0 comments/ 146273 views/ 222 favorites Guarding Shelly By: MercuryLove31 Shelly winced at the clang of the metal door closing and locking behind her. She was trapped in a tiny space before the second huge metal door was buzzed open and she swallowed, hating that feeling of confinement. She wondered how long she had to do this. How long she had to visit this Godforsaken place. A minimum security prison in upstate New York. Who would have ever thought she'd be making her way to this nightmare of a place every Saturday? But how could she not? She didn't know her brother had been selling drugs...well, maybe she had known. He'd paid for her undergraduate schooling as well as her PhD in Psychology after all. It was because of him she was working at the research institute today. And she never wanted for anything. But she'd convinced herself that her brother was simply money 'smart.' She was living off the interest of the money he'd socked away for her. She lived in a spacious one bedroom in an apartment complex in Morningside Heights, drove a fully equipped Lexus, and happily worked as a lab rat for very little money, all because her big brother was money smart. So how could she refuse his request to visit him every week and bring him a "package?" She didn't know how he had managed to wind up in a minimum security prison considering the charges against him, and she didn't know how much it cost him for the correction officers to look the other way when she handed him the "package," but he had made all the arrangements and assured her she wouldn't have any problems. And she trusted him with her life. A female guard did the required pat down this time and put her purse on the belt to scan it. Of course they would see the package, as they'd seen for the past 6 months, but she was only a little nervous now. The first time? She'd broken into a cold sweat. Every muscle in her body had tensed and she was expecting a swarm of DEA agents to arrest her at any moment. Instead, they had cleared her and in a few minutes she was waiting for her brother in a large room with rows and rows of rectangular tables. This time was no different and soon she was sitting, looking around at the bare, pale green walls and tattered furniture, waiting for Mylo. Mylo Thomas. Her big brother. He was 10 years older than she. He'd been a basketball star in college. They'd retired his jersey, number 47. She'd kept a scrapbook of the many articles about him. He knew he wasn't good enough for the pros, but he'd considered traveling oversees to play for a few years. He told her it was a good way to see the world. Shelly had hoped to go with him. But all of that had faded away after the "incident" in junior high school. She'd been in the 8th grade, only 12 years old. She was an attractive girl, or so everyone told her. Average height, average weight, with flawless milk chocolate skin, thick dark lashes, silky black hair, typically parted into braids and decorated with a number of different colored bows, and large round eyes with pupils the color of onyx. No one knew where she and Mylo had picked up eyes so dark. They'd never appeared in the family before. And yet she and Mylo had the same eyes...they seemed destined to be connected from birth. She'd stayed behind at school to rehearse for a play with her drama teacher. Mylo was a little late picking her up and the school was pretty much empty. She waited in the auditorium with her teacher. Mylo didn't want her to wait for him alone on the front steps. She thought she'd be safe. Mylo told her she'd be safe. So she was unsuspecting when her teacher called her backstage. Totally clueless when he grabbed her, pushed her against a wall, and lifted her jumper to shove his hands into her panties. He hurt her, jamming his fingers in and out, his nails scrapping the walls of her flesh, his thick glasses blocking her vision from all else. She whimpered, struggled, tried to evade his brutal touch, but he was much stronger, determined, cruel. She didn't know she was crying until the salty tears wet her lips. It hurt. He had his other hand on her budding breast, pinching it mercilessly. Where was Mylo? Where was Mylo? The question kept running through her head. "Bear?" She heard his voice, opened her mouth to scream, but her teacher clamped a hand over it. She tasted blood as he ground his hand against her lips. "Bear, you here?" She didn't know where she got the strength to think clearly, but she bit the hand covering her mouth, gulped in air, and screamed. She heard his heavy footsteps, could hear him vault onto the stage. Her teacher was frozen with fear. He was one of the few male teachers at the inner-city junior high school, but he was no match for Mylo. Where he was wire thin, Mylo was well developed and muscular. Where he stood only 5 feet 8, Mylo stood 6 feet 4. Where he had very soft, almost feminine hands, Mylo had hands that could easily palm a basketball. Where he had gone to an exclusive prep school and an ivy league college, Mylo had been born and raised on the streets of the inner-city and had clawed his way out. Mr. Reid was in for a rude awakening. His weight was lifted from her and she heard a grunt as the man hit the floor. Mylo was on him and she saw a flurry of punches and kicks. The man whimpered for a while, but then he was silent. When he was absolutely still, so still it made Shelly nervous, Mylo suddenly shut down his fury and turned to her. "Pooh Bear, you all right?" It was a name he'd call her from birth. He claimed she looked all soft and cuddly, just like Winne the Pooh, when she was born. But she didn't smile at the term of endearment this time. She stood, silent, trembling, crying. He gathered her into his arms as he made the phone call. They waited for the police. She watched as they arrested her teacher. The rest of that night was a fuzzy memory. She remembered the hospital, poking, prodding, people invading her private spaces. She remembered them giving her something that tasted like cough syrup. And then she woke up the next morning in her own bed. She stopped talking for three months. She heard Mylo often fighting with her parents about sending her to a therapist. Finally he arranged for it himself against their wishes. She figured he must have started selling drugs around that time. His plans to travel oversees were never discussed again. And his job in an accounting firm, she realized much later, could not have paid for one of the top child psychologists in New York City. So he had to have another source of income. Perhaps that was the reason her parents cut him out of their lives. And she wasn't sure how she'd come to live with him, but suddenly he was her legal guardian and she saw her parents on holidays. Of course, she didn't figure any of this out until she was graduating from her private prep school and on her way to New York University. Honestly, she thought her parents had been disappointed that she'd let that teacher molest her and didn't want her anymore. Even her psychologist had not been able to erase that thought from her head. Needless to say, she wasn't close to her parents anymore and spoke with them infrequently. When she returned from graduate school, she finally asked Mylo about the money. He was still at the same accounting firm. There was no way he could afford the trips to South Africa, Brazil, Rome, Japan, Sydney. He took a month long trip to some new part of the world every year and usually took his woman of the week with him. He wore $3,000 suits, $500 shoes, a huge diamond stud in his ear and a thick platinum bracelet on his wrist. He drove a maxed out Lincoln Navigator and owned three motorcycles, a BMW and a Jaguar. He'd bought and renovated a brownstone in Harlem and the interior had been featured in some decorating magazine. There was no way he could live that way on $45,000 a year. And she didn't need a graduate degree to figure that out. He avoided the question, changed the subject, and then finally told her the less she knew the better. Instead, he asked about her love life, or the lack thereof. How could she tell him she never wanted another man to touch her? She'd tried to work through that in therapy, but to no avail. Her therapist told her she'd dive into romance when she was ready. And she was content with her work for now. Then Mylo was arrested. Serious drug charges that his team of lawyers managed to plead down. They couldn't confiscate his assets because everything was in her name, and they could find no connection between them other than blood. He had thought of everything...other than the fact that she needed him. Needed to lean on him, needed his strength, needed his support. And now he'd left her all alone, except for a 30 minute visit every Saturday. She brushed a strand of silky black hair from her cheek as she waited, glancing at the cameras in the room. She wondered how he was doing in here. Was he safe? She'd heard about rape in prison, was he in danger? God she missed him. She heard the door across the room buzz and watched as a correction officer escorted him in. She smiled, stood, and flew into his arms. Her smile deepened just a bit as he buried his face into her hair and inhaled deeply, his huge arms embracing her tightly. Technically they weren't allowed to hug like this, but as always they had the room to themselves. She swallowed back tears and held on for just a moment longer before he set her down. "Hey Pooh Bear." He looked down at her, brushing another strand of silky black hair from her cheek. She looked up into a face that looked remarkably like her own and swallowed the sadness that was trapped in her throat. "Hey Mylo. You okay?" He chuckled, "yea, I'm okay. You?" "Working hard as usual. That idiot you have living in your Brownstone hit Jimmy up for another five grand." "Yea, he told me. She's about to be evicted, don't worry." She held onto his hand tightly as they sat, "how do you meet women in here anyway? Every time I stop by there to check on things there seems to be a new woman around." His grin widened, "hey, a man has needs. So do women, but we'll have to wait for some man to melt that ice around your heart," he teased. She punched him in the arm, bending to remove the package from her purse. He stashed it beneath his chair and out of her view. "Thanks Bear." "Mylo, you told me never to look in the package so I don't, but I know what it is. What if you get caught? You'll have to stay in here even longer." "Bear, I took care of it. You know what I do now, and when you do what I do you have to serve some time. I'm okay in here. Things are running smoothly. I'm a good boy and I'll be out soon." She nodded. Two years. He'd been sentenced to two years. Two years without him around. Jesus. He asked her questions about work, about her friends, about her life. She asked him about his women, his friends, life in prison. And then the door buzzed and an officer appeared to escort him back to his cell. She forced herself to ignore the squeeze around her heart. She wouldn't see him until next week. Fuck. She held on a little longer when he hugged her. He promised to call her on Wednesday night, as always, and then he was gone. She sat at the table for a few minutes longer and then sighed. She stood to make her way out of the metal nightmare. * It was Wednesday night and she'd put in a number of extra hours to finish up a survey she'd been working on for weeks. She glanced at her watch, wincing at the time. Nine already? She hated to leave so late in the evening. The parking lot would be deserted and large deserted spaces, unsurprisingly, made her nervous. She shut down her computer, locked up the office and stepped onto the elevator. When the doors opened into the garage, there were hardly any cars remaining, just as she suspected. She took a deep breath, rubbed her suddenly sweaty palms on her jeans, tugged on her tee shirt nervously, and then removed a can of mace from her purse. She began to walk toward her parked car quickly. She had arrived late this morning, after working late last night, and so her car was pretty far from the elevators. She hated the sound of her own footsteps echoing in the garage. Her hands were trembling and she was suddenly angry at Mylo once again. Typically she would call him and he would talk to her until she reached the car. But now, she was on her own. She froze when she saw the very large, dark-skinned man standing beside her