"Do we really have to do this?" I asked Patrick as I pulled on my pantie hose.

"I thought we've gone over this!" Patrick yelled from the bathroom, "we're an easier target -."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, easier target for Drago, I know," I huffed, making sure that my stockings were going to stay put, "I'm just annoyed that I have to move again."

"It's not forever," Patrick reassured me, coming out of the bathroom, "just for a few weeks."

I nodded, still not liking the decision. The plan was simple. I was to pack for the next hour before Paige would come and pick me up. She would take me to the safe house along with Nickola. Mrs Philips would soon follow and than Patrick three days later.

It was only than that I noticed Patrick's lust-filled eyes looking me up and down.

"Oh no you don't," I laughed, standing and aiming to escape, "Paige is coming in an hour and I still have to pack."

I paced into the wardrobe, hoping to stop his arousal. I found my black skirt and quickly pulled it on.
"I'm only human," he moaned, leaning against the door frame, "you can't put on a show and not expect people to applaud."

I snorted, but continued to get dressed. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as the floorboards creaked under his weight. Slowly, he came closer and closer. An arm came around me, locking me to his solid build.

"Now," he breathed against my neck, causing me to melt against his still bare chest, "I'm trusting you to be on your best behaviour. It's only going to be you and Nickola alone in a big house. Don't be getting any ideas. Remember your vows."

I giggled, loving his jealousy. I would be lying if I said it didn't feel good.

"Remember yours," I reminded him, bumping against him, "if I find out that you had Piero in my bed, I'll have both your balls."

He fell into chuckles, tickling my neck. I don't think he's ever laughed that much in, well, his life.

"When did you get so cheeky?" He growled against my neck.

I bit in my lip, forcing back my laughter as shocks ran along my shoulder.

"I've always been cheeky," I admitted, looking at the floor and focusing on his smooth cheek against my bare skin.

I had been drugged. A cloud had come over me and all reason and logical went out the window. I forgot about everything and allowed myself to be consumed by his smell, his feel, his -

"Patrick," I moaned, trying to break from his grip, "I have to get dressed, and pack and -."

"I know, I know," he sighed, letting me go.

I took the opportunity to pull on my white blouse and pass Patrick a shirt. He took it in a huff, annoyed that he couldn't get what he wanted. I then took my black jacket and completed the look with my heels.

I was anxious and it had nothing to do with Sebastian Drago. I was going to be alone in a car with Paige. I knew she was our ally, but she was the queen of her own empire. She had the respect of all the men in this business and scared me just as much. She was all the side of Patrick that I hated.

Sighing, I shook my uneasiness away and lifted my head to see what was on the top self. In the corner, I spied a suitcase and stretched to reach. I struggled to touch the corner before I felt a body behind me. An arm came into view before taking the suitcase in an easy grasp.

"Sometimes, you should let me help you," he told me, pulling it from the shelf.

"I should say the same about you," I huffed, taking the suitcase for myself and pacing back into the bedroom.

I flopped it opened on the bed, ready to start filling it.

"No more doing things alone, Patrick," I told him, pacing over to my bedside table, "when I said I wanted to learn this business, I meant it. I even got Nickola to look into my father's legal businesses."

"Oh," he moaned, "that's what Nickola had for you."

I frowned, not understanding his realisation before turning around to look at him, "what did you think it was?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I never thought you would look into it without telling me."

"Well, you were busy," I explained, hoping he wasn't too offended, "but no more doing things alone. We're a team. Yes, we have two empires but we're the face of both. And I need to be at your standard, fast. Especially if Drago is back in town."

He nodded, trying to take in what I had said the best he could. Slowly, he walked over to me, taking my waist and pulling me to him.

"Okay, on two conditions," he started, "one, you let me handle the...violent part."

I swallowed at his request.

Tucking a few locks behind me ear, he continued, "I don't want that light inside your eyes stolen from you like it was for me."

I nodded, my throat closing together so that it was hard to breathe, "what's two?"

He sighed, the answer weighing on his shoulders, "just stay...you."

I frowned at his answer.

