Dimitri was eventually able to coax Rose to leave the gym. He lead her to the kitchen, sat her at the island and made her a mug of hot chocolate. As she was drinking, waiting for Lissa to return with news on Abe, Dimitri rubbed soothing circles in her back.

By the time Lissa arrived, Dimitri had managed to calm Rose significantly.

"Well," Rose asked Lissa, nearly jumping down the blond's throat as soon as she came in through the main doors, "How is he?"

"Resting comfortably. He forgot to take his medication today", Lissa answered. "He'll be alright this time".

The room was silent for a while.

"That's it?" Rose asked. "That's all your going to tell me?!"

Immediately, Dimitri wrapped his hand around Rose's wrist, reminding her silently that Lissa wasn't at blame.

Lissa shook her head. "No, that's not all. Can we sit down?" She gestured to the couch.

Rose agreed knowing that until she complied, Lissa wouldn't be forthcoming about the situation. "Guys, can you give us some privacy?" Rose asked Dimitri and Christian, who immediately left the two alone.

Lissa cleared her throat before she began. "Abe has been a heavy drinker and smoker since he was a teenager. His diet has always been high in sodium and never really healthy. He's had high blood pressure for the past 20 years. His cholesterol is high, he has high levels of triglycerides. So it wasn't surprising that he had a major heart attack 10 months ago". At that Rose gasped. How could her father have had a heart attack and she never knew?! Earlier in the dining hall, Rose was too shocked to process, but Lissa did mention something about Abe having had a coronary. "Rose, he almost died. As a result of the myocardial infraction, um, the heart attack, he developed severe congestive heart failure".

"What does that mean?" Rose asked meekly.

"If he takes care of himself, eats right, takes his medication like he's supposed to, he could have a few more good years before he starts to deteriorate and lose quality of life". Rose's hopes were starting to go up until Lissa squashed them down. "But, Abe's not taking care of himself. He's forgotten his meds on more than one occasion. He continues to drink and smoke regularly. His career choice is not conducive to his condition". Lissa paused for a moment to let all the information sink in for Rose. "Currently, Abe is more or less stable, but his illness could easily decompensate".

Rose nodded, trying to blink back the tears. She decided right then and there that she was going to make Abe see reason and start taking better care of himself. She was more than willing to knock some sense into him if need be.

"How long have you known about this?" She asked Lissa.

Lissa bowed her head in shame. "Since the day I arrived. Your night terrors were not the only reason Abe allowed me to join you here at Mazur Manor. He needed someone to take care of his medical needs."

"How could you not tell me?!" Rose felt betrayed. Rose could never imagine her best friend keeping her own father's apparent life threatening illness from her.

"Abe made me swear not to tell you! I wanted to tell you so much. But you know Abe, he's very persuasive".

"What did he offer you?" Rose asked just above a whisper.

"Nothing!" Lissa answered offended.

"Then how did he buy your silence?"

"He said he would send me away if I told you. That he'd hire someone else medically qualified to take care of you". Lissa replied with disgust. She was medically qualified. She was not a nurse, like Rose teased her. Lissa had started nursing school but changed her mind and opted for an education as a physician's assistant, quickly changing her studies. To this day Rose still called her Nurse Dragomir.

"So what? He's going to kick you out?" Rose asked. "No way! I won't let him!" Rose grabbed Lissa's hands in her.

Lissa smiled. "I had a feeling you'd say that. So I called his bluff. For now he didn't mention kicking me out. It was a risk I took because you needed to know. You're his daughter for Christ's sake! Besides, on the off chance that he really did send me packing, I knew you would still have Dimitri with you".

Rose smiled at the thought. Suddenly a thought occurred to her. "Do you think Abe knows about us?" She asked wide eyed.

Lissa looked sheepish for a moment before answering. "I think he does. While we were walking upstairs to Abe's room, I heard him say something to Pavel. He said something along the lines of knowing this would work out, and the two of you making gaga eyes at each other at dinner. I might be paraphrasing but he said, 'Did you see the way he handles her? She's never listened to anyone in her life, but she listens to him'."

"Abe said that?!"

Lissa nodded. "You'd think the two of you getting together was his doing", Lissa rolled her eyes.

Rose brushed it off for now, but Lissa's words were very unsettling.

Before the duo bid each other goodnight Lissa informed Rose that Abe requested she joined him for breakfast in his suite at 9 AM. The two parted ways and went to their respective bedrooms. Rose was disappointed when she didn't find Dimitri in her room. She checked his room, still no sign of him. Next she checked the gym. Finally she spotted him in the security room. Rose found Dimitri staring intently at the monitors in front of him. His jacket hung neatly on the back of his chair, his tie undone and hanging from his collar, his hair let down, not tied at the nape of his neck. His shoulders were tense and his expression grim and full of worry. Rose wanted to run her thumb against the furrow of his forehead to smoothen out the worry lines. She couldn't help but think how beautiful he was even when he looked distraught. How strong and stoic he always appeared, even now. How he always made her feel better. But Lissa's words still echoed in her ears. It was an innocent enough comment on her part, but Rose couldn't help but wonder. Did Abe have something to do with her and Dimitri getting together?

