting and laughing.

Hal looked back at Sam in puzzlement. "What is this convention about?"

They pulled their luggage to the reception desk, and Hal waded through the crowd to check in while Sam waited with the bags.

When he returned, she saw he was upset. "What's wrong?"

"The room I booked has one King bed. They're fully booked, as are most of the hotels in Vegas."

Sam moved to stand before him and leaned against his chest with her hands on his shoulders. She looked into his eyes with hope in hers. "I wouldn't mind sharing a bed with you."

Her message couldn't have been more explicit. He wanted her so badly, and it must have shown in his eyes as she was suddenly kissing him.

Those lips, the lips he'd wanted to kiss so much, were just as sweet and soft as he imagined they'd be, but he couldn't have guessed how much joy would fill him from feeling them on his. This woman was everything Lisa was not. Genuine. Compassionate. Loving.

And she wanted him, monster and all.

His brain felt like it might melt out his ears as the bliss filled him, then the image of Lisa flashed into his mind.

He pulled back from those beautiful lips and sucked in a shaky breath. "Wait! Wait... oh my god!"

"What's wrong? Don't you want this? I do!" she gasped softly, slightly out of breath.

"Yes! Yes, I do," he sighed, and her smile returned as she leaned in once more. He almost went with it, but at the last second, he gently pushed her back. "I do want this, more than anything I've ever wanted in my life, but I need to tell her it's over first. I need to end the terrible lie of my marriage before I can have this amazing new beginning. Is that okay?"

She leaned her forehead against his. "Yes... I can wait. Knowing you want me is enough, for now."

"Let's get our stuff upstairs, get cleaned up, and find a restaurant for dinner. Then we can take a walk and see the sights. We'll work out the sleeping arrangements later," Hal suggested quietly.

Sam nodded and smiled at him with a twinkle in her eye.

They took the elevator up to their floor, and Hal let Sam open the door with her key. She pranced into the room, cooing about the décor, then rushed over to the window.

"Oh, Hal! The view is beautiful!" she gasped as she leaned against the window and looked down at the row of glamorous hotels.

He was watching her soaking in an exciting new experience, and her delight was delighting him. "Yes, it is."

She looked back at him and smiled at him. "You're making it difficult for me to resist kissing you."

Hal raised his hands in surrender with a grin. He looked in his suitcase. "I don't have any nice clothes for dinner," he sighed as he held up his brown suit. Sam turned her nose up at it, and he nodded. "I'm going to check out the shop in the lobby. Would you care to join me? Maybe they have something nice for you, too." She rushed over to take his arm.

They went back to the concourse next to the lobby and checked out a few shops. Hal found himself a dark casual jacket and pants, a white dress shirt and black loafers. Sam struck real gold with a tight yet stretchy body sleeve dress covered in gold sequins, which showed a lot of cleavage, squeezed her slim torso, and ended mid-thigh. Gold high heels added to the knockout effect. She glowed happily after he told her she was breathtaking. He bought her a little gold clutch purse to go with it.

They opted to wear the new clothes back to their room to drop off their original outfits.

Sam transferred the essential items from her backpack to the much smaller purse. As she did this, she dropped her paperback, which bounced across the floor, and the small folded sheet of paper she'd used as a bookmark fell out.

Hal bent down and picked up both items. He paused as he unfolded and read the scribbles on the paper. He looked at Sam. "Where did you get this paper?"

She shrugged. "I lost my old bookmark. There was an old notepad on the table by the phone in the kitchen at Frank's place. I grabbed the top sheet to use as a bookmark. Why?"

He tucked the paper into his pocket then made her a new bookmark using a piece of paper from the pad by the hotel room's telephone.

"Does Frank have a good memory?" he asked her carefully.

She snorted as she looked at him. "No, he scribbled notes for himself and left them everywhere," she said, eyeing him curiously.

He nodded. He now knew the real reason Frank was making such an effort to collect Sam. "Let's go eat!"

They walked arm in arm back to the elevator then took it down to the lobby once more.

"You look lovely tonight. Stunning!" he told her and enjoyed another of her crazy smiles.

"Thank you, kind sir! You look very handsome in thAAAAAAAA—"

Sam's words became a scream of fear as a group of men walking past them suddenly turned and pushed them through double doors into a staff-only access way.

Eight grim-faced men were trying to get them away from public eyes. One slapped a hand over Sam's mouth as he picked her up against his body to drag her further down the corridor. Her squeals still got through his fingers.

Hal felt the monster come forward the moment the large men surged towards them. A calm feeling settled over his mind, and he moved with them, ensuring he was ahead of the group.

He'd managed to break three fingers of the first man who crashed into him, which weakened his grip. Then he drove his left thumb into the eye of the second goon. It popped free to dangle down his cheek, and the man screamed, releasing his hold of Hal's jacket.

Again, using his left, Hal delivered a solid punch to the first goon's balls. The strength left the man's legs, and he crumpled.

Hal hopped back from his assailants to block their escape route as the next three jumped over and around Hal's first victims. These men were wielding knives, but the closest made the mistake of leaping forward, arm outstretched to spear Hal.

Instead of leaping back, he moved forward but spun to let the knife pass by. It was so close it cut through the sleeve of his jacket. Hal grabbed the hand, holding the blade with his right, and delivered a hammer blow against the elbow with his left, destroying the joint and stealing the strength in the arm. The thug didn't have time to scream before Hal yanked down on the broken elbow and drove the man's blade deep into his eye socket.

The next two knife wielders stepped back as they watched their teammate fall. Now Hal stood before them, blocking the group from moving further down the corridor, holding the knife he pulled from the skull of his last victim. He flicked his wrist, and the gore from the blade splashed on the two men before him.

The thug holding Sam shifted her in his grip to reach for his gun. The moment her mouth was uncovered, she screamed. Loudly. He immediately covered her mouth again.

The double doors behind them burst open, and a large man in a dark suit surged through. He scowled as he took in the situation and saw the desperate fear on Sam's face. He moved in her direction.

The two goons at the back of the group made the mistake of trying to pull their guns. The one between the new arrival and Sam suddenly found himself on the floor slipping into unconsciousness, his nose a shattered mess. He never saw the punch coming.

The second thug was knocked back when a blade thrown from the doorway struck his shoulder. His right arm went numb, and he went down on one knee before the big man's fist put him down for the count too.

The gorgeous, tall brunette Sam saw when she'd arrived at the hotel stepped up beside the big man. She had a blade in each hand and a smile on her lips. Sam was stunned by how gorgeous and deadly she looked.

Her mouth was freed again as she felt the man slipping his free hand behind her back inside his jacket. He was going for a gun! She tried to look towards Hal, but her captor kept her between himself and the two new arrivals.

Sam heard an odd and sharp sound from behind her. Her captor stiffened, shuddered, and let out a low choked moan before collapsing behind her.

Sam took an involuntary step forward as she looked behind and down. The man who'd seized her was dead; a knife handle sticking out of the side of his skull. She turned her eyes to Hal in shock as he prepared to take on the remaining two men barehanded.