"This world changes people. It brings out the worst in people. I don't want that to happen to you. Be the queen by all means. But be your version," he told me, squeezing my hip, "not my father's version, your father's version or even my own. Yours."

I swallowed at his request. I didn't know how. Sure, I had been trying to be one. Dressing like a business woman, holding my head up high like royalty, walking like no one could touch me. But was I still a queen? In my eyes if not everyone else's.

Paige was right on time. She stood by the front door with two security guards behind her. Garrick was the only one willing to speak to her as the others gathered by the stairs. Patrick held my hand and had my suitcase in the other as he led me down the stairs. Everything felt so real now. Drago, leaving, everything. And I wasn't ready.

Paige wore a bright smile when she spied us coming.

"Eliza, how are you?" She asked once we had reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Frustrated," I huffed, being honest and winning a few snickers from the boys.

She smiled, almost humoured by my lack of formality.

"Yes, nothing more frustrating than having to run from your own home," she agreed, as if she had done it before, "but I'm sure after everything that has happened, Patrick doesn't want to take any chances."

My eyes flicked up to Patrick who wore a more friendly face than last time we met. I guess things were different now. We couldn't afford to make any enemies.

Patrick's grip on my hand tightened, refusing to let me go.

"I can assure you, she will be safe. We weren't followed," Paige reassured him, "Derek, take her bag will you?"

"I'll do that," Nickola spoke up, taking my bag from Patrick.

He gave a look that was worn by everyone here. He didn't fully trust Paige. Well, I had no idea what evil thing she could do with my luggage but it comforted me that Nickola had it.

"We better get going, what do you say Eliza? Before the traffic gets too much," Paige stated, clapping her hands together.

I nodded and swallowed, not wanting to leave my home in a hurry.

"Come on," Patrick sighed, taking my arm and leading me towards the doors.

My eyes quickly looked around the void, memorising the way the light reflected off the tiles and the pool outside the doors. The dinning room behind the other French doors and the stairs that led to the second floor.

The boys followed us out, not moving more than two feet from our sides. When I saw the black town car, my heart sunk at the thought. I was leaving Patrick because someone was trying to kill us.

"Patrick -."

His lips cut me off, his arms hugging me tight to his body. They sucked at my own, allowing his tongue to ease through. My arms went straight around his neck, locking him in my embrace. For a moment, I was lost in space. It wasn't gravity holding me down, it was him. His arms, his lips.

Nothing really mattered. But it was only for a moment.

He let go of my lips but kept me close.

"That might get me through the next three days," Patrick panted, patting my cheek.

"Might?" I asked, trying to regain my breath.

I saw him smile but he didn't say anything else.

Instead, he took a step back and loosened his grip on me. For some reason he couldn't look at me. His head was down and his eyes refused to look at me.

"Eliza, I -," he sighed, finally meeting my gaze, "I better let you go."

My heart sunk a little, disappointed that he didn't say the words. I knew he wanted to, it was on the tip of his tongue. But he couldn't do it.

Sighing, I didn't want to push him, "I love you too."

A small smile spread on his lips, glad that I was willing to accept that it was hard for him. I mean, I understood. He had spent nine years closed off to his feelings. He couldn't just let them out, no matter how he felt deep down.

"Well, come on. Where's our kiss goodbye?" Alberto asked, breaking us from our thoughts.

I snorted, as Patrick glared at him. Ignoring Patrick, I walked around him and over to the boys.

"Bye Alberto," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He squeezed me tight before letting go, wearing that cheeky smile of his. I hugged and kissed all of them accept for Nickola who stood by the car. My heart ached not wanting to say goodbye to anyone. It was stupid. It felt like I was leaving forever.

My eyes landed on Paige's impatient face as she leaned on the car with her arms cross. I swallowed and nodded, knowing that I had to accept this now.

Before I headed to the car, my eyes met Patrick's. For the first time since our marriage, I felt like I could read him. His face said it all. He was in pain. He didn't want to let me go, he didn't want to trust Paige and he didn't want to stay. But he could only see the logical of it. Spilt up to limit Drago's chance of killing us both. He didn't want to take the chance that Pappa and Oscar did. He didn't want to end up like either one of them. So this was the only way.