Leaning against the door frame of the security room, Rose said, "Hey, comrade".

Dimitri turned to her in his chair. "Roza, how are you?" He beckoned her to him. When she reached him, he sat her in his lap, securing his arms around her. He pressed his lips to her shoulder and again Rose wondered how he knew exactly what she needed.

"I don't know", she answered truthfully. "I just found out my father's sick and refuses to take care of himself. Worst than that is he's been keeping it one big giant secret from me. I can't stand being lied to!" Rose huffed.

Rose could feel Dimitri go rigid. That only added to what her gut instinct was telling her. That Dimitri and Abe were involved with something that she was not privy to.

"He didn't lie, technically", Dimitri stated.

"No, he omitted. George Orwell said omission is the most powerful form of lie". After a moment Rose added,"Not telling me something that I should have known is the same as lying to me about it".

"Rose," Dimitri started, "he didn't want you to have to worry about him. He was trying to spare you the heartache of knowing what was coming. And he didn't want you to look at him like you did tonight, as though he's weak. Can't you see where he was coming from?"

"He's my father, I have the right to worry about him. And he's not weak. He's Abe fucking Mazur. He could be six feet under and still terrorize his enemies". Rose smiled. "I'm going to tell him just that tomorrow at breakfast. After I'm done reading him the riot act about lying to me". Rose laughed without humor. "Remember when we first met and I told you I have trust issues?" Dimitri nodded. "Well it wasn't just because of Mason. Growing up with a father like Abe… Who wouldn't have trust issues?".

Every minute that passed Dimitri felt more and more guilt about his own lies to Rose. He was terrified of how the she would react once she learned the truth. He was afraid more than anything that he'd lose her. But lying was necessary. It was for her own good.

"Did you know he was sick?" Rose asked.

"Yes. But I assumed you were aware of his illness".

I assumed you were aware I was his daughter, Rose thought.

"Assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups", Rose stated.

"And when you assume you make an ass out of you and me?".

Rose nodded. "Right". Rose decided she couldn't beat around the bush anymore. She had to know what Abe was talking about with Pavel, so she confronted Dimitri with her ill-conceived suspicion.

"Dimitri, Lissa heard Abe say something to Pavel tonight. About you and me. She said he sounded like he was taking credit for us getting together. Like it was his doing". Dimitri's avoiding eye contact confirmed for Rose that something was definitely going on. "Did Abe say something to you? About me?" Angling his face towards her, she held his gaze.

She held such power over him with her eyes. He'd couldn't lie. Not about this. Not when she was looking at him that way with her big does eyes. "Remember the day Alberta got sick and passed out?" Dimitri asked Rose, who nodded. "I had a meeting that day with Abe. He had some very interesting things to say".

"Like what?"

"Like I was hired to take care of you".

"He wanted you to kill me?" Rose asked alarmed, though she knew her father cherished her more than life itself, it was still the first logical assumption considering it was Abe.

"No!" Dimitri answered, though he smiled that they both came to the same conclusion. Dimitri hesitated before answering. "No. He said I was paid enough to do anything you asked of me". Dimitri let the words hang in the air until Rose processed what he was trying to say delicately.

Rose's anger flared in an instant realizing what he had meant. She tried to get off of Dimitri's lap but he held tight and wouldn't let go. "You son of a bitch!" She yelled.

"Roza, please listen me!" he pleaded.

"Don't Roza, me! You don't get to Roza me! Let me go!" Rose yelled and continued to try to get out of his hold.

But Dimitri had a tight grip around Rose's waist and was holding her wrists in a vice. "Please, listen to me!" he pleaded again.

"No! I don't want to hear it! You slept with me because my father paid you to! How could I be so stupid?!"

"Dammit! That is not why I slept with you! I tried so hard to stay away from you! For fucks sake, I thought you were Abe's paramour. As if it wasn't bad enough I was falling in love with my charge who was already with someone, a charge who I was spending every night in bed with because of her night terrors, who I couldn't stop thinking about every waking moment, but to have Abe order me to…" Dimitri slowly realized that fight went out of Rose. He quite didn't release her just yet, after what happened earlier with Christian, but he did loosen his grip. "He said he didn't want you to be alone." Dimitri shook his head as he remembered the feeling of disgust that filled him during that particular conversation with Abe. "That bastard knew how taken I was with you and he didn't have the decency to tell me you were his daughter. Not that I would have made advances towards you, that would still be unprofessional. But I wouldn't have denied you for as long as I did. And the nerve he had. Not only was he pimping me out but he was basically doing the same to you!"

