Chapter 21: The Past Catching Up

**This story might start getting deep at times. I apologize in advance. I'll try to keep it lighthearted when I can but this part of the story has been speaking to me for a while so hang with me if you can. If you can't I more than understand and I thank you for lasting this long. xo**

Harleigha just laid there staring at the ceiling unable to move. What just happened in that bathroom was intense. They were all but swimming in each other's emotions. However, that wasn't enough for her to let him stay around. She knew he was trying to apologize but she needed that in words more than sex. Watching him leave that room she had to at least let him know that she loved him or he'd be constantly thinking that she hated him. She didn't hate him even though she rightfully should. Instead, she was more so confused and upset.

There was a knock on her hotel room door and she just stayed in the bed. The knock came harder and she continued to ignore it. She didn't feel like dealing with anybody. She needed time to pull herself together before she got ready to leave. If she didn't then her sisters would get to asking questions that she wasn't ready to answer. Especially Athena because she was a shark smelling blood when she found out one of her sisters were in trouble.

"Harleigha open up."

She froze at the voice that came through the door. That voice couldn't be there. It wasn't possible. Not today, she really didn't need that. Her heart started to pound and her hands began to sweat. She knew her sisters hadn't left yet and it hadn't been long since Roman left but she couldn't move to call any of them. She was frozen in the bed fearing once again for her life. A feeling that she hadn't experienced in years.

"Harleigha I know you're in there. Open the door sweetheart."

That voice was exactly how she remembered it. Deep, commanding, and most importantly manipulative. She felt herself slowly moving to the door to see if what she was hearing was true. Reaching the door, she leaned forward and looked through the peephole. The person behind that door was exactly who she feared it was. Stepping back she almost fell in a panic. She didn't know what to do. Well that was lie, she knew that Roman and her sisters were only a phone call away but she couldn't bring herself to call them. They didn't know the extent of her relationship and she worked so hard to keep it that way.

"Lei my love, I feel you. Open the door."

"GO AWAY!" She yelled back. She surprised herself by saying that. She thought she'd completely lost her voice.

"Aw that's my baby girl. Now come open the door for me."

Against her better judgment she pulled herself together, threw on some clothes and opened the door only a bit. She kept the deadbolt on the door as she peeked out at the man that made her life a living hell for almost four years.

"How…..How….How did you find me Brandon?"

"You're the love of my life. How could I not find you?"

"Brandon you're just as delusional as I remember. What are you doing here?"

"I heard you weren't in New York."

"Brandon there's nobody in New York that would tell you where I was. So stop bullshittin me."

"That's where you're wrong. Amaria is quite impressionable."

"See I'd believe you if I didn't already know that Ri had no idea where I was."

"So you've gotten smarter since we've last talked."

"Yeah I have now you've got thirty seconds to get the hell outta here before I call the cops."

"Good luck with that sweetheart. We both know how well cops worked out for you in the past."

Harleigha looked Brandon straight in his eye and she knew that if he could get to her he would attack her. She saw it in his eyes. He had that look that petrified her to her core every single time he wanted to treat her like his bitch. She had to get him out of there before the worst happened again. She wasn't going to ask him again how he found her but she needed to know what he wanted and hopefully then he'd leave. God forbid Roman or her sisters decided to come check on her, she couldn't be caught with Brandon.

"What do you want from me?" She struggled to ask. Harleigha was hoping it was a simple answer because she wasn't in the mood to degrade herself to please this self-serving bastard.

"It's simple. You."

"Me? What are you talking about?"

"I want you back. I know we ended on bad terms but…."

"Wait a minute before you finish that. Bad terms? Really? You call stabbing me an inch away from my heart bad terms. You can't be serious right now."

"I thought if I gave you your space that eventually you'd come back but you didn't. So I had to take measures that led me to this moment. Give me another chance Lei. Please I promise I've changed."

Before she could respond to his ridiculous statement she heard her name being called from down the hall. Thankfully it wasn't Roman's but who it actually was probably wasn't much better under her current circumstances.

"Harleigha are you okay?"

"I'm okay Dean."

"Who are you?" Dean asked Brandon

"I could ask you the same thing ummmm who are you?"

"Don't worry about who I am."

"Oh protective aren't you. What? Are you her new man? Ha! It's laughable that she thinks she can replace me." said Brandon

"Brandon just leave already damn."

"You heard the lady and I'm pretty sure you don't want me to show you the way out." Dean said getting into Brandon's face. He towered over him with his 6'4 foot frame. Brandon barely reached six feet so he looked small compared to Dean.

"Fine. Harleigha this isn't over. Don't think that I won't get what I want in the end. I always win remember that."

She couldn't even respond to that. She just watched from the crack in the door as he backed away from Dean and left. It still rattled her as to how he found her and she knew she was in big trouble if she didn't find a way to stop this. She was crazy to think this ended when she went looking for that restraining order. This wouldn't ever stop until he was in prison and that wasn't very likely considering he should already be there for attempted murder.

"Harleigha can you hear me? Harleigha?"

"Huh what?"

"Hey can you let me in?"

"Yeah sure Dean hold on."

She shut the door so she could unlock the deadbolt before opening it again and letting him in. She left it open as she went to sit on the bed. Putting her head in between her legs she breathed slowly to calm herself down. That was the only thing that worked after dealing with him. Brandon was always good for throwing her blood pressure into dangerous territories. He more than stressed her out and that alone was enough to kill her. After passing out last night high blood pressure and a serious headache was the last thing she needed.

"Who was that?"

Lifting her head she looked into the concerned eyes of Dean. It was crazy to see how they started and where they were now. Who could've ever guessed that Dean would be standing in her hotel room checking on her? Hell must've frozen over.

"I hate to ask this of you but if I tell you can you promise me you won't tell Roman and definitely not Athena. In fact you can't tell anybody."

"Harleigha I…."

"Dean promise me. They can't know."

"Why?"

"Just trust me please." She pleaded with him.

"Fine but if whatever you're about to tell me gets out of hand then I'm going to have to say something."

"Thank you."

"Mhm. Now who was that dude?"

"He's my ex-boyfriend."

"Okay and what did he mean by this wasn't over?"

"For me to answer that question I would have to show you rather than tell you."

He just looked at her with a confused look on his face. Standing up she slowly pulled up her shirt so he could see the scars that covered her stomach. Staring at him she saw about ten emotions cross his face before the last one settled on furious.

"He did that to you?" He managed to growl out.

"Yeah."

She didn't show him all of them and she was glad she didn't because just from how he was from the ones on her stomach he was bound to storm out of her room and go find Brandon.

"How did he find you?"

"I don't know Dean I really don't."

She felt herself on the brink of a serious meltdown and she was trying so hard to keep herself together.

"Okay what I want you to do is when you all get home is get a restraining order for all of you. He lives in New York right?"

"I don't…I don't really know. I haven't seen him in years."

"Okay well regardless get that restraining order and right now we're all going to take you to the airport."

"Dean you don't have to go out of your way."

"We'll be fine. The last thing I want is some jackass putting his hands on any of you."

"Dean but…"

"No arguments. Get your shit and let's go. Your sisters are waiting for you anyway."

"I don't have much of a choice do I?"

"Nope." He said with a smile on his face and his dimples popped out.

Shaking her head she went around the room and grabbed all her things and messily threw them into her suitcase. Grabbing her phone off the nightstand she headed out of the room with Dean right behind her.