car. She didn't recognize him. None of Mylo's people were supposed to meet her tonight, and typically they displayed a white and black bandana so she knew they were with Mylo. Her breath caught in her chest and she was tempted to run back toward the elevators when the man spotted her. He held up his hands, his voice hesitant, as if speaking to a frightened child. "Shelly Thomas, right?" She nodded, then cursed herself for doing so. "I don't know you. What do you want?" She demanded with more attitude than she felt. He removed an envelope from his back pocket and laid it on the hood of her Lexus. She watched him back away and then drive off in a navy blue car. She stood still for another minute and then made her way to the car. She grabbed the envelope, unlocked the doors and then re-locked them once she was behind the wheel. She took a long, deep breath and decided to wait until she was home before she opened the envelope. The good thing about leaving the lab so late was that she avoided New York City's rush hour. A drive that typically took 30 minutes often took over an hour when she left at six. Her heart was still pounding and her hands still sweaty when she rode the elevator from the underground parking garage to the tenth floor of her apartment building. She extracted a key and then locked the door once inside. She took another deep breath, trying to calm herself. It was only 9:45, she had over an hour before Mylo's call. She hurried to a freezer and removed a bottle of vodka, pouring herself a hefty dose. She had downed most of it when she finally remembered the envelope. She retrieved it and tore it open. Tell your brother to stop dealing inside or the next time he sees you will be in a casket. A brief note. Straight. To the point. She felt her knees give out. Jesus. * She didn't wait for the first ring to finish before snatching up the receiver. She screamed "yes" at the recorded voice long before it asked her if she wanted to accept the collect call. She didn't realize she was sobbing his name. It took a pretty loud bark from him to quiet her down. He talked to her, calmly, soothingly, trying to get her to breathe deeply. It took a few minutes and she glanced at the clock on her kitchen wall, annoyed that she had wasted any of their time together. She told him about the note, but couldn't remember any details about the man who left it for her other than he was dark-skinned and huge. She could hear the concern in his voice although he tried to mask it. They spoke for over an hour. Usually he was only allowed 30 minutes with her. She was relieved that he arranged to stay on the phone. When he said he had to go, she didn't stop the sobs the rose from her chest. "Pooh Bear, don't cry. I'll take care of it." "And if something happens to you in there?" She choked out. The thought frightened her more often than she admitted. "Don't talk like that." He reassured her a few more times that he would take care of everything and told her he had to go. After the call was disconnected, she curled up on her sofa and sobbed herself to sleep. * Her legs were cramped, her neck achy from sleeping in an awkward position, and her hair was an absolute mess. She glanced at her watch, three-thirty. She usually slept through the night, even when she fell asleep on the sofa in her clothes. She sometimes ended up on her very comfortable, oversized sofa when she was having a bad night. Last night was as bad as it got. She stood and wondered what had disturbed her sleep when she heard the doorbell again and remembered. Her heart stopped beating for just a second and she froze. Who would be at her door at three-thirty in the morning? She thought of the note, of the huge man beside her car last night, and was more scared than she'd ever been before. She glanced around the apartment for a weapon, cursing herself for refusing to buy a gun when Mylo had mentioned it. The doorbell rang again but she still couldn't move. Then suddenly she heard a deep, throaty voice call out. "Urso?" Urso. It meant "bear" in Portuguese. It was as close to the term of endearment as Mylo could get in the language he'd studied before going to Brazil last year. He always had his people use some kind of code with her. Something only they shared so that she knew they were with him. She made her way to the door as silently as possible and looked through the peephole. The woman on the other side was tall, probably six feet, with long, dark dreadlocks that hung well past her shoulders. Right now the top of them were covered in a black and white bandana. He'd never sent a woman before. Shelly took another moment to look her over. She had a rather plain, dark-chocolate brown face, thin lips, a flat nose with a bump on the bridge, and a square chin. She was wide and flat across the chest and muscular. She wore a black tee shirt, although it was October and quite chilly. Shelly could see her biceps rippling. Her hips were slim but her thighs, encased in form fitting black jeans that flared a bit at the bottoms, were a perfectly sculpted bodybuilder's dream. She looked like she could bench press Shelly's 135 pound, five foot four inch frame easily. But it wasn't her plain face or her huge, muscular frame that caught Shelly's attention. It was her eyes. Partially hidden behind thick, dark lashes were eyes the shocking color of emeralds. Amazingly vibrant eyes set in a very plain dark-skinned face. She hesitated for just a second more before she slowly undid the locks and, keeping the security chain on, opened the door a crack. "What do you want?" She demanded. "Mylo sent me." "What did you say before?" Shelly asked just to be sure. "Urso." She closed the door in the woman's face, took a deep breath and removed the chain. When she opened the door again, she stepped aside so the woman could enter. She kept her back to the woman as she locked the door once again, then turned to her. "Mylo's never sent a woman with a package. And aren't you early? I don't usually get it until Friday night." "I'm not delivering. Mylo sent me to keep an eye on you." Shelly raised a brow, nervously reaching up to comb her fingers through her hair. It was at that moment she realized her hair was dancing a wild dance on her head, having been mashed and matted by her restless sleep on the sofa. She combed her fingers through it self-consciously. "Keep an eye on me? As in a bodyguard?" "Something like that." Shelly bit the inside of her cheek. Mylo was more worried than he'd let on if he'd asked someone to stay with her. She looked the woman over again. She was as tall and impressively built as she seemed on the other side of the door, and could probably hold her own if someone harassed them. Still, the idea of someone following her around for days on end? It didn't feel right. But she knew Mylo wouldn't have sent her unless he was concerned. The least she could do was not give this woman a hard time until she had a chance to speak to Mylo. She glanced around the living room, pointing toward the paisley gold and green sofa. "Uh, the sofa pulls out. The remotes are over there," she waved at the mahogany coffee table. "There're sheets and a blanket in the bathroom. Oh, and clean towels." She pointed down the short corridor, "that door's the bathroom. Just make yourself comfortable, I need to get some sleep." The woman didn't say a word, just nodded. Shelly turned and made her way to the bedroom, closing and locking the door behind her. She didn't have a terrace or anything, so the likelihood of someone stealing into her bedroom was slim to none. And she didn't want that woman sneaking around her bedroom while she slept. A fucking bodyguard? Sheesh! Guarding Shelly She refused to admit she slept easier knowing Mylo had sent someone to watch over her. * Her alarm clock rang at six-thirty as usual. Shelly stood, stretched, and then wondered when she had changed into a nightshirt and crawled into bed. She attempted to open the bedroom door, realized it was locked and thought she might have had a little too much to drink last night considering she didn't remember locking it. She made her way to the bathroom and opened the door. Her high-pitched scream would have awakened the dead. Instead, it had the woman standing in front of her bathroom sink grabbing a gun with lightening speed and pointing it directly at her. The scream died in her throat. Last night crashed in on Shelly and she felt herself blush, glad her milk chocolate cheeks hid the color. She took a second to take in the woman, standing in a simple sports bra and a pair of plaid boxers. Her biceps were huge, her breasts barely discernible, her stomach absolutely flat and nothing short of muscled perfection. Her thighs were probably the size of Shelly's waist and sculpted into muscled perfection. There didn't appear to be an ounce of fat on the woman's body. She had removed the bandana and Shelly could see that her meticulously groomed dreads were peppered with gray. And those eyes. Those absolutely amazingly intense emerald green eyes pierced right through her. The woman lowered the gun, put it back on the hamper, and smirked before turning back to the sink. Shelly watched her put toothpaste on a toothbrush and begin brushing her teeth, muscles shifting fluidly with every movement. After another moment the woman turned to Shelly again and raised a brow. Shelly was relieved, yet again, that her skin color hid the blush. She stepped back and closed the bathroom door, hurrying back to the bedroom. Her heart was hammering in her chest, her stomach clenched tight, and a tingle had spread throughout her entire body. She'd been afraid before, like last night, but she didn't remember having these feelings. In fact, she couldn't remember when she'd ever had these feelings. She shook her head. It was probably the shock of seeing someone in her bathroom with a gun, that's all. * When the bathroom was free, she showered and primped quickly, selecting a pair of black jeans to slip over her curvaceous hips. She frowned at the small swell of her tummy, wondering what a lover would think of it. Then she shook her head, where the hell had that thought come from? Instead of her usual tee, she selected a billowy thin white cotton top that showed off her moderate cleavage. She refused to give any thought to why she selected it for work considering she'd be holed up in her office as usual. She slipped into a pair of black, leather flats and opened the bedroom door. She was a bit startled by the smell of cooking food. She never ate more than a bagel with light cream cheese for breakfast and, well, she didn't think she had breakfast food. The woman was at the stove cooking something in a skillet. Shelly admired her powerfully built back, appreciating how it tapered down to a slim waist. She wondered what those muscles felt like. Wondered how long the woman had worked on her body. Then she wondered why she was spending so much time wondering about this woman. Oh, that reminded her... "I forgot to ask your name last night." She blurted. "Ty." Ty. Ty. Shelly repeated it in her mind over and over again. She sat at the small kitchen table and waited. "Did I have food here? I usually eat out." "No." Minutes later, jets were turned off, toast collected from the toaster, juice poured, and a meal appeared on the table before her. She looked down at the eggs, bacon and hash browns. It looked edible. She sampled it and couldn't silence the moan quickly enough. Fluffy eggs, crisp bacon, potatoes that melted in your mouth and everything perfectly seasoned. She scooped another forkful into her mouth. "This is great. Where'd you learn to cook?" "Prison." Shelly almost choked, "are you serious?" Ty nodded, those emerald eyes watching her. "What were you in for?" "Armed robbery." "Jesus." Shelly forked up more of the delicious meal and then raised her eyes to look over at Ty. "You ate pretty well in there." She was surprised when Ty barked out a laugh. They finished the meal in silence and when Shelly glanced at her watch she winced. "Shit, I'm going to be late." "Don't sweat it. I drive like a cabbie." "Is that good or bad?" Shelly teased. She liked the bark of laughter. It was surprisingly nice to hear. She shook her head. Why was she spending time appreciating this woman's laugh? Jesus, she was lonelier than she thought. * The rest of the week passed by rather quickly. Shelly grew somewhat accustomed to her relatively silent shadow