"YOU! You should be dead!?!," the tall brunette yelled at Hal, but his cold eyes never left the two men with the knives.

Those two were torn between which danger to face, the now unarmed but no less deadly man before them or the dual blade-wielding woman behind them.

Sam felt a gentle touch on her arm and saw the big man was gesturing for her to leave with him.

"I need Hal," Sam said timidly.

He looked over at the man in question. "I don't think he's in any trouble now." Then he looked to the tall brunette. "Tatiana, don't harm Hal."

"Ben! He's an assassin!" she shot back.

The big man glared at the beauty. "And you weren't?"

The brunette's blonde friend appeared in the doorway, and blades slipped into her hands as well. "Ben! Can't you stay out of trouble for a minute?" She moved to stand next to the brunette and quickly assessed the two thugs frozen with indecision.

Sam looked at the man the ladies called Ben, then at the two beautiful women acting as bodyguards. Her eyes went back to Ben, and saw the scars across his face and on his chin. The news stories suddenly popped into her head. "You're-you're the man on TV! With the naked sculptures!" she blurted. She was stunned to be standing in a dingy corridor with someone who was all over TV and the tabloids. Granted, they typically weren't saying nice things about him in the media, but her personal experience was significantly different!

Ben looked to Sam, saw recognition in her gaze, and sighed. He directed his gaze to the man Sam called Hal. He still looked like he was about to kill the remaining goons and maybe have a go at Ben's two bodyguards. He turned to Sam.

"Do you think you can get Hal to stand down?" he asked. She nodded. "Give me a second," he said. He glared at the remaining thugs. "I highly suggest you lay down your weapons. Now."

Another woman, this one wearing a military uniform, leaped into the doorway and came to a halt as she took in the carnage. She immediately pulled out two wicked blades of her own. "Ben, step behind me!"

"You are late for the party, Sergeant. Again," Tatiana snorted.

Sam watched the Sergeant sheath her knives, move to the fallen goons to disarm them, and zip-tie their arms behind their backs, minus the dead ones, of course.

Sam stared at the three ladies and jumped a little when Ben touched her arm again. He pointed to Hal. She nodded with an embarrassed smile.

"Hal? Hal, I need you not to kill these two men." The moment the words left her lips, it felt like the oddest thing she'd ever said. Except, Hal's eyes looked to her finally, and he nodded.

The two men slowly sank down to place their knives on the floor as they knelt. The Sergeant was immediately on them and had them bound and disarmed in seconds. She looked at Hal, but he just raised his palms to show he was unarmed.

Sam rushed over and threw her arms around Hal, who hugged her tight as his body trembled with excess adrenalin. He kissed her, and she held him tighter.

"Can someone tell me what is going on here?" the Sergeant asked.

"Ben came to the rescue of the damsel in distress again. This time, I think he may have saved the lives of these men from Hal," Tatiana spat out his name.

Ben frowned at her. "I take it you two have some history?"

"He killed a man the Colonel ordered me to protect!" Tatiana snarled, showing her hurt professional pride. She glared at Hal. "I was sure I killed you."

Hal held up the hand with the scar on his palm and positioned it over his heart. "Almost."

Sam's eyes widened as she understood Tatiana was responsible for this lesson, as Hal called his scars.

Hal looked at Ben. "I need to make a call. Hal Demmon, by the way."

Ben nodded with a smile. "Ben Shepherd."

Hal pulled his phone out and dialed his handler.

"Report."

"I'm in Vegas. I encountered another group from the same source as Columbus." The man cursed on the other end of the line, so he continued after confirming all of the men were trussed up or dead. "I discovered why they're following Sam. I have the information they are after. It's significant. It should go to the FBI immediately."

Sam was staring at Hal in shock. He nodded to her and gave her a little smile.

There was a pause, and then the voice came back with more energy. "Really! That's very good! Which hotel are you in? I'll arrange to have a representative from the agency to pick up the evidence."

"The Enchant Resort. They need to move quickly as this information is time-sensitive," Hal offered.

"Right! Now, what do you need immediately?"

Hal looked at the dead bodies. Two were his. He felt satisfaction in the back of his mind for that. "I need intervention with the police—"

"No, we'll deal with this," the Sergeant said.

"Who's that speaking," Karl asked. "Put her on the phone."

Hal's eyebrows rose, and he handed his cell to the woman. She had a quiet conversation with Karl then gave the cell back, looking at Hal cautiously. He frowned at her and held the phone to his ear. "It's me."

"They'll take care of the clean-up. I'll send the FBI for the info immediately." The line went dead, so Hal put his cell back in his pocket and turned back to Ben.

"Thanks for your intervention."

"These guys didn't look like Feds or Police. Who were they?" Ben asked.

Hal gestured for Sam to join him again, and she was at his side immediately. "Sam used to live with an evil man. He runs a strip club up in Rochester, New York, but he's also involved in a human trafficking ring. He made a note about a delivery arriving in New York City on a ship. It's running silent and will arrive two days from today. Shortly after he wrote the note, Sam made her escape from the abusive relationship. She accidentally picked up the note and used the paper as a bookmark. She's been on the run, and this man, who has a terrible memory, is trying to get the information back. He can't contact the ship, so all he had was the note. Which I now have."

The big man nodded then looked closer at Hal's arm. "Looks like your jacket took the brunt of the attack."

Hal looked at his sleeve and frowned. "Shit. I just bought this," he sighed, then looked to Sam. "Still hungry?"

She smiled timidly at him and nodded.

Hal smiled at Ben. "Can I treat you and your lady friends to dinner?" He looked to Tatiana. "As long as you promise not to try to kill me again." She clucked her tongue but got a stern look from Ben and finally nodded begrudgingly.

Ben returned Hal's smile. "We have reservations, but we'd love the company if you would like to join us."

Hal saw the Sergeant was trying to catch Ben's eye.

"I'll deal with the authorities and see you upstairs later," the woman explained. Police were entering the corridor. She moved to talk to them.

They made their formal introductions as they waited for the Police to get instructions from their commanding officer. Finally, Hal and Sam followed Ben and his bodyguards, Liliya Sokolov and Tatiana Pushkin, to a lovely restaurant that featured an impressive waterfall. Hal smiled as he saw how intimidated Sam was next to these women. He kissed her hand as he held her eyes with his, and she burst into nervous giggles as the others watched his demonstration of affection with interest.

The waiter dropped off the menus, and Hal's cell rang. He excused himself and walked to the entrance of the restaurant to answer. "Hello."

"Hal Demon?"

"Demmon, who is this?" he said with a frown.

"This is Agent Patterson, FBI. I was told you have something for me. I'm at the reception desk."

He blinked as he hadn't expected someone so soon. "I'll meet you there in a minute."

He walked to the front desk and spotted the female Fed immediately. She was doing her own professional assessment of him as he approached. "Agent Patterson," he said.

"Hal Demmon?" she asked, and he nodded.

