could not get the image of a sorrowful Chloe out of his head. If he ever had his doubts about her marriage to Philip they were now washed out the window. It was obvious she cared.

Picking himself up, feeling like his legs weighed a ton, he marched up to his room to shower. As he rinsed the shampoo from his hair, he could hear someone downstairs. Drying and dressing quickly, he grabbed his gun and stuck it in the back of his jeans. Dashing down the stairs, his anger rose. "What the fuck?" Brady glared at the other blonde man and Jason stepped back.

"I let myself in. Don't get all pissy with me either, I'm the one doing you a favour. Here's the research you wanted." Jason handed the file folder to Brady and like a puppy being praised, he smiled.

"I could have shot you," Brady said, swiping the folder from Jason's hand.

"You knew it was me, you don't even have your gun out. Besides I'm too quick for ya." Jason laughed deeply, much to Brady's dismay.

"You're such a cocky son of a bitch. " Brady gritted his teeth and sucked in a breath. Why the fuck did he have to be such an ass to everyone, even to his best friend? Turning the pages in his rough hands, Bradys eyes studied the information and his chest tightened with knowledge. "Thanks, Jase."

Jason turned on his heel, stocked to the fridge like he hadn't seen food in a week. "She's got a million locked up in her account," he said over his shoulder drinking directly from the milk carton. "It's tighter than a fuckin' chastity belt. Oh, and you were right."

Brady cocked his eyebrows together. "About what?"

Jason stuffed a donut into his mouth and chewed quickly. "The will. Everything goes to him if she dies."

"That sick son-of-a-bitch," Brady growled. "We'll have to leave and it has to be tonight. Have you found that other information I wanted?"

"Not yet, but I'm working on it. You do realize what this means right?"

"Yeah, we'll leave tonight. You'll know where to find me?" Brady asked and was satisfied by the curt nod Jason tossed him. "As soon as you know..."

"I'll be in touch." Jason was still raiding the fridge even as he turned to leave, Brady laughed and clapped him on the back.

"Just take some food with you."

Jason gave him a sheepish grin. "Thanks, I'm starved."

As soon as Jason left Brady went through the files another time making sure he hadn't missed anything.

________________

Chloe lay in bed surrounded by blankets and pillows that swallowed her feminine body. She hadn't slept the whole night. Not only had she been afraid the kidnappers may return, she also couldn't stop thinking about Brady. In all the years she'd known him, he'd never been that cold to her. But things had changed and she knew his cruelty towards her was shaped from fear and a past history she thought they could forget. She was wrong. As soon as she locked eyes with him, she knew those feelings had come back. The hurt. The blame. The love. He did his best to hide it, but she saw through him. Even though his eyes had been ice, she knew somewhere, buried very deeply they still shared a connection.

He stood in the doorway watching the even rise and fall of her body, though he couldn't make out whether she was actually sleeping or not. The light framed her face and from where he stood, he could see an ugly purple bruise he hadn't noticed the night before. She looked tired and if he knew her as well as he thought he did, she hadn't slept a wink either.

Sensing someone's presence Chloe sprang out of bed, holding the baseball bat like a lifeline. Adjusting her eyes to the light, she recognized the lean, tall frame of Brady Black. "You scared the shit out of me!" She yelled throwing the bat down on the comforter.

"No wonder it was so easy for them to take Philip, it took me all of thirty seconds to pick the lock." Although he tried to deny it, when he looked at her, his blood began to boil. She was wearing a sheer pearl nightgown. It was elegant and suited Chloe well, unlike the sweats and bulky sweater she'd worn to his apartment. He had to swallow hard when his eyes swept over her and made out the shape of her rose nipples through the fabric.

Feeling a slight shiver, Chloe looked down embarrassed and crossed her arms over her chest. Her cheeks grew hot and her eyes diverted to the mahogany night stand so she wouldn't have to look his way. "I'll have to replace them."

Brady stepped forward like a ferocious lion bearing his teeth. The lines on his face were harsh and his eyes were ice. She could feel the heat coming off his body the closer he got and her heart quickened at his approach. There was something primal in his eyes and if she didn't know better, she'd say it was desire. The smell of him was a combination of fresh soap and leather. He was wearing the jacket. It drove her nuts when he wore it. The soft leather and old smell of it brought back so many memories, she had to close her eyes for a brief moment. When she opened them again, he was right there in front of her. Standing so close she could stick out her tongue and taste him.

Focussing on her lips, he noticed they were still full and wonderful like how he'd remembered. He wondered if she'd still taste the same. A wicked thought. If when he touched her, she'd still shiver and lean into his touch. The man in him, the one angry with need, wanted to find out. Wanted to lay her down on the bed and make her whimper and moan from his touch. The angry man in him knew she'd let him take her right there, knew he could part her legs and make her scream his name. But the angry man didn't rule, the rational man had precedence today.

