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Chapter 26

Her jaw worked overtime as she studied the man in front of her. He was sitting behind his desk, staring at the computer. He shook his head while he did so. She narrowed her eyes as they skimmed over his impeccable suit. She felt bile rise up in her throat. This couldn't be. It could NOT get wrong. Nothing could go wrong from here on out. She had everything planned so well!

'I'm sorry mam but you're password is not correct.' He repeated with a frown in his dark grey eyebrows.

Her nostrils flared and she tried to paste a friendly smile on her face. From the inside she was seething with pure anger. That stupid fool hadn't trusted her. He had given her the wrong password.

'There must be a mistake..' She said in her most innocent look as she bended forward and gazed with big eyes at the screen.

Without the password, there was no money.

Moments later she walked outside and she was filled with an utter rage. Her fists were clenched in tight white balls. John hadn't been as stupid as she would have thought. But now she had NO money at all. While there was a few million just waiting there on that bank account. O, she would get to it. She wouldn't stop here.

She walked back to her car angrily. She couldn't believe this! All her bags were packed and now she couldn't go to Italy because she had no money. She had spent days on the road with her car and all of her belongings that mattered to make a good and quick getaway. Everything was planned, no one would find her. And now, on one of the last phases of her plan… Something like this happened! That meant that she had to go back.

She'd have to take care of this very quickly.

Cal's house

Gillian stepped out of the hot shower. At least the shower had brought her warmth and a bit of comfort to soothe her aching muscles and trembling, cold body. She stood still and looked around her in search for a towel.

Suddenly the bathroom door opened and her heart stopped beating in shock instantly, she froze to the ground instantly as she stared wide-eyed at Cal.

Cal stared back with wide eyes that skimmed over her body quickly. -He couldn't help himself-. He swallowed and then looked up at her face again. 'Gillian.' He uttered. His mouth was hanging open after that. His eyes went in a fraction of a second over her body again before he looked away.

Gillian had awoken from her frozen state so much to try to cover herself up but there still was no towel in sight.

'S.. Sorry.' Cal said as he held up his hand towards her and looked away while he retreated to the door. He then turned his face back and looked at her again with shock on his face. He seemed to reprimand himself as he closed the door and left her standing there, feeling utterly vulnerable, shocked and astonished with open mouth.

She finally found a towel under the sink and she began to dry herself off quickly. She put on her comfortable much worn jeans and a warm, hugging pink sweatshirt as she stepped out of the bathroom. She dry towelled her hair as she walked back to the guestroom. Gillian had moved all her stuff, -which wasn't a lot but just mess like the magazines, mp3, books and things like that-, back to the guest room where she thought she belonged. She didn't belong in Cal's bedroom. Using the central bathroom instead of the guestroom's bathroom hadn't been such a good idea though… She had found out that the shower was better and harder there and that's why she chose that one.

The moment Cal heard Gillian coming down the stairs he walked towards her.

'I'm sorry 'bout that luv. Didn't know you were in there..' He said lamely as he studied her and noticed that she was dressed and not wearing sleeping wear anymore.

Gillian had her mouth open as she stood in front of him. She studied his face shortly and then shook her head.

'Well, I knew you were in there…' Cal began again, he was never good at lying to her. He put his hands in his pockets and looked away. 'I just didn't hear anything, I called you and you didn't answer so I thought something had gone wrong.' She was beautiful...., he thought as he saw what had just happened happen again in his memory. He gestured towards her. 'Like you had fainted or something, or were drowning in the bath or something like that.' Cal explained.

Gillian breathed in. She had to admit that she didn't like the idea that Cal had seen her like that. She had felt so naked. Well, she had been naked. That was way over the line. She was naked, had been naked and he had seen her and it was very inappropriate, she felt ashamed even. Of course he was her friend but she was COMPLETELY naked and there weren't many men who had seen her completely naked.. Not that she was a prude but she wasn't the woman to go run naked in front of just any man. But things like this happened, and she'd want to forget about it as soon as possible. 'Well, I shouldn't have forgotten to lock the door, so this is partly on me I guess…' She said as she walked towards Cal's kitchen.

'I didn't see anything.' Cal lied.

Gillian tilted her head and gave him a stern look. She remembered the way he had looked back at her.

Cal put his hands in his pockets again as he breathed out air. 'That wasn't a lie.' He said cheekily as he followed her quickly. 'I meant I haven't seen anything that I haven't seen already.'

Her face snapped to his in shock at this. Whenever had he seen her naked? He couldn't have… She read him and noticed a lazy and teasing smile form on his face. 'On other woman.' He finished.

Gillian narrowed her eyes as Cal shrugged. He was enjoying this way too much for her liking...

'All woman look the same, don't they.. When it comes down to it.' He stated cheekily with an innocent sparkle in his eyes. Only she knew very well that he wasn't innocent at all when it came to woman.

'Thank you Cal, very charming.' Gillian remarked as she avoided looking at him. We're all adults here. I don't care that he saw me naked. She caught herself thinking that she wished that the roles had been reversed; that she had seen Cal naked.

He put up his hands. 'Look I don't want you to feel ashamed yeah. I'm sorry I invaded your privacy there. Just thought it was important to save you from drowning or anything.' He stated as he made a few gestures with his hands.

Gillian opened the cupboard and wanted to take out a mug when she already saw one standing there, filled with steaming tea. Cal had already made her some tea. She turned around to face him, leaning her lower back to the counter.

'So you were shocked by other woman too?' Gillian asked as she put her arms in front of her chest. She just had to know.

'What?' Cal asked confused as he narrowed his eyes at her.

'Shock Cal. When you walked back to the door you looked back at my body and then I saw shock on your face.' She had seen it very clearly, there was no mistake about that.