He immediately handed her the paper. "This is a reminder note Frank Capello wrote for himself and left on a notepad in his home. The woman I'm traveling with, Sam Dulane, lived with him, and he was abusing her. She found the strength to get free and took the top sheet of paper from the notepad as she needed a bookmark for a paperback novel she's reading. Mr. Capello has been after her ever since. He's made two attempts to capture her this week. I'm told he has a poor memory and likely cannot recall the contents of the note. I only discovered the note tonight, but it appears to indicate delivery in two days."

She was reading the note and nodded as she realized they had to move to get ahead of this deal. She carefully tucked the paper into the pocket of her jacket.

"Thank you. I can reach you and Ms. Dulane at your number?" she asked.

"Yes. She's staying with me," he answered firmly.

The agent smiled. "Thank you! I'll be in touch." With a nod, she rushed away.

Hal watched her go and headed back to the restaurant. He saw Sam watching for him. Her look of relief at seeing him made him realize he should have told her what was going on. He promised himself he would try harder to keep her informed in the future.

He paused at that thought—the future. Even the concept of a future which Sam might share with him felt like the most precious promise.

He moved up beside her and kissed her temple. Her face burst into a sweet shy-but-very-pleased smile he craved to see all the time.

He sat and filled the table in on what he'd just done. Sam's smile got wider and wider as she realized one of her poor decisions would result in the rescue of thirty young women being shipped into New York Harbor.

"Are you here to enjoy the sights or gambling?" Hal asked Ben.

The man just shook his head. "The ladies aren't too keen on me walking around in crowded public places. I tend to get swarmed these days. As for the casinos, I don't gamble. I'm just here for the International Conference on Science, Engineering & Technology."

Hal's eyebrows rose. "Is that what all these people are here for?"

Ben grinned and nodded. "I just arrived this morning as the conference is only today and tomorrow. I have some meetings lined up, and there are several panels I'm eager to sit in on." He looked to his bodyguards, who looked less thrilled. "I said you two don't have to come to the meetings or panels with us. Evelyn and I will be fine!"

"You know we can't do that, Ben," Liliya said. "There are representatives from the military of many world powers at this conference."

Hal looked back to Ben and saw his resigned expression. The big man put a smile on his face for Hal and Sam. "It was more fun when I had less attention on me."

"Find your fun where you can," Hal said with a nod.

Ben nodded thoughtfully and gave them another smile. "What are you two doing in Vegas?" he asked.

Sam looked at Hal with some anxiety, and he held her hand. "I'm going on to Los Angeles for the day tomorrow. I have an errand I need to take care of there."

Tatiana locked her eyes on his as her expression sharpened. "This errand will end with bloodshed?"

Ben scowled at her, and she struggled to not react to his disapproval.

Hal watched this interchange and wondered at their dynamic. There seemed to be a lot of tension, but its source was a mystery.

"No, that's not the purpose of the visit."

Tatiana nodded at him. Her eyes darted to Ben then dropped, surrendering the point.

"What about you, Sam?" Ben asked.

Sam still looked a little intimidated to be in this company. Her eyes swung to Hal then back to Ben. "I-I'm not—I'm staying. I mean, I'll wait here for Hal. The hotel has a pool. I'll probably visit that. Maybe." She flashed a smile to the group, and Hal felt her squeezing his hand. He rested his other hand over hers and squeezed gently. Her smile for him showed she appreciated the gesture.

Ben glanced at Hal. "Is Sam going to have any more trouble with those hoods?"

"No..." Hal began denying the possibility as the FBI now had the information, but his thoughts screeched to a halt as the FBI would be keeping that fact quiet until they made their bust... in two days. "Shit!" He looked to Sam, who was watching him with worried eyes.

He was trapped between two terrible choices. He couldn't take her with him. Lisa and Chet were two dangers to which she couldn't be exposed. Leaving her here alone when Frank wasn't aware she no longer had the information wasn't an option either. Frank obviously had extensive connections in this city if they found her, or more likely, her traveling companion's hotel reservation, so quickly. Now the idea of walking the streets of Las Vegas tonight no longer seemed like a good idea. He couldn't take that chance with Sam's life. He needed to deal with Frank Capello soon.

"How long are you going to be in Los Angeles?" Ben asked.

"I won't be back until sometime after midnight tomorrow," he said hesitantly.

Ben looked to Liliya and Tatiana then back to Hal. "Sam is welcome to join us. She couldn't be in safer hands."

Hal looked to the two women and saw they were evaluating him as well. Then he turned to Sam. "Would that be okay with you?"

"I'd rather be with you—" she began.

"It's too dangerous—"

"So, you lied!" Tatiana snapped, suddenly enraged.

"Stop!" Ben growled at the brunette, whose eyes flicked to him. Hal was surprised to see conflicting emotions race across the beauty's face. Frustration, lust, fear, need, and confusion all warred for control.

Normally, he had difficulty recognizing the emotions people were experiencing. He'd found Sam to be a welcome exception to this. Tatiana was a professional killer, highly skilled in deception, and her face was a mask, hiding her true intentions... until she was interacting with Ben. Then, her veneer cracked, exposing her genuine emotions as plainly as Sam openly shared hers.

He filed that away and addressed Sam's concerns.

Hal took a deep breath and held Sam's hands in his. "My wife is going to be there. I don't know how she'll react when I tell her I'm filing for divorce, but I do know it wouldn't be pleasant for you, and she might even become violent. She doesn't accept losing well. Of more concern is Chet Barley. Why he's chosen to have an affair with Lisa when he's... obviously aware of what I am, leaves me to suspect he's targeting me in some way and just using Lisa as bait. I've been told he's gone rogue."

Ben was listening with concern on his face. "How are you getting to Los Angeles?"

Hal looked at the big man curiously. "I'm driving. I don't like flying. Being crammed in a plane, surrounded by so many strangers, isn't a good idea for me."

"I was going to offer you the use of a jet service I use. You'd fly alone, and it would cut the journey to an hour each way," Ben suggested.

Hal looked at him in surprise. "I- I have a budget that doesn't cover—"

"It's on me," Ben insisted.

Hal's eyebrows rose further. "That-that's exceedingly generous of you. Why?"

Ben nodded towards Sam, who was watching Hal with desperate worry on her face.

"You need to arrive rested to be safe. Please accept Ben's offer," she begged.

He saw the worry and never wanted to see that on her beautiful face. He turned to Ben. "Thank you. I accept."

Ben relaxed with a smile. "When do you need to be in Los Angeles, and when would you be heading back?"

"Noon arrival would be optimal. I'd come back here at... nine?"

Ben nodded and put his cell to his ear. He spoke softly into it, and when he was done, he grinned at the couple. "All set. They'll meet you at the charter counter. Sky Shepherd."

"You own the jet service?" Hal asked in surprise.

Ben shook his head in resignation. "No, it's just a marketing gimmick, borrowing on my name to draw clients."