His hand found her cheek; loved the way her skin felt underneath it and the soft goose bumps that rose. He cold feel the shiver go through her and he sucked in a breath in response. For a moment he let himself touch her like he knew she needed. For a moment he forgot the hurt and pain and lived. Her skin was even softer than he remembered, he almost couldn't stop touching her. Couldn't stop when his finger made a trail down her jaw and slowly raked over the column of her throat to her collarbone. Lingering there, his eyes focussed on the swell of her breasts and those glorious nipples that stood proud. How easy it would be to bury them in his mouth and take from her what he always wanted. How easy it would be to slip the thin strap from her shoulder and kiss a hot trail of wet kisses against her. It was too easy, he realized.

He caressed and soothed in a way that was so gentle and tender, like the Brady she had known. And if only for a moment, she could see the man he once had been in those ice blue eyes....just for a moment. In the next it was gone and the spell was broken. He crossed the room and picked up her wedding photo. "Did Philip do that...or was it the kidnappers?"

Chloe lifted her hand to her face and felt the sting of the bruise. "Philip doesn't beat me, Brady." The sound of her voice -strained and tired- from years of defending the man she called husband, made him wince as he turned away from her.

"Oh, and we should be thankful for that," he said sarcastically. "He just lets himself be kidnapped and allows the woman he supposedly loves to be terrorized. But we should be thankful he doesn't lay a hand on you, after all to not beat your wife must seem noble to a rat like him. I should phone the mayor, maybe we could get him a medal of honour." He knew he was being harsh, but after years of not caring, he'd forgot how to show his concern.

"Stop it!"

His eyes were fierce; his voice a growl. "Does the truth hurt?"

Chloe sighed, grabbed her robe and tied it around herself. "Tell me Brady, what bothers you more: the fact that I got hurt because of my husband or the fact that my husband is Philip."

Brady laughed, a cold bitter laugh that held so much heartache she could barely stand it. "Don't be so arrogant, honey. You're not the same Diva I once knew."

"And you're not the man I lo-you're not the man I knew either," Chloe said flustered.

"I guess that makes us even."

"I guess so."

The frame dangled from his fingers and once through with the insults, he brought it back up to study it. "You look happy," he said quietly, so softly she thought she'd imagined it.

"I was," she replied in the same soft voice. A lie. "I wish you had come."

"No, no you don't," Brady told her sadly and put the frame back on the dresser.

If only he'd known the truth. That she'd waited for him to get there; watched while she was supposed to be getting dressed for his Harley to come down the side streets leading to the church. Made Philip wait for the ceremony to start while she called him at home, got the answering machine and hung up. If only he'd known she cried and sank down into a chair and it was Belle who forced her to get up and clean herself up. No one knew she was crying because she was so very sad. He would have known though. She knew if he had come, she never would have married Philip. But he hadn't.

"Things would have been different," she sighed shakily.

Brady turned to her then. "Let's just cut it out with the walks down memory lane, we'll have plenty of time to talk on the way there."

"Where? Are we going somewhere?" Chloe's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah, and you'll see where when we get there." His words were short, clipped, and then he turned to exit the room. "Change your clothes and hurry along."

"I can't go. This is my home."

What made her think she had to point that out to him? Didn't she know he could smell her all throughout the house; the soft floral scent of her that haunted his dreams?

Brady turned, stalked back into the room. His steps were heavy and his boots beat the wood floors underneath with each step. "We leave tonight. No exception."

"But-"

Brady took her arm in one of his larger hands, shaking her gently. "Chloe, those same men that took Philip could be after you."

"Oh, I don't think-"

Ducking his head so he could look her in the eye, he pulled her closer. "That's right, you don't think. You said Philip was into drugs, how do you know he wasn't hiding other secrets? Now pack your bags and stop arguing."

"What I'm just supposed to leave because you say so?" She wriggled out of his grasp and stood with her hands on her hips. The anger was radiating off her and he could tell she was going to put up a fight. He was almost glad to see it. Happy that she still had fight in her after her marriage to his uncle.

His temper sprouted anew. "You wanted my help didn't you?" Chloe dared not to look at him, turned her head to the side and gave a wimpy nod in reply. "Well, didn't you? Speak up, I can't hear you."

She whirled around taking her hands from her hips. "Dammit yes! But that gives you no right-Jesus Brady! You don't have to be so angry with me," she said on the verge of tears as she pointed a finger into his broad chest.

He grabbed her hand, ran his fingers over her knuckles softly. "Okay, okay. We don't have all day Chloe, come on now. Forget your stuff, we'll pick up what you need when we get to where we're going."