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Mark sat on a barstool talking to Burton. "I'm sure I locked up tight last night, Mark, someone must have a key."

Mark nodded, he figured Burton had locked up. He watched Faith serving customers. He was worried, what if this had happened while she was here alone, he had no idea who it could be, what if they hurt her.

Burton could see the worry on Mark's face. "Don't worry either me or Jacob will make sure to hang around here when shes alone."

Mark smiled. "Thanks Burton, I cant help but worry."

"It will be fine, the police will find whoever done this and things will go back to normal, I guess no lunch for a while." Burton said sounding disappointed.

Mark laughed. "I have a new stove being delivered shortly, lunch is on for tomorrow."

Burton grinned. "Girls got me spoiled with her good cooking."

Mark smiled as he looked over at Faith, even after everything that happened at the bar, he couldn't shake his thoughts from their lovemaking last night, and he couldn't wait till he had her alone again, he couldn't get enough of Faith.

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Della had sat across the street in her car watching the hustle and bustle of the police going in and out, they wouldn't find anything, she was too good for that. But she supposed Mark would change the locks now, she had picked up a lose key he had laying around months ago, it was just a impulse thing, but the key had come in handy. She felt better taking some aggression out on Mark's bar, and in the process, she knew they would suspect Lucille, after all the old bat had been shooting off her mouth to anyone that would listen.

She hoped that if she did enough stuff, Faith would get scared and leave town, and then she could get Mark back, at least thats what she told herself, she wasn't even sure she wanted Mark back, it was a pride thing, he dumped her for another woman, and Della was a woman used to getting her own way, she was not happy about some damn man dumping her.

She had more in store for little miss goody two shoes, but she didn't want to rush, she didn't want to raise suspicions, she would wait a while and work on her next project.

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"Come here."

Faith looked up at Mark and walked over smiling.

He pulled Faith in his arms and kissed her. "Go on and pick up the kids." He took her key ring and slid a key to his house on it. "I don't want you sitting up waiting on me, go on and go to bed at a decent hour tonight, and be sure to lock up."

Faith grinned. "Yes sir."

Mark just smiled and kissed her hard on the mouth. "Don't be a smart ass ,woman, just do as your told."

Faith laughed and grabbed her purse. "Maybe I will and maybe I wont."

Mark shook his head as she left. She was something else, Mark was getting used to having her around and he didn't want to think about how lonely it would be without her and the kids around.

Mark was beginning to realize, this was more than a fling, if it was just sex, last night would have took care of that, he knew it wasn't just sex, he still wanted to be with her, even more now than before.

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Faith pulled up in Mark's driveway and Noah was already trying to get out of his seat.

"Mark's house." Noah said climbing out of his safety seat.

Faith smiled and got out and let him out of the car, and then went around to get Isabel out.

Noah was already on the front porch jumping up and down when Faith got there with the key, she opened the door and Noah took offs running through the large house.

Faith shut the door and set Isabel on her feet. "Noah stop running in the house!" She called after him.

Faith looked at the beautifully decorated home, this house must have cost a fortune to build. Isabel followed her mother till they found Noah sitting in the game room trying to figure out how to turn on the playstation.

Faith found a racing game and turned it on for him and told him to stay in here and play while she made dinner.

Isabel sit down beside her brother on the couch and Faith went to start dinner.

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Della was seething, she had drove by Mark's and when she seen that bitches car there, she lost it cursing to herself.

She couldn't believe Mark had her and her little brats staying at his home. He didn't even like kids, Della and Mark always had that in common, she had just known, someday Mark would fall in love with her and want to marry her, now this bitch with her fucking kids was ruining it.

Della wasn't in love with Mark, but she figured they were a good match, they both had their on careers, of course Mark had a ton of money, if she decided she didn't want to work, that would have been possible, neither wanted kids. Della had thought they would work well togather.

Della sat in her car just down the road and waited, she would wait till they all went to sleep.

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Faith laughed as she took Isabel from the bath tub and dried her off, managing to tickle her in the process, causing the little girl to giggle uncontrollably.

She got her dressed in her Dora nightgown and then lifted her in her arms taking her back downstairs, Noah was in the den watching TV as he had already had his bath. "Come on Noah, time for a bedtime snack."

Noah raced off the couch to follow her. She sat Isabel at the table and Noah climbed in a chair and she gave them carrot sticks with Ranch dressing. They happily munched on the carrot sticks and Faith washed the dinner dishes while she listened to Noah chattering away at Isabel.

Her cell rang and she picked it up. "Hello."

"Hey darlin, just checking on you guys."

Faith smiled. "We're fine, just doing dishes and Noah and Isabel are having a bedtime snack."

"You lock up?" He asked.

"Yep, all safe and sound, I promise." She said smiling.

"Good, the stove was delivered and the wholesalers brought more food, so you can get back to cooking tomorrow." He said.

"Good, is it busy tonight?" She asked.