and the shadow made sure she ate, slept and arrived on time for work. She kinda liked having someone around to keep an eye on her. Well, someone other than her big brother of course. Ty drove her to the prison on Saturday. They were sitting in the visitor's room for a few minutes in silence before the door buzzed and Mylo stepped into the room with a correction officer. She hurried to hug him, watching as the CO left. He held her close and she could feel the tension in his body. He had been worried about her. When he finally let her go, she watched him walk over to Ty and give her dap. She'd never seen him do that with a woman before. She watched the male ritual, amazed as their forearms crossed and they stepped into one another for a brief hug and a slap on the back, just like she'd seen him do with tons of his male buddies. She sat, straining to hear what they discussed, but she couldn't hear a word. They did the male hug thing again and then Ty left, leaving them alone. She could see the shadows under his eyes from lack of sleep, but his body seemed a little more relaxed after his chat with Ty. She handed him the package, watching it disappear beneath his chair. "Hey Pooh Bear." She closed her eyes as they filled with tears and reached for his hand, holding it tightly. "Hey," he reached over to brush her tears away, "I told you I would take care of it." "I wish you were out Mylo. I wish—" "I know Bear, I know. Look, are you okay with Ty? Everything alright?" She nodded, "she doesn't talk much, but she's a great cook." He snorted with laughter, squeezing her hand, "Ty and I used to...uh, work together." "You didn't commit armed robbery with her, did you?" He raised a brow, "she told you about that, huh?" Shelly nodded. "She didn't give her boy up. She got much respect for that. And she gets almost as much pussy as I do, which means she's good in my book," he winked. Shelly felt her cheeks warm at that information. She'd known, hadn't she, that Ty was into women? She just wasn't the kind of woman that would appeal to most men, was she? What would it feel like to be held by such a woman? That smooth dark-chocolate skin and all those powerfully solid muscles... "Hey, where'd you go?" She blinked. Mylo was watching her and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He was silent for a moment and then a slow, easy smile spread across his lips. She swallowed and abruptly changed the subject, wondering if the curiosity had been evident on her face. Knowing Mylo, he'd seen it. Their thirty minutes were up rather quickly and Shelly sighed as Ty re-entered the visiting room. She hugged her brother tightly, smiled when he brushed strands of her hair from her cheek, and then watched as he walked over to Ty. They were too far away for her to hear what was said yet again. She sighed. Mylo gave Ty dap again, stepping in close to her. "That girl's my heart," he said softly but with a firmness Ty could not mistake for anything but a warning. "Make sure no one hurts her. No one." He repeated the final two words while staring into those cool emerald eyes and Ty realized he was talking to her. She didn't ask, just nodded and watched him walk off. She held the door open for Shelly, enjoying the sway of those hips even as she realized it wasn't a good idea to admire the ass on this one. Shelly Thomas was the sister of a major player in Harlem. If she touched this one she might get a hand chopped off. She'd be smart to remember that. * On the ride home, Shelly admitted that for the first time in months she wasn't incredibly sad after seeing her brother. Instead, she was looking forward to the week, looking forward to chatting with Mylo on Wednesday...and looking forward to sharing more meals at her tiny kitchen table with the silent she-giant behind the wheel. She took a quick peek at Ty, realizing this woman had a lot to do with how she was feeling. She shook her head. She'd never thought of being with a woman before. And now...well, she doubted Mylo would approve of it. He seemed hell bent on finding her a prince charming. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the head rest. The bucket seats of the Lexus were quite comfortable and she found herself drifting into sleep before long. Ty turned to glance at her once she realized Shelly was asleep. She admired the black silky cloud of hair framing her face, the thick dark lashes resting on creamy milk chocolate cheeks. She was slight, but not too thin. Nicely shaped curves, breasts that were a comfortable handful, shapely hips and legs. She forced her eyes back to the road. She needed to get laid. She'd call Takeisha. She had to get her hormones in check. She didn't want to fuck this up. So she wouldn't confuse things, no matter how cute Mylo's baby sister was. She just needed to dive into something soft, wet and nicely scented. Takeisha would do just fine. * Shelly rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she made her way to the bathroom. She looked toward the living room after washing her hands and closing the bathroom door behind her. It took a second for her to realize that the sofa bed was pulled out, but no one was sleeping on it. Her heart dropped into her stomach for a moment as she made her way to the living room, but she relaxed when she noticed the door was secure and nothing was out of place. So where was Ty, she wondered. She didn't see a note and Ty hadn't said anything about going out. She glanced at the clock on the kitchen counter. It was only one-thirty. Ty never promised to baby sit her all night every night. She probably had a life, friends...a girlfriend. She kicked the side of her sofa and then frowned at the gesture. She didn't even know Ty. She was a hired gun, that's all. Just someone to protect her. Why should she give a fuck what Ty was doing...and with whom? She kicked the sofa again and then made her way to the bedroom, throwing herself on the bed with a huff. She squeezed her eyes closed, willing herself to fall asleep again. But when she glanced up at her clock an hour later, she was still wide awake. She lay there, counting the minutes, until she heard her front door open and close, the locks clicking into place. She listened as heavy footsteps moved about her apartment. She thought she heard her bedroom door creak open just a little and then close before she heard the shower. She was asleep before the water stopped running. * She was moody all day Sunday and remained holed up in her bedroom most of the day. She thought she was PMSing, or maybe she missed Mylo, but she refused to give it much thought as she read over some materials for work. Monday and Tuesday sped by and she forced herself not to spend any time thinking about Ty. Her shadow was just that, a shadow. And if she disappeared in the middle of the night, that was her own business. They had a professional relationship. Ty didn't owe her anything. Her Wednesday phone chat with Mylo left much to be desired and she wasn't the least bit disappointed when he asked to speak to Ty after 20 minutes. She went into her bedroom and closed the door to give them some privacy. "What's wrong with her?" "Don't know. She's been like that since Sunday." "What happened on Sunday?" "Nothing." "Was she upset after she left here on Saturday?" "No." "So, what the fuck happened between Saturday night and Sunday?" "Don't know. Went out." Mylo paused for a moment, then closed his eyes and swore under his breath. Perhaps that's the reason his sister had never dated men? And now she seemed to have fallen for a thug? Fucking great. He didn't give a fuck if she was gay, as long as she was happy. But he didn't think LaShonty Williams would make his baby sister happy. Ty was too unsettled and too...hungry. And he didn't want Shelly mixed up with that shit. "Look, put your fucking personal life on hold 'til I get this shit settled, okay? I need you focused on her." "I'm focused." He replaced the receiver and took a moment to swear under his breath again. Fuck. He didn't need this to be any more complicated than it already was. And he didn't want Bear falling for a woman who couldn't settle down. That would make Bear unhappy and it might distract Ty. And he'd lose it if anything happened to Bear. He'd fucking lose it. *** They fell into a routine as the weeks passed. Shelly worked hard, played little, and tried hard to ignore the huge woman following her around. She went to a movie with a co-worker once but was too uncomfortable trying to explain Ty. It was bad enough she had to explain Ty to her boss. So, she worked and slept, slept and worked, and the few times she noticed Ty slipping out of the apartment at night, she refused to let it bother her. * Mylo watched her closely as she sat across from him, her arms crossed, her face masked, her body tensed. He sighed, passing a hand over his shaved scalp. "You want to talk about it?" He forced the words and hoped they sounded genuine. Did he really have to have this conversation with his baby sister? Jesus. "About what?" He rolled his eyes, bringing a slight smile to her lips, "do you know how moody you've been since I hired Ty?" She blinked and stared at him with what she hoped was shock. "What are you talking about?" "Oh, that was good. But I know you, so skip the outrage. You're attracted to her." "W-What? N-No I'm not. I'm n-not like...that." She stuttered, felt her cheeks heat, wanted to crawl beneath the table. She watched as Mylo laced his fingers with hers, reaching out to caress her cheek. "Do you think I care, Bear? You're my baby sister, okay? So you don't have to lie to me. You were never any good at it anyway." He teased gently. She sat in stunned silence, her eyes focused on his. She felt her lips begin to tremble as a tear slid down her cheek. She closed her eyes. "She doesn't even notice me." She wiped the tear from her cheek, relieved to get some of it off her chest. "Okay, first thing? She's working, Bear. She's supposed to keep her distance. Second, I heard you barely talk to her anymore." She opened her mouth to protest, closed it, and then opened it again, "she sneaks off in the middle of the night and comes back smelling like perfume." He smiled as she pouted, "a woman, just like a man, has needs Bear. She doesn't think you give a shit." "And I'm supposed to compete with her harem of women? I haven't even kissed anyone yet! I'm 27 years old and I don't know the first thing about being with a man much less a woman." Mylo cringed, did he really want to have this discussion with his baby sister? "Look, just be yourself Bear. Ty's a good person. She's got a lot of girls, but if she's anything like me, it's because she hasn't found the right one yet. So, just be yourself. Don't close yourself off, okay?" Shelly looked at her big brother, dressed in a white tee shirt and prison issued green pants and smirked. "I bet you'd rather get butt fucked than talk to me about this." He laughed. A deep belly, hardy laugh he hadn't experienced in quite some time. He reached out and brushed strands of hair from her cheek, a ritual he partook in whether she had a hair out of place or not. He brushed his knuckles against her baby soft cheek. "I love you Bear. I would do anything for you. But Ty's very much like your big brother. Neither one of us is ready to settle down yet. So don't get too attached, okay? Experiment, learn some tricks, have some fun, but don't think she's going to drag you off to Canada and marry you." Shelly smiled, "she hasn't even kissed me yet and you're talking wedding bells. Relax, I'm not that stupid." She stood abruptly and hugged him, squeezing tightly. "Thanks," she whispered. He hugged her back for a moment and then stood from his chair, "okay, get out of here so I can talk to Ty for a minute." "You won't say anything, right?" He smirked, "I have other shit to talk about woman. Get out of here." She grinned, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and left the room, sending Ty in after her. Ty sat across from him. "Things are heating up in here, so keep an extra close eye on her for the next two weeks, okay? Things should settle down by then." Ty nodded. Mylo leaned forward. "And Ty, you break her fucking heart, I'll break your fucking neck." He watched as Ty simply raised a brow, nodded, and then stood to leave. Mylo sat for another moment and said a silent prayer. Then he stood and led the way from the room. * There was more silence on the way