Dinner was arriving. The conversation turned to more pleasant topics like travel, music, and Hal boasting about Sam's singing skills, which led to blushes, playful slaps, giggles, and more beautiful smiles from the woman in question.

When Sam asked Ben about his fame, he confessed how he struggled with it and just did his best to ignore it. His passion was engineering, and he loved puzzle solving. They steered their conversation away from discussing Hal's actual occupation.

Just before dessert, they were joined by another couple. The man, Dan Bishop, was ex-military, and, like Ben, he was obsessed with engineering. He was also there for the conference.

His wife, Willow, was breathtakingly lovely, and Hal picked up immediately that she was much like Sam. She, too, had likely been targeted by predators all her life. He felt a stirring in the back of his mind and forced it down with a small frown. He caught Dan watching him and gave the man the slightest nod as he took Sam's hand in his. Dan was obviously very protective of his wife but acknowledged Hal's gesture like a peace treaty.

After dinner, Ben managed to get Evelyn to come downstairs to join them. While no one drank anything stronger than coffee, tea, and spring water, they found a small bar that allowed the customers to go onstage and sing for the audience like a karaoke talent show. After much cajoling, they managed to get Sam to go up and sing for them. After a bit of a shaky start, she caught her stride and finished strong, bringing the small audience to their feet. They kept her on the stage for one more, and when she finally returned to their table, she hugged Hal excitedly.

"I think you've found your calling!" Ben said to Sam with a wide smile.

"She loves to sing, and she's wonderful!" Hal said proudly and received a hug and a kiss on the cheek from her.

The hour was late when everyone went their separate ways with promises to meet for breakfast the next morning. Willow and Sam exchanged hugs as the two really bonded in the brief time.

Hal let Sam into their room, and she went directly over to the window to take in the view.

"Thank you so much for bringing me here, Hal," she sighed as she watched the lights below.

"When I get home, I'm going to have to thank Eve for forcing me to give you a lift to Erie," Hal chuckled.

Sam turned, and she looked a little sad. "Can-can we not talk about going home? That place never made me feel as happy as this did."

He nodded. "I'm sorry. I didn't connect those dots. You're right, I mean, aside from that brief interval when we were attacked by thugs, being here has been pretty amazing!"

Sam snorted at his attempt to lighten the mood. She moved closer and put her hands on his shoulders as she rested her chest against his. He looked down, then raised an eyebrow at her. That got another small snort. She pressed a little harder.

"I want to show you how much I appreciate your protecting me from the bad men," she said with a cute pout.

"I want that, I do, but it has to wait until tomorrow night," he said with a sigh.

"May I kiss you?"

He leaned forward, and her lips moved to meet his, and he lost himself to her soft kiss.

When she pulled back, she saw his dreamy expression and smiled happily as she knew he was feeling as good as she was.

Hal felt the pleasure rushing through his body and knew he had to stop now, or he soon wouldn't be able to.

He wanted to face Lisa tomorrow, knowing he hadn't crossed a significant line. It was true he'd kissed Sam, and those kisses weren't innocent. Still, his mind flashed to the moments he'd interrupted Lisa with other men, her lipstick on their mouths or worse, their cocks, the men with her wetness on their fingers, and finally settled on the man trying to stuff his cock into her ass while she writhed under him.

He understood Lisa had just done these things to torture his mind, to make him unleash the monster, the part of him she'd never tamed. Her need to dominate him, every side of him, was a sickness he could no longer accept. If she continued, he would kill her, and that wasn't blood he wanted on his hands, regardless of how manipulative she'd been to him and all of the men he'd fought for her.

Lisa didn't truly understand that the creature she was trying to control couldn't be reasoned with and wasn't capable of human empathy. She wouldn't listen to his protests and flew into a rage or burst into tears each time he tried. He couldn't live like that anymore. He understood he didn't deserve it, but he desperately longed for a little happiness in his life. Now that he knew what it felt like.

Soft hands touched his face, thumbs stroking his cheeks, and was surprised to feel wetness there. Tears? He returned to the now and saw Sam's compassionate eyes watching him.

"There you are. You slipped away for a moment, lost in your thoughts. They made you sad?" she asked.

He loved the feel of her hands on his face. "No, these are tears of happiness. Finally, happiness after so long."

She made a little sound, then her lips were on his, and he kissed her softly, enjoying the tender moment. He pulled back and hugged her against his chest.

When he released her, she smiled at him, her cheeks glowing happily. He led her to the bathroom, where they brushed their teeth together. He left to get changed into his shorts as she continued getting ready. He promised to help her wash, dry, and braid her hair the following morning.

He looked at the single king bed in the room and noted the sofa was a pull-out bed as well. He opened it, and the mattress was reasonably comfortable when he stretched out on it. He stood and moved to put away the clothes he'd worn today.

"Could you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Sam said as she stepped out of the bathroom.

Hal saw she was wearing his black t-shirt again. He looked to his laundry, and she grinned. He just snorted.

She saw the sofa bed was open and looked at him hopefully. "Just for a while?"

He smiled and nodded, bringing a happy smile to her face. She rushed over to the bed and got under the blankets. He stretched out on top, and she snuggled up against his side with her right arm over his chest.

Her breasts were pressing against him, but he did his best to remain calm. He started stroking his fingers through her hair, and she purred happily. He found it comforting for him, as well. He reached over and shut off the light as he ran his fingers through her hair. The bathroom light was still on, but it only threw a dim light into the bedroom. He settled down a little more, bringing his face closer to Sam's.

This... this was what contentment felt like. Hal liked it. He wanted more of this in his life.

He looked at Sam in the glow from the next room and saw she was looking at him. She smiled, and he felt a bloom of warmth in his chest.

He marveled at how her emotions were so easy for him to read. He was usually so stupidly blind to the simplest nuances, but her story was painted in bold capital letters across her face.

Her eyes were filled with joy, just for being next to him. For the first time in his life, he didn't have to prove anything for a woman to need him and want him. She wasn't judging him even though he had so much to account for.

Her body was pressed firmly against his, and he could feel her trembling. Something in him screamed at him to kiss her, just once before they rested. He shifted on the bed as she looked up at him, hope in her eyes.

His mouth found hers, and she kissed him hungrily. Her need for him swept through his mind and body, and he kissed her more boldly as she melted against him, making needful little mews of need.

Hal's need for her surged, and he slid his fingers into her hair on the back of her head. She gasped, and his tongue dipped into her mouth only to meet hers thrusting into his.

He moved his body over hers but discovered she was tangled under the bed covers. It took only seconds for him to leap off the bed, yank the sheets down, and cover her with his body once more. Her arms and legs immediately wrapped around him, and she moaned louder when she pulled him tight against her.

Their bodies lined up perfectly to press their most sensitive areas together, and both trembled at how good that felt.

Sam's hands went to Hal's back, but she found scars there. She pulled back from their kiss to look into his eyes. "Does it hurt when I touch your back?" she asked cautiously.

He saw her concern and shook his head. Then his doubt surfaced. "Do they disturb you?"

