The bed was empty. He was alone, that was his first thought. He rolled over and put his face in her pillow. She had been there, maybe not last night, but recently. The scent of her vanilla shampoo still lingered. He inhaled it deeply and remembered yesterday. The day she left. Had it been only yesterday? It already seemed like an eternity.

It was his fault; he realized that now. He had jumped to conclusions and she had left. It wasn't that he didn't trust her...he just didn't trust guys. Especially that guy. Justin had been her first love, her first kiss, hell- he'd been her first fuck. That bonded them. He knew that, he was forever bonded to Kim in the same way. That's why when he walked into the shop and found Alexis and Justin hugging he had freaked out. He knew first hand how one touch could end up in anxious grabbing and fondling. Hell, one hug had made him sleep with Kim the second time. That's why seeing Alex and Justin that close had tore at his heart. He didn't know why Justin was there, didn't really care why- the point was, he was there. And he shouldn't be. He had destroyed Alex when they first broke up and it had taken him forever to overcome Alex's fears of being hurt. He didn't want to go through that again. That's why he snapped. Maybe it had something to do with his latest fight with Brian (he hated that asshole), maybe it had to do with his car not running right, or maybe, just maybe it had to do with the fact that seeing Alexis hold someone else so close caused his heart to rip apart. So, like always, he went into self-preservation mode. Get hurt, defend yourself. It had always worked before.

He closed his eyes and held the pillow tight to his chest. Memories of Alexis' tear striken face as he said it was over came flashing back to him. Her body racked with sobs as she tried to explain that Justin just stopped by to see her new paint job. The hug meant nothing. He shuddered as he remembered pushing by her to enter the shop. How Justin had told him the same as Alex, how Justin ended up holding Alex as she cried; as he ignored her and focused on his car. And now she was gone.

His cell phone rang, breaking up his thoughts. His heart leaped as he grabbed it.

"Alex?" he asked, hopeful.

"Nah, dawg. Sorry. " It was Dom.

"Aight." he settled back into the bed. "What's up?"

"I'm leavin' the shop in a few to go get a beer. You want to come?"

He inwardly debated it. Stay in bed and remain depressed or get drunk and have an excuse to release his emotions? The bed won.

"Nah, dawg. I'm set."

"Bullshit. Get your ass up, you been sleeping all day. You can't just fuck around like that." Dom's gravelly voice ordered.

Vince sighed, "I'm not coming." he hung up the phone and glanced at his watch. Shit, he had slept all day.

He fell back against the pillows as memories surrounded him again. He fell into a restless sleep.

Alexis bit her lip as she walked into the darkened room. The blinds were still shut and Vince was curled in bed. It looked like he had been there all day. She blinked back a tear and opened the closet door. This was what he wanted. He wanted her to leave, so she would. She was packing a duffel bag when his voice interrupted her.

"I didn't mean it."

She looked up to see him staring at her, sleep still in his eyes. She nodded, "Yes, you did."

"I was mad. I lost my temper."

Alex continued packing as the tears grew heavier.

He reached for her arm and pulled her down beside him. "Stay. Please?"

One look in his eyes and Alex knew she'd stay. She knew they had things to talk about and issues to overcome, but right now? Right now, she couldn't stop. Their lips met and the decision was set. She was his. She'd take the temper, the explosions for this...this passionate, thriving love that she could feel from his body.