home as both women thought about their conversations with Mylo. Shelly stared out of the window, realizing it was Saturday and Ty would probably sneak off to be with some woman tonight. She swallowed down the anger that threatened to erupt. "Hungry?" Ty's deep voice interrupted her thoughts and she shook her head, "not really." Ty didn't respond and Shelly snuck a peak at her. There was no way she would qualify as attractive, but there was something about her. Something Shelly had felt from the first moment she saw her through the peep hole. She'd never experienced that kind of pull before, never thought she'd feel it for another human being. After her teacher sexually assaulted her—...she figured that part of her was dead. But when she'd first seen Ty...And now, as she watched those long fingers curve around the steering wheel, whenever she brushed against that muscular form, or when she inhaled the woman's scent, her body felt...alive. Alive and...starved, although she wasn't yet certain what she hungered for. Ty stopped at a burger joint in Harlem and bought something for Shelly to eat anyway. Shelly just rolled her eyes when Ty handed her the bag. "Uh, thanks for listening." "Nothing in the apartment for you to eat and I'll be out for a few hours tonight." "Again?" The word slipped out before she could stop it. Ty turned to her and raised a brow. "You need me to stay put?" She tried to dissect the question for sarcasm, anger, annoyance, but she didn't hear anything other than a genuine question. She fidgeted under Ty's gaze, refusing to meet those piercing green eyes. "I'm not your keeper. You need to go out, go." She didn't catch the smirk on Ty's lips as the woman suddenly realized why Mylo had threatened her life. They were pulling into the parking garage minutes later. Shelly led the way to the bank of elevators and they rode up in silence. Once inside the apartment, Shelly tossed the bag of food on the kitchen table and headed for the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Ty smirked again. Shelly locked the bathroom door forcing herself not to scream. What was wrong with her? Ty wasn't obligated to stay in every night. Besides, as Mylo said, a woman had needs. And she was ill equipped to satisfy Ty's needs, wasn't she? Wasn't she? She stomped her foot, annoyed at the childish gesture, stripped and stepped under the hot spray of the shower. She scrubbed herself like a mad woman, washing her hair four times, grooming herself meticulously, and wasting as much time as she could. Maybe Ty would be gone when she was done and she could sip at a rather large vodka and OJ and curl up in bed. She had work to do anyway. That would keep her occupied until Ty returned around 3am. God, how pathetic was it that she knew what time Ty returned? She had to get a life. Guarding Shelly She stepped from the bathroom almost an hour later and headed directly for her bedroom. She refused to glance toward the living room. She didn't want to know if Ty had left. She slammed the bedroom door shut, plopping down on the bed with an annoyed flounce. Fuck Ty if she couldn't figure out that she wanted to be with her. What was she, dense? Did she have to hang a sign on her ass saying 'take me, take me?' The image made her smile. She was dressed in a nightshirt and buried beneath her comforter, papers spread all over the bed, when she heard the trill of Ty's cell phone. The sound caught her attention considering Ty never left without her cell. She was even more surprised when the trill ceased mid-ring and she heard a husky voice holding a muffled one-way conversation. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was almost ten, well past the time Ty usually left for her sexual rendezvous. She gathered up her papers, waiting until she no longer heard Ty speaking before opening the bedroom door and making her way to the kitchen. She glanced over at Ty as she warmed up her burger. "I thought you were going out." "Changed my mind," Ty didn't shift her eyes from the television set. Shelly smiled to herself. When the microwave timer sounded, she removed the plate, cut the burger in half, and made her way to the sofa to drop down beside Ty. "Here." Ty took half of the burger, grunting out a thank you as she continued to watch a boxing match. Shelly pretended to watch, leaning back against the sofa, trying to casually examine Ty's profile. She was dressed in a black wife beater and boxers. There was a great deal of dark chocolate flesh visible to the naked eye. Shelly's gaze combed over her, admiring the lushness of her dreadlocks. She remembered thinking Ty's lips were thin when she first saw them, but now she realized they were perfectly proportioned, enough but not too much. They would be soft to the touch, sweet to taste. She figured out the bump in Ty's nose probably meant it had been broken. All in all, it was not the kind of face you would see on a magazine cover, but it was intriguing. It caught one's eye...or perhaps it simply caught her eye. She took in the rest of Ty, the broad shoulders, the wide expanse of well-developed chest, the relatively flat breasts. The rippling biceps still mesmerized her, they were absolutely amazing. And those thighs...she'd only seen thighs like that on professional wrestlers and bodybuilders. She knew Ty disappeared for a couple of hours a few times a week, but it seemed a body like hers would take more time to mold. Perhaps maintaining it was not as difficult as sculpting it had been? She'd lost track of how long she'd been staring and was a little taken aback when her eyes suddenly met a pair of intense emerald green ones. She shifted uncomfortably under Ty's gaze, turning to focus on the television screen. She paused, swallowed, and then stood, taking Ty's empty plate with her to the kitchen. She'd wash the dishes. That would give her a moment to catch her breath. She stood with her hands immersed in warm water as the sink filled with suds, forcing herself to take deep breaths and release them slowly. God, she was pathetic. She jumped when she suddenly felt the brush of Ty's arms on either side of her. She could feel Ty's heat behind her, within her, although their bodies had not yet touched. She continued to wash the dishes, pretending to ignore the woman standing behind her, admiring the long, dark fingers resting on the smooth silver of the sink on either side of her. She realized she was holding her breath, but could not think clearly enough to release it. Shelly watched as Ty's fingers slowly caressed her forearms, moving downward until they intertwined with her fingers beneath the warm sudsy water. The plate she held slipped from her fingers. She could feel a tingle begin in the pit of her stomach and slowly spread, up into her chest, down toward her toes. Ty reached over to shut off the water, snatching up a towel to dry their hands. She leaned forward and Shelly released a gush of air at the feel of Ty's weight against her back. She closed her eyes as Ty's arms curved around her middle, bringing their bodies close. She felt Ty's breath against her ear, then the shocking wet heat of a tongue as it traced her lobe. The muscled perfection of those thighs was pressed enticingly against her buttocks. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Ty turned her around and their eyes met, emeralds bearing down on onyx. Shelly nervously licked her lips, waiting, wanting. Her eyes closed again as Ty's lips tentatively covered hers, lightly brushing against Shelly's, tasting of her. The kiss was relaxed, almost polite, somewhat inquisitive. Shelly's entire body was trembling and she knew Ty could feel it. Ty deepened the kiss slowly, leisurely. She kissed her with the same loving strokes an artist would use to christen a blank canvas. And each time their lips parted, the next kiss promised more...demanded more. Shelly had no idea how long the kiss lasted. She only knew every muscle in her body had tensed. She tilted her head back, allowing the taller woman better access to her mouth, focusing intently on the feel of those lips as they claimed more and more of her. Her head was reeling when she finally felt Ty's tongue snake past her lips. Tentative at first, she felt it explore her mouth with infinite patience. She wasn't certain when the polite invasion shifted into burning insistence. Shelly curled her arms around the larger woman's neck, her body pressing closer, encouraging Ty to do as she pleased. Her fingers buried themselves into the coarse silk of those dreadlocks, her hardened nipples pressing into Ty's muscled flesh. Her breath caught in her chest again at the feel of Ty's hands making their way beneath her nightshirt, caressing the slight swell of her belly, the curves of her hips, the length of her back. Those fingers changed direction and she felt them against the sides of her breasts, stroking her, manipulating, enjoying the weight of her, and finally seizing her stiff nipples, rolling them between thumb and forefinger. Shelly moaned then, a sound she could not have stopped had she wanted to. She felt a slickness between her thighs and a thud at her center that pulsed uncontrollably, almost painfully. Ty pulled away from her a bit, their lips barely parting, and slipped her nightshirt over her head. Shelly felt the soft cotton of the wife beater and boxers against her bare, overheated flesh. She was covered by nothing more than a pair of light blue cotton panties. If she thought about it even for a moment, she would worry about what Ty thought of her body, wonder if Ty thought she was beautiful...but there wasn't room for such thoughts. She only wanted more. More of Ty's tongue, more of her hands, more, more, more... Ty's lips traced a path from her lips to her chin, then to her throat, those hands still cleverly manipulating her breasts. She felt the warm heat of Ty's mouth against her collarbone for just a moment before Ty captured a nipple between her teeth and forced another moan from Shelly. Skilled fingers continued to focus on Shelly's nipple while Ty's other hand began a slow trek downward. Shelly had time to inhale sharply before that hand slipped past the waistband of her panties to cover her slick mound. Shelly closed her eyes tightly as those fingers began to stroke her, parting her engorged nether lips, dipping into the liquid heat. She felt one finger sink into her, then another. Her body was overwhelmed with sensations. Ty fucked her slowly with those magnificent fingers, her tongue worrying one rock hard nipple, her free hand punishing the other. Shelly could feel the sexual hurricane sweeping through her, whipping her into a frenzy and she was dizzy, breathless, clutching at Ty desperately when the first orgasm stormed through her. She thought Ty would slow down, give her a moment to gather her wits, but instead Ty slid a third finger into her, curling her fingers to massage the front of her vaginal wall, stroking what could only be the famed "G-spot." Within seconds she catapulted into another mind-blowing orgasm, her nails digging brutally into Ty's muscular shoulders as she gasped for air. Her legs gave out then, but Ty caught her, shifting her hands to Shelly's hips and effortlessly lifting her up onto the lip of the sink. Her panties were gone seconds later and Shelly managed to open an eye in time to watch Ty, her emerald eyes darkened with hunger, kneel before her. The feel of that tongue exploring her folds, her wetness, her heat, the sound of Ty feasting on her nectar had Shelly leaning back so far she almost fell into the sink. She placed a hand on the counter to steady herself as Ty lapped at her hungrily, her toes curling as Ty slid first two and then three fingers into her once again. She could feel herself climbing once more, could sense the peak was near and had only enough time to cry out before she tumbled over the cliff again. * She was like jelly in her arms as Ty carried her to the bedroom, placing her gently on the bed, dimming the lights. Ty spent a moment in the bathroom before she crawled onto the bed beside her. Shelly turned to her, their lips meeting as she molded herself to Ty's powerfully built frame. She was only slightly surprised at the hardness pressing against her belly. She smiled just a little, relieved she had recently watched a few lesbian porn movies. After catching her second wind, which was hard to do with Ty's lips against hers, she managed to get up on