with a sigh, Lloyd stood up from the bed, deciding that first he would take a bath, and then try figuring out the rest of his day. But a note on his lamp side caught his attention. He reached for it, reading the neatly scribbled words. 'Thanks for letting me crash the night. I'll see you around.'

The letter read. Lloyd had read it once again for good measures, before he crumpled and threw it to the side, shaking his head as he chuckled. "You're a mystery, Johansson"

And for the first time in his life, Lloyd he liked that. A woman who wasn't so easy to read. A new challenge, he would have called it, but some reason, he knew Anastasia was going to be far more than that.

Locating his phone, he called a private investigator friend of his. As the phone rang, Lloyd tapped his foot impatiently. Only did he stop after the line had been answered. "Lloyd, what's up?"

"Andrew, hey, I uh, need a favor from you."

"Go on.

"I need you to run a background check on Anastasia Johansson for me, but I don't need her details. I just ne

ex fiancé. Get me his current location and movement and any other detail that might be helpful."

There was a brief pause on the other line and then, his friend, Andrew, spoke.

"Lloyd, is everything alright?

"Yeah, yeah. Nothing to worry about. Just, help me out, would ya?

need you to find someone, her

on as I can, and you'd

"Okay, sure." Andrew answered and Lloyd sighed in relief, thanking his friend. "So, I'll get you his details as soon as I can, have to tell me why you want this, okay?"

"Of course. Thanks again, man." With that, he ended the call and threw his phone onto the bed

He didn't know why, but something told him that Anastasia's safety wasn't entirely in the clear, especially after she had told him the story of her ex and what happened. It wasn't just her safety, but her peace of mind too,

And for some reason, Lloyd felt like that was the least he could do for her, as her friend, of course

But the more he thought of that, the more the words tasted bitter on his tongue

'Friend."

Yeah right, and the Pope was Jewish.

"You did what?" Leonica screeched into the phone from the other end. Anastasia had to pull the phone away from her ear, coupled with the sound of the locksmith doing his work on her door from behind, she felt like both sounds might make her go deaf. "Chill out Leonica." She began, catching her reflection across a mirror and grimacing at the numerous amounts of hickeys she saw on her neck. "You fucked Gabriel, didn't you?"

"That's different!" The other female exclaimed and Anastasia had a feeling that if she had been there, Leonica would have been waving her arms in the air, all dramatic and what not. "And he's Gabriel's friend. What happened to friends of the same feather flock together? Anastasia shrugged. "Maybe he's different."

a playboy, worse than Gabriel. Couldn't you

wouldn't advice she go for someone within Gabriel's friend group. Anastasia chewed on a protein bar as she listened, waiting until the moment she finished. "Do you even know what you're going to do now?" she asked at

the question. It wasn't a tough one, shouldn't have been, but for some reason, she found herself humming. thinking of an answer, luckily, Ashley's voice from the other end saved her from answering that question. ""Mommy, I'm gonna be

Leonica scolded her for avoiding her question, "Let's talk more when you've dropped the laid off." She assured. "Oh, and make sure

needed to take Ashley to school. "Fine, but once I get back, you and I, were going to seat down, face to face, and discuss this." Her stern tone had Anastasia nodding, but deep down, she knew that Leonica

matter, school matter, or even recent development in her love life and if none of that worked, then she could just

how much she wanted to avoid giving a solid answer, because she knew that answer wasn't

up to her, giving her a gentle tap o the shoulder. "Anastasia? Looking over

a bunch of new locks. "The best I could do in such short notice." As she collected it, he gave her a certain look that Anastasia was all too familiar with, before adding. "And

the entrance, playful smile on her lips to let the locksmith know she was teasing him, even though

as he turned around and walked

safely, Larry "She said as she watched him drive off and then

and the protein bar, before she slumped onto the couch, pulling her feet up. She let out a sigh, staring up at the ceiling, her thoughts running wild as she recalled the conversation with

it because she knew the moment she answered that question, she'd have to get all serious with Lloyd and serious wasn't something she wanted. As a matter of fact, she didn't want anything with him, or at least that's what she's been telling herself and best believe it when she says that is one of the toughest lie

been dimmed by his reputation as Oslo's mumber one playboy Billionaire, but that aside, he was an alright man. Well, that and the fact that he was friends with Gabriel. But even that could be over looked and Leonica would definitely

was the key word. But right now, they couldn't

by the sound of someone knocking at her door. She stood up and lazily dragged her leg towards her door, already knowing who it

as she swung the door open, smile playing at the

but Derek. Blood drained from her face and as quickly as she had opened

she backed away, only for Derek

you Ana, if you won't answer me, then I'd have no choice than to come to you. And guess

kicked in, and the next thing she knew, her hands were flying, trying to hit him, fight him. But the moment her palm landed against his face, everything stopped. Time had

sense of touch had left her. All except for one,

silent. It was like being caught

at the man standing above her, a crazed look in

"You've

charged at her, managing to pin her hand down. "I

to talk to you? See you, even?" She spat and watched as his eyes darkened, but then her attention was drawn by the shadowy figure passing

hoping that her guess

and as if reading her mind, be quickly covered her mouth before she could scream for help. "Don't cut our discussion

Lloyd's voice. Instead of struggling pointlessly, she calmed down despite the fear and with reasoning, kicked off the vase on her coffee

her.

to

the door open and came face

surprised to see her looking so frightened, but the moment his eyes landed on the figure behind her, he understood the entire

here," He said and watched as Derek's face

of your business!" He spat and stepped forward, but the rest of Lloyd's words

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