She answered by kissing him again and sliding her hands down his back and under his shorts to squeeze his ass. Or try to. She pulled back from the kiss again. "Oh my god, Hal! Your butt is so firm!"

He laughed in surprise, and she burst into giggles as her hands caressed the muscles in question.

Something else was getting firmer, and Sam loved that sensation rubbing against her. "Hal! I need you!"

He smiled. "I need you, too!"

She giggled that throaty chuckle he loved so much. "Yes, that, too, but I need you... inside me!"

"Oh!" Then it was his turn to chuckle. He moved down her body, and when he was near her waist, she pulled her t-shirt up and off. He was presented with a glorious view of her spectacular breasts. She had lovely large areola and cute pink nipples, which were stiff and very sensitive when Hal took one in his mouth. Sam gasped and grabbed his head, pressing his face more firmly against her large soft breast. When he came up for air, she was panting with need, but he gave her other nipple the same loving attention as she arched her back under him.

"Please, Hal, I need it!" she begged.

He knelt back on the bed and slipped her panties off. He was tempted to taste her, but she was tugging impatiently on his arm. He pushed his shorts down and slid his body back over Sam's.

"Oh! Oh my! Oh... yes! You're so hard!" Sam cooed.

He looked at her in surprise as his cock hadn't reached its target yet. "But... I haven't—"

"Your body! Your muscles! So hard and strong!" she sighed.

"Ah!" Hal sighed. Sam wasn't a thickly cushioned woman by any stretch of the imagination, aside from her breasts, that is, but her skin was incredibly soft.

When he did reach his target, she knew it.

"HAL! OH MY GOD!" she cried out.

He eased the tip back to the opening. She was very wet, so his entry had been smooth. "Sorry, did I hurt you?" he asked contritely.

She was shaking under him. "No! You just surprised me, that's all. Damn, you're big!"

His eyebrows went up. He wasn't huge or anything. He guessed it was what you were used to.

"Again?" he asked.

"Yes... I'm ready," she breathed.

He pressed a little more firmly, and the tip slid in once more.

"OH!" she gasped, and her ankles landed on the back of his legs. She seemed to be pulling at him, so he pushed forward again.

"Oh, Hal! You feel so good inside me! You're filling me up!" she purred as her hands went back to his ass.

"You feel amazing, too!" he sighed.

Sam moved a hand to the back of his head to pull his face down to hers, her mouth hungry for his. This forced him to lean forward, driving himself deep. She cried out into Hal's mouth, and he fought back the urge to laugh. She was so excited!

Her legs locked him in place, and she thrust her tongue into his mouth again. He sucked on it, and he began to slowly rock his hips against hers, grinding her clit between them.

"HAL! OH! SO GOOD!" she cried out as she moved her face to his shoulder to nibble on it.

He started drawing back and thrusting forward with a grind at the top of each stroke. It felt amazing for him, but Sam was becoming incoherent.

She wasn't pushing him away, so he increased the force of each stroke, and it felt better and better.

"Sam! Sam, you feel... so good!" he growled out between strokes.

She no longer seemed able to speak and just clung to his body. He thought she might be getting closer as she was shaking with each bump. He was seriously reaching his limit. She was squeezing him harder and harder, but he was driving himself faster and faster.

"Sam, I'm almost there. How are you doing?"

"NOW! DO IT!" she cried out, and his eyes widened in surprise at her volume.

His hips took her words as their command, and he accelerated his thrusts, their bodies slapping together until the world threatened to white out.

"My God! Sam!" he growled out as he felt his heat surging into her. She pressed her lips to his neck and shook almost violently in utter silence.

They clung to each other, basking in their pleasure, in their mutual joy, in the intimacy.

Hal had never experienced anything quite so emotionally profound. When they both finally caught their breath, Hal gently kissed Sam's cheeks, her nose, and her forehead. She looked up at him in exhausted bliss and smiled tenderly.

"What was that for?" she asked quietly.

Hal couldn't express in words what he was feeling. It was entirely new for him, uncharted emotional territory. He just smiled and shook his head. She snorted and let her legs slide down the sides of his hips to drop on the bed.

That sent spikes of intense pleasure through both of them. They cried out again and hissed from the intensity.

"No more, I'm done for tonight! It was too good!" she begged weakly.

He chuckled quietly, then gingerly pulled himself free of Sam, who sucked in a sharp breath then sagged.

He eased his body off her to the bed next to her. He admired her body and her sweet face. To be completely truthful, he ogled her boobs for a while, too, since he had the chance.

Eventually, he heard her breathing slow and deepen. He eased himself from the bed and lifted the sheets back over her. Not wanting to leave her just yet, he laid down next to her to watch her sleep.

Now that he was able to think with a rational mind, he cursed his weakness. He'd utterly destroyed his high ground with Lisa. He'd had sex with another woman while he was married. Could he say, after what he'd just done, that he was better than her?

He pondered that for a while until a singular difference surfaced in his mind. It was significant.

He had a deep emotional connection with Sam, and Lisa just used men as a means to an end. They meant nothing to her.

But then, he meant nothing to her either.

Chapter 10

Hal sat in a plush chair in the lobby of the hotel Lisa was staying in, up the street from the Los Angeles Convention Center. It was a very comfortable chair, and he really didn't feel like moving from it. He was so tired.

When he'd arrived, hours ago, he'd cased the neighborhood looking for possible spots Chet might be watching from but saw no evidence of his presence. Not that he expected to.

Next, he'd silently slipped into Lisa's room and quickly inspected it for signs the man had been there. Nothing.

Moving back outside, he found a good vantage point and waited. Eventually, he watched Lisa return from the convention center. She was dressed to impress in a lovely, form-fitting deep red and blue dress that ended just above the knees. Her high heels made her legs look good, but they couldn't have been comfortable. As she walked along the street, he saw the suppressed excitement in her step as she approached the hotel. She was smiling as if she knew he was watching.

Maybe she did.

After all, Chet had given him the date and time to arrive, and Lisa... his mind flashed back to her behavior when he'd first confronted her about Chet. She'd even left a note about her hotel where Hal could see it. The pattern was so clear to him now! Why hadn't he seen it all those years? Her emotional manipulation as she set him up for yet another violent encounter. She'd known he'd come to Los Angeles.

She got back to the hotel a little after 5 PM, and he'd been tempted to charge after her, but he caught himself in time. He wasn't going to confront her. He'd told Sam that wasn't his plan, and it wasn't.

Speaking of Sam, he'd recalled with wonder, waking this morning in bed with her breath gently tickling his chest. He'd slept through the night in the arms of the woman, and not once had he awakened in terror or reacted violently to her holding him. He didn't recall falling asleep, but it had been an enormous gamble that paid off—this time.

She'd woken slowly and smiled at him sweetly. She'd slept well, too.

They'd gotten ready for their days and went down for breakfast with their new friends. Sam had kissed him before he left for the airport, and he'd seen the hope in her eyes.