her knees, pulling away in order to take in Ty's amazing body. She kissed a path down her pecs, her hands caressing those bulging biceps. She enjoyed the murmur of pleasure from Ty as she captured a hardened nipple between her lips, toying with it for some time before continuing on her journey. She licked each ridge of that sculpted tummy before closely examining Ty's rather impressively sized dildo. She raised her eyes to the heavy-lidded emerald gems watching her with interest before she circled the head with her tongue, eventually taking the stiff silicon into her mouth. She pressed down on it as her head began to bob up and down, making sure it made contact with Ty's mound each time. She slipped one finger beneath the dildo and into Ty, then another as she took as much of the dildo into her mouth as she could without gagging. She watched as Ty's muscles tensed, could feel the slight tremor in those magnificent thighs, and smiled as she realized Ty was getting closer. She wanted to watch her come, wanted to give her pleasure, but to her surprise Ty's fingers curled into her hair and pulled her upward none-to-gently. Ty kissed her brutally, rolling her onto her back, bringing Shelly's legs up. She was afraid for a moment, wondering if Ty would understand she needed her to go slowly this first time, but she had nothing to fear. Ty took her time, entering her with the patience of a saint, kissing her, stroking her, loving her while giving her a chance to get used to the feel of the large tool within her. She then began to move her hips unhurriedly. It was only a short while before Shelly's hips rose to meet Ty's strokes as she begged softly for more. She caught a glimpse of Ty's smirk as Ty began a more enthusiastic dance, forcing short barks of pleasure mixed with just a little titillating pain from Shelly. They moved together like a well oiled machine. Ty shifted her hips just a bit and Shelly cried out. She always thought women who came from penetration were faking, never thought it could feel so good, never thought she could enjoy it so much. She was sure her nails drew blood on Ty's back, but she ignored Ty's swears as yet another orgasm raced through her. Ty pulled out and Shelly frowned at the sudden sense of loss. Ty then rolled her onto her stomach, pulling her up onto her knees. When the dildo entered her from behind, the new sensations were overwhelming. The moan was trapped in her throat as Ty moved her hips with gusto. On every forward stroke Shelly saw white spots behind her closed lids as the dildo slammed into her g-spot. And with every backstroke, Shelly experienced the most amazing friction. She felt Ty pick up the pace, could feel those well-developed thighs trembling again, and the idea that Ty was about to come only brought her closer to what she knew would be a tidal wave of sexual sensation. She bit her bottom lip, curled her fingers into fists, shut her eyes even more tightly and enjoyed the feel of Ty's fingers digging into her hips, realizing she would have bruises there in the morning. Suddenly, taken by surprise, her body exploded with an intensity that forced a long, heart-felt howl from her. She felt Ty continuing to pound into her, continuing to create a barrage of delicious sensations, before Ty's bark of pleasure filled the room. Ty collapsed on top of her, her body sheathed in sweat, her breathing ragged. * They slept. They must have because it was morning when Shelly opened her eyes. She moved to get out of bed and winced. Her body ached, every inch of it, and it was decorated with all kinds of interesting bruises. Still, the memories of last night brought a smile to her lips. She lay back, staring up at the white ceiling, and suddenly realized she was alone in bed when she should not have been. She glanced at the clock, shocked that it was past ten. Ty was probably at the gym. She typically went around eight on Sundays. With a grunt, she made a real effort to get out of bed and then made her way, carefully, to the bathroom. The heat from the shower helped, but not by much. She was somewhat amused at the colorful bruises, especially those on her hips. God, was this what it meant to be fucked royally? She smiled at the thought. She felt a little better after she pulled on a comfy robe and even better still when she found a cinnamon bun from her favorite bakery and coffee waiting for her in the kitchen. Ty would spoil her rotten if she kept this up. She was reading the Sunday paper when Ty returned. Shelly admired the sweat and raw energy from a vigorous workout, combined into a delicious glow, on Ty's dark chocolate skin. She had to admit Ty looked quite yummy at the moment. Then again, Ty would look yummy to her no matter what. She removed her reading glasses and stepped in front of Ty, blocking her path to the bathroom. Ty raised a brow, smirked, then hoisted Shelly into her arms, making her way to the bedroom and tossing the small framed woman on the freshly made bed. She joined her a moment later after quickly peeling off her form fitting gym clothes, her lips hungrily closing over one of Shelly's hardening nipples. * They showered together afterwards, Ty unable to resist fucking her senseless once again under the hot spray. As they dried off, Shelly reached out to caress those muscled arms, the chiseled stomach, those impressively sculpted thighs. She was absolutely amazed by this woman's body, the sheer strength of it and the discipline required to maintain it. Ty watched her for a moment, amused. Finally, she captured Shelly's hands and brought those inquiring fingertips to her lips. "Later, I'm hungry." Shelly smiled and nodded, realizing her stomach was also growling. Well, she reminded herself, she'd had quite the work out lately. Shelly dressed in the bedroom and Ty made her way to the living room. It dawned on Shelly that dressing in separate rooms was the only way they would actually get out of the apartment considering the only thing on her mind was the feel of Ty's hard body against her, the thought of those hands, those lips...the stroke of that over-sized dildo. She glanced at the bed wistfully, understanding she needed to refuel or she'd never be able to sustain another bout of lovemaking with Ty. Still, she would love to simply crawl beneath her covers and beckon for the muscular stud... "Shel." Ty's deep voice jogged her from the daydream and she hurried into the living room area, slipping into the jacket Ty held for her. She could see the shift as soon as Ty opened the door. Those emerald eyes iced over, the body tensed, and Ty seemed ready for anything. She was no longer an attentive lover, but a protector. Shelly resisted the urge to grab hold of her arm as they walked the few blocks to a local diner. When they were done with their meal, Shelly begged her to catch a cab and go shopping. But not even her pout melted the stern "no" from Ty. As compensation, once they arrived back at the apartment, Ty lifted her up into her arms without much effort, carried her to the bedroom, and spent the next few hours devouring her. *** Monday forced a return to their regular schedule, except for the bout of lovemaking that jumpstarted Shelly's morning. She was smiling when she begged Ty for a quick kiss in the office and Ty relented, kissing her tenderly before heading out for the gym. When Ty had not returned by lunch, she would admit later that she just hadn't been thinking clearly. Ty had warned her that if she was late she was to stay put. Had she been thinking, she probably wouldn't have left her desk to grab some sandwiches for their lunch. Instead, she walked to the deli and was back in 20 minutes. And when she closed the office door behind her, she knew regret. It was the man from the garage. The dark-skinned, very tall, very large man who'd left the note on the hood of her car. He didn't give her time to react. Before she could finish processing the thought, he reared back and slammed his fist into her face. Pain she'd never experienced before burned a path of fire into her brain and she crumpled like a doll to the carpeted floor. The man hauled her up unceremoniously and pushed her into a chair. He dragged a second chair over and set it before her, straddling it. "Look at me Ms. Thomas." It took her a few seconds to blink past the pain and open her eyes. Her vision was blurry and she took a moment to blink the tears from her eyes. "Can you hear me?" "Y-yes." She was surprised she could form any words, the pain was excruciating. "I want you to tell your brother to stop selling inside. Tell him the bullet in that bitch, and your face, is Busco's way of being polite. After this, we won't be so nice. Understand?" Her ears were ringing as she continued to wipe the tears from her cheeks. The bullet in that bitch? Did he mean Ty? And had he said Busco? As in Busco Gallo, the son of the head of the largest New York organized crime family? She realized she hadn't answered him. "Y-yes." He stood then and she watched him leave the office. Immediately her boss ran over, informing Shelly that she'd phoned security. It took Shelly time to settle down enough to dial Ty's cell phone. She almost sobbed with relief when Ty answered on the second ring. She was eventually able to calm down enough to explain what happened. She heard Ty swear and then the line went dead. She laid her head on her arms and allowed herself to give in to the tears. Ty was alive and she'd be there soon. * She arrived shortly after the police and EMTs. Shelly was giving a statement to a female officer when Ty knelt beside her to study the rapidly swelling bruise on her cheek. An EMT handed Shelly an ice pack and Ty snatched it, gently placing it over her charge's cheek. It was Ty who spoke with the police from that moment on. Ty who insisted Shelly did not have a description of her attacker. Ty who suggested it was probably a bungled robbery. Considering there was a large cache of drugs kept on the floor beneath her office, Shelly wasn't surprised the police bought that suggestion. Ty then informed Shelly's boss that she would be taking a few days off. And before she knew it, she was seated in the passenger seat of her Lexus as Ty drove her home. Guarding Shelly The pain killers made her groggy and she slept for a few hours once they arrived at the apartment. When she woke, Ty shuffled her into a jacket and led her back down to the car. She slept again during the drive, startled awake when someone asked for ID. She watched as Ty handed over their identification, realizing they were at the prison. For the first time ever, Mylo was waiting for her when she stepped into the visiting room. He must have pulled some strings considering visitors were not allowed on Mondays. She stepped forward to hug him, surprised when he brushed past her and headed toward Ty. She watched in a daze as he lifted his fist and slammed it into Ty's face. "No!" She was amazed that Ty didn't fall, simply staggering back a few steps. He was rearing up to hit her again when Shelly stepped between them. "Stop it Mylo! Jesus!" He paused, staring down at her. She could see the bruise on her face, which she knew was a horribly swollen and discolored by now, only angered him more. When he took another step toward Ty, Shelly put her hands on his chest to stop him. "Mylo. I'm okay. Jesus, calm down, alright?" She watched him blink, swallowing back the rage. It was the same effort he'd made when she was 12 and her teacher had assaulted her. He closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and then folded her into his arms. She gave him a few moments to simply hold her. No one spoke as he calmed himself down, loosening his hold on her just a bit to look down into her face. She almost lost it at the tears in his eyes. "I'm okay Mylo." He nodded, bringing her to his chest again before looking past her to the woman who seemed to be lounging against the wall casually. But Mylo could see she was tensed and ready for anything. "Where the fuck were you?" "Cut my workout short on Sunday, was making up for it." "Mylo, she told me to stay put if she was late. I wasn't thinking." "Be quiet Bear," he ordered softly, never moving his eyes from Ty. "Diane's dead. Two in the head, one in the chest." Mylo watched those emerald green eyes narrow just a bit, a sign that Ty understood what he was saying. The woman he'd been seeing, the woman who had been staying at his place, was dead. It could