Rose was sure Dimitri did't even realize he admitted he was falling in love with her during his little speech. But she did.

"Are you done now with your little rant?" Rose asked impatiently. Dimitri nodded. "Good. Then shut up and kiss me".

Dimitri stared into Rose's eyes, completely dumbfounded. He had no idea what he said that convinced Rose he was being truthful but he thanked his lucky stars. When he completely released Rose's hands they wrapped around his neck, fingers running through his hair. Dimitri cupped her cheek with his palm and kissed her with a new found reverence.

As they kissed Dimitri tried to playback what he had said to Rose. He needed to know what it was that appeased her. When he realized that he had admitted he was falling for her, even that long ago, he pulled back, meeting her eyes again. He hadn't even admitted as much to himself, it just slipped out. But truer words were never spoken.

For a long time Dimitri had tried to deny his feelings, tried to keep his distance, told himself they were just friends. He was afraid of falling in love with his charge. But the truth was that was no longer a danger.

"What?" Rose smiled when Dimitri was staring at her for far too long.

"I just realized something", Dimitri said.

"Oh? And what was it?"

No, Dimitri was no longer in danger of falling in love with Rose Hathaway.

"I'm in love with you, Roza".

Because he'd already fallen. Hard.

In response Rose leaned in and kissed Dimitri fiercely at first. But the kiss soon turned slow and sweet, gentle and loving. Dimitri surprised Rose when he lifted her in his arms, one arm around her waist and one arm under her knees, carrying her to the bedroom.

As he was removing their clothes he avoided thinking about the other lies he didn't divulge. It was better that Rose didn't know. Keeping her in the dark was for her own protection. Or so Dimitri told himself as Rose trailed her lips down his bare chest.

Rose had never been in love before. She certainly wasn't expecting to find love at Mazur Manor. But she knew in her heart she was in love with the Russian god in bed with her. She loved him through and through, balls to bones, as she once heard in a movie. And it wasn't because of the way her heart sped up very time she looked at him, or the flutter she felt when he smiled at her, or the thrill she got when he ran his hands down her body. She knew she was in love because she'd do anything for him, she didn't want to imagine her life without him in it. She wanted to make him happy and bring him joy, because he brought her joy just by being. She wanted to put his needs above her own. She wanted to take care of him as he had taken care of her since the moment they'd met. She wanted to be with him. It seemed no amount of closeness was enough even as they came together.

As she found her release with him buried deep inside her Rose knew that this is how she always wanted her life to be. She wanted to spend her days training with Dimitri and her nights making love to him. Sure there'd be time for Lissa and Christian and especially Abe, but as long as she had Dimitri she could survive anything.

When they'd laid together in bed, completely spent, Dimitri held Rose close. He lay awake long after she'd fallen asleep, stroking her hair and thinking he just needed to get through the next few weeks and it would all be over. He'd be free. He could take her away from the manor, keep her safe and be with her always. That is, if she still wanted him when all was said and done.

A/N:

So what the hell else is Dimitri keeping from Rose? Mu ha ha!

Thank you for your reviews, favorites and follows! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know!

As for the quote from the previous chapter, I was devious and snuck in two quotes.

The first quote was "No pleasure, no rapture, no exquisite sin greater than central air", was from Kevin Smith's 'Dogma'. Congratulations to stardreamer2608 for recognizing.

As for the additional quote I snuck it - props to hbarker, who recognized "No power in the verse can stop me", from TV series 'Firefly'.

Again, I loved if anyone tried to stump me with quotes. No one's tried that yet ;-P

This chapter's quote - from a recent film, as promised:

"You're probably thinking my boyfriend said this was a superhero movie but that guy in the red suit just turned that other guy into a fucking kebab. Well I may be super but I'm no hero".

Other gems from the same movie:

You love ski ball. Apparently more than you love vagina.

What the shit-biscuit?

I'm touching myself tonight

You are haunting. Your face is the stuff of nightmares. Like a testicle with teeth.

Today was about as much fun as a sandpaper dildo

You don't need to be a superhero to get the girl. The right girl will bring out the hero in you.

you big chrome cock gobbler; cock thistle; two hundred pound sack of assholes; bag of wheezing dick tips; he's got a nice pair of smooth criminals down under;

But really, anything in that fucking movie made me laugh my fucking ass off. I must have watched it 6 time the week it came out. (Yes, I did download it, but I watched it in theaters first).

Good luck and see you next time!

Maximum effort! ;-P

K