Clearly my throat, I turned for the car.

"Bye!" I called out one more time, forcing the smile on my face.

"Bye, bye!" The others called out.

All accept Patrick, who continued to look at me with fear in his eyes. I couldn't leave his gaze, even in the car. It was like breaking it would be a crime, an insult to our marriage.

But soon the car drove out of the gate and onto the street.

I stared longingly out the window, not wanting to talk to Paige about anything. All I kept thinking about was Patrick and the new home we were going to. There was a dull ache inside of me, like something was missing. Patrick was missing.

"I'm sorry about your father," Paige stated, waking me from my thoughts.

It made my heart drop as I remembered my father, the loss still fresh.

"He was a good man. One of the best," she told me.

I nodded, managing a smile.

"But he did get one thing right. Your marriage," she said, surprising me.

"What?" I cried, my head shooting in her direction.

She shrugged, "your father's and Oscar Maestri's death isn't the only thing that has changed since we last met."

I swallowed, turning away from her. I don't know why it felt like such a crime for her to know. Perhaps it felt like loving Patrick was a weakness. Suppose it was. If someone had kidnapped Patrick, I would give them anything they wanted.

"Has he said, I love you?" She questioned, making me hang my head.

"No," I muttered, a little hurt that he hadn't yet.

"Well, I'm sure he will soon enough," she reassured me.

I nodded, trying to understand her new interest in Patrick and I. It wasn't like Eagle who commended us on how we brought out the best in each other. She was talking about love.

My eyes wondered over her features, trying to work her out. She was harder to read than Patrick when we first met. At least with Patrick, I half new where I stood. He didn't trust me, he wasn't eager to get to know me. With Paige, she wore a bright warm smile but her eyes were cold and hard.

"Were you ever married?" I asked her, trying to return the favour.

"How do you know that I'm not already?" She questioned with a teasing smile.

"No ring," I answered, honestly, pointing to her left hand.

She looked down at it and chuckled a little as if pleased that I had bested her.

"Yes, well, I guess you are married to Patrick Maestri," she stated, making me frown.

What does that have to do with anything?

"No, I'm not married. But I was engaged," she told me, bringing me back to the topic at hand.

"What happened?" I asked, fearing the answer.

It could only end in tragedy.

"He was shot," she answered, coldly looking out the window.

Oh. I knew I should have stoped asking questions, but I felt I was in too deep now.

"I'm sorry," I apologised, trying to be as sincere as possible.

"Don't be, I'm a good shot," she shrugged.

"Excuse me?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

She killed her fiancé. Oh my god. I was in a car with a woman that actually killed someone that she was going to marry.

"He was cheating on me," she explained, simply, as if it was no big deal.

I couldn't believe it. Was that seriously a killing offence? Wasn't there other ways of handling it?

"Oh, don't look so shock, Eliza. This is a man's world no matter what people say. If we want to survive than we have to play by their rules," she told me, shifting in her seat and holding her head up high in pride.

"There's other ways of doing things," I told her, knowing how I sounded.

Like the little girl that couldn't bare living in a world without her father.

"Like what, my dear? In this world, everyone is in it for themselves. It's kill or be killed."

I swallowed, remembering Patrick saying exactly that. Kill or be killed. But that months ago, things were different. Patrick and I were different. He couldn't still see it that way. Could he?

Noticing that the car was slowing down, my head turned towards the window.

I frowned when I didn't recognised the area. I didn't recognise any of it. Where were all the houses, at least apartment buildings? Where were the cars, the people? Where were the gardens, the fences, the animals?

All I saw were the warehouses that lined the edge of the docks into New York.

"What's going on?" I asked, looking back at Paige who was undoing her seatbelt, "why have we stopped?"

"I'm sorry Eliza, but like I said. It's a man's world," she groaned, making my heart pound.

"Eliza, run -!" Nickola yelled from behind the glass before he was cut off.

My eyes widen as my body started to move. My fingers fumbled for the door handle before my brain even had a chance to catchup.

Get out of the car! Get out of the -!

The world went black.