easily have been Shelly. She nodded once, staring into his onyx eyes. Mylo closed his eyes tightly for another moment and then escorted Shelly to the table, sitting across from her. "Tell me everything, Bear. What did he look like, what did he say. Don't leave out anything, okay?" She filled him in, clinging to his hand tightly as she did. He reached out to brush a strand of hair from her cheek once or twice and then ran a finger across the bruise, pulling back when she winced. When she'd finished, he sat quietly for a moment. Finally, he took both of her hands in his. "I bought a place in Jamaica a year or so ago. I want you to go there until I get out." Shelly was too surprised to answer immediately. Finally, she found the words, "how long will that take? W-what about my job?" "Bear, fuck the job. You don't need it." "But I like my job. What am I supposed to do, hide for the next year and a half until you get out? Why can't Ty take care of me?" "I'm not going to be in here that long and Ty's the reason your face looks like a fucking punching bag!" "No she's not! You're the reason this happened!" She regretted the words instantly. She didn't want to hurt him and at his look of surprise and pain, she felt herself cave, "damnit Mylo, I don't want to fight. Let me stay. Please. I'll be more careful, I promise." Those onyx eyes, the same ones that greeted her in the mirror each day, had frosted over. She grabbed his hand, squeezed it. "I'll work part time. Ty will move in with me, use the fitness center in the building. I'll get a gun. Okay?" When he didn't respond, she squeezed his hand a little tighter. If he insisted, she would go to Jamaica. They both knew it. And she would probably have to go without Ty. So she had to convince him to let her stay. "Please Mylo, please, okay?" Mylo looked over at his baby sister, his heart, his life, and then over at the woman who continued to lean casually against the wall. She didn't protest, so he would assume Ty was willing to do as Shelly said. His question was why. He brushed another strand of dark hair from his sister's cheek. "Let me speak to Ty." Shelly raised a brow, "no punching, right?" Mylo forced a smile, watching her back as she stepped from the room. He turned to Ty then, pointing to the chair across from him. Ty dropped into the chair he'd indicated. They sized one another up in silence for a moment. "Heard you got a sweet right hook. Why didn't you use it?" Ty shrugged, "I deserved it." Mylo raised a brow, leaning back in his chair. It wasn't the response he'd been expecting. "What the fuck happened?" "I got distracted. It won't happen again." He was pleased she didn't make any excuses, but he wasn't satisfied. "Distracted? What the fuck does that mean?" Ty looked him in the eye and simply raised a brow. It took Mylo a moment to realize what she was indicating and then he swore softly, shaking his head. "Fuck. What the hell did you do to her to make her stand up to me like that?" Ty could hear the amusement in the question and smirked, "I never said I wasn't talented." It eased the tension between them just a bit and Mylo rubbed his scalp distractedly. "I can't think when I see what he did to her." Ty nodded. "And I can't get my shit together in here if I'm worried about her." His onyx eyes bore into Ty's and he admired the fact that she didn't flinch like most people would. "Ty, I like you," he started. "You're good people. But if she dies before I get out of here, I'll fuckin' kill you myself. Understand?" Ty simply nodded again. Mylo took another moment and then pointed to the door, indicating that Ty should send Shelly back in. Shelly sat across from her brother a moment later, reaching across the table to take his hand. "You're not going to ask me to leave again, right?" "No, I'm not. But listen to me Bear. If I'm worried about you, if I'm distracted, I'm going to get hurt in here." He saw the understanding register and watched her now somber face carefully as she nodded. "Okay Mylo." "And I know about you and Ty, but you still have to be careful, even if you're preoccupied, okay? I'm going to get someone else to deliver the packages." "No. Someone else delivering means someone else knows. Ty will be with me. It'll be fine, I promise." He paused a moment, considered what she said, realized she was right. He stared across at her again until she felt a little uncomfortable. "What?" "You get a little ass and now you're acting all grown up?" He teased. She laughed and then stood up to hug him tightly. "In a year and a half I'll be running your business," she teased in return. It made him laugh and she was relieved at the sound. They hugged for another moment and then Mylo set her away from him to stare down into a pair of eyes just like his own. "You have to be careful, Bear." The words removed the trace of humor from her face and she burrowed into his chest for just another moment before turning to leave. "I'll see you on Saturday," she called over her shoulder. * She couldn't get Ty to say more than a few words on the way home. They both had bruises on their faces now, except her brother had put Ty's there. She'd apologized, but Ty hadn't said a word. When they arrived in the city, Ty stopped to get her something to eat. She waited until Shelly was settled in the apartment and then said three words that cut Shelly to the quick. "I'll be back." Shelly's head snapped up. "Where—" "Stay inside, keep the door locked. And here," she watched Ty remove the gun from her ankle holster to hand it to her. "Safety's off. Point and shoot." Shelly stared at the gun in her hand for a moment before watching Ty unlock the door. "You're going out tonight? But I thought—" Ty turned to her, her emerald eyes cold. "Don't start." "What? What? I'm not a fucking child! You're going to that other woman?! After we—" Ty swore under her breath, moving quickly to Shelly and grabbing her upper arms. "God damnit," she shook her roughly, "I'm going to get some fucking clothes and another piece. You did tell you're brother I was moving in, right? Just fucking relax, I'll be back." She was gone a moment later and Shelly bit her bottom lip, fighting back tears. Ty was right, she had to stay focused. Even if Ty was going to see that other woman, did she have a right to protest? They'd fucked a few times, but no one had made any promises. She combed trembling fingers through her mass of silky black hair. She had to get a grip for Mylo's sake. She exhaled. Apparently that was going to be harder than it sounded. * It had been hours. Hours since Ty left. To be exact, it was almost midnight, so that meant it had been about 6 hours. Six hours. To pick up clothes and a gun? Bullshit. Bullshit! She threw the cup she was sipping from across the room, watching the brown liquid splatter against the wall. She'd been nursing a cup of hot tea, trying to relax, trying to keep her mind off the fact that Ty was probably fucking some other woman. She stood to pace again. It was only the hundredth time she'd paced the small area of her bedroom. Damn her. Damn her. She had to admit there was a bit of relief, mixed with a gallon of anger, at the sound of the front door locks opening. She grabbed a robe and hurried from the room, only a little confused when she arrived in the living room and Ty had not yet switched on the lamp. She stood, waiting, hands on hips. Ty was leaning against a wall, in the dark, silent. They stood facing one another for a moment across the shadowed room until Shelly reached over impatiently to switch on the overhead light. Her heart caught in her throat at the sight before her. Those emerald eyes were watching her without emotion. The bruise Mylo had given her was nothing compared to the damage done to her face now. Cuts, swelling, a multitude of rapidly darkening bruises. One eye was almost swollen shut. There were traces of blood beneath her nose and on her white wife beater. Her knuckles were swollen and bleeding. Her jeans were torn at the knee, her Timberlands scuffed. Shelly briefly wondered what the other person looked like. Having a brother did have some advantages. One of those advantages was knowing when to ask questions and knowing when to wait. This was a time for waiting. So she turned on her heel and made her way to the bathroom, grabbing a number of items from the medicine cabinet. Ty was still learning against the wall when she returned, so Shelly pointed to the sofa, watching as she moved stiffly and sat down with an "umpf." She began to clean the blood off of Ty's face, ignoring her soft swears as she dabbed at the cuts with antiseptic. She cleaned off the bruised knuckles, wrapped them in gauze, and then handed her four ibuprofen tablets. Ty took them without water, leaning back into the sofa. Shelly noticed she was favoring her side. "Do you need to go to the hospital?" "I'm fine." Shelly bit her tongue, she could hardly agree with that. She waited another moment. "What happened?" "Nothing." "No really? What happened," Shelly insisted and with a trace of humor added, "did your girlfriend beat you up?" Ty smirked, "nah, just had a talk with the gorilla who put his hands on you." The answer startled her. The emotions that surged through her were surprising as well. Fear that Ty had jeopardized her life for her. Anger that Ty would risk leaving her to face this alone. And...and...pleasure. Ty had defended her, had come to her rescue like some damn idiot prince on a white horse. The fact that she was pleased at that unnerved her most. "Let me go to the drug store and get something stronger for you." "Nah, I'm good." Ty tried to settle onto the sofa more comfortably, closing her eyes. Shelly watched her for another moment before heading toward the kitchen. She quickly made two home-made ice packs. She taped the ice packs to Ty's swelling knuckles, then continued to kneel before her, staring up at that swollen face, watching as Ty forced herself to relax. She watched the anger slowly fade, the tension in her shoulders slowly dissipate. When kneeling was no longer comfortable, Shelly perched on the edge of the sofa and continued to watch the woman that had changed her life in so many different ways in such a short period of time. She knew Ty was aware that she was watching her, but Ty didn't open those piercing emerald eyes to challenge her gaze. So Shelly enjoyed herself, taking in the thick, long dread locks, the strong, angular face, the broad shoulders. She watched those amazingly developed biceps expand as Ty flexed her fingers against the ice packs, her broad, flat chest rising and falling evenly. Before she realized what she was doing, she was climbing onto Ty's lap, straddling a magnificently muscular thigh, and pressing her lips tenderly to Ty's bruised eyes, marred cheeks, and swollen lips. She smiled to herself when Ty impatiently tore the tape from her knuckles, tossing aside the ice packs in order to settle her hands possessively at Shelly's waist. Shelly leaned into her, pressing her softness against Ty's wall of strength, gently brushing her lips against Ty's again and again. Ty let her indulge herself as Shelly made love to that mouth, tenderly, carefully...hungrily. Her hands were buried in the thickness of Ty's dreads, then moved to caress the breadth of her shoulders, eventually stroking the swell of the biceps she'd come to love. She could feel herself become wet as her lips made their way downward. She removed Ty's bloodied wife beater, tossing it to the carpeted floor as her mouth covered a stiff nipple. She suckled it, savoring the taste, the texture, before biting into it gently. She enjoyed the sound of Ty's swift intake of breath and repeated the performance with the other nipple, tending to it until it, too, was stiff with arousal. She couldn't believe she was making love to a woman who was covered with bruises, but she couldn't seem to help herself. She craved Ty, needed her, ached for the feel of her. She lapped at Ty's flat stomach, devouring every inch of it, dipping her tongue enticingly into the navel. She was tugging at Ty's jeans a moment later, pulling them off her, carelessly tossing them to the floor. She'd never pleasured Ty in such a way before and for a moment she was nervous. She was no expert, what if she couldn't please her? But she ignored the anxiety. She began with soft kisses down the length of those magnificently developed thighs. She covered Ty's muscled flesh with the heat