"Naw, not really, a little steady earlier, but its pretty quite now, tell the kids goodnight for me, I'll see you soon."

"Okay..see ya." She said and hung up.

"Alright guys, it's bedtime, Mark said to tell you goodnight."

Isabel smiled at her mother, it was obvious she really liked Mark.

Noah jumped down from his chair and crossed his little arms. "I want Mark."

Faith smiled. Noah was fast becoming Mark's biggest fan. "Noah, Mark is at work, now come on bedtime, lets brush our teeth."

Noah didn't look happy but he followed her upstairs to the bedroom, he was staying in. Faith helped both twins brush their teeth, and them settled them on the bed to tell them a story, since she had forgot to bring a book.

Faith tucked Noah in and then carried Isabel to the next bedroom and tucked her in, kissing her. "Night Isabel."

Faith went down to Mark's bedroom. It was huge with a biggest bed she had ever seen, it was done in autumn colors and it had a huge bathroom and a full size balcony.

She grabbed a t-shirt to sleep in and went and took a shower, she was dead tired and decided to go on and go to bed.

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Della saw the house go dark and waited another forty-five minutes, then she crept out of her car and walked up to the house, the house that should be hers, she thought.

She wasn't really trying hurt anyone, just scare that bitch into leaving town. She doused the screen door with gasoline and lit a match , she had seconds thoughts, maybe she shouldnt do this, but then it would just burn the door up, it wouldnt go any further, just enough to scare that bitch, she tossed the match at the door and took off.

Maybe now that bitch would get the hint.

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Faith had left the balcony door open when she went to bed and now she turned in her sleep, she smelled smoke, her eyes popped open and she jumped up.

She ran to the kids rooms but there was no hint of smoke in the house, she ran downstairs and she didn't see anything, but the smoke smell was stronger down here.

She went to the front door and opened it, gasping in shock, the entire wood frame of the screen had been consumed by fire, thank God it had gone out after that, but the smell of gasoline was heavy.

Faith looked up when she saw Mark's truck pull in the driveway. He walked up on the porch and saw the screen. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't know, I woke up smelling smoke and came down here to find this." Faith said shivering.

Mark pulled what was left of the screen off and tossed it to the yard, he would have to get a new one tomorrow and he pulled Faith in his arms. "You okay?"

She nodded and hugged him back and he shut the door and looked down at her. "Faith someone is definitely trying to mess with me, I'm going to hire some security to hang around here tomorrow, until we find out whose doing this. I'll call Justin in the morning too, I'm going to go out and take a look around"

Faith nodded. She wasn't going to argue, because she was scared of the kids getting hurt, she wondered what kind of nut was doing this, the more she thought about it, the more she thought it wasn't Lucille doing it, she seemed bitchy not crazy.

"Your dinner is in the oven, go eat, when you're done." Faith said.

Mark bent his head to kiss her. "Okay, get on back up to bed, I'll be up in a while."

Faith hugged him and started back up the stairs. Mark went out side and walked around his property taking a look around, but he saw no one, he sighed, he hoped Justin would find out who was doing this. Mark headed back to the house and locked the doors.

Mark went in the kitchen and pulled the plate out of the oven she had wrapped up for him, he smiled, it was lasagna, one of his favorites, he heated it up along with the bread and the sat down to eat.

Mark thoughts were on her and the kids, he was really worried about who was doing this, he intended to call the police in the morning and let them know what had happened, he would get some security out here tomorrow to make sure that they were safe when he was at work, he wasn't going to take any chances and he knew that Faith must be worried about this, for the kids sake. He was worried too, he would make whoever done this pay when he found out who it was.

He knew Isabel had another doctor's appointment in a couple of days, he would drive them over to Riverdale, he wasn't taking any chances.

Mark got up and rinsed his plate and set it in the drain, he went through the house checking the locks and windows then headed up stairs, he stopped in Noah's room and smiled, the boy was sound asleep snoring, he walk down to Isabel's room and pulled the covers back over her, she had kicked off in her sleep and then went to his bedroom at the end of the hall. He smiled as he entered the bedroom, Faith was sprawled in the middle of the bed on her back, the t-shirt riding up her thighs, he grinned and went to take a shower.

Faith was dozing and felt the mattress dip under Mark's big frame. She sleepily opened her eyes when she felt his hands pulling her panties off. "What are you doing?"

Mark chuckled and slid his finger between her legs rubbing her. "What do you think I'm doing?"

"I happen to be sleeping, just like you ordered me to do." She said teasing him.

Mark bent and kissed her neck, nipping the skin there. "Uhh huh, thats why I told ya to go to bed early, so I could wake ya up for some lovin."

Faith yawned. "I don't know, I'm awfully tired."

Mark rolled over on her and kissed her lips. "Woman, its been almost twenty four hours since I had that sweet pussy wrapped around me, I'm getting me some."

