"Where are you?" my dad asked when I finally got him on the line.

"Lake house," I said with a sigh. I knew he already knew that. Not much got by him.

"Did Hector make it up there to see you?" he asked.

"No. Was he supposed to?" I asked. It was not in my favor that they knew he was heading here when he went missing.

"That's what he said," my dad said. I could hear the suspicion in his voice but I ignored it.

"Are you in the city?" I asked him. I needed to know where he was, or rather, how close he was.

"No, Miami this week," he said.

My father told me he bought a "vacation home" in Miami and was spending a lot of time there. The boss didn't give a shit about anything other than money, so I didn't believe he was there for rest and relaxation. I couldn't leave to visit and scope out the place while I was tailing Stella, and I definitely couldn’t leave her now.

I had no idea what was going through her mind. I didn't know what to expect when I saw her next. I had one of the guys outside her room at night and they hadn't reported any escape attempts. That didn't mean anything though. I learned that Stella was smart and cunning. She offered her own body to distract me and get away.

"We can meet up next week," my dad offered.

"Sure," I said just to please him. We both knew that wouldn't happen. There had been a strain between us that neither of us had pointed out. Ever since the Harlows had been wiped out, I had more trust issues than usual.

We said our goodbyes and I hung up the phone to continue pacing my office. I stopped at my computer to check the security camera stream. Stella was on the back deck with her feet dangling over the water. Tony and Sal both stood behind her on watch. She looked bored and lonely, or busy plotting. Hard to tell.

I lost myself in the bathroom with her the other night. When I saw the bruises on her neck, I wanted to kill Hector all over again. I should have drawn it out, made his death slow and painful. No man got to take whomever he wanted, and no man got to try to take what was mine and live. I wanted to cover his marks and erase him from her memory. I wanted to be the only thing she could think of.

I thought I was succeeding. It was a powerful feeling to know that you could make it all go away for someone. I made her forget. Stella seemed like she wasn't thinking at all and her body was controlling her. Her breathing was fast, as well as her heartbeat. Her back arched into me and her legs tightened on my waist. Just when I thought I had complete control, I lost it. I glanced up to see her eyeing the gun I had set aside.

I wanted to wait her out and see what she would chose. Would she grab it and try to shoot? Would she freeze at the last minute, fumbling over the trigger? Was she lost in me enough that she would ignore it and let me keep going?

I took the choice away from her. I didn't want to know the answer. Each choice left us damned. Either way offered an insight into her mind that I didn't want to see. I didn't want to know if she would have shot me or let me rip off the rest of her clothes. I had enough mysteries to unravel. Somethings were better left unknown.

Unfortunately, I still needed something from Stella and avoiding her wouldn't get it. I left the safety of my office and went to the living room. A quick survey told me there was nothing that could be used as a weapon in the room. The fireplace tools, any decorations and curtain rods were already removed.

"I'll take it from here," I told the guys once I was out on the deck. They both nodded and left us alone.

Stella didn't turn to acknowledge me but I knew she had heard me come out. Her back went straight and her body went rigid. I wondered if it was from fear or excitement. Stella reacted similarly to both emotions, and I could never tell which she was feeling. I doubted she even knew herself.

I stood behind her and looked out over the water. It was too cold to sit outside, but Stella didn't seem to notice. She was wrapped up in a hoodie and jeans, but barefoot. Her black hair was styled to sweep over one side of her head. With her light skin and eyes, the color looked exotic and beautiful on her.

"May I sit?" I asked.

I lowered myself next to her anyway. I didn't really expect permission.

"You've been avoiding me," she said bluntly. Instead of seeming gratefully, she sounded annoyed.

"I've been busy."

"Doing what exactly?"

"Don't ask questions you already know the answers to," I warned her. "Your dad was a cop. Your brother worked with me. You're a bright woman."

"Not bright enough," she mumbled.

"Someone would have gotten to you eventually."

Stella shrugged and leaned back with her hands behind her. She looked up into the cloudless sky. It reminded me of the approaching winter. I was running out of time. Once the snow fell, I would need a plan. The lake house would need to be closed up and I’d have to return to the city. I couldn't leave with Stella. She would never be safe in the city, or anywhere else.

"Come inside," I told her.

Surprisingly, she followed without arguing. I pulled open the door for her and watched her ass as she passed. I knew better than to touch again, but I couldn't help looking. Inside the living room, Stella turned and looked at me for direction. I pointed to the couch facing the fireplace. I turned the dials and the flames came to life.

"You can come here, the kitchen and the deck," I told her.

"Thank you," she said. She watched me expectantly, knowing I had more to say.

"A trade. You tell me something and you get some more freedom," I offered.

"How am I supposed to trust you? You keep me here against my will and I'm pretty sure you had something to do with my family's death. How the hell do I know that you won't kill me the moment you get what you want from me?"

"Your brother trusted me. I promised him I would look out for you and I am holding up my end," I growled.

"My brother told me to trust no one."

Fucking Ace. Brilliant but probably just screwed us.

"I killed for you, Stella. I took a man's life. A man that dangerous people will come looking for. I did that for you. All I am asking for is for answers."

Stella chewed on her lip as I waited in silence. She had every reason to fear me, I made sure of that.

"You have an ultimatum, Little Star. We are running out of time. You tell me what I need to know and I will protect you. I will make sure people like Hector and the man who killed your parents won't hurt you. No one will find you or touch you as long as you're with me. But I need to know there is good fucking reason for keeping you alive."

"Why do you call me Little Star?" she asked instead.

"Your name means star."

She nodded and chewed on her lip. Stella was stalling but I was prepared to wait her out or resort to drastic measure to get answers.

"What do you want to know?" Stella asked and shifted in her seat. I hated making her go through it all over again.

"You know, I found my mom dead when I was seventeen," I told her.

Stella's eyes went wide. "I'm sorry."

"Maybe I didn't find both of my parents, but I found the only one that I loved floating in a bathtub of blood. I had to face the fact that my own mom didn't care about me enough to stick around and took the easy way out."

Stella was silent as I faced the fire, not wanting to see the pity on her face. I would save myself, and I tried to take comfort that my mom wouldn't be here to see it all go down.