of her mouth, traveling up and down, back and forth, teasing, taking pleasure in every ounce of muscled flesh. She wasn't surprised when Ty's fingers eventually curled into her silky cloud of dark hair and forcefully guided her lips to the area she was purposely neglecting. Instinct took over as she gently sucked one swollen nether lip into her mouth, lapping at it lovingly, before switching to the next. Her fingers stroked Ty's inner thighs before they moved up to open those swollen nether lips and make way for her tongue. The tensing of those thighs as Shelly drank greedily from her lover's heady center was enough to bring Shelly close to the edge herself. But she held off, her mouth marking new territory, her tongue licking, lapping, loving. When she sucked Ty's pearl into her mouth as if starved, she reveled the feel of Ty's hips lifting from the sofa. It took only another moment or two to bring Ty to the peak and Shelly basked in the feeling of those hands curled tightly in her hair as Ty came in her mouth. Shelly didn't ease up. Instead she buried deeper into Nirvana, doubling her efforts. Ty's hips bucked again and Shelly smiled as a second orgasm soon ripped through her lover. Ty hauled her up and stretched out on out sofa, their bodies flush. Her hands were everywhere as her mouth held Shelly's captive. Every fiber of Shelly's body tingled, her center swelling, drenched with pleasure. Within moments she was moaning into Ty's mouth as a climax rushed through her. She wasn't entirely surprised when Ty didn't stop. Those lips, the feel of the woman's powerfully built body pressed against hers, those magic fingers...she crashed into another climax and then another seconds later before Ty let her catch her breath. They lay beside one another on the sofa, Ty holding her close, their breathing slowing. Shelly felt tears fill her eyes. There was a tightness in her chest, a combination of powerful emotion and fear. When she opened her dark, onyx eyes, those emeralds were watching her closely. Ty leaned forward to kiss the tears from her cheeks and Shelly felt her heart trip. The words slipped from her before she could stop them. "I love you." They were whispered words, tender words, filled with emotion. They hung between the two women for a moment before Ty smirked just a little and then tenderly kissed Shelly's forehead. They were sleeping moments later. *** She went back to work, but as promised kept her schedule part-time. Ty bought her a gun and took her to a shooting range, cooked for her, watched over her...and made passionate love to her over and over again. She could feel her desire to be with Ty increasing daily, but she refused to admit it to herself. And she knew Mylo could see that something was wrong, but even he had a hard time wrestling the truth from her. "So, what's up?" "Nothing." Mylo watched her...well worried about her was more like it. He knew Ty could take care of his sister, considering she'd broken the nose of the asshole that assaulted her, but he wasn't sure what Ty was willing to give his sister in terms of her heart. "You've been saying 'nothing' for weeks now. I'm starting to take it personally." Shelly looked up into the mirror image of her own eyes and shook her head at him. He was teasing her. "Pooh Bear, what's wrong?" He knew those words could melt her...and they did. They always did. "I don't want to talk about it. Tell me more about the parole hearing on Tuesday." Mylo sighed, he could play the avoidance game if she wanted to. "2pm on Tuesday. Just show up and tell them how spectacular your brother is." She sat up just a bit straighter. He could see the concern in her eyes...and the hope. "How probable is it that they'll let you out so early?" He shrugged, "well, I coped to a misdemeanor possession and it was technically my first offense. It's pretty likely. Besides, the warden wants me out of here before my people and Gallo's people begin killing each other." She could feel her heart rate increase just slightly. Not only at the thought of having Mylo back, but also at the thought that perhaps Ty would no longer need to stick around. Shelly looked at him closely. She could tell he wasn't trying to make things seem more positive just to give her hope. Was it really possible that he'd be home soon? "And what happens when you're out Mylo?" Mylo sighed, not really wanting to talk to her about it. But she'd changed so much in the past few weeks. He felt more confident she could handle what he did for a living. "I go back to my life. But I'm done in a few years, okay?" She nodded. She'd have to be content with that. She hesitated, wanting to ask about Ty. Would she still need protection? Would he keep Ty around? As if he could read her mind, Mylo said "Bear, I warned you, she's not the kind to stick around." He watched her shoulders sag just a bit. "What am I supposed to do Mylo? I can't even think straight when it comes to her." Guarding Shelly He smiled, "well, you'll have some time to work it out. I still need her to keep an eye on you while I get my shit together. A few weeks, maybe a month. You'll have to figure something out by then." She nodded, standing when the CO tapped on the door, signaling it was time to end the visit. They stood together and she burrowed into his chest for just a moment, holding tight, before turning to leave. He watched her with a smile on his lips. Weeks ago she would have clung to him longer. He wondered how he felt about the change. * Ty drove them back to the city, stopping off to get her something to eat as usual. Once they arrived at the apartment, Shelly headed for the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She hadn't said much on the ride home and she knew Ty was wondering what was bothering her. But she needed a bath...and some alone time to think. She couldn't think with Ty around. She was always distracted by her scent, her eyes, her body...her. It was like Ty had seeped into her pores and she worried she would never be able to completely flush her out of her system. She spent over an hour in the tub, staring up at the ceiling, her thoughts running amuck. Sometimes she missed her boring life. Months ago, before Mylo wound up in prison, she went to work, went out with friends periodically, and spent a lot of time alone. Life had been boring but simple. Now, there were prison visits, drugs, violence, guns...and Ty. And every day that passed brought her closer to Ty. Now she couldn't imagine her life without her silent protector. She slipped on a robe and made her way to the living room to sit beside the object of her thoughts. There was boxing match on. She watched for a little while, then went to microwave the take-out food. Moments later, after handing Ty a plate, she picked at her Chinese food and sipped at a soda. She watched Ty toss back a few shots of Jack Daniels, absently eating as she watched television. It was at these times that she enjoyed watching Ty. It never ceased to amaze her how plain Ty was. How plain...and how perfect. The unremarkably creamy, dark-chocolate brown angular face, the thin lips and flat nose with the bump on the bridge. She'd found out that some guy had broken it during a boxing match when Ty was 15. The squared chin. Her broad, flat chest and those rippling biceps. The slim hips and exquisitely muscular thighs, currently encased in form fitting black denim. But Shelly knew how they looked beneath that material, how they felt. And even after all this time, those eyes, the shocking color of those emeralds, could cut right to the core of her. She continued to drink her in until Ty turned to her and winked. She lowered her head, smiling. Ty's obsession with sports had annoyed her until she found out that Ty had been quite the athlete. Basketball and softball in high school, then amateur boxing and body building. When she asked Ty how she got into boxing, she explained it was something she and her Dad could do together. She'd been raised in the inner-city by her father. Her mother had left when she was a toddler. As a single father, and because she was an only child, her father had sought out ways for them to spend time together. He was pleased when Ty took to boxing. Unfortunately, he was killed by a stray bullet when Ty was 16. She'd been on her own since then, finishing high school (a promise to her father) and then getting into the business. Still, even though she understood why Ty loved sports, they didn't hold her interest. After she finished eating and washed their dishes, she made her way to the bedroom and settled in beneath the comforter with her laptop. She had some projects she could work on until Ty was ready to join her. She fell asleep...and plummeted into a dream she never wanted to wake from. There were hands, all over her, caressing her, slowly, languorously, paying homage to her legs, her thighs, the swell of her tummy. Those hands made their way upward, lavishing attention on her forearms, her shoulders...her breasts. Handling her nipples with skill and expertise. Fingers were replaced by a pair of deliciously talented lips, teasing her, arousing her, tormenting her. She felt cool air on wet, over-heated flesh as that spectacular mouth enjoyed as much skin as possible while moving from one breast to the other. Hands made their way between her thighs, manipulating her, exciting her. Her back arched, her breath stolen, as an orgasm took hold of her abruptly. And when she opened her eyes, gasping for air, emeralds eyes were watching her. She smiled, curving her arms around Ty's neck and pulling her close, enjoying the feel of Ty's superbly muscular form lying atop her. They didn't sleep for hours. * By Friday she was a nervous wreck. She was still waiting to hear from Mylo. The parole hearing had gone well, her testimony seemingly making a difference. The glowing letter from the warden helped, although she understood the real reason he'd written it. Overall, things had gone quite well...but there had been no word. She'd gone to work, waiting all day to hear from Mylo, but there'd been no word. Now it was 7pm. She was sitting beside Ty on the sofa watching a ridiculous sitcom. She was trying to keep still, realizing that she was probably driving Ty nuts with her fidgeting, but she was certain at any moment she would explode from frustration. "Come on, let's go get a drink." Shelly didn't hesitate, relieved Ty's suggestion finally gave her something to do. It took her less than a half hour to shower and change into tight fitting jeans and a snug top. She smiled as Ty looked her over appreciatively, evading Ty's attempt to pull her close, hurrying out of the apartment to press the button for the elevator. In the elevator, she only had to wait for the doors to close before Ty pulled her against her impatiently, stealing her breath away with a hungry kiss. Ty headed uptown and she busied herself by glancing out of the passenger side window, watching as skyscrapers passed by in a blur. What would life be like without Ty? She wanted Ty to stay, but was that even a remote possibility? Could Ty settle down? And didn't Ty also sell? Did she really want another drug dealer in her life? Especially one so close, one that could ultimately get her locked up or killed? Was she sure she wanted to live that life? Worrying about Ty every time she left the apartment? Unable to sleep soundly unless Ty was lying beside her? Is that the life she really wanted? Yes. She wanted that life. She wanted Ty. It didn't matter what baggage came with her. Besides, she'd asked Jimmy to check up on Ty. Jimmy was Mylo's best friend and second in charge. He had the contacts to find out about Ty. And Jimmy assured her Ty was good people. Hard working, honest, never gave anyone up to the cops, even when her own ass was on the line. "Hey." She blinked. Ty was holding her door open. She offered up a slightly embarrassed smile as she stood from the vehicle, watching Ty smoothly slip a rather large bill into the valet's hand before they headed inside. She knew that would keep her Lexus safe for the night. She paused for a moment, surprised to see they were at the club she had often frequented with Mylo. Mylo was practically royalty at this club. She was certain he owned part of it, if not most of it, although she'd never asked. She had avoided it while he was away. She wondered if Ty's presence would distract her enough for her to enjoy herself. Mylo's reserved booth, which