Faith laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck and he pushed into her in one hard stroke. Mark spent the next ten minutes kissing from her neck to her breasts as he kept a steady rhythm of thrusting into her hot center.

Faith hands ran up and down over Mark's back as he built her to a fervor pitch. "Mark...please." She begged.

Mark smiled down at her and bent to her ear running his tongue over the edge. "Want to come don't ya?"

"Yessssss." She whimpered.

Mark kissed her hard on the mouth, plunging his tongue in to taste her sweetness. His hips thrust faster and Faith groaned as the climax washed over her. "Marrrrrrrkkkk." She moaned as her muscles clenched around him.

"Dammit woman." He groaned as his own climax, made him arch his back, he practically growled as he thrust hard into her on last time, releasing deep in her heat.

Mark rested his forehead on hers. "Such a good girl." He said grinning.

Faith laughed and hugged him, she loved the way Mark was in bed, she knew it didn't matter how tired she was, she would never turn him away.

Mark rolled to his back and hauled her on top of him, he wrapped his arms around her. "Go to sleep." He growled as his hands stroked her head gently. "Bossy." She muttered as she closed her eyes.

"Yea, get used to it." Mark said gently, his eyes softened as he watched her eyes close.

He had to protect her and the kids. Mark didn't ponder his feelings to deeply, his marriage had been a disaster, they had both been at fault, he couldn't blame her for everything, he knew he wasn't a easy person to love, he had his ways, he was arrogant, hard headed and bossy, he liked things his way, and he expected sex as often as he wanted it.

He wondered if any woman could learn to deal with him, love him, he often doubted it, Mark was man used to his own way, what woman would put up with that for long. Mark finally drifted off, easing the troubling thoughts from his mind.

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Faith woke early and got breakfast started and put on a pot of coffee. She stood on the back deck of the house drinking coffee and enjoying the sunrise.

She couldn't keep the smile off her face, even with everything that was going wrong, she had Mark, that made everything seem okay, she blushed as she remembered their lovemaking, Mark had a way of making her lose her inhibitions, she wanted him, she found herself thinking about tonight and about how he would come in from work and make love to her, she grinned.

She went upstairs and found both kids waking and she got them up and dressed.

Noah looked at his mother after she had got him dressed. "I want Mark."

"Mark's asleep honey, he worked late." Faith said getting the brush and curl tamer and fixing Isabel's hair.

She was surprised when Noah started crying and threw himself on the bed.

"Noah, don't act like that, Mark will be up in a while and you can see him."

Noah just cried harder and Isabel went over and patted his back.

Faith felt bad, but Mark needed his sleep. "Noah breakfast will be ready in a while, come downstairs when you feel better."

She found the best way to deal with his melt downs is to let them run their course and would snap out of it on his own.

Isabel gave him a hug and then followed her mother down stairs.

Faith kept up a steady stream of conversation to Isabel, hoping she would sometime answer her back. She set a bowl of fruit and some scrambled eggs in front of the girl.

Isabel started eating and Faith looked around to see if Noah had come down yet. "Isabel, I'm going to get Noah."

Isabel nodded and went back to eating and Faith went upstairs to Noah's room, but he wasn't there.

Faith went down the hallway having a sneaking suspicion. She opened Mark's bedroom door to find Noah shaking Mark. "get up."

"Noah Baxter Gilmore, what do you think you're doing?" Faith asked with her hand planted on her hips.

Noah knew he was sunk, when she used all three names and Mark pushed up on his elbows to look at her.

"I want Mark." Noah said poking his lips out.

Faith gave him a not so happy look. "You're already in trouble little boy, don't make it worse by being stubborn, go to your room."

Noah jumped off the bed and ran to his room and Faith went and sat down. "Sorry I told him to let you sleep, he slipped in here while I was making breakfast."

Mark kissed her. "It's okay, I have to call the police this morning and get some security out here, so I need to get up."

"Okay, I have to go deal with Noah, he still did something I told him not to." Faith said getting up.

Mark nodded, he knew the boy just missed him, with him working late till all hours of the morning, he didn't get to see him much this last week. He decided he would keep the kids with him till he went to work. "I'll keep them with me till I go to work, he just misses me is all."

Faith smiled. "I know, don't worry I'm not going to spank him." She said reading the look on his face easily.

Mark laughed. "That transparent am I?"

"Yea, I'm just going to have a talk with him, Isabel is eating breakfast and theres coffee made." She said.

Mark nodded and got up and got dressed. He wanted to get the security out here as soon as possible.

Mark went downstairs to the kitchen and smiled when Isabel hopped out of the chair and hugged his legs, he swung her up and gave her a kiss. "Morning Izzy."

She grinned and hugged his neck and kissed his cheek.

Mark sat her down and poured some coffee when he heard the doorbell ring. "I'll be right back."

He went down the hallway and to the front door and opened it and sighed. "Della what the hell are you doing here?"