Disclaimer: JE owns the characters. Dave Gahan owns the song.


I had known that this was coming. I enjoyed toying with her. She was a beautiful woman that had piqued my interests the first time I laid eyes on her. It had been a perfect situation for me. Well, maybe not perfect because she was only putting out to the cop. But, I got the stolen kisses in the alley and not to mention seeing her dressed to kill for distractions.

When are you going to tell us it's over?

How long will you keep us hanging on your hook?

You have us all by the short and curlys.

Reading us all like a book.

My Babe had totally lost it a few weeks ago outside the bonds office. She stood there and screamed at me and the cop. I tried to stay tuned in to what she was staying, but she was always so damn cute when she stood there flapping her arms around. By the time I got my head out of the clouds I had been able to catch the end of her rant. She was swearing off of both of us?

Building a tower of fear by the river.

Building it up. Build it up.

Building a tower of fear by the river.

Building it up. Build it up.

The longer that I kept my distance, the more distracted I got. I was getting clumsy and messy. Slowly, things at work were slipping through my fingers. I lost two major accounts in three days. The guys had started keeping their distance because I hadn't been able to keep my anger in check. I can't take it anymore. I snuck into her apartment, like I had many times before. I sat down in the chair that sat in the corner of her room and stared at the angel that laid in the bed. Her curly hair laid out like a halo over her pillow. I loved this woman more then anything else on this earth. But, she doesn't want me anymore. I felt my heart shatter at that thought. I silently cursed myself. This is exactly why I don't do relationships. I always get hurt in the end.

It's been twenty-one days and the tower keeps rising.

Twenty-one day, that's all it took.

The sun is disappearing on the horizon.

You really should take a look.

I was about to get up and leave when her breathing changed. Shit! She's waking up. I held my breath in hopes that she might role over and drift back to sleep. All hopes were lost when she opened her eyes and slowly sat up. I slipped on my 'blank face' and waited for her to throw my out. After all, she was done with me. So, I sat there and waited as the fear started to build in my gut.

Building a tower of fear by the river.

Building it up. Build it up.

Building a tower of fear by the river.

Building it up. Build it up.

I tensed slightly as she climbed out of the bed and walked towards me. I made a small mental note that she was wearing one of my black shirts that I had left behind during the Scrogg incident. I was slightly confused when she took my hand in hers and pulled me from the chair to the end of her bed.

"Why are you here?" she asked quietly.

I stared down at her for a moment. Should I tell her everything? Or, just let her shut me out and live like I had been for the last three weeks? The men would kill me. But, she would be safe from the hazards of my life. Damn it! I needed her so much though.

"Ranger?"

"Because I had to see you," I said quietly.

"Why?"

"The last twenty-one days of my life have been a living hell without you. I'm a fucking mess and it's all your fault because you kicked me to the curb outside the bonds office," I said with a rejected tone.

"I heard that you've been having problems," she said as she reached up and brushed my hair off of my forehead.

"I've lose two big accounts and had four take downs go bad. I think that the guys are about ready to kill me," I said as I turned and sat on the corner of her bed. "None of them want to be in the same room as me."

"Bad mood?"

"The worst."

"Are you ready for that to change?"

"How?" I asked as I looked up at her and frowned. She was the only one that could turn things back around for me.

Her lips found mine as she pushed me back on the bed. I luxuriated in the feeling of her straddling my lap. This woman had the power to bring me and my company to its knees. And I loved her for it all the more. I ran my hands up her back and fisted them in her hair as her tongue slid into my mouth.

She broke the kiss and looked down at me for a moment. "This is it. You can't send me back to Joe in the morning."

"I'll never send you back to Joe," I said as I brought my hands out of her hair and cupped her face. "You belong to me now."