Cal turned away for a moment and then walked towards the sink to get his own mug of tea.

'Yeah I was shocked Gillian.' He gestured towards her stomach. 'You're still covered in bruises and cuts.' He said as he put the mug down again. He would never get over that, seeing her wounded like that. Even though the wounds were fading, it didn't matter. He didn't want her to be hurt like that. Seeing her like that was just something that brought up memories of her being in pain.

Gillian dropped her head. Shame. She looked away from him.

'What's that now?' Cal asked paranoid as he walked towards her.

'What? Nothing.' She said as she wanted to walk away from the kitchen.

He took her arm to stop her. She bit her lip.

'Nothing.' She said again, knowing how lame it sounded.

'You can do better then that.' He said as his eyes flew over her face instantly. He noticed how her cheeks flushed.

Gillian looked away again. And again he noticed shame.

'I just thought… I thought you were.. You were shocked by..' She gestured at herself.

She had doubted herself so many times after everything what had happened to Alec. She knew she shouldn't, but somewhere deep inside of her it gnawed at her.

'By what?' He asked as he looked at her face, wanted her to make eye-contact. She kept looking away. Then she loosened herself from his gentle grip on her arm and stepped back in the kitchen. She needed space.

Gillian moved towards a cupboard and got a glass from it.

'That I was shocked by you? Is that what you wanted to say?' Cal asked, not even being able to believe that that was it.

'It's okay now.' She said in a soft voice as she filled the mug with water and took large gulps from it.

'Okay?' He studied her back, because she was refusing to face him obviously. 'It's not okay.' He stated sternly as he took a few energetic paces towards her. 'Why would you doubt yourself like that?' Alec. He knew it the moment he asked the question.

She gulped every drop of water down and then filled the mug again.

'What did he do to you?' Cal asked as he shook his head and studied her, eyed her up and down as if that would help him to get some sort of answer. 'What did he say to you?' He prodded.

She drank the mug empty again and then held her hand up at him in defence.

'You know the line we talked about? I think we've just reached it.' She said as she put the mug down in the sink. And we went way over it. 'I'm sorry, it's my fault. I shouldn't have mentioned what I saw on your face. Let's leave it at that.' This was getting too uncomfortable, too close. This was out of hand. It had gotten out of hand days ago and now she had to put a stop to it. It wasn't just for any reason that she had chosen for the line. She had to remember that.

Gillian walked towards him. 'I appreciate that you were worried about me drowning in a shower. But-' She said in a sweet voice.

'-Bath. I don't think you can drown in a shower-' Cal interrupted.

She raised her chin at him and interrupted him sternly at that.

'-But if there would be a next time for that, please wait for my answer first before you enter a bathroom I'm in?'

He nodded. She made herself very clear. He would respect that. 'Sure luv. Sure.' He said as she walked towards the kitchen table and plopped on one of the chairs.

Great, now he just had to get rid of the image of her, naked in his bathroom. Yeah, her wounds had been imprinted in his mind, and the rest of her, that had been imprinted in his mind forever. He sighed. He needed a drink. A big one. A drink or two. Three. Four. Fifty. It didn't matter, he would never be able to forget this. Damn his brain. Or damn that other part of his body that wouldn't forget. There was a line. She wanted the line. So he should respect that. He looked up at her. She was still standing in the kitchen as she was sorting some of the magazines out. Damn stupid bloody hell of a stupid line! A voice in his head shouted angrily as he bared his teeth shortly. But if that was how she wanted it, okay. He could do that.

His seething thoughts got interrupted by a phone call by Reynolds.

'Hey Em.' Gillian said the moment Emily walked in the kitchen.

'O no, are you leaving already?' Emily asked as she eyed Gillian's outfit and the bag near her feet.

'Yes, I'm feeling much better and I have some stuff to do at home. Cal's bringing me.' Gillian said as she gestured towards Cal with her tea filled mug. Emily turned to see her father slumped at the table in the living room. He was calling with someone.

'You want to come with us?' Gillian asked with a smile.

'O no sorry, I'm going to meet with Rick.' Emily smiled widely as she looked at Gillian. 'I'll be going to that party tonight.' She said with sparkling eyes.

'Really?' Gillian asked as she looked from Emily's happy face to Cal and then smiled widely too. 'Have fun.'

Cal stared at his phone and then looked up to Gillian and his daughter. He loved how happy his daughter was, and he hoped he hadn't made a big mistake by allowing her to go with that Dick to that party.

Gillian took a sip of her tea as she kept on smiling.

'What are you smiling about?' Cal grumped as he stood up and walked towards her.

'Nothing.'

'She's got to be home at midnight exactly. If that boy is too late he'll be-'

'-Cal, I think I get the picture.' Gillian said as she held her hand up to stop his threats from coming out of his mouth.

Cal was glad that they could still banter like nothing had happened minutes earlier.

Gillian put the mug down in the sink and walked towards her bag. 'Well, I think I'll actually miss it here.' She said as she sighed and looked around.

'Of course you would.' Cal said cockily as if it was very normal. He rubbed his chin as he looked at her. 'Reynolds just called. Angela Pointer is dead.'

'What?' Gillian asked surprised. 'But… How?' She uttered.

'A few bullets did the job.'

'Someone killed her?' Her mouth fell open. 'I don't understand..'

'Nah, neither do I. It get's really complicated this way. Frank dead, or John, whatever his name was and now her. Seems like there are more people involved here.'

Gillian nodded as she sighed heavily.

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This was a bit of a slow chapter but I liked writing the bathroom scene (evil laugh). I hope it wasn't too soppy or anything. And that the line thing wasn't used too much, but I think it would be something Gillian would hide behind, and she wouldn't give that up instantly.

Let me know what you thought please? Thanks!