After he'd let Lisa pass by and enter the hotel, he set himself up in the lobby to wait. 6 PM came and went, and Chet hadn't shown.

At fifteen minutes past the hour, he took the elevator and went up to her floor once more. He let himself into the room and immediately stopped when he smelled a familiar odor, blood.

He pulled his gun and eased himself forward until he got a clear view of the bed.

Chet had already come and gone. Lisa was still on the bed, her head resting back over the edge. Her arms and legs spread splayed wide, her body naked. His mind rejected the scene, so the monster came forward to share the burden.

She was watching him with wide, terrified but vacant eyes, her mouth open to scream but no breath to make a noise. Her throat was sliced open, as was her chest, abdomen, and... the violence was extreme.

Hal's monster categorized each stab and slash wound, mapping the actions and strength needed to make them. It tracked the blood splatter on the sheets, carpets, walls, and ceiling. The savagery of the attack was severe, as Chet had been in a rage. He wasn't like Hal, after all.

There was a muted thump from the next room, followed by a second, then a third. Someone was slamming the dresser drawers. Someone was dealing with their rage.

It came to him then. Chet wasn't going to visit the hotel because he was already here. Just next door.

Hal paused and knelt before his wife to gently close her eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you wanted, Lisa," he whispered.

Standing, he took a slow breath then released his control to let his monster out completely. It took a deep scent of the room then moved to leave the room. It paused at the door leading into the adjoining room. Could the door be unlocked? If they were having an affair, it seemed likely. Hal slid the pocket door open and stepped through, looking to his left.

Chet reacted to his entry with almost inhuman speed. He lifted a big gun and squeezed the trigger as Hal fired two rounds. A train hit Hal in the chest and tossed him down the hall to slam into the door, his gun bouncing free of his numb fingers. He slid down the door to the floor, straining to suck in a breath.

He couldn't see Chet as the young man fell to the left behind the bed. But he could hear him.

"Fck! Fck! Fck! You're pretty fast for a fucking old man, Hal!"

He couldn't get much air inside and shouldn't have used it for talking, but he had to know. "Lisa..."

"Shit, yeah, I didn't intend to take it that far, but the bitch got under my skin," Chet sighed. "She was an awful fuck, too."

"Why..."

There was some muffled swearing as Chet dealt with the pain of his injuries. Then his voice came back.

"Can't you figure it out? Shit! How did you get to be number one? She was bait, but you were late! She freaked out when you didn't show. Are you normally that punctual? That's just sad. She must have had you around her little pinkie. When you didn't show, she tried to stop, mid-fuck! I was balls deep, and she tried to scratch my face! Stupid bitch!"

Hal was able to breathe a little better, but still, he wasted it on questions. His monster was getting very impatient.

"Why... do... this?" he panted.

Chet made a rude sound. "I broke into the records office to see the rankings of all of the agents in the program. I'm rated higher than all of them except for one, you. Yet here you are dying on the floor while I'm on my feet. There is no glory in being number two. Time for a new number one."

Chet lurched into view but stumbled sideways and crashed into the TV stand while pointing his gun down the hall. He was grimacing in pain from a shattered left shoulder joint. More painful was the groove carved down the left side of his face and through his ear. It threw his equilibrium off.

He grinned maniacally when he saw Hal leaning up against the door, arms at his sides and hands on the floor, with his gun out of reach beyond his outstretched legs. He chuckled to himself.

Chet leaned forward to stumble toward Hal. He tried to aim the gun at Hal's head, but his arm was unsteady as he squeezed the trigger. A chunk of the door blew out by the left side of Hal's head as he leaned to the right. His left arm lifted from the floor with his second gun and shot out Chet's knees.

The man crashed forward onto Hal with a high-pitched scream. Hal drove his knife deep into the younger man's throat and watched the shock and dawning realization appear on his face.

Chet tried to gather the last of his strength, but it wasn't enough as Hal twisted the big gun from his hand.

Hal finally managed to suck in a deeper breath but felt sharp pains in his chest. He probably had some broken ribs.

He rolled Chet's body aside and looked down at him. He felt his monster's hunger, so he fed it. Holding the dying killer's eyes, he twisted and yanked his knife sideways to rip out his throat. Hal felt the monster's satisfaction seeing fear and despair surge before the life faded behind Chet's eyes. He wiped the blade clean on the dead man's shirt.

Pushing himself carefully to his feet, he pulled out his cell and called his handler.

"Report."

"Found Chet," Hal wheezed.

"He's dead," the man said with a sigh. It wasn't a question.

"He killed Lisa when I didn't show up when she expected. When I did arrive, he tried to kill me," Hal explained.

There was a pause. "Why didn't you arrive on time? To date, you've been a stickler for punctuality." The man sounded a little concerned. He didn't like deviations in Hal's behavior.

"I was on time. I just didn't arrive at the time she expected. I didn't come here to confront her about her infidelity. I came here to tell her I wanted a divorce. I didn't expect he'd kill her. She was just bait. He-he wasn't like me." Hal felt lightheaded. Talking was hard as he was having trouble breathing. Maybe it was internal bleeding. He told Karl the hotel's name, the floor, and the room numbers, then hung up.

He shuffled down the hall and picked up his other gun. He reloaded both, then slid them into the hidden pockets on his combat pants. Finally, he checked out Chet's luggage. He collected a t-shirt and a hoody. He peeled off his ripped t-shirt, the bulletproof vest he had on under it, and the second one he'd added as he'd learned of Chet's weapon of choice. Wearing two jackets had kept him alive, but the kinetic energy transferred from the large-caliber round still did a number on his ribs.

Chet's t-shirt was a little loose, and the hoody was bulkier still, but at least he wasn't covered in blood and bullet holes anymore. He left the room and made his way down to the lobby. All the way down in the elevator, his breathing became more and more shallow. He was in trouble.

As he made his way across the lobby, his vision was filled with the crazy smile of a beautiful woman; he desperately wanted to see that smile just one more time.

And that's where his handler found him, in the comfortable chair, bleeding into his lungs.

Chapter 11

Sam rushed through the hospital corridors. Her nerves were buzzing. She couldn't see anything that wasn't straight ahead of her, and she couldn't hear anything beyond the rapid beating of her heart.

When Hal missed his flight back, the charter pilot contacted Ben to ask if he should wait. That started the panicked activity.

Hal had been shot. That's all Sergeant Killcade had been able to get out of the man Hal was always calling.

When she got that news, the Sergeant put the US Army's resources on finding the hospital they'd taken him to. They said their goodbyes to Dan and Willow, and then Ben got the charter jet to pick them all up from Las Vegas to fly them to Los Angeles. She was stunned by his generosity, but his two bodyguards simply told her Ben made a promise to take care of her until Hal returned. He took the vows he made seriously.

They had a police escort to the hospital, even Ben couldn't explain where that came from, but she was grateful. They met the man on the phone, his name was Karl, and he told them Hal was still in surgery. He'd been wearing a vest, so the bullet didn't get through, but it had been a big gun, and it broke some ribs, and the fragments punctured his lungs. It was touch and go.

