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After returning home, showering, speaking to Kate and having dinner, I'm now sitting in my lounge, drinking a glass of wine. I have a colour chart resting on my knee, and my head is swimming. I'm still so uncertain about the living area in Escala, it feels like such an important room, it is the first one he will see. The first impression he will get, and I want it to be a good one, glancing up again, I notice my handy work here. This is where this where it all started, that's it... The colour here, would work wonderfully on the firewall there, really warming up that large space, especially when the fire is lit and it would be amazing at Christmas time, for the backdrop of a huge Christmas tree. Yes... I think the red will do, I'm sure I have a tin left over, so yes... Decision made, I feel so much better. I'd better head to bed, I still have quite abit to do, and as much as I have loved every minute of it, I feel tired, so rest is needed. Placing my glass in the sink, I dig out the tin of red paint and place it near my things for tomorrow, turning off the lights I head off to bed.

I slept well, apart from my dreams, they were vivid, forever changing flashes of Red, roaring fires and the feeling of great warmth. I could hear piano music and was drawn to it, only to never reach it. I must have ingested to many paint fumes yesterday, my dreams are never usually so disjointed.

I shower, dress and head off to work, I'm eager to get stuck in today. The drive is soon over and once again I'm back in this amazing apartment. Carrying the can of Red paint, I walk over to the firewall. I open the tin and test spot a patch on the wall. Yes... That will definitely work.

Walking into the kitchen area, I prepare some tea. While the kettle boils, I dig out from the cages, the accessories I ordered, for the rooms I painted yesterday. Once my tea is made, I head upstairs. As I add the finishing touches, it all comes together and the two guest rooms are instantly lifted. I head for the office. As I finish accessorising and close the door behind me, I smile, I hope he's happy with it. Today I'm going to spend time in the master bedroom, library and maybe add a splash of something to the kitchen, but first I need to see what is needed, if anything, for the storage rooms upstairs.

I climb the stairs and approach the door, it doesn't open, then I remember Mia told me to use Mrs Jones's keys, that are always hung up in the utility. Heading back downstairs, I return quickly with the keys. I put the key in the lock and open the door, and my hand shoots up to my face to contain the gasp of shock that my body registers. What... The... Fuck... It's a torture chamber, I pull the door closed quickly. My heart is beating so fast my hands are shaking, Oh My God. I turn and run, then freeze at the top of the stairs. My legs give out, and I just sit at the top of the stairs, in total shock trying to get my head around what I have just seen.

What were those contraptions, they looked so... Scary, dangerous. Oh God... Who is this man?... What is this man?... I rest my head in my hands trying to steady my train of thought... I can't believe it... I had no clue, no indication that this was how he spent his spare time... That there was this side to him... The total opposite of what I imagined... What I feel... What does he do in there? My mind is torn. How could he?... What does he?... Why does he?... Oh I need to keep busy, my thoughts are so unsettling...

Heading into the library, I quickly set up and start to paint a small wall in between two floor to ceiling bookcase's, I'm using a lovely soft Cream colour, that works so well against the book's. Now totally distracted by my heart stopping thoughts, I can relax and rationalize. I love this room, I could stay in here for hours, read every book, happily never seeing daylight. Why would a man who does, what ever he does in that room... Have all of these wonderful books?. I dismiss my thoughts and carry on working, turning my iPod up higher, trying to drown everything out.

Soon the library and kitchen have been finished, I felt the kitchen needed a splash of something bright, and after seeing the housekeeper's quarters I got my inspiration. A lovely shade of Lime, is now in-between all the kitchen units, and if feels so much brighter, after Lime accessories are added, it's done. Now the master bedroom.

I feel like I'm intruding in here, this is his private space, it's calm but cold. I want to add a colour, that will remind him of who he is, keep him grounded. After catching a glimpse of the room upstairs, he needs it. I quickly get to work.

My thoughts wander as I busy myself... I wonder if this man is Jekel and Hyde, that room is so far removed, from the man I thought living here... But Gia warned me... Said he was cold... Oh gosh... Has she been here? Has she seen that room? Been in it with him?... There was something, her reaction proved that... But she blushes when she speaks of him, so he hasn't scared her away entirely... And his family obviously don't know. Mia seems so nice, a bit scatty maybe, but her heart is in the right place, obviously, for wanting to do this for her brother... Unless... She is also into, whatever goes on in there... Oh my head is all over the place... Oh good God... I have found myself at the bottom of the stairs... Again... This isn't the first time I have been drawn back here, oh hell...

I turn on my heel back to the bedroom and start to put fresh sheets on the bed. As I run my hand over the pillow to straighten them up, I can't help but imagine, that this is where he sleeps and I can't help it, I lay on the bed. I sigh contentedly, it's so comfy. I like the feel of this room now, not like the feeling I get from the room upstairs.

I climb off the bed, straighten it up, gather together all the discarded packaging and head out the bedroom. That's enough for today, all I have to do tomorrow, is deal with the lounge.

I head home in a daze, my mind still constantly turning over what I think I saw this afternoon. After going through the motions, I have a hot bath and try to sort my thoughts... I give up and head to bed. One more day and I'm done, I just need to get the lounge sorted tomorrow, and I will never have to see him, never meet him, never have to set foot in that apartment again. Closing my eyes, I try my best to bring on sleep.