was all the way in the back on a raised platform, was empty and Ty sent her in that direction. When Shelly sat down and turned to take in the sights, she watched as a number of people went out of their way to give Ty dap. She recognized some of the faces. They were well known in Mylo's world and they seemed to respect Ty. Shelly wasn't the kind of girl to be too impressed by that kind of respect. After all, her brother was a major player in this world too. Still, she could appreciate the time and effort Ty had to invest in order for them to respect her. She was a woman in a man's world and yet they seemed to have accepted her. When Ty finally joined her, Shelly had to admit she was more than just a little aroused after watching that show. Ty winked at her and she lowered her eyes, hoping Ty had not read the sexual hunger on her face. She was relieved when a waitress appeared. She let Ty order for her without protest. Ty pretty much knew her habits by now. Weeks of living together would do that. She could feel herself heading down dangerous roads, imaging life without Ty again, and gave herself a mental shake. She was here to enjoy her time with Ty, not lament over how short lived it might be. The waitress was setting a shot of vodka in front of her when she heard the commotion near the entrance to the club. There were people gathered around someone, but she couldn't make out who it was. She shrugged, probably some celebrity. They dropped in now and then. A few minutes later, when the commotion had died down just a bit, she turned to try to catch a glimpse of the person. If the music had not been so loud, her high pitched shriek would have silenced the club. She was up from the table in a second and running toward the figure, leaping into his arms and clinging to him tightly. Ty watched her, enjoying the sway of her hips as she ran toward the guest of honor. She offered up just a hint of a smile when Shelly threw herself into his arms, almost knocking him over. * Mylo buried his face into her neck, inhaling the scent of her. God, he'd missed her. He missed seeing her smile, he missed sitting across from her and listening to her complain about everything...and he missed wiping the tears from her cheeks when she was horribly sad or absolutely thrilled. He figured it was the latter this time around as he wiped her cheeks after setting her down. She was still holding him tightly and he smiled. "Bear, we're blocking traffic here." She laughed, raising her eyes to take him in. "Why didn't you tell me? Why couldn't I pick you up? Why didn't Jimmy call me? Did Ty know? When did you tell her? I can't believe she didn't tell me! Did you tell her not to tell me?" "Okay, okay, relax woman," Mylo laughed, "I can only answer one question at a time! And don't blame Ty, I asked her not to tell you." He was directing her to his booth, nodding at well wishers over her head, holding her close to him as they moved through the throng of people. He was happy to be out, thrilled to see his baby sister, but he was also pissed with himself. He'd told Ty to bring her here as a surprise, ignoring Ty's pause on the phone. But now he realized Ty had been right. This place was not safe. No place was safe unless he had complete control over it. Shelly let him usher her into the booth and she scooted over to make room for him. "I wanted to pick you up Mylo! Why didn't you let me?!" "'Sup Mylo!" He nodded in the direction of the voices, leaning down so that Shelly could hear as he filled her in on the past few days. They talked for almost 15 minutes, uninterrupted. That seemed strange to Shelly. Usually people were walking up to the table to talk to Mylo all night long. She rarely had his complete attention for more than a minute or two when they were here. But they had been completely alone, barring Ty, for 15 minutes. And there were at least four of Mylo's 'boys' hanging out pretty close to the booth. She sensed that Mylo was preoccupied, which would explain why Ty was sitting so quietly, absolutely alert, those emerald eyes focused on everyone and everything. Eventually, Shelly stopped in mid-sentence and looked between Mylo and Ty. "What's going—?" The question died in her throat. She watched as an impressively dressed, relatively tall man made his way to their table. She'd seen his face in the papers of course, the olive skin, the goatee, the thick dark brows and full, sensuous lips. She'd always thought him attractive. Still, it was absolutely amazing to see the man in the flesh, flanked by two huge men as he continued to move in their direction. A quick glance to his right revealed that one of the men with him was the dark skinned man that had assaulted her. He was still wearing bandages on his nose. She tensed and moved just a little closer to Ty. She would find that odd later on when she had time to think, considering her brother was also sitting beside her. "Ah, Mr. Mylo Thomas, a pleasure to see you out and about. And this must be your lovely sister?" Mylo lit a cigarette and inhaled on it deeply before making the introductions, "Shelly, this is Busco Gallo." She nodded silently. As if the introduction was necessary. "A pleasure Ms. Thomas. And allow me to apologize for the, uh, misunderstanding between you and Roland here a few weeks ago?" She nodded again, because it was the polite thing to do. What she wanted to do was ask him what the fuck he was doing there. But she remained quiet, hiding her tightly clenched fists in her lap. What was he doing here? He had killed Mylo's girlfriend, had her assaulted, threatened Mylo's life in prison, and now he strolled in here as if he had a right to be on what could only be described as Mylo's turf? It was at that moment that she realized she'd had her head up her ass. With Mylo gone, someone would have seized his territory. The business of selling drugs waited for no one to return from prison, not even her big brother. And by the looks of things, Gallo had taken over the area. That was bad news. First Mylo had insulted him by stepping on his toes in prison. Now Mylo was going to have to bump him out of Harlem. She forced herself to take in a breath and shuddered slightly as she felt a trickle of icy cold sweat roll down her back. This was not good news at all. * That visit put a damper on the rest of the evening. She wondered why they remained at the club at all. Over an hour later she realized that Mylo had to save face by not turning and running from the threat Gallo posed. She figured this was the last time the two men would be civil toward one another. And she realized her brother's life was in serious jeopardy. Still, they stayed until midnight and then decided to head up to Mylo's place. Mylo was still being welcomed home with enthusiasm as they made their way to the exit, but now Shelly watched people who approached him with a suspicious eye. Any of them could have slipped a gun past the metal detectors. Any of them could kill him. She felt a sense of relief when they stepped into the brisk air outside and she shivered, realizing she had neglected to bring a jacket. A moment later Ty was shrugging out of her Sherling and placing it around Shelly's shoulders. The gesture made her smile, if only for a moment. "Take her home and then come to my place." "I don't think so," Shelly challenged, "I'm coming too." "Shelly—" "It's not safe for either one of us to stand here arguing about it. We'll argue at your place." He shook his head as she turned to make her way to the Lexus. She was standing by the passenger door, waiting for Ty open it when Mylo turned to look at Ty, ignoring her smirk. "Fine, bring the spoiled brat." He bit out before settling into the backseat of his Mercedes. Jimmy climbed behind the wheel of the Mercedes and Ty made her way over to the woman waiting impatiently by the Lexus. * Shelly glanced at her watch as she listened to Mylo's rules and regulations for what seemed like the hundredth time. She would continue working part time and Ty would stay at her place for a little longer. He wanted her strapped up every time she left her apartment, even if she was running out for toilet paper. And she shouldn't plan to go anywhere alone for a while. She closed her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She just didn't get it. "Why can't you just quit? He's already taken over the area. You have tons of money stashed away. Why do you have to continue selling?" "I used quite a bit of that stash to make sure my throat wasn't slit in prison Shel," he snapped at her. "Mylo, you had millions put away. Surely you're not broke." She demanded impatiently. He sighed, "no, I'm far from broke. But I'm not ready to quit Bear and that fucker's not going to force me." "So now we go to war with him so you can continue to do something that could land you back in prison or dead? That could get me killed, or Mom and Dad?" She watched him toss back the remainder of the aged scotch in his tumbler. "I'm not having this conversation." "Mylo—" "Hey, not your decision. If you want out, I can make arrangements for you to be out of the country by next week." The clipped words silenced her and she bit her lip instead of snapping back at him. It was an empty threat, but he was pretty much telling her the decision had been made whether she liked it or not. She folded her arms across her chest in a huff, sending daggers at him with her dark eyes. Mylo poured himself another drink, ignoring her hostile glare as he beckoned for Ty to join him in the kitchen. He slammed his glass on the counter, his shoulders tense with frustration. First Gallo shows up at his club, in his space, and now his sister was determined to drive him nuts? He turned his angry gaze on Ty. What had this woman done to his baby sister? "Jesus, she's getting to be impossible." "She's just asking the hard questions." Mylo nodded, they didn't disagree about that. And he was being a stubborn jackass. He could retire. He had enough for him and his sister to live their lives in comfort and pass a generous amount on to their heirs. But he wasn't ready to quit yet. Not yet. He looked at the muscular woman standing across from him. "Look, you and I haven't had a chance to talk. I need to know if you want out." He watched her, watched for any reaction, a sign of relief, a desire to bail...he couldn't read anything on her face. He knew she had a great poker face, considering she'd taken thousands from him in the past, so he waited for an answer. "I'm in." He nodded at the words, wondering if Ty realized that Shelly wouldn't let her off the hook easily the more time they spent together. "You know she's gone over you, right?" That brooked no response. Mylo smiled, "anyway, my threat still stands. Break her heart and I'll break your fucking neck." Ty smirked at the threat. It was a big brother threat, filled with the same fluff every big brother used to threaten someone dating their little sister. Besides, she had no intention of breaking Shelly Thomas' heart. * It was well past three in the morning when they pulled into the garage at Shelly's apartment complex. They rode the elevator in silence and Shelly headed for the bedroom as soon as the apartment door closed behind them. She tossed her clothing into a corner and crawled beneath the comforter, her eyes burning with a need for sleep. It took her a moment to realize Ty had not followed her. She listened to the sounds of a sports program on the television in the living room and sighed, counting to ten before she left the comfort of the bed. She sat down beside Ty, watching as the larger, muscular woman tossed back a rather generous helping of vodka. Over the course of the evening she had become more and more aware that Ty was worried. Oh, her silent protector would never admit it, but she was tense, drinking more than usual, preoccupied...edgy. In other words, she was everything but the Ty Shelly had come to know. This concerned her more than realizing Mylo's life was in danger. If Ty was worried, things were probably much worse than she thought. She understood part of Ty's concern was that she knew about the thoughts brewing in Shelly's mind since the incident at the club. The thoughts even made her uncomfortable...made her wonder if she could live with herself if she went through with it. But she didn't really have an option. And finally, she wondered how long Ty intended to sit there pretending to watch a stupid basketball game.