This morning she woke in the waiting room leaning against Ben's shoulder. He woke her to let her know someone finally came to tell them Hal had been moved to a recovery room sometime during the night. He gave her the number and floor, and here she was hunting for him.

When the correct room number finally appeared before her, she rushed right inside and saw Hal resting back against some pillows. She stopped herself from throwing herself on his chest and instead stepped up next to the bed and reached out to brush his hair back from his face. He had a hose blowing air into his nose.

Her touch must have awakened him, as his eyes fluttered open. She remembered his rule. "Hal? It's Sam. How are you feeling?"

"I-I've felt better." He took a breath. "I've felt worse." His eyes moved around the room. "Where am I?"

"A hospital in Los Angeles. Can you tell me what happened?" she asked.

He closed his eyes for a moment. "Probably shouldn't." His eyes opened. "I suppose I can say something. The man my wife chose to have sex with murdered her. He's also the one who shot me."

Sam held her hands over her mouth in her shock. Conflicting emotions of horror and joy rushed through her. Then she felt terrible for her moment of elation. It must have shown on her face as he smiled gently at her.

"Yes, it's okay. I understand completely. I went there to tell Lisa I wanted out of our marriage, and I was expecting a fight. That's not going to happen now. I'm free, as awful as it sounds for me to say that. I'm sad she died, and I'm sad about how she died, but none of it was under my control. Finally understanding that fact shines a terrible light on my entire marriage. She didn't love me. She loved the control she had over me, and she loved the idea of the chaos I have contained inside my mind. She wanted more than anything to control that."

"I'm sorry," Sam said softly.

He shook his head a little. "You... you've been completely open with me. I treasure that. Especially when I have to keep so many secrets to protect so many. But you make me so happy. I never thought I'd have so much joy in my life. I don't deserve it, but I treasure it, and you."

Sam's doe eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "Those aren't sad tears, are they?" he asked in concern.

"No, you silly man! I'm just so happy, too," she gushed.

"Then why aren't you kissing me?"

She snorted and leaned over to kiss him, gently holding his face in her hands.

Outside in the hallway, Ben glanced in once and turned away from the open door. He looked down at the small bearded man. He locked eyes with him. "You're taking over their protection duty until that nonsense with her ex gets settled, yes?" Karl nodded. "Good. Now, I have to say my goodbyes." He knocked on the door jamb and entered with a smile.

"Hi, I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm being pulled back to my own life, and I wanted to say goodbye and good luck," he said with a smile.

Sam turned and gave him a firm hug, which he returned. Then he shook Hal's hand. "You two take of yourselves and each other, okay?"

"Thank you for protecting Sam," Hal said.

Ben smiled. "It was my pleasure. Get better soon!" With a final wave, the big man left, joining his trio of ladies in the hall to head home.

Karl entered and frowned at the man in the bed. "You gave us a bit of a fright there."

Hal shrugged with a little smile.

"The doctor tells me you will be able to leave in a week. I think you've had enough of driving. We'll fly you back to Rochester­—"

"I'm not going back. Chet was based on the west coast, wasn't he? San Diego? I want his territory. I need a new home for Sam and me."

Sam squeaked in excitement and looked between the two men.

Karl sighed but knew he had to keep their best asset happy. Especially since he'd just eliminated their next best agent. The second best who'd gone rogue. He'd also been able to find and attack Hal because of the program's shoddy security. Karl nodded and endured the squeal and hug from the tall blonde. Getting hit in the face with her boobs was just an added treat. He struggled to regain his dignity and nodded to the couple. "I'll begin the preparations."

When Sam and Hal were alone again, he gave her a serious look. "I hope I wasn't presumptuous when I suggested you'd—"

"No! Of course I want to be with you!" she exclaimed.

He steeled himself as he needed to know. "My other side is permanent. I can't deny it. We're a matched set," he said hesitantly.

"I understand. I can't say I'll ever be comfortable with that side of you, but I love you and want to be with you forever!" Sam said tenderly.

He smiled as relief and joy spread throughout his body. Such a rare sensation, he cherished every second. He planned to make this woman his wife and get it right this time. This marriage would be based on love, not control.

"I love you, too."

Hal watched Sam's crazy smile light up her face, and he felt the bliss of true happiness fill his being once more. He'd do whatever it took to keep that smile on her beautiful face.

That was his new mission.

Epilogue:

Frank Capello checked into his hotel room in Positano, Italy.

He was a big brute of a man, but the efforts he'd made to get here had worn him down. He tossed his suitcase on the bed. The entirety of his worldly possessions and the remainder of his wealth were in that one small case.

Wearily, he walked to and opened the double doors to the Juliet balcony and leaned on the railing as he soaked in the beauty of the cliff-side village spread out before him. A slight breeze cooled the sweat on his flushed face.

His mind was still spinning over how quickly his fortune had changed.

Only six weeks ago, he was the top distributor for female sex slaves throughout the US and Mexico. Today, he had nothing but the money in his suitcase. One and a half million wasn't much to restart his human trafficking operation with.

All of this was the fault of that fucking blonde bitch!

He'd called in many favors to extricate himself from the fucking mess his business back in the states had collapsed into.

When the Feds captured the ship, the smugglers, and rescued the shipment of girls he was supposed to collect and distribute, they immediately started hunting for him. He had no choice but to leave everything behind and flee the country.

Now, he was going to have to start all over again. He still had a few of his old network connections who didn't want him dead, so once he established a new base with their help, he could start making money again. Once he had some stability, he was going to take care of his unfinished business with Sam.

He let a satisfied smile slip onto his lips.

Frank suddenly felt a presence behind him, but before he could turn, a knifepoint touched his neck at the base of his skull. He froze. The pain was sharp, so he tried to lean forward to avoid it, but the knife followed. He finally had to stop before he fell over the railing. The pain remained, and he grit his teeth against it.

"Cosa vuoi?" Frank stammered as he balanced against the railing. The pain was intensifying. He tried to think which of his enemies could have gotten to him so quickly. He was positive he'd covered his escape route flawlessly. The man behind him was obviously a pro.

"What do I want?"

Dread spiked through Frank as the voice behind him was cold, devoid of inflection, and quiet as a whisper.

"Nothing."

Frank began to panic. He glanced down and saw the drop would likely kill him if the knife didn't.

"Look! You can have the money in the suitcase! Take it! Just don't kill me!" He began to pant in terror as the knife pressed just a little harder.

"He said I could have you... for Sam."

Frank's bladder let go as his eyes widened. Sam? The bitch sent the assassin!?!

Unbidden, every slap, every punch, every abusive touch and word he'd inflicted upon Sam flashed through Frank's mind as the brutal reality of his imminent death loosened his control of his bowels.

A quick but savage jab drove the blade's tip between C1 and C2 vertebrae, slicing Frank's spinal cord. His muscles went limp.

Frank was unable to scream as he slumped forward over the railing to drop headfirst to the road's surface, thirty feet below. The tourist bus that rolled over the dying man's head performed the coup de grâce.