Arriving at work I feel a little better today, it's not my business what goes on here, I do not know this man, never will know this man, so what he does is his own affair... But I find I can't get that room out of my head. If I thought my dreams were disjointed the other night, last night topped them hands down. I don't even want to recall some of the images my brain conjured up, I never saw everything clearly enough to distinguish one chain and rope from another, the furniture seemed alien, but my brain tried to fill in the gaps and I was scared by what appeared.

Busying myself, I get stuck into the Red firewall, I think secretly I want to leave a piece of myself here. When I'm at home alone, I will know he is looking at the same coloured wall, we will both be... Where the hell is my head at,? I've got to stop this stupid daydreaming, is it the paint fumes? or am I really, drawn to this man on some other level? Just then the elevator pings and my heart stops.

As the elevator opens, in breezes Mia, "Oh Ana, this place looks great, the lime works so well, Mrs Jones will love it... It's her domain after all" Oh, I'm so glad she's happy. She's is busy flying around the room, all waving arms and eager glances,

"Shall I show you around the rooms that are finished?" I ask, eager to share my hard work, and earn her approval,

"Please" she squeals. We rush around the apartment and I point out all the subtle changes I have made. All the rooms gain her approval, she agrees everything looks great and it's subtle enough that her brother won't have a heart attack. As we head for the stairs, I feel the need to rush ahead and steer her to the bedrooms, but she heads for that room... Does she know what's in there?... Did she expect me too?...

"I never did anything in there, you were right... It's just for storage, you can't swing a cat in there. Never mind a roller. She mumbles something about her brother, probably never throwing anything away and moves on past to the bedrooms. For some reason, I feel relieved, I didn't want her to see it, didn't want her to know that side of her brother... I really think it would hurt her... Why should it matter so much to me?.

After checking every room we head back to the lounge, "Oh yes, the Red is wonderful, he will love it" Mia is screaming with delight, jumping up and down, bright colours are definitely her thing... And then it hits me... The Red I have used is... It's the same colour, as the room upstairs... Oh God... What was I thinking?... What will he think?... I keep myself together until Mia's short visit is over. Not really paying much attention to all her chatter... But I do remember, being persuaded to meet her for dinner tonight, as a thanks for all my hard work and to show her all the final pictures and to settle my bill, but everything else is a little hazy.

After Mia leaves, I quickly finish off painting the Red firewall, and the colour constantly reminds me of upstairs, and I have to look, look properly. The images I have been running through my head don't make sense, I need to see for myself. Grabbing the keys, I head upstairs, open the door and enter.

I turn on the light and stand stock still, as I take everything in. The Red from downstairs is everywhere, the walls, the bedding, the leather sofa. I can't help myself, I'm drawn to the bed. Sitting on the edge, I try and imagine what goes on in here, it's definitely torture, with all the whips, canes and God only knows what else, and he certainly doesn't want anyone escaping due to all the restraints... I have never even seen half of these things before, I pull open a drawer, of a beautiful display case and shut it immediately. I don't even want to consider where half of those things are meant to go.

Oh my God... I'm so confused... My head is spinning. This seems so far removed from the man I imagined, the man Mia knows. The way she talks about her brother, it's clear that she loves him dearly, so he can't be half bad. As scared as I am, I'm also feeling very excited by being in here and that's what worries me the most. The thought of being strapped to these pieces of furniture and experiencing these things is terrifying but I'm also fascinated and I can't and don't want to understand why... I need to leave. Turning off the light, I lock the door and head downstairs to replace the keys.

The firewall is finished, the things I chose for this room have been placed round and about, but something just isn't quite right, the room is off. I glance at the hallway opposite and get an idea, if the small bare wall in the hallway was also Red that will balance everything out. Quickly grabbing my things, I head for the hallway set up and begin. An hour later, I'm happy, but still... From the large living room the entrance hall is flanked by two tall thin walls, then the place opens up in to one large space, if they were an off White colour, it would soften it all up. I quickly dig out the Cream paint I used in the library and get to work.

It's getting late now, I have to meet Mia in an hour or so. I reach for the large ladders Gia supplied me with and extend them to full height. I apply a coat of paint to the walls, and while they are drying, I start to gather all my things together. I have a change of clothes with me, a smart dress, I was hoping to catch up with Kate for dinner but she is obviously not home yet, so dinner with Mia and her friends should be fun.

Once everything is packed away, I quickly dig out the sweeping brush and tidy up, by the time I've finished the wall is dry and ready for the final quick coat. Selecting a song, I can get lost in on my iPod, I turn the volume up high and get to work.

With the final brush stroke I sigh, a contented sigh, I'm shattered but God it feels good to accomplish something. This place looks great, feels so much more homey, welcoming and if I say so myself, looks really good... I 'm so proud of myself... Aaaahhh...

What the hell... Why am I in the air? I feel myself falling and a scream leaves my lips. Next thing I know, I am in somebody's arms and my heart has stopped... And I know for a fact that it's... Him.