When the screaming tour group from China rushed from the bus, some stopped to take pictures. A few aimed their camera's up toward the open balcony, but there was nothing to see there but sheer curtains gently fluttering in the breeze.

The silent room beyond was empty except for an open suitcase on the bed displaying a collection of large dildos, a generous tub of lube, and a curious selection of fetish magazines involving kinks like pegging, fem-dom, scat play, nuns, golden showers, big hairy naked men, adult baby diapers, and most disturbing of all, My Little Pony.

The police were going to have an interesting time investigating this case.

-=-

Sam's whole body was tingling, and she felt like her skin was glowing. She'd spent the day at a fancy spa! So much pampering!

She'd had a full body massage until there wasn't a single tense muscle left.

Next, they did a facial, which made her feel like they'd lifted years from her face.

She'd had a manicure and pedicure with a lovely new polish applied, a sophisticated and delicate shade of pink, of course, but with sparkles!

Next, they washed and trimmed her hair, but no more than an inch, as Hal loved her long hair.

As an extra treatment, she'd had her pubic hair waxed to leave her smooth as a surprise for Hal.

The entire experience was something she'd always dreamed of but never thought she'd ever have.

She certainly never expected for it to happen in a top-end spa in Positano, Italy!

As the first stamp in her brand new passport, Italy had been pretty amazing so far!

Sam had stayed by Hal's side as he recovered from his injuries back in Los Angeles. He'd healed very quickly, and they'd finished the recovery period at a nice hotel while Hal's handler Karl Gunderman prepared their new living arrangements and new life on the west coast!

Then Hal surprised her with a passport, arranged by Karl, and first-class seats on a flight to Naples, Italy!

Hal seemed eager to get to their destination as they'd wasted no time driving a rental car to the beautiful cliff-side village of Positano. Then he checked them into a gorgeous luxury hotel. After a magical dinner on a patio overlooking the Mediterranean, they collapsed onto their bed, too exhausted for anything but cuddling. Her head was spinning at the whirlwind pace of the whole trip. He'd promised her they'd slow down the next day.

This morning, he surprised her again with the spa reservation. Just for her, as he'd said he couldn't tolerate strangers touching him.

She'd had such a wonderful day and couldn't wait to get back to their room to see her man!

That concept also sent tingles through her body. Hal was such a breath of fresh air compared to Frank! Thinking of her old boyfriend sent a chill through her, so she pushed that aside and concentrated on thinking about Hal, how good he made her feel, and how much she loved making him feel good. God! She was getting squishy, just thinking about his hard body.

Sam hustled down the last hallway to their suite and used her key card to enter. She walked into the open living space and saw Hal relaxing on a chaise lounge on their balcony. When he turned his head and smiled back at her, she trembled inside and felt her legs wobble slightly.

He stood and watched her approach with a smile on his face. "Hello, beautiful."

She leaped into his strong arms and kissed him deeply. When the kiss finally ended, he smiled and had her sit on the end of the lounge chair next to him.

"You enjoyed your day at the spa?" he asked.

"It was pure bliss, every part!" she purred, her gravelly voice adding emphasis to her contentment.

"Good! You deserve to be pampered," he insisted as he lifted her left hand to his lips. After a kiss that sent sparks to a tingly place, he admired her manicure. "Very pretty!"

"Thank you!" she sighed.

He raised an eyebrow as he looked more closely at her fingers. His expression changed as if something was bothering him. Sam watched him closely in concern.

"It's almost perfect, but there's one thing missing..." he sighed dramatically.

Sam was trying to think of what that might be as her concern increased. She wanted to be perfect for him.

"Ah! I know!" he suddenly exclaimed happily. Still holding her left hand in his right, he twisted his torso as he reached under the pillow behind him.

When he turned back, he slipped off the lounge chair to go to one knee before her. In his left hand was a small black leather box.

Sam felt a little faint as she watched him open the box, exposing the most beautiful ring she had ever set her eyes upon.

It had a huge, brilliantly clear diamond in the center with multiple small diamonds curving off from two sides like a galaxy's spiral arms. She couldn't breathe, it was so lovely. And that center diamond was so big!

"I need you, Sam. I can't live without you. You give my life purpose and balance, and both are essential for my sanity and heart. I promise I'll do everything in my power to keep you happy and safe as we grow old and gray together. Will you marry me?"

Her voice failed her as she saw the hope and love in Hal's eyes. She nodded quickly, and a huge, relieved smile spread across his face.

He took the ring from the box and gently slid it onto her trembling ring finger, the only finger, strangely enough, not currently sporting a ring. It fit!

"OHMYGODHAL!" she exclaimed as she stared at the incredible beauty of the glittering diamonds now on her slim finger. She'd never owned a diamond before, not even a chip.

Her entire body was shaking, so he moved to sit next to her again and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I love you so much!" she cried.

"I love you, too!" he said.

After she settled down, she leaned her head against his and just stared in shock at the ring.

"Wha—when did you have time to get this?" she gasped.

He shrugged gently. "While you were at the spa, I went for a walk, then I did a little shopping."

She couldn't get over the size of that main stone. "Is... is it real?"

Hal snorted in amusement. "Yes, I confirmed all the diamonds are real, and the center one is ten carats. I wouldn't spend three hundred thousand for a cubic zirconium ring."

Sam jolted as she heard the price, and she pulled back to look at him in shock again.

Hal was immediately embarrassed. "Damn, that was tacky, wasn't it. I shouldn't have mentioned the price. I'm sorry."

She continued to stare, wide-eyed. "Hal! You shouldn't spend that kind of money on me!"

"Don't be silly! Of course I should! Didn't you hear the bit about my needing and loving you? You mean more to me than some stupid money! I'll understand if you don't like the design. I don't know how to choose jewelry. I just asked them to show me their most beautiful ring." He looked down and admired it on her lovely hand. "Personally, I think it suits you."

Sam pulled his face to hers once more and kissed him again and again. She was smiling crazily with tears in her eyes when she pulled back. She suddenly tugged her costume jewelry from the fingers on either side of the new ring. She left the rings on her index finger and thumb as those were favorites. She looked up at Hal. "The new ring needed a little room. The others were crowding it."

"Maybe we could get some earrings to match?" Hal hinted and grinned as her eyes lit up.

She shook her head. "Wait! I can't allow you to spend your savings on me like this!"

He smiled and shook his head. "I'm not touching my savings. I recently came into some money that needed repurposing. Now it can be used for worthy goals like making you happy. I want to make you very happy! I crave your smile."

She gently pushed him down on the lounge chair to stretch her body over his. "Silly man, you don't need to spend money to make me happy! I can think of many ways you can do that," she purred as she rubbed her tits across his chest. She smiled as she saw his eyes go a little unfocused with lust. Something hard began pressing up against her most deliciously.

She knew she was going to enjoy how happy he was about to make her.

Sam was looking forward to